CAIAPHAS QUESTIONS JESUSMatthew 26:57-68
Mat 26:57 Then the people who had arrested Jesus led
Him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of religious
law and the elders had gathered.
This trial was at night, that was against Roman law so
they had to repeat the trial in the daylight. That will be shown in Matthew 27:1 when we get there. This was the only way that they could
command a death sentence and this had to be done before the Sabbath. John 18:31.
So Caiaphas held another trial in front of the Romans the very next day.
Actually since the capture of Jesus was after midnight it was the same day. The
same lies had to be told again in order for Pontius Pilate to rule.
Mat 26:58 Meanwhile, Peter followed Him at a distance
and came to the high priest's courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards
and waited to see how it would all end.
Caiaphas's home was more of a castle like structure that
had walls around it. Peter and another disciple Joh_18:15
were allowed into the courtyard because the other unnamed disciple knew Caiaphas.
Mat 26:59 Inside, the leading priests and the entire
high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they
could put Him to death. Mat 26:60 But even though they found many who agreed
to give false witness, they could not use anyone's testimony. Finally, two
men came forward Mat 26:61 who declared, "This man said, 'I am
able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
The Life [1]Application
New Testament Commentary had an excellent comment on these three verses. 26:59-61
Upstairs in the high priest’s palace, the leading priests and the entire
high council had assembled before dawn. They wanted evidence to convict
Jesus of a crime deserving death, but they did not find any. The obvious
conclusion should have been that Jesus was innocent of any crime. But this
was not a trial for justice; it was a trial to accomplish an evil purpose.
There was no shortage of witnesses; the problem was in
finding two testimonies that agreed. During a trial, each witness would be
called upon separately to give his testimony. But the stories these witnesses
gave did not agree in the details. According to Moses’ law, no one was to be
put to death on the testimony of only one witness (Num_35:30); there had to be two or three
agreeing witnesses (Deu_19:15). This must have been exasperating
for the desperate religious leaders. They weren’t going to let Jesus get away
on a technicality!
Finally, two men were found who claimed that Jesus
had said he could destroy the Temple of God. However, Jesus had not spoken
in the first person (“I will destroy”); nor had he said anything linking his
words with the Temple building. Instead, Jesus had spoken in the second
person plural, issuing a command, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise it up” (Joh_2:19). Jesus,
of course, was talking about his body, not the building. Ironically, the
religious leaders were about to destroy Jesus’ body just as he had said, and three
days later he would rise from the dead.
You have to admit that a lot of lies had been told at this
trial. It may have been frustrating for Caiaphas but gratifying to Satan.
Mat 26:62 Then the high priest stood up and said to
Jesus, "Well, aren't You going to answer these charges? What do You have
to say for Yourself?"
Mat 26:63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high
priest said to Him, "I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if
You are the Messiah, the Son of God."
Mat 26:64 Jesus replied, "You
have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the
place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Jesus remained silent that was prophesied in Isa_53:7. Not to be out done Caiaphas asked another
question, “Tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus
said answered with verse Matthew 26:24 if had not then
Jesus would have been denying his claims as the son of God. This would have made Caiaphas's argument valid .
LANTC:
Then Jesus gave a startling prophecy. The words the Son of Man,
sitting at God’s right hand refer to Psa_110:1,
and coming back on the clouds of heaven recall Dan_7:13-14.
The “clouds” represented the power and glory of God. Both verses were
considered to be prophecies of the coming Messiah, and Jesus applied them to
himself. As the one sitting at the right hand of power, he would judge his
accusers, and they would have to answer to him (Rev_20:11-13).
Mat 26:66 What is your verdict?" "Guilty!"
they shouted. "He deserves to die!"
Blasphemy was a crime that was punishable by death, they
were to be stoned to death, Lev_24:15-16. The tearing of cloths was done by those in mourning or severely distressed. In this case I think Caiaphas was doing this for show.
Mat 26:67 Then they began to spit in Jesus' face and
beat Him with their fists. And some slapped Him, Mat 26:68 jeering, "Prophesy to us, You Messiah!
Who hit You that time?"
Some of the members of the council spit in his face. This
was a mark of disgust in their era, Num_12:14, but this was not considered a death
sentence only Blasphemy brought it to that level, Lev_24:15-16,
Jesus had been blind folded so they not only spit on him they beat his face.
This was prophesized in Isa_52:14. The ugliness of this hits me as despicable but that was what our
Lord was to endure.
Mat 26:69 Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the
courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, "You were one of
those with Jesus the Galilean." Mat 26:70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Mat 26:71
Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to
those standing around, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth. " Mat 26:72
Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. "I don't even know
the man," he said. Mat 26:73 A little later some of the other bystanders
came over to Peter and said, "You must be one of them; we can tell by
your Galilean accent." Mat 26:74 Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm
lying—I don't know the man!" And immediately the rooster crowed.
Mat 26:75 Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's
mind: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny
three times that you even know Me." And he went away, weeping
bitterly.
We knew this was going to happen Jesus said it would, Mat_26:33-35. Peter
knew he had lied not only to the people that called him out but to Jesus himself.
Peter knew later on that he would be
forgiven.
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[1] Application
New Testament Commentary cannot be found on line but can be purchase
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