Matthew
26:57-75
Lesson 57
26:57-75
Lesson 57
Matthew 26:57-75
Jesus on trial 57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. |
Margin notes:
"To see the end." (26:58) - Peter wanted to be close to the proceedings so he could see what would happen to Jesus. "The council." (26:59) - Refers to the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a powerful Jewish high court consisting of seventy chief priests, elders, scribes, and other religious leaders (Matthew 26:3; 26:59; Mark 14:53). It was led by the High Priest and had the authority to settle religious disputes and handle matters pertaining to Judaism. The Sanhedrin was granted far-reaching powers by the Roman rulers and even had its own police force to support its decisions. They had the power to arrest people, but because they had abused their authority and executed people friendly to Rome on trumped-up charges, they were no longer allowed to issue the death penalty (John 18:31). For that, they needed the Romans approval, and the final Roman authority was Pontus Pilate. The Sanhedrin ceased to exist after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. "Sought false witness against Jesus." (26:59) - The high priests were willing to pay people to lie about Jesus. "But found none." (26:60) - The Sanhedrin couldn't find a credible witness to convict Christ. Even though they were bribed, the false witnesses kept contradicting each other (Mark 14:56). "At the last came two false witnesses." (26:60) - The Mosaic Law required at least two witnesses to testify against a defendant (Deuteronomy 19:15). "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." (26:61) - The two witnesses are misrepresenting Jesus' words, the temple Jesus referred to was His crucified body being resurrected after three days in the grave (John 2:19). "But Jesus held his peace." (26:63) - Just as prophesized six hundred years earlier in Isaiah 53:7, Jesus refused to answer the false charges brought against Him. "I adjure thee." (26:63) - Means, "I order you." "The Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (26:64) - Notice the similarity of Jesus' words here and the wording of Daniel 7:13-14 and Revelation 1:7. "The high priest rent his clothes." (26:65) - "The high priest tore his clothes." "He hath spoken blasphemy." (26:65) - Jesus is the only person ever born who could say they are God and not be blaspheming. "He is guilty of death." (26:66) - According to the Mosaic Law, the penalty for blasphemy was death (Leviticus 24:16; John 19:7). "They spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands." (26:67) - "They spat in His face and punched Him, while others slapped Him with the palms of their hands." Jesus will be spat upon and beaten again before He is crucified (27:30). "Peter sat without in the palace." (26:69) - "Peter sat outside in the palace courtyard." "Thy speech bewrayeth thee." (26:73) - "Your accent gives you away." Galileans had a distinct accent. "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus." (26:75) - Although Matthew doesn't mention it, Luke 22:60-61 tells us that Jesus was there, looking Peter in the eyes at the precise moment when he denied Him for the third time. Peter then fled from the scene and cried. |