Investigating Jesus

Mark 14:53-65

“And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.  And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.” (Mark 14:53-54)

After his arrest, Jesus was taken to the high priest’s home to be interrogated.  Peter and John followe along behind, and because John was known to the High priest, he was allowed inside while Peter was not.  He was forced to sit outside in the courtyard with the servants.   

“And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.  For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.  And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.  But neither so did their witness agree together.” (Mark 14:55-59)

The election of Donald Trump has given me a far greater understanding of the hatred Jesus experienced.   Like the Never Trump groups, the chief priests and Pharisees were panicked at the thought of losing control.  Though they had no evidence the Never Trump groups are calling his impeachment, just as the priests and Pharisees called for Jesus’ execution.  They met together to investigate whether they could find grounds for his execution, asking for people to provide any stories they could against him.  Repeatedly, the stories turned out to be false.  Finally some were found that could accuse him of saying some things that were unpopular, but even those claims failed to justify his execution. 

“And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?  But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mark 14:60-61)

Unable to find anything of substance against him the high priest began to bait him implying that his silence amounted to an acknowledgment of guilt.  Jesus did not respond until asked a legitimate question, which he answered honestly.   

“And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?  Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.  And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.” (Mark 14:62-65)

The Jews had accepted several Pharisees as Messiahs, but when Jesus said he was, they seized on his statement as an excuse to attack him in much the same way the Democratic party has attacked President Trump for calling for a limit on immigration even though it is nearly identical to the one President Obama signed.  While Donald Trump has little similarity to Jesus, the way he has been treated reveals just how irrational and unethical the Jew’s hatred of Jesus was.  Ignoring both Roman and Jewish law, they began to abuse him even though he had not yet been tried and their investigation had not shown any wrongdoing.