Jonah Albrecht

Lent 3 March 23rd, 2025

Matthew 26:59-66

Jesus is Convicted of Blasphemy

59Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”

INJ who was charged with our iniquities, DFR:

During our Wednesday and Sunday Lenten services we have been following Jesus on the Road to Easter.  Our journey began at Bethany on the eve of Palm Sunday. At the home of Simon the leper, Jesus was honored with love and anointed for His Burial. Two individuals recognized the difference Jesus had made in their lives and seized the moment to honor Him.  In the same way, we should not procrastinate, but seize the opportunities to honor Jesus as they arise.

On Tuesday of that week, Jesus taught us a lesson about faith.  He cursed a fig tree on His way into Jerusalem.  The tree was loaded with leaves but barren of fruit.  Jesus wasn’t angry with the tree — but with what the tree represented: the religious establishment of Israel.  They had plenty of leaves but were barren of faith.  God is looking for fruit in our lives, too.  He is looking for repentance and faith.

On Thursday night, Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples and then led them to the Garden of Gethsemane.  There He was crushed with the terrible burden of our guilt.  Jesus prayed earnestly to His heavenly Father — and He got an answer: It was the Father’s will that the cup of bitter suffering be pressed, not to the lips of us who deserve it, but to the lips of Jesus our Savior.

Emerging from prayer, Jesus rose to meet His captors.  At the lead was Judas Iscariot.  Jesus loved Judas and tried to lead him to repentance, but Judas had fallen for two of the devil’s biggest lies:  first, that he could follow Satan and Jesus at the same time; secondly, that his sin of betrayal was too great for Christ to forgive.  How sad that a disciple should lose his faith and die in unbelief.

This past week, we saw Peter hiding his identity before the crowd in the high priest’s courtyard.  It took no effort for Peter to deny Jesus.  His third denial came with cursing and swearing that he didn’t even know who Jesus was.  A crowing rooster and the forgiving look of His Savior led Peter to repent and trust in God’s grace.  Unlike Peter, Jesus was faithful in His testimony, even though it would cost Him His life.

Today, the journey leads us through the first of two courtrooms where Jesus must appear.  If you had never heard or read about this trial, you probably wouldn’t believe what happened here. This is the supreme court of Israel, the Sanhedrin, the highest religious court of the Jews.  It is made up of the most eminent members of Jewish society: chief priests, elders of the various tribes, and scribes — the experts in Old Testament Law.  What kind of verdict would they render in the case of Jesus?  On the Road to Easter, Jesus is Condemned by the Church — charged with Blasphemy.

 

There was nothing about this trial that was actually legal according to the Mosaic Law. In the first place, night trials, outside of the public eye were not permitted. This was to protect an innocent party from an unfair trial. The mere fact that 70 members of the Sanhedrin could be assembled in the middle of the night to conduct a trial tells you this trial was prearranged and the outcome predetermined. Obviously, the members of the high council were on call.  They had no social media or cell phones, but the moment the temple guard was sent to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane, the religious authorities sprang to action.

In this case, Caiaphas, the high priest who was the mediator of this trial, would bend the rules. Not only was this night trial permitted, it was preferred. A trial during the day could bring too many honest witnesses who would speak in defense of Jesus.

In any judicial court, you are not allowed to arrest someone first and then drum up charges after the fact. But this is exactly what happened that night. They arrested Jesus, then hired witnesses to perjure themselves on the stand. But they really had no other option, did they? There were no witnesses who could bring a charge against Jesus because He was truly innocent.

Even with many false witnesses, they could not find two who agreed with each other. Even when two claimed to witness Jesus words saying, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'” But not only did these witnesses still not agree with each other, it isn’t even what Jesus said. The first time Jesus cleansed the temple, the Pharisees asked Jesus by what authority He did so. Jesus responded, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John tells us a few verses later that Jesus was talking about His body not the physical temple. He was predicting exactly what is happening now…the Jews would kill Jesus, but He would rise from the dead after 3 days.

Despite these two witnesses not agreeing, and despite the law saying their testimony should be thrown out, Caiaphas jumps on this line of questioning and demands an answer from Jesus, but He remains silent. Then he stood up and said, “I adjure You by the living God that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”  When Jesus answered, Caiaphas tore his clothing in a display of pious rage and charged Jesus with blasphemy.

Cosmetically, it looked genuine.  It appeared that Caiaphas was actually concerned about God’s name and honor.  His actions probably went a long way toward convincing any undecided members of the Sanhedrin.  Their verdict?  All but two agreed: He is guilty of death.

That makes you wonder: What was going through Jesus’ mind as He saw this proceedings unfold?   Did He think back to the day when He established the priesthood at Mt. Sinai?  Every Old Testament priest was a representative of God — a mediator between a sinful people and the holy Lord.  Every priest carried blood for the altar — to be sprinkled as atonement for sin.  The High Priest did more.  He alone passed through the thick temple veil.  He alone stood in the very presence of Jehovah on the day of atonement.  And now, though he didn’t realize it, Jehovah was standing in the very presence of Caiaphas and Caiaphas condemns Him for blasphemy.

As High Priest, Caiaphas was responsible for spiritual matters in the nation.  He is the one who sent a delegation to John the Baptist, asking, Are you the Christ?  He is the one who investigated Jesus during His ministry.  He was so appalled that Jesus would call him to repentance, that he looked for a way to eliminate Him.  When the elders worried that their influence over the people was slipping, Caiaphas had an answer: It is expedient that one Man die for the people.  And here, in the name of God’s church, Jesus Himself is charged by the very man who was a type of picture of Him. It doesn’t take a detective to discover who is really guilty of blasphemy!

It’s not hard to see that same blasphemy today. You obviously see it in the world around us, but it can also be found in the church. Have you ever watched a preacher or read something by a religious leader that condemns Christianity for saying only fruits of the Christian faith are pleasing in God’s sight? Maybe you’ve heard it this way, “I believe in a loving God who would never send someone to hell if they don’t believe in Jesus. All religions have merit.” Isn’t that a spit in the face to Jesus! Blasphemous to the one who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Look in the mirror of Caiaphas and don’t we have to confess our own blasphemy as well?  Every time we dare to question God’s will for our lives, every time we fail to take Him at His Word and promise, every time we seek to get others to go along with sinful things we say and do, we are being blasphemous toward the holy name of our Lord.   Every time we know God’s will and then choose to follow our own ideas instead; we are no different than those members of the Sanhedrin. We too spit in the face of our Savior, the one who said through inspiration in the Proverbs, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Though he didn’t know it, Caiaphas was in fact functioning as a type of Christ when he passed the sentence that night.  In one way, the charge of blasphemy was actually true.  Jesus was innocent — yet He became a blasphemer, an adulterer, a liar, a thief, a murderer — because God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.  He became guilty of the blasphemy of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, of the adultery and murder of David, the stealing of Judas, the lying of Peter and every failure we have to trust His will and every other sin.

In a few short hours the sun would stop shining and darkness would cover the earth.  The thick veil in the Temple that had separated God’s presence from the people, and through which Caiaphas had passed annually to offer the sacrifice for the people before God’s holy presence, would be torn in half.  The earth would quake and the rocks would be split open, crying out over the death of its Creator. And the judgment upon all of man’s sin would fall…not on those who deserved it, but on Jesus, the innocent Son of God.  Because yes, God in heaven had quietly agreed with the counsel of Caiaphas the High Priest.  It was expedient that One Man should die for the people so that the nation would not perish. God had chosen from eternity to send His Son, the true High Priest, to shed His own blood as the all-time sufficient payment for sin. Jesus became guilty by decree — first the wrongful decree of Caiaphas — then the holy and loving decree of the Father.

If only Caiaphas had kept in mind what his work foreshadowed, he would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah.  When he tore his garment in a display of anger, he was inadvertently fulfilling a wonderful picture…the Old Testament priesthood had come to an end.  A new and higher priesthood replaced it: it rests with Jesus who offered the final sacrifice for us. We were reminded of this beautiful truth in song by the ILC Tour Choir, “His robes for mine: such anguish none can know. Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe. He, as though I, accursed and left alone; I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!”

On the Road to Easter, Jesus was condemned by the church, and would be charged, not just with blasphemy by men, but with all sin by God. But you, you are redeemed and forgiven forevermore.  Amen.