By: Bill and Teddy Rogers
Although Jesus' Trial lasted less than 18 hours, He was taken to six different hearings carefully controlled to accomplish His death.
The verdict was predecided but
certain “Legal” procedures were necessary. A lot of effort went
into condemning and crucifying an innocent man.
Jesus went through an unfair
trial in our place so that we would not have to face a fair trial and
receive the well deserved punishment for our sins.
The First Three Stages Of
Jesus' Illegal Trial
Before The Jewish
Authorities:
1. Trial Before Annas (The
Powerful Ex-High Priest).
Because
the office of high priest was for life, Annas was still the
“official” high priest in the eyes of the Jews, even though the
Romans had appointed another. Thus, Annas still carried much weight
among the Sanhedrin. (See
John 18:12-24)
2. Trial Before Caiaphas
(The Ruling High Priest).
This
was done to gather evidence for the full council hearing to follow.
Like the hearing before Annas, this hearing was conducted at night in
secrecy. It was full of illegalities that made a mockery of justice.
(See Matthew
26:57-68)
Note: Both
Annas and Caiaphas cared more about their political ambitions than
about their responsibility to lead the people to God. Though
religious leaders, they had become evil. As the nation's spiritual
leaders, they should have been sensitive to God's revelation.
They should have known that
Jesus was the Messiah about whom the Scriptures spoke, and they
should have pointed the people to Jesus. But when deceitful men and
women pursue evil, they want to eliminate all opposition. Instead of
honestly evaluating Jesus' claims based on their knowledge of
Scripture, these religious leaders sought to further their own
selfish ambitions and were even willing to kill God's Son, if that's
what it took to do it.
3. Trial Before The
Sanhedrin (Full Council).
Just
after daybreak, 70 members of the Jewish Council met to rubber-stamp
their approval of the previous hearings to make them appear legal.
The purpose of this trial was not to determine justice, but to
justify their own preconceptions of Jesus' guilt and condemnation to
death. (See
Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, and Luke 22:66-71)
The Last Three Stages Of
Jesus' Illegal Trial
Before The Roman
Authorities:
4. First Trial Before
Pilate (The Highest Roman Authority).
The religious leaders had
condemned Jesus to death on religious grounds, but only the Roman
government could grant the death penalty. Thus, they took Jesus to
Pilate, the Roman Governor, and accused Jesus of treason and
rebellion, crimes for which the Roman government gave the death
penalty.
Pilate
saw at once that Jesus was innocent, but he was afraid about the
uproar being caused by the religious leaders. (See
Luke 23:1-6 and John 18:28-38)
5. Trial Before Herod
Antipas (Ruler Of Galilee).
Because Jesus' home was in the
region of Galilee, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, the ruler of
Galilee who was in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration.
This was a courteous and
guilt-sharing act by Pilate,
Herod
was eager to see Jesus do a miracle, but when Jesus remained silent,
Herod wanted nothing to do with Him and sent Jesus back to Pilate.
(See Luke
23:6-12)
6. Second Trial Before
Pilate (The Highest Roman Authority).
Pilate didn't like the
religious leaders. He wasn't interested in condemning Jesus because
he knew Jesus was innocent. However, he knew that another uprising
in his district might cost him his job.
First,
he tried to compromise with the religious leaders by having Jesus
flogged (horribly beaten with a whip with metal and glass ends that
ripped the skin away from the bones with every lash), an illegal
action in itself. But finally he gave in and handed Jesus over to be
crucified. Pilate's self-interest was stronger than his sense of
justice. (See
Luke 23:13-25)
So the Roman soldiers took
charge of Jesus and led Him away to be crucified by being nailed to
the cross for a hideously slow and extremely painful death.
Don't Miss “Why
Did Jesus Have To Die”
End Of Post