Man Judging the Son of God
VBC Albuquerque · Mar 10, 2024
The sermon explores the most remarkable historical event: sinful people judging the perfectly holy and innocent Son of God, Jesus Christ. Through three trials under Jewish law beginning in the final night of Jesus's life, the severe violations of law and justice by religious leaders are revealed. The suffering of Christ for our sins is displayed through details of conspiracy, trial proceedings, and the shame He endured.
The final week of Jesus Christ's life is the most significant week in human history, recorded in detail in approximately one-third of the four Gospels. This sermon focuses on the suffering and trial of Jesus, particularly the three trials under Jewish law that occurred in the final night of His life. This is a unique event in history: sinful people judging someone who was perfectly holy and innocent.
Jewish religious leaders wanted to arrest and kill Jesus for several deep reasons. They were jealous seeing the crowds following Jesus growing larger, and they hated Him because He accused them of being hypocrites who turned the house of prayer into a den of thieves. The religious leaders feared that Jesus would incite the people to rebellion and destroy the Temple's commerce system, which was their greatest source of profit. In particular, Annas, the former high priest and leader of this den of thieves, together with Caiaphas and council members, had plotted to destroy Jesus from the moment He entered Jerusalem.
The three trials under Jewish law completely violated eighteen laws recorded in the Mishnah, a text recording Jewish legal traditions. The trials occurred at night, before the Sabbath and during Passover, contrary to prohibitive law. The first trial at Annas's residence occurred around 1 a.m., where Jesus was bound and stood before an empty chair, being questioned in violation of law. The second trial at Caiaphas's house occurred at night with numerous false witnesses testifying, and contradictory accusations were accepted contrary to law. The third trial in the morning at the Sanhedrin was merely formal, since the death sentence had been predetermined.
In these three trials, Jesus was not only unjustly condemned but also humiliated, spat upon, struck, beaten, and mocked by religious leaders and guards. This suffering reveals the nature of human sin and humanity's absolute need for salvation. Through this event, we understand more clearly the teaching of Apostle Paul that Jesus, who was innocent, became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ's sacrifice for our sins gives us reason to give greater thanks, to believe in and receive Him as our Savior and Lord of our lives.