WEEK SEVEN
THE ARREST AND TRIAL OF JESUS CHRIST
The activities of Jesus Christ became a threat to the Pharisees. They were fast losing popularity among the people to Jesus and this made them so uncomfortable. Thus, they began plans to bring an end to his popularity and preserve their practice. In Matthew 26:3 – 4, the Bible records that, “Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Ca′iaphas, and took counsel together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.” Jesus knew this was going to happen. So, He kept on speaking in parables to prepare the minds of His disciples. In Matthew 26:14 – 15, the Bible reveals how Judas agreed to deliver Jesus into their hands, an act which earned him thirty pieces of silver.
a. Christ before the High Priest – Matthew 26:36-75, Mark 14:53-75, Luke 22:66-71
After the last Supper where Jesus revealed that one who eats with Him would betray, Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He told them to sit at a place and wait for Him while He went further with Peter, James and John the two sons of Zebedee. In Matthew 26:38 – 39, being sorrowful and troubled, He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
When He returned to them, He found them sleeping and said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away to pray for the second time saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done.” When He came back, again He found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.
When He had finished, He woke them up and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” While He was still speaking, Judas Iscariot came with a great crowd who were armed with swords and clubs. They came from the chief priest and elders of the people. Having given them the sign that the person he kissed is the man, Judas went close to Jesus and kissed Him. Jesus said, “Friend why are you here?” Immediately, the crowd moved up to Jesus and arrested Him. One of the disciples with Jesus stretched out His sword and struck one of the servants of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that point, Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.
Jesus before the High Priest
From there, He was led to Ca’iaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered waiting while Peter followed at a distance. The chief priest and the whole council had incited people to raise false accusation against Him. They found no one who gave a testimony that could lead to death until the last two witnesses came up. They said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.” The high priest charged Jesus to speak but rather, He remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his robes, and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” See also Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:66-71
While all these were going on, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him, and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” He denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” He left there and went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Again, he denied it with an oath saying, “I do not know the man.” After a little while, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” At this point, he began to swear and invoke a curse on himself saying, “I do not know the man.” Immediately the cock crowed and Peter remembered the saying of Jesus that, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and wept bitterly. See also Mark 14:66-72
b. Christ before Pilate – Matthew 27:11-31, Mark 15:1-16, Luke 23:1-7,11-14
From there, they took Jesus to the governor because they need the governor’s permission or authority to put Him to death. While He was there, the governor questioned Him but He gave no answer. Seeing that there was no serious charge against Him, the governor wondered greatly. He knew they had brought him to be killed out of envy.
In Matthew 27: 19, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a word to him saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream.” He proposed in his heart to set Jesus free so according to his custom of releasing one prisoner whom the people would choose, he paired up Jesus with a notorious prisoner called, Barabbas. Then he asked, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Barab′bas or Jesus who is called Christ?” Before now, the chief priests and the elders had persuaded the people to ask for Barab′bas and destroy Jesus. So when the governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” They all said, “Barab′bas.” Surprised Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all replied and said, “Let him be crucified.” Then he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified.”
When Pilate saw that this was causing riot and he could not prevail over the people, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then Pilate, the governor released for them Barab′bas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Immediately, Jesus was taken to the praetorium and a battalion gathered around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. They plaited a crown of thorns, put on His head and put a reed in His right hand. They knelt before Him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him, collected the reed from Him and struck him on the head. They had mocked him, stripped him of the scarlet robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. See also Mark 15:1-16, Luke 23:1-14
c. Christ before Herod – Luke 23:6-12
According to Luke’s account, when Pilate discovered that Jesus was a Galilean, he sent Him off to King Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time. He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction. When Herod saw Him, he was glad because he had heard a lot about Jesus and had longed to see Him perform some miracle. He questioned Jesus but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priest and the scribes stood vehemently accusing him. Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt, mocked Him, arrayed Him in gorgeous apparel and sent Him back to Pilate. On that premise, Herod and Pilate, who had bitter rivalry between themselves, became friends. Luke 23: 6 – 12
Unprecedented 