WHAT LAWS DID JESUS BREAK? (5)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) What happened to Jesus, the Savior of mankind, is without precedent. Christ was condemned to death even AFTER he was declared innocent by the ruling authority (Pontius Pilate)!
b) Few people realize that Jesus actually had TWO trials. The first one, at the High Priest's palace, was right after his arrest and began around 2 a.m. Although this trial was held only with judges who were his enemies, enough of them were at the trial to officially arrive at a verdict and declare a sentence. Many of the details of this proceeding were recorded by the gospel authors. Because Jewish law demanded two sessions of the Sanhedrin hear and try a defendant, a second trial was held around 5 a.m. Very little is written about this proceeding, which was likely nothing more than a "rubber stamp" or automatic approval of the first trial. He was bound and sent to the Roman authorities around 6 a.m.
c) Below is the reason(s) why what happened to Christ after his last Passover, centering around what occurred during his first trial, was contrary to Biblical principles of justice or Jewish / Hebrew law.
1. Trial was not held before impartial Judges
a) The judges at the trial HATED the accused that was brought before them:
i) "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him." (John 7:1, see also Matthew 26:3-5)
b) Jewish law expressly forbids a person from judging a case if they are already negatively biased either against the accused or the accuser (Mendelsohn, Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 108).
c) Those who would have possibly voted AGAINST punishment or the death penalty were not at the trial. Joseph of Arimathea, a rich member of the Sanhedrin, was likely not invited to the first trial. If Joseph had been at the trial He would not have voted for the death penalty:
i) "Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. He had NOT consented to their (the council) decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. " (Luke 23:50-51).
d) It was Joseph of Arimathea, not one of the eleven disciples, who went to Pilate and asked for the dead body of Jesus. After seeing Pilate Joseph had Nicodemus help him prepare the body for burial. Nicodemus was, like Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin who believed in him (John 3:1-2). The resentment and bitterness toward Christ is all the more striking when one realizes the religious leaders who hated him KNEW he was from God!:
i) "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews (member of the Sanhedrin). This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A TEACHER COME FROM GOD; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.'" (John 3:1-2)
The End ...
a) What happened to Jesus, the Savior of mankind, is without precedent. Christ was condemned to death even AFTER he was declared innocent by the ruling authority (Pontius Pilate)!
b) Few people realize that Jesus actually had TWO trials. The first one, at the High Priest's palace, was right after his arrest and began around 2 a.m. Although this trial was held only with judges who were his enemies, enough of them were at the trial to officially arrive at a verdict and declare a sentence. Many of the details of this proceeding were recorded by the gospel authors. Because Jewish law demanded two sessions of the Sanhedrin hear and try a defendant, a second trial was held around 5 a.m. Very little is written about this proceeding, which was likely nothing more than a "rubber stamp" or automatic approval of the first trial. He was bound and sent to the Roman authorities around 6 a.m.
c) Below is the reason(s) why what happened to Christ after his last Passover, centering around what occurred during his first trial, was contrary to Biblical principles of justice or Jewish / Hebrew law.
1. Trial was not held before impartial Judges
a) The judges at the trial HATED the accused that was brought before them:
i) "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him." (John 7:1, see also Matthew 26:3-5)
b) Jewish law expressly forbids a person from judging a case if they are already negatively biased either against the accused or the accuser (Mendelsohn, Criminal Jurisprudence of the Ancient Hebrews, p. 108).
c) Those who would have possibly voted AGAINST punishment or the death penalty were not at the trial. Joseph of Arimathea, a rich member of the Sanhedrin, was likely not invited to the first trial. If Joseph had been at the trial He would not have voted for the death penalty:
i) "Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. He had NOT consented to their (the council) decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. " (Luke 23:50-51).
d) It was Joseph of Arimathea, not one of the eleven disciples, who went to Pilate and asked for the dead body of Jesus. After seeing Pilate Joseph had Nicodemus help him prepare the body for burial. Nicodemus was, like Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin who believed in him (John 3:1-2). The resentment and bitterness toward Christ is all the more striking when one realizes the religious leaders who hated him KNEW he was from God!:
i) "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews (member of the Sanhedrin). This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A TEACHER COME FROM GOD; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.'" (John 3:1-2)
Comments
Post a Comment