Jesus On Trial (Mark 14.53-72)

All pictures courtesy of the Lumo Project

Introduction

We live in an age of sensational court cases, dramatically reported by the media; President Nixon’s impeachment, O.J. Simpson, the great train robber Ronnie Biggs, Rolf Harris, Max Mosely, Slobodan Milosevic, Oscar Pistorius… powerful men, audacious crooks and disgraced celebrities facing the music.

But today, I want to talk about the most famous legal trial the history of the world. The most written about, the most read about, the most spoken about, the most notorious, the most grievous for its dishonesty, and the most heinous for the injustice of its verdict was the two-stage criminal trial of Jesus of Nazareth. We’re going to look at it in depth today and next Sunday.

As we read on in Mark’s Gospel, you’ll know if you were her last Sunday that Jesus has just now been arrested. He is now on trial for his life. He is staring death in the face, knowing that his enemies are set on terminating him. And they rough him up and ply him with questions in an attempt to trick him into incriminating himself.

A Rigged Trial

By the standards of any fair legal system, Jesus’ trial was a complete joke. It was rigged. It was rotten. It was actually engineered to deliver a miscarriage of justice. It was, in fact, a judicial murder.

There are twelve different reasons* why Jesus’ case should have been thrown out, and I’m not talking about principles of British Law or modern Human Rights conventions. Even according to the first century Jewish legal system, Jesus’ trial was null, void and invalid.

Here they are, 12 reasons why Jesus’ trial was a total sham…

1. All four Gospels are clear that Jesus was arrested without a charge being made against him. That was illegal.

2. The arrest was set up by his judges, the chief priests, who thus became the counsel for the prosecution and should have been discharged of their duties for conflict of interest.

3. The trial took place on private property, in the high priest’s home, not in the public law court. That wasn’t allowed either.

4. The trial had to held in daylight hours but it took place at night. That was unlawful too.

5. The trial began without the accused actually being charged of an offence.

6. The prosecution witnesses brought no consistent evidence, so the case should have been dismissed.

7. Those whose statements disagreed were not charged with perverting the course of justice as they should have been for giving false evidence in court.

8. Jesus was not released without charge when his accusers were shown to be unreliable witnesses.

9. The judge failed to call a single testimony for the defence, failing in his duty of impartiality.

10. The judge made no cross-examination of Jesus' claim to be the Messiah, abruptly ignoring it.

11. Jesus was physically attacked and harmed while in custody, thus punished before a verdict was made.

12. The sentence of execution was rushed through for the same day, allowing no time for a legal appeal.

Do you ever feel the world has treated you unfairly? Know that Jesus was tested in every way as we are, yet was without sin. He didn’t retaliate, didn’t lash out, didn’t even insist on his rights. He certainly didn’t become hateful and bitter.

Nelson Mandela took inspiration from Jesus, saying “Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies.”

Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrant was imprisoned for 14 years by Communists over 2 different periods. He wrote a book about it called Tortured for Christ. Here’s an extract:

“It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught preaching received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching. So we accepted their terms. It was a deal. We preached, and they beat us. We were happy preaching and they were happy beating us. So everyone was happy. The following scene happened more times than I can remember. A brother was preaching to the other prisoners when the guards suddenly burst in, surprising him halfway through a phrase. They hauled him down the corridor to their beating room. After what seemed an endless beating, they brought him back and threw him—bloody and bruised—on the prison floor. Slowly, he picked up his battered body, painfully straightened his clothing and said, ‘Now, brethren, where did I leave off when I was interrupted?”

Who Is Jesus?

As we’ll see, Jesus’ trial centres on one crucial and vital question.

And it comes in v61 where the high priest asks Jesus, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” In other words, “Jesus, who are you?”

The thing that struck me most as I read these verses is that, in a sense, Jesus’ trial is still happening now. People every day are still judging for themselves and deciding what their answer is to that same question. Who is Jesus Christ?

It’s the most important question in life actually. “Who do I think Jesus is?” Your entire life; this one and the next, depends on the answer you give. Everyone has to make their mind up. Plenty already have; more books have been written about Jesus than about anyone else in history. Who do you say Jesus is?

So the trial begins. It’s gone midnight. Jesus is led to the high priest’s house. Peter follows furtively at a distance.

They look for evidence to convict him but, as v55 shows, no one can find anything wrong with him. People come forward and make up stories to accuse him. But they make a pig’s breakfast of it and bungle the case for prosecution badly.

In v58 they misquote him but, even then, they can't really agree about what he didn't say. Their stories don't add up.

Well, the high priest looks at Jesus and says, “What have you got to say for yourself?” Jesus has just listened to a litany of flawed testimony, fabricated statements and fictitious evidence, fake news and false quotes. And he gives it the contempt it deserves, offering no answer. He doesn’t waste his breath. He just ignores it.

As I said, the big question comes in v61 and here it is. “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

Firstly, “Are you the Messiah, that is the Christ, the anointed one? Are you the chosen one we Jews have long been waiting for?

For many centuries, they had been awaiting a Saviour, a great deliverer. The prophets said he would come one day. Every baby born into the Jewish nation, people wondered, is this the special one? Could this be the great leader who will rise up and change our fortunes?

So the high priest says to Jesus, “Well, is it you then? You’ve got quite a following. News about you has travelled. People say you might be our Messiah. Is this who you think you are?”

The thing is, as we’ve seen throughout Mark’s Gospel, they have already decided that Jesus cannot be the Messiah. Everything about him is wrong.

·         He heals people on the Sabbath. It’s not allowed. 

·         He eats without ceremonially washing his hands. It’s against the rules. 

·         He touches lepers which is not only gross, it’s contagious. 

·         He walks on water, showing complete contempt for health and safety. 

·         He raises the dead using the wrong liturgy. In fact, not using any discernible liturgy at all…

So they know one thing for sure; this man, whatever else he is, cannot be the Messiah. Like many people today, they write Jesus off without even bothering to investigate.

And then the high priest asks, “Are you the Son of the Blessed One?” In other words, do you claim some kind of unique and special relationship with God almighty? Have you come to earth from heaven? Or are you God himself in human form?”

And Jesus’ answer is clear and emphatic. “Yes, that’s exactly who I am. I am.” The great I am. The name of God. In other words, I'm not just...

·         a wise teacher

·         a charismatic leader

·         a social innovator

·         an advocate for the poor and marginalized

·         a friend of outcasts

Jesus is all those things, but that isn’t why they killed him. They killed him because he said, “I am the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, the Son of God, in fact God the Son.”

What Jesus says here in v62 is not ambiguous, or enigmatic. He claims the identity of a figure from the Old Testament Book of Daniel; the Son of Man, at the right hand of the Mighty One, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

This is so important. This is who Jesus says he is.

In Daniel 7, written about 550 BC, there’s a dramatic vision of eternity with the revelation of a powerful figure from heaven but who is described as being “like a Son of Man.” That points to some kind a heavenly being, clearly, but one who’s going to take on humanity; he’s going to have flesh and blood, he’ll be one of us.

And this great figure comes with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days, God Almighty, and is given authority, glory and sovereign power.

So who is it? Is it some kind of angel or archangel? Is that who Jesus says he is? Some sort of created spiritual being who will be sent as God’s messenger?

No. It can’t be. It goes on to say, “All nations and peoples of every language will worship him.” This is huge. Everyone should bow down and adore him. Angels in the Bible always say, “Don’t bow down to me, I’m just an ambassador. Worship God.”

And look, it says, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

He rules an unshakeable, unparalleled, invincible kingdom that will never end. This is as big as it gets. Almighty and ever-living God is going to come as flesh and blood into human history, and everyone is to exalt and honour and revere him.

Jesus says, “That’s who I am.”

·         That’s why the high priest tears his clothes and shouts, “Blasphemy!” 

·         That’s why they condemn him to death. 

·         That’s why they spit in his face. 

·         That’s why they blindfold him, and tease him, and beat him up.

What do you think? Do you think Jesus was lying? Or deluded? Or was he right?

Could it be that Jesus was just making up some story about being the Son of God, knowing he was nothing of the sort?

Could it be that Jesus was a bit of a fruitcake, possibly schizophrenic, fantasising about being the Son of God, but tragically nothing of the sort?

Or is his is the most beautiful life the world has ever seen? Don’t the Gospels describe the most convincing, and real, and attractive, and authentic life imaginable?

What a thing! God, the creator of the universe, the author of life, the source of beauty and everything good comes to earth – and what do we do? We sit on a bench with a wig and gown and we put him in the dock. Then we break every rule in the book, rig the trial, smash the gavel on the desk and pronounce him guilty.

 

I wonder how much of the trial Peter got wind of outside in the courtyard? At least he got as far as that. Where were the others? Were there leaks about how things were going from people going in and out of the house? Did Peter hear raised voices from within?

All we know is that there are three occasions when people blow his cover.

A girl recognises his face in v67 as someone who was walking around with Jesus. “Didn’t I see you two together?”

It’s late. Peter’s tired. “What are you going on about?” he says and he moves away from the light of the fire where people can recognise him.

Then in v69, after wondering, “where have I seen that guy before?”, she remembers that he was hanging out with the other disciples. “Yeah,” she says in earshot of everyone around, “you were with his band of followers, I’m sure it was you!”

Peter’s heart starts to beat faster, his throat tightens, his hands begin to sweat. Again, he says, “No, definitely not, it’s just some bloke who looks like me.”

And then in v70, this time a group of bystanders notice the distinctive way he talks. No one talks like that round here. “It must be you, with your northern accent!”

Peter loses it. “God damn it; I swear on my mother’s grave, I don’t know the man, I’ve never met him.  He means nothing to me at all.

Peter buries his face in his hands, a broken man, bitter tears running down his face. “What have I just done?”

Jesus is his best friend. For three years they have eaten together, laughed and cried together, travelled everywhere together, slept under the stars together.

Peter has seen thousands spellbound by Jesus’ preaching, he’s seen Jesus cast out demons, heal the sick (including his own mother in law), and raise the dead.

At Jesus’ command, Peter has let down nets into a lake that yielded no fish all night and then been unable to haul in the catch, such is its size.

He has seen it all, and done it all. Jesus is his leader, his hero.

Just a few hours earlier, remember, Jesus says to the twelve, “You will all fall away.” Peter says, “Oh no! Everyone else might, but even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”

And Jesus says, “But you will, Peter. Not once, not twice, but three times, before daybreak actually, before the cock crows."

God knows we will let him down; he knows when, and he knows how badly. He knows where will fall into sin and he knows how. He knows how wretched things can get, how estranged from him we can become and the thing is this; he still loves us and is absolutely committed to us.

You are the apple of his eye and where sin abounds, where sin thrives, where sin flourishes and overflows, the Bible says that grace abounds even more.

Our adversary, the devil wants to bring condemnation and shame and heaviness every time we let God down. He’ll say, “You are a failure. God doesn’t love you. You always mess things up, don’t you? You’re pathetic. You will never change. This is who you are.” Is that what he says to you? Tell him to go to hell.

And how many of us have done this? At school? At work? In the home? Wherever.

People ask, “What did you do at the weekend?” and you don’t dare to say, “Oh, I was in church”; you say, “Oh, this and that.”

Then you feel gutted. You feel sick. Why did I keep quiet? Why didn’t I just say it?

Has your heart hardened? Is being associated with Jesus a burden, or an embarrassment? Let this be a day for tears and for a return to the fervour of the time when faith was young.

Ending

One last thought. How do you think we know about Peter’s denial? How did Mark get to hear about it?

We know that this Gospel was based on Mark’s notes of Peter’s preaching in Rome. And that means that Peter himself must have told Mark about what happened.

He doesn’t dress it up. He doesn’t try and make himself look good. It’s an admission, a confession. “I denied the Lord. Three times.”

Mark’s Gospel doesn’t mention that he actually walked on water with Jesus for a moment. Or that Jesus said he would build his church on Peter. You’ve got to go to Matthew for that. He doesn’t mention Jesus restoring him either, “Peter, feed my sheep.” You’ve got to go to John for that.

In Mark’s Gospel, from Peter’s own testimony, you’ve just got, “I denied him. I said, I have never heard of him.” In other words, don’t look at me. Don’t idolise me. Don’t put me on a pedestal.

Look at Jesus. Look at the Messiah, the chosen one, the Son of Man, coming on the clouds of heaven, at the right hand of the Mighty One, the Ancient of Days, and to whom is given authority, glory and sovereign power.

Let’s stand to pray…

Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, 11 March 2018

* Based on 15 found by Baptist Bible teacher David Pawson; I felt 4 of his were not valid, but found 1 more of my own.