Slices
Prepare
Take some deep, slow breaths. Still your mind and your body, and bring your whole self to this time with God.
Bible passage
Jesus before the Sanhedrin
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 ‘We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.”’ 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’
62 ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’
63 The high priest tore his clothes. ‘Why do we need any more witnesses?’ he asked. 64 ‘You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards took him and beat him.
Explore
Jesus’ trial wasn’t worthy to be called a trial. The whole thing was a stitch-up from the start. Powerful forces wanted to put him to death and would have their way, regardless of patently unreliable witnesses and thin reasoning. Look hard enough and you can usually find ‘evidence’ to justify a course of action you plan to take.
In the end, Jesus was condemned to death for stating that he was the Messiah (v 62). In a dramatic show of outraged piety, the high priest ripped his clothes. If Jesus was not the Son of God, he would have been right that this was blasphemy. If he was wrong, he would have holy blood on his hands.
The moment Jesus was referring to, the day of judgement when he would return to be acknowledged by all of us, has yet to come. Until then, we choose what we see and who we believe when it comes to Jesus. Although we live in an era where dust is kicked into the air around the very concept of truth, those who have eyes to see will see the way, the truth and the life. Jesus may have been wrongfully executed, but he is alive and those who seek him will find him.
Respond
Pray: ‘Lord, open my eyes to see spiritual reality and not what my own mind dreams up. Amen.’
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Judges 5,6; Psalms 40,41
Pray for Scripture Union
Through their Manifesto for 21st Century Youthwork, Mission Partner Prayers Thrive Youth Ministries work with churches across Warwickshire and Coventry, helping them to rethink how they can reach and disciple young people. Pray for more adults to volunteer and commit to this work.
