J. Albrecht…Lent Midweek 4…John 18:12-14,19-24…The High Priest Wants Jesus to Die

¹² So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. ¹³ First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people… ¹⁹ The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” ²² When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” ²⁴ Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Grace, Mercy, and Lenten peace be yours from God our Father, and our Crucified Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

INJ Who abided by the Father’s will to die, so that we might have redemption through His name, DFR:

Cardinal Richelieu, Richard Neville Duke of Warwick, and Rasputin. Each of these men cemented their place in history through what we would call shadow authority. Shadow authority refers to the individuals behind the scenes who wield great power or authority, despite not being the in-charge ruler.

Cardinal Richelieu was known as the Red Eminence due to the red clothing of the cardinals. He consolidated power in France, creating a strong centralized state. He was responsible for checking the Hapsburg dynasty’s power, snuff out the rebellion of Protestant Huguenots, and paved the way for King Louis XIV to create an absolute monarchy. Cardinal Richelieu was one of the most influential figures in 17^th century France, but he was a shadow authority as he was still beholden to the King and the Pope. He is also the inventor of the butter knife.

Richard Neville, Duke of Warwick was known as the Kingmaker – and that tells you everything you need to know about him. Through his position and marriage, he was one of the wealthiest men in the world, second only to the King. Neville was responsible for deposing two kings – hence the nickname Kingmaker, and played both sides in the War of the Roses. He was an expert at playing in the court of public opinion and choosing which side would benefit himself.

Rasputin is probably the most well known out of all these figures. He held an unnerving influence over Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra by seemingly treating their hemophiliac son, Alexei. Rasputin’s influence and barbaric behavior, played a crucial role in the decline of the Romanov popularity and subsequent Russian Revolution.

In our text for this evening, we have another character who wants Jesus to die and who also serves as a shadow authority, Annas. Annas served as high priest for 10 years before he was deposed by a Roman procurator. However, he kept his authority and influence because his sons ruled after him, all serving as high priests, including his son-in-law, Caiaphas, with whom you are very familiar. As a former high priest and patriarch of the high priestly family, Annas held tremendous power and influence, even though he no longer held office.  Tonight, as we consider who wants Jesus to die, we consider the high priest wants Jesus to die. Caiaphas, obviously, but also the one pulling strings behind closed doors, Annas.

It’s the first thing we can note right off the bat. Both Caiaphas and Annas were on the same page. They both want Jesus to die. Caiaphas is the one who came right out and said it, that it would be expedient for one man to die for the people. But Annas wholeheartedly agreed. We know this because even after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, in Acts 4, Annas is at the forefront, trying to snuff out the proclamation of the gospel. But neither one bothered to consider whether or not this gospel was worth listening to.

Annas’ line of questioning surrounded Jesus’ teaching and his disciples. And it doesn’t take much imagination to come up with what his line of questioning would be. The scribes and Pharisees had done the exact same questioning throughout Jesus’ ministry. The purpose was not to learn or to know more, but to find a weak spot in Jesus’ defense. Were his disciples planning a coup or a rebellion? Were they going to lead an uprising to free Jesus during the Passover? Is there anything Jesus could admit to that could make him worthy of death? That was Annas’ purpose. It doesn’t take much to understand under whose authority he was working under.

See, Annas held his own authority. But he, Caiaphas, and all the other scribes and members of the Sanhedrin, all together were under the shadowed influence of Satan, who wanted Jesus to die at the wrong time for the wrong purpose. Satan simply used Annas to use Jesus for his own benefit.

And it’s no different than what we see today, isn’t it? People, likewise, tried their hardest to examine the teachings of Christ, the behavior of his disciples, to try and justify who they want Jesus to be for them. Caiaphas and Annas wanted Jesus to be their scapegoat, to save their authority from being taken away by the Romans. Satan wanted Jesus to be a failure, to die a meaningless death. People today want Jesus to be the reason that they can live and sin. They claim, “Well, Jesus didn’t say anything specifically about homosexuality, therefore it’s okay.” “Jesus doesn’t speak on the unborn, therefore it doesn’t matter.” Or “Jesus didn’t say, I can’t live with someone before I’m married, therefore it’s okay.” But the truth is, they don’t care about what Jesus teaches or what Jesus came here to do. The same way that Caiaphas and Annas didn’t really care about His teaching or His purpose, the world will always and only care about Jesus insomuch as it benefits their own flesh.

So then what do you want Jesus to be? The truth is, we’ve been guilty of the same sin. We take Jesus’ words on some things, but when His Word speaks against a vice that has its grip on my heart, well, Jesus didn’t explicitly say it, it’s okay for me to do. It’s picking and choosing which side that we want to be on, depending on which one makes me look better in my own eyes.

The problem is, whose shadow authority are we playing into? It’s Satan, not God. Satan wants nothing more than to make Christ’s death for you pointless. He wants you to ignore the authority of God in Holy Scripture. Look to the shadow authority of your own heart. We must always be on our guard, asking who is controlling my life? What is God’s plan for me, not how can I make God fit my life? And certainly, Jesus faced the same temptation, didn’t He? It would have been easy for Him to make a decision that benefited His own life. Thankfully Jesus saw through Annas’ line of questioning and desire for His death.

Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them.

They know what He said. Jesus had nothing to hide. His disciples were not planning something in secret, nor did He keep His teaching from anyone. Anyone could hear His words and understand that His purpose was not to lead a revolution or to serve His own self, but to offer His life in the place of sinners. It wasn’t what Annas wanted to hear. Annas’ shadow authority, as powerful and influential as it was, failed to find a reason for Jesus to die. And so, Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas in order to put Him to death in an illegal manner. But the reason why Annas’ authority failed is because there was another authority even greater at play. The Father.

Jesus would be put to death, not as Annas, Caiaphas, or even Satan wanted, but just as the Old Testament predicted. Jesus would be led as an innocent lamb to the slaughter, the only one who was truly without blemish or spot fit to be the sacrificial lamb for the sake of the people (Isaiah 53). Jesus would be laid upon the cross where He was forsaken by God and He would die, but not one of His bones broken, as Psalm 22 declares.

Yes, Jesus would accomplish everything that the Old Testament predicted about the Messiah in order to accomplish that which is impossible. So that as far as the east is from the west, so far does he, that is God, remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103). Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament so that He was fit to be the Redeemer, to pay the ransom for your sin and mine. Yes, even the sins of being a fair-weather Christian. And the apostle Paul says it beautifully in Romans 5. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more now that we are reconciled shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now have received reconciliation. We can thank God that Christ died according to God’s plan, according to God’s authority, so that we have forgiveness of sins, a new life, life that lasts forever. Amen.