Gospels In Harmony – Guilty of Death

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Gospels In Harmony – Guilty of Death

Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54, 67-71, John 18:12-13, 18-24

[Study Aired January 25, 2022]

John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 
John 18:13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
John 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
John 18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
John 18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
John 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
John 18:23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
John 18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 
John 18:14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
Mark 14:55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
Mark 14:56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
Matt 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses saying,
Mark 14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
Mark 14:59 But neither so did their witness agree together.
Mark 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Matt 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Luke 22:67 And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
Luke 22:68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Luke 22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.
Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matt 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy:
Mark 14:64 what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
Luke 22:63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, 
Mark 14:65 And some began to spit on him, 
Luke 22:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
Luke 22:65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

We read in our last study how Christ was betrayed by Judas, Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant and Christ healed the servant. These things represent our different positions in our process of salvation. Judas represents the time when we believe but our lack of understanding that judgment must take place in order to be saved causes us to betray Christ. Peter represents the stage in our walk that we think we will do anything to help Christ achieve saving the world but do not understand the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of those that take the sword will perish with the sword.

Matt 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Christ is now taken into custody and begins the process of being charged, judged and sentenced. Christ’s first phase of His ministry has come to an end, and the next phase is beginning. This phase is the process of judgment.

John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 
John 18:13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
John 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

In all the previous attempts the leaders of the Jews and the people tried to capture Christ, he escaped.

John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. 

John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. 

This time Christ allowed himself to be apprehended for the very purpose of his word being fulfilled proving his place as the prophet of prophets and being the son of God.

Deut 18:20-22 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. 

John 14:1-2 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Christ now answers Annas.

John 18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 
John 18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 
John 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
John 18:23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Christ knew they had no witness to testify against him. Annas is trying to get Christ to say something that would convict himself.

John 18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 
John 18:14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Since Annas could not get Christ to confess against himself, he sent him to Caiaphas. As Christ is moved to the next location Peter and another disciple follow along.

John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
Mark 14:55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 
Mark 14:56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
Matt 26:60 At the last came two false witnesses saying, 
Mark 14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 
Mark 14:59 But neither so did their witness agree together.

The leaders of the Jews finally have Christ where they want him but cannot find two or three witnesses that agree with each other, so the high priest Caiaphas starts to question Christ.

Mark 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Matt 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Luke 22:67 And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 
Luke 22:68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Luke 22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.
Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matt 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy:
Mark 14:64 what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

The Jews earlier in Christ’s ministry tried to stone him for this very same thing. It was not time for him to be taken then.

John 10:31-40 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

The leaders have tried and convicted Christ even without following the law of Moses.

Deut 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Christ now has been accused, tried and convicted and must endure the sentence to come.

Luke 22:63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, 
Mark 14:65 And some began to spit on him, 
Luke 22:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
Luke 22:65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

Just a few hours before this mockery, Christ was feasting with his disciples. He was brought to his wits’ end and cried out to the Father and asked for the cup of wrath to be removed. He then acknowledged that the will of the Father must take place and gave in to His will. Next, he was betrayed by Judas and then all the disciples fled away.

We have all feasted with Christ and betrayed him. We are all guilty of accusing Christ of blasphemy. We are guilty of condemning Christ to death. When our old man sits on the throne as though he is God, we blaspheme Christ. Of course this is how it must be. We are the betrayers and accusers so the man of sin can be revealed.

2 Thess 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

This is still not the end of our struggle. We must completely deny Christ before we are saved. In our next study Peter, representing us, the elect of God, will demonstrate how we deny Christ.

Other related posts