In order to fully understand the background of these verses and how they apply to the illegal trials of Christ and his (second coming) in wrath. You must also have a good grasp of the historical events surrounding the rejection of Christ and his trials.
In this article we are going to look at some of the illegal events surrounding the trials of Jesus. None of the gospels contain the full accounts of what happen at the trials. Therefore, we will be using Mark 14:53-65 as our primary text and also note the information from the other gospel accounts. We will not go over all the details of all trials for time and space..
Jesus was brought to face judgement before Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, and Pilate for a second and finally time. Side by side scriptures lines up a chronological order revealing several trials of Jesus. Jesus has just been arrested by the large crowd led by Judas the betrayer. In the face of the prospect of being arrested with Jesus, all the disciples have forsaken Jesus and fled.
John 18 tells us about the sequences of Jesus trial. The first man whom Jesus stood before was Annas. John 18:13 tells us they led him to Annas. Why Annas?! He wasn't even the High Priest! He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the High Priest. What was the father-in-law doing accusing man when he is no longer in the court? That's Caiaphas's job. Jesus has no business standing before someone who is not in council. No trial could be held before only one judge. As a matter of fact, Jesus wasn't even required to answer! Annas used to be the high priest of Israel until the Roman emperor deposed him from his position and appointed Caiaphas. It seems likely that the people still recognized Annas as the true high priest since Jesus was taken to him first.
John 18:19-24 contains Annas wanted to know about Jesus, and then he wanted to know about his teaching (John 18:19). Jesus doesn't answer to his first question, but as to his teaching, he answers in a most unusual way. Jesus was then struck by an officer after he said this (v 22). By the way, the brutality was never allowed. Annas then sends Jesus, bound, to Caiaphas. Here's Jesus, hands are tied behind his back, before he is even charged. Everything about it is illegal. Jesus has been arrested and his hands are tied behind his back, before charges have been made against Him
This brings us back to our primary text in the gospel of Mark. We see Peter, after fleeing with the rest of the disciples, catching back up to Jesus and following Jesus to the house of Caiaphas. Caiaphas got together the whole Sanhedrin council with the chief priests in the middle of the night at his house. (Mark 14:54-55) Everything about it preliminary hearing is illegal.
The crowds at Passover would not be in the street and everyone would be at home. No trials were to be held in the secrecy of night. If a man was arrested for a capital crime, he could never be arrested at night according to Hebrew law. The law stated that it must be held in the daytime. It's also illegal because it's a preliminary hearing, being held in the wrong place, Caisphas' house, they're not in the council chamber. It's a meeting, of a kangaroo court! Jesus has no business standing before someone who is not in council.
The purpose of this trial is clear in verse 55 “they were looking for testimony against Jesus to put Him to death.” If no charges can be made against Jesus, they have no right to keep Him under arrest, and certainly have no case to condemn Jesus. Therefore, the Jewish leaders are desperate to find something against Jesus with which they can charge Him. So desperate are these Jewish leaders that they are violating their own laws. They brought false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree verse 56. According to Hebrew law, it was illegal to bear false witness against anyone. (Exodus 20:16) This law was blatantly and openly ignored.
The chief priests and officers said they had a law, and it was by this law that Jesus ought to die. But did they abide by the Hebrew law in all these proceedings? No. Jumping ahead Caiaphas asked this question, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Matthew 26:3) Jesus was under perfect control and said, I am: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."
That sounds like he's God! In fact, he is. He was simply laying Old Testament prophesy on Caiaphas that he couldn't handle. Caiaphas tears his robe and said "What further need do we have of witnesses? "You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. (Mark 14:63-35) That is a nice way out if it. Who needs witnesses when you don't have them to begin with? In my next article we will go deeper into why Caiaphas accused Jesus of speaking blasphemy.
Mark 15:1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.
Matthew 27:1 say, When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. This is important to keep in mind. The people (plotted against Jesus) to put Him to death. Keep that in mind.
By the time Jesus was sent to Pilate He was bleeding and bruised without sleep, and without a break, Jesus endured everything from the time of the soldier's heel in the garden Jews could not enter a Gentile court on Passover, or they would be defiled. So they stayed out of the court itself, and apparently, Pilate came out to them. (John 18:28-29)
In the Roman criminal procedure the first thing to do is produce the charges that's the first thing that Pilate covered. "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you." (John 18:29-30) This did not answer Pilate's question. "Then said Pilate to them, Take him, and judge him according to your law..." Pilate doesn't know that it's a capital punishment under way. He simply said to them if it's a problem in your law, then you take him and you judge him. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:" (John 18:31) This changes the whole thing.
You see, the Jews did not try Jesus for treason, they found him guilty of blasphemy. So they twisted the accusation when they came before Pilate and they turned it into treason because, in Rome, death is instantaneous for those guilty of treason. That's why Jesus was crucified for treason rather than stoned for blasphemy.
The second law of Roman criminal procedure was interrogation, to probe and search for evidence against the man. Thus the following questions: "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?" (John 18:33-35)
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."(John 18:36) The word "world" is translated from the Greek word "cosmos" KOSMOS (κ σμος) is in many or most instances translated "world". Cosmos means in the Greek, "world order, or arrangement of things." Essentially Jesus was saying to Pilate, "my kingdom is not of this world order.
If Jesus wanted to overthrow the government, his servants would be fighting, carrying on a revolution, taking lives, ruining this illegal procedure. After Pilate question Jesus some more he said, I find no fault in this man. (Luke 23:4) Some spiritual kingdom, that's not going to affect or threaten Rome! Jesus is not guilty of treason! When the Jews heard this they said, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place." (v 5)
Now when Pilate heard the word “Galilee,” he had an ingenious idea. Galilee really wasn't his jurisdiction, and since he didn't want this case, anyway, he tried to find somebody else to try Jesus! Herod was his lifelong enemy of Pilate up until this event. The whole event brought Herod and Pilate, together as friends. (Luke 23:12)
Now, Herod thought Jesus was a magician, and he has been anxious to see Jesus do a trick. Luke 23:8) All Herod wanted was a jester in his court, he wanted a clown. When Jesus wouldn't cooperate, we read that they mocked him as a king and sent him again to Pilate." (v 11
It was obvious to Pilate that Herod was not in any cooperative mood. Pilate did not want to declare him guilty, so he tried several avenues to get out of that verdict. The first thing he offered was to chastise and beat Jesus, then release him, but they said no. The second thing he tried to do was release Jesus through a custom they had. It was a custom of the governor to release a prisoner on the Passover, but they said no. (Matthew 27:15)
Now Barabbas was a notorious criminal, he was a murderer, he was an insurrectionist, he was guilty of sedition, and he was bound in prison awaiting death by crucifixion. It was a capital crime he had committed. He was the one guilty of treason. So, Pilate thought that if he were to put Barabbas next to Jesus, and offered to release one of them, the crows would say, "Don't release Barabbus! Release Jesus!" But it backfired upon him. They said they wanted Jesus crucified (Matthew 27:19-23)!
By the time of Jesus, the psalms were well established and were quoted by New Testament characters regularly. The counsel that was together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, as foretold by (Psalms 2:1-5) Obviously refers to the very same people who plotted a vain Against the LORD and against His Christ.
Luke quoting this psalm says,"who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles (and the people of Israel, were gathered together). Notice Luke says Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together against the LORD and against His Christ. (Act 4:25-26)
Pilate, bowing to political pressure from the high priests and the will of the people, sentenced Jesus, a man whom he had just pronounced unworthy of death or any punishment, to death by crucifixion.
