WHAT LAWS DID JESUS BREAK? (6)

(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. Known false witnesses allowed to testify

a) The ninth commandment states:

i) "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)

b) Yet KNOWN false witnesses were sought and used during the trial.

ii) "Then some rose up and bore FALSE WITNESS against Him, saying . . . , " (Mark 14:57, see also Matthew 26:59-60)

c) Lying against someone, especially in court, is something God says He HATES (Proverbs 6:16-19). The Biblical penalty for being a false witness was fair but severe (Deuteronomy 19:16-19, 21). These principles meant that those who LIED in court deserved the DEATH PENALTY for which they were giving testimony! Jewish law also did not allow false testimony during a trial and punished those found to be giving such during a trial (W. Chandler, The Trial of Jesus, Vol. 1, pg. 140).


The End ...

Comments