Mark 14:53-59
53 They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes *gathered together.
54 And Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and the entire Council were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any.
56 For many people were giving false testimony against Him, and so their testimonies were not consistent.
57 And then some stood up and began giving false testimony against Him, saying,
58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that was made by hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.’”
59 And not even in this respect was their testimony consistent.
Jesus’ Trials (1)
Trial before the Jewish authorities
Jesus’ trial took place in two stages. First trial was a religious trial by the Jews and the second, a political trial by the Romans. At that time, the Jews did not have the authority to execute the death penalty, so a two-step process was necessary. Now, after being arrested, Jesus was first taken to Annas (ref. John 18), but this part is omitted in the synoptic Gospels. Annas’ term as the high priest was from AD 7 to 14, but he continued to have great influence behind the scenes. Caiaphas, who was the high priest in that year, was his son-in-law. The money-changing and animal-selling business within the temple were monopolized by the family of Annas. Since Jesus had twice cleansed the temple, at the beginning and near the end of His public ministry, there were ample reasons for Annas to personally harbor animosity towards Jesus.
Caiaphas the high priest
Annas sends Jesus to Caiaphas, the high priest, where an urgent trial takes place. (1) The Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, which should have been assembled only within the temple, is gathered at Caiaphas’ residence. This is an illegal act in itself. (2) The Sanhedrin consisted of 71 members, but a minimum of 23 members was required for a valid session. On this night, notable figures like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were absent. Members believed to be in support of Jesus were not summoned. (3) High Priest Caiaphas sought false testimony against Jesus but was unsuccessful. Some individuals claimed, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that was made by hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.’” This exactly was the testimony Caiaphas sought. The destruction of the temple carried a death penalty even in Roman courts. Let’s pay attention to how those seeking Jesus’ execution were confused and in panic. They were planning to arrest Jesus after the Passover, but Jesus’ time (the time of the cross) had already come. The Lamb of God, Jesus had to be crucified during the Passover. When God’s time arrives, no one can stop it.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, when the time comes, Your plans will surely be fulfilled. Please help me again today, to be mindful of Your time. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.