Interrogation at Midnight

Luke 22:63-71

Net work television constantly reminds us of court cases in which innocent people are convicted of serious crimes. Almost every case involves either a prosecutor or investigators who are determined to convict the person. In their zeal, they often ignore or conceal evidence contradictory evidence. False confessions are obtained by prolonged browbeating and accusations until the accused simply agrees in an effort to obtain relief. Informants are encouraged to lie to obtain better deals for themselves, and evidence is suppressed by judges.

While I believe that the death penalty is called for in murder and certain sex crimes cases, as described by the Bible, because of the abuses of the evidence by both prosecution and defense attorneys, I do not believe our current legal system is qualified to administer it. The entire system needs to be revamped before justice can be consistently obtained.

We see the same pattern of disregard for the truth illustrated in the interrogation of Jesus by the Jewish leaders. The interrogation was conducted late at night, playing on his exhaustion to try to get him to say something that would seem to incriminate him. They prolonged it for the same reason, hoping to wear down his resistance. They repeatedly accused him of various crimes, insisting any claims to the contrary were false. To further increase the pressure, they isolated him and even blindfolded him to distort his perception. In addition, physical intimidation and efforts to confuse him were employed.

“And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.” (Luke 22:63-65)

While restricted versions of such tactics often result in false confessions or flawed evidence, it produced little useable information in Jesus’ case. Because the interrogation had been fruitless, a preliminary hearing similar to a grand jury hearing was held before normal business hours. Matthew 26:59-62 tells us that at this hearing they actively suborned false informants. “Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?” Luke describes only a small part of the hearing.

“And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.” (Luke 22:66-70)

Though the Jews claimed to be the sons of God, as they stated in John 8:41, “… Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God,” they could use the claim that he was the Son of God to inflame the multitude and gain popular support. Truth no longer mattered. Public opinion could be used to sway the legitimate authorities and produce the desired result.
“And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.” (Luke 22:71)

Once a way of obtaining popular support was obtained, no further effort to learn the truth was sought. It was much like the innuendo we saw in the mid term election, in which unsubstantiated and irrelevant accusations were made by both parties to sway public opinion, with no regard for the truth.