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Past Ponderings

Thursday, January 21, 2016

PONDERING... A Trial, a Traitor, and the Truth (John 18:12-28)


BARE-BONES NOTES
A Trial, a Traitor, and the Truth

There are so many ways to look at this particular passage. However, I just want to look at the two major segments that have been blended together.
GIST: Jesus experienced abuse and rejection, so that we might experience the truth.
SCRIPTURE: John 18:12-28

1. The Trials
John 18:12-28  So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.  13  First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.  14  It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. 
     Annas was the actual high priest. This illustrates the dynamic between the Jews and Romans. The Roman Empire came in and set up leaders for themselves. They allowed the Jews to stay in these positions, as long as, ultimately, Rome was in control. Thus, they set up Caiaphas as high priest. However, this position had a life-time term in the eyes of the Jews. Thus, Caiaphas was high priest in name only. Annas was the actual high priest.

19  The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.  20  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.  21  Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."  22  When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"  23  Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"  24  Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.  
     This portion is easy to misunderstand. I know I missed the point until I looked into what was happening here. This is a mistrial. The Jewish leaders aren’t following their own rules, and Jesus is pointing this out. 
    Christie and Nystrom point this out in their commentary:
     "These trials also break several Jewish laws: 1. A prisoner could not be compelled to testify against himself. 2. A person is innocent until proven guilty. 3. A criminal cannot be tried on a feast day. 4. A trial cannot take place in the high priest’s house; it can be held only in the council chamber. 5. Witnesses had to be brought in and cross-examined. 6. Burden of proof was to be on the court. 7. Specific charges had to be made. 8. There was to be no striking of the prisoner and no showing of emotion. 9. Between the hearing of the case and the delivery of the verdict, there had to be a minimum of one day. During this time the court members were to meet in pairs, eat light food, drink light wines, and sleep well so they could render a decision the next day. 10. No trial is to be held secretly or at night because members of the court may not be alert during darkness” (A Youth Worker's Commentary on John, Vol 2). 
 
28  Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.
     Look at the hypocrisy. They don’t follow their own laws when it comes to His trial, but won’t risk defiling themselves here.

2. The Traitor
15  Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest,  16  but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.  17  The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."  18  Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.  … 25  Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, "You also are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not."  26  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"  27  Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.  
     We have covered this at more length elsewhere. Tonight, I just want to point out how this interacted with the rest of the narrative. Jesus was betrayed by on of His closest friends. He was arrested and subjected to a humiliating trial. Then, Peter, another of His very closest followers, denies Him three times. Yet, none of this came as a surprise. This was His purpose.

3. The Truth
20  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.  21  Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."  22  When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"  23  Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"

     Jesus came for us. Jesus came for this. Though the situation seems bleak, remember: John 1: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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