959. The Trial and Arrest of Jesus

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville South Carolina today on The Daily Platform. Dr. Steve Pettit, longtime evangelist and now president of Bob Jones University will preach a four-part series on passion week the week leading up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ today. Steve will lead us in a study of the trial of Jesus before Caiaphas last you go back to the passage from the book of Mark chapter 14 thus far this week we have been looking into Mark's gospel account of the events surrounding the final hours before the death of Jesus on the cross. We call this the passion because it is referring to the events that surround Jesus is suffering is God's servant so thus far we've looked at Christ's prediction in the Last Supper, where he said that one would betray me.

The rest would deny me. Peter would deny me three times in any predicted that he would die and rise from the dead. We also saw yesterday.

Christ's prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. In both of the messages thus far we have seen the faithfulness of Jesus contrasted with the unfaithfulness of his own disciples, and really the trajectory of Mark's story is towards a point of brokenness and that is this that Jesus would be broken on the cross and the disciples needed to be bit broken over their own selves.

This morning we come to Jesus's trial before the religious leaders. Jesus had prophesied concerning the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and that prophecy was fulfilled were skipping over the story because of time.

But you know the story that Judas with 200 soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane Judas kiss Jesus on the cheek, identifying him as Jesus himself and so they arrested him and at that same time the Scripture was also fulfilled for the disciples fled the scene in fear never to be heard of again in the pan. Mark's gospel so they take Jesus from the garden of Gethsemane and they go back to the city of Jerusalem and on the southwest side of the city of Jerusalem is the home of the high priest named Caiaphas today.

There is a church that is built over the original site. The name of the church is called Polycom to which means the crowing of the rooster this morning.

As we look at Mark's writing style and we try to follow that along were seen today like we did on Monday of another sandwich style so he has three parts.

The piece of bread on the top the piece of bread on the bottom in the middle is the need and so we have a first and third part that are connected and then we have the middle part which is really the message that Mark is trying to communicate what I think is really very important this morning for us to realize is that the key figures in the story this morning are not so much the Jewish leaders, but it's actually a story between Peter and Jesus because the story starts and finishes with Peter, but the main message is in the middle about Jesus in this passage we have to first in Mark's gospel for the first time. Jesus openly confesses his true identity. Up until now he had never fully confessed to. He really was. But secondly, for the first time Jesus is openly denied by one of his own disciples, and what we see today we see the terrible gap between Peter and Jesus. One is faithful and true, and the other is not.

So let's begin this morning with Peter in the courtyard. We read in verse 53 and they let Jesus a way to the high priests and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes and Peter followed him a far all even into the palace of the high priest and he sat with the servants, and he warmed himself by the fire. Jesus is brawl in the darkness of night it was probably after midnight, maybe two or 3 o'clock in the morning and they bring him to the home of the villa of the high priest Caiaphas, and there is a symbol of the Jewish leaders, the Sanhedrin will begin by saying that this meeting was clearly an unlawful meeting. For example, religious courts could only be held during the day. This is at night. It could only be held in the chamber north of the temple. This is south of the temple. According to Jewish law if it is a capital offense.

A guilty verdict could not could not take place without a second day they had to be 2 Days Also Ct. could not be held on the eve of the Sabbath and this was the exact time of this trial, nor could be held during a religious festival and we know this was the time of Passover witnesses were warned against hearsay or rumor and if somebody committed blasphemy. It can only be sustained if the if the accused individual curses. God is it not interesting that the one that cursed God was actually Peter and Jesus testified to the reality of who he was, every detail about the trauma. Jesus was a violation of Jewish law and the irony of this trial is that the guilty ones. The Jewish leaders were seeking to condemn the innocent one and I think what is important to notice in this section is that the focus is on Peter. Why is that why is the focus put on Peter. Why did Mark do this when Jesus was arrested and Gethsemane all of his disciples ran away and fulfillment of Jesus's prophecy. However, Jesus is prediction of Peter's denial had not yet been fulfilled. If Jesus is a true prophet if his words are true, then this prophecy has to be fulfilled so as Peter enters into the outside courtyard of the high priests we know his denial is coming, so let's watch Peter more carefully and what do we see what we notice that there is a change in his body language. Do you remember when Peter said I will never deny you. I will never, I will die for you.

Remember that body language you remember when the man had his ear cut off when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane being arrested and Peter whips out a sword and he goes to whack off the guys head and he misses his head and he cuts off his earlobe.

That's the attitude he had. But what we see here a change in his body language instead of being close to Jesus. He keeps his distance he goes sits by the fire and he warms up to the temple guards the very same guards who will soon abuse Jesus and what we see we see this distance is telegraphing a message that soon he will deny the Lord, all of us here all of us here are not beyond denying Jesus that leads to now.

The middle section Jesus's self revelation where we see the real meat of what Mark is trying to show us as the trial begins, we realize that the religious leaders have no case against Jesus. Instead, they're trying to find something that they can charge against the universe for 55 and the chief priests and all the Council salt for witness against Jesus to put him to death and found none. It is clear the Jewish leaders are not seeking justice but they are warning his blood. Beginning in verse 56 Mark brings us now to the heart of the message. Here's what is trying to show us. Up until now the theme of witnessing our testimony has never been mentioned, but now within the next nine verses the word witness is you seven times and Mark is setting forth the false witness of the religious leaders contrasted with the true witness of Jesus. Jesus is the truth. Notice the false witness verse 56 for many more. False witness against him, but their testimony did not agree the religious and religious leaders paraded many false witnesses before their kangaroo court. No two witnesses could agree. The case should've been thrown out immediately but then comes another set of false witnesses. Look at verse 57 and some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, we heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands in three days I will build another not made with hands. Yet even about their testimony did not agree their claim was that Jesus said something that he actually never said Jesus never said that he would he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, but here is the irony that what they said. He said he didn't say what they said is actually the truth marks readers those who are reading the book of Mark, those who are in Rome to Mark wrote this gospel all the bid that Jesus came to establish a new temple not made by human hands, but constructed upon the cornerstone that the builders rejected, built on Jesus who died any rose from the dead three days later.

But Jesus didn't answer or respond. So Caiaphas asked Jesus a question, are you not going to answer these charges.

Are you not going to defend yourself in verse 61 says, but he remained silent and he made no answer. Think with me a moment. Why did Jesus say nothing. Why was a quiet reason is because Jesus is silence was strategic. You see the whole of the Burke book of Mark is bringing us to this very moment because the venue of this trial and in this trial. Jesus is revealing something about himself. Jesus is identifying himself as the suffering servant revealed in the book of Isaiah's actions are the fulfillment of God's prophecies listened. Isaiah 53 seven he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. Until now, Jesus is not revealed his true identity, but his silence is now broken and here we see the true witness by high priest rises to his feet. He presses Jesus with a question in the original Greek. The wording is put in a form of an emphatic statement. He says Caiaphas says says to Jesus, you are the Christ, the son of the Blessed one. By the way, why did he say Blessed one because Jews were afraid to say the name of God unless they take God's name in vain and it was their way of getting around. You are the Messiah, you are the son of God and what did Jesus say what was his answer. He said I a.m. this is the first time in the book of Mark that Jesus Christ identifies himself as the true son of God in the Messiah and how ironic is it that the two most complete confessions of who Jesus truly is comes from two individuals who are responsible for his death. The high priest here in chapter 14 and the centurion stood at the foot of the cross. When Jesus died, and said, truly, thou art the son of God.

Up until the high priest question Jesus had intentionally kept all claims of his divine sons son ship silent.

So why, why until now because if you read the book of Mark, clearly you will discover that something was missing in the understanding of the identity of his person. See, the disciples.

The disciples believed that Jesus was the son of God.

Okay, they got that.

But there was something that was missing in their thinking, because their viewpoint of the Messiah was with. There is a misperception in the missing element that was necessary for his true identity was that he had to suffer Jesus could not could only Diebold.

His true identity in the light of suffering and this is why Jesus kept it secret until now you not only need to see Jesus as the son of God, which you need to see him as the suffering servant of God. So Jesus acknowledges that he is the Messiah. PS the son of God, but he doesn't stop there because he makes a full disclosure of another title that blew the Jewish leaders away. Listen to what he said in verse 62 and Jesus said you shall see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.

Jesus is now saying I Messiah son of God, and I am the Son of Man. Why Son of Man will if you go back and read Mark throughout the book of Mark, Jesus as main title that he used of himself was the Son of Man and primarily it was used at that point to identify Jesus with mankind until now because the Son of Man in the Old Testament is found in Daniel chapter 7 in verse 13. It is about the coming of the Messiah to bring judgment upon the earth and essentially here's what Jesus was proclaiming to the Jewish lewd leaders. He said though you are trying to judge me.

One day I am going to come back and judge. He is God's son. He is the Messiah and he is the judge of the earth. So how did the Jewish leaders respond to Jesus's self revelation look at what it says in verse 63 than the high priest rent his clothes and said what need we any further witnesses. You've heard the blasphemy what Hinchey and they all condemned them to be guilty of death, the high priest achieved his goal. Jesus committed blasphemy on the basis of his confession, but the irony does not stop the Jewish leaders explode with hatred and rage against Jesus and how do they respond they can't sit there and be ambivalent about it. They can't sit there and be apathetic about. They begin the spit owning.

They cover his head. They striking with blows and demand that he prophesy and the idea there is Jesus telling tell us where this next blow is coming from MMA punching in the face but the irony is that Jesus had already prophesied that what they were doing to him what actually happened where did he prophesy that Mark chapter 10 verse 33 he said, behold, to the Jew disciples. We go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests listen to this, and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles, and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spin upon him, and shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise so what's Mark trying to tell us what's his point. Once the meat of this message, the meaning of this message is that Jesus Christ is God's faithful witness what he says is true and the whole point of the book of Mark is that we would believe that I want to ask you this question. Do you believe I mean really, I think one of the things I appreciate Bob Jones because of all that were able to teach you and I appreciate a biblical worldview. But in the midst of this, you can actually almost lose your faith because it's all here and folks, it's not about what's here, it's about what's here are do you really believe the testimony of Jesus Christ. This is Mark's message to us. But now we have to transition to the third part in verse 65 it's a transitional statement. It says the servants did strike Jesus with the palm of their hands.

Who are these these of the temple guards. We must not forget that these are the same guards who worn themselves by the fire with Peter and these are now the ones who are beating Jesus. Mark is connecting now Jesus to Peter and here we see the third part and that is Peter's denial, Peter goes. Mark returns back to Peter.

Peter has tried to met remain inconspicuous if you could say this like you trying to fly a fly under the radar. He didn't really want to be noted.

But you know what Mark does. He now makes Peter the center of attention because what he Jesus prophesied Peter would deny him. How many times say how many times three times. That is not yet to be fulfilled.

And that's what is about to take place. We see the first denial beginning in verse 66 and as Peter was beneath in the palace. There cometh one of the maids of the high priest when she saw Peter warming himself. She looked up upon them and said and that also was with Jesus of Madura, but he denied saying I know not. Neither understand I what thou sayest.

Peter's denial begins.

Ironically, Peter was so bold in his claims that he would never deny Jesus is easily brought down by a slave girl.

The girl looks closely at Peter and states that he was with Jesus of Nazareth. This meant that he was a Galilean. And at this point Peter doesn't deny Jesus, he simply denies that he doesn't know what she's talking about. But God still considered it a denial because he knows the heart when we come to the second denial is as he went out into the porch and the caulk crew the roast the rooster crowed. Peter goes out to. Actually, the gateway to avoid the scrutiny of the woman we can escape or the Bible says and the maid saw him again and began to say to them that stood by, this is one of them and he denied it again.

She shares her impressions with the bystanders which would've been the temple guards the ones he warmed up to him for the second time he denies being associated with Jesus is thus disciples and then we come to the third denied denial. The Scriptures reads in it and a little after they the stood by said again the Peter Shirley Bauer, one of them, for thou art a Galilean in my speech agree.

If they are to see now the temple guards recalled Peter.

He sat with them. He talked with them in his accent is different. He's from the north and there in the South. You can tell somebody bother accent and where they grew and listen to Peter's response.

They said you're definitely one of the disciples. Verse 71 but he began verse and a square saying I know not this man of whom you speak.

Peter calls down a curse upon himself.

He swears by an oath to the truthfulness of what he's about to say I'm telling the truth. He denies Jesus and there any denies what Jesus had prophesied and then what what happens. Notice with the Bible says in the second time the rooster crowed, Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said in the him before the cockroach twice, thou shalt deny me thrice and when he thought their own. He wept.

The truth of Jesus's words woke Peter up woke him up to his own deceit and immediately Peter is broken. He collapses and he begins to weep.

So what happened for the last three days. I talked about the disciples and the end result of the disciples is that they're not really doing well that well what happens to Peter you know that Peter is not mentioned again in the book of Mark ever again. Mark doesn't tell us. We never hear Peter and Mark finishes his gospel without finishing the story you turn to chapter 16. If you will, and I'd like to finish with this this morning because I want you to see something to me is extremely interesting in chapter 16 we have the resurrection of Jesus is a very interesting passage. I'm not here to argue the ending of the book of Mark, any of you study the book of Mark, know that there is a disagreement between where Mark ends is an inverse eight or does it end in verse 20 song I can argue with this morning, but I want to give you an idea of why of light could've ended in verse eight because it is the end of verse eight.

It doesn't make any sense because in chapter 16, here's basically what happens.

Three women come to the tomb. They find that Jesus is not there and their angels are there and the angel say to these women in verse six. Be not affrighted.

You see, Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified.

He is risen, he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you in the galley.

There you shall see him as he said and you and they went out quickly and they fled from the sepulcher, for they trembled and were amazed.

Neither said they anything to any man, for they were afraid. That's it. Last four words for they were afraid and historians.

A lot of people struggle with that because you don't get the end, but wait a minute, wait a minute. Have you ever watched a movie and the movie ends and you don't find out what happens and you go. This is not fair. What and I personally believe that's how the book of marketed because folks what is the book of Mark all about. It's about believing God's promises and one hit God what he Jesus promised what did he say is going to happen when Jesus was in the upper room, he said to his disciples.

You shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shows be scattered questions that happen yes or no did happen yes or no yeah that's it happen.

Then he said, but after that I am risen I will go before you in the galley, he said, but after that I'm risen?

Patty risen from the dead yes or no yes so everything Jesus said would happen is going to happen any ends the book of Mark, without us knowing what's going to happen in the reading, but we know what happened because actually the book of Mark is basically Peter's memoirs because what did Jesus say he said 2×2 Peter I'm going to essentially meet you in Galilee.

He said I will go before you into Galilee, and what do we know we know the rest story. The rest of the story is the disciples did go to Galilee and there they did meet Jesus in his resurrected body and their Jesus restored them and they are the very ones that that's the died him who were unfaithful suddenly became faithful, not in their strength, not in their power. But in the risen and the resurrected Jesus and the whole idea of this trial. Is this Jesus was put on trial to show his faithfulness that he is will who he says he is and that you can believe and trust his word you that are seniors who are graduating in a few days. Are you going to trust his word will even if you fail, you can because though we are unfaithful always remains true to what he said he's going to do tomorrow morning we will come to the most important event in Jesus's life that he came to die on the cross because the most important word for us is that he was slain for our sins so you and I can be forgiven and so you and I can go to heaven praise God for the faithfulness of Jesus and his promises.

Father, we thank you that your word is true we can believe you. We can trust you.

What you have said will happen happened and even to this one.

Peter, who even denied you, you are faithful and what you predicted and you are also faithful and that she would meet Peter in Galilee and restore him back. Lord, we thank you we praise you for your promises. In Jesus name, amen you for listening to a sermon preached by Dr. Steve Pettit from Bob Jones University in the gospel of Mark which is part of the study called passion week. I'm Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University and I invite you to join us at our beautiful campus in Greenville, South Carolina to see how you can be prepared academically and spiritually to serve the Lord through one of our more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. For more information about Bob Jones University, visit www.bjyou.edu or call 800-252-6363.

Thanks again for listening. Join us again tomorrow as we study God's word together on The Daily Platform