The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 167
Passion Week ~ Trial Before the Sanhedrin ~ Part 1
In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. We concluded our examination of His Betrayal & Arrest. In this post, we begin to explore Yeshua’s Trial Before the Sanhedrin.
Introduction [1]
Following Yeshua’s arrest, Yochanan records that Yeshua was first taken before ‘Anan (Annas), who had been the High Priest from 6-15 CE before being deposed by the Roman procurator prior to Pilate. ‘Anan still continued to exercise great influence among the Jewish community. Yeshua was then sent to ‘Anan’s son-in-law, Kayafa (Caiaphas), who presides over the Sanhedrin, which is the Jewish Supreme Court. The Sanhedrin is composed of 71 elders drawn from among the chief priests and scribes.
Laced among the account of Yeshua’s trial is the account of Kefa’s struggle for loyalty to Yeshua.
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Yeshua Led to ‘Anan
12 So the detachment of Roman soldiers and their captain, together with the Temple Guard of the Judeans, arrested Yeshua, tied him up, 13 and took Him first to ‘Anan, the father-in-law of Kayafa, who was cohen gadol that fateful year. 14 (It was Kayafa who had advised the Judeans that it would be good for one man to die on behalf of the people.) [2]
Kefa’s First Denial
15 Shim‘on Kefa and another talmid followed Yeshua. The second talmid (probably Yochanan himself)was known to the Cohen HaGadol, and he went with Yeshua into the courtyard of the Cohen HaGadol; 16 but Kefa stood outside by the gate. So, the other talmid, the one known to the Cohen HaGadol, went back out and spoke to the woman on duty at the gate, then brought Kefa inside. 17 The woman at the gate said to Kefa, “Aren’t you another of that man’s talmidim?” He said, “No, I’m not.” [3]
Yeshua Before ‘Anan
19 The Cohen HaGadol questioned Yeshua about His talmidim and about what He taught. 20 Yeshua answered, “I have spoken quite openly to everyone; I have always taught in a synagogue or in the Temple where all Jews meet together, and I have said nothing in secret; 21 so why are you questioning me? Question the ones who heard what I said to them; look, they know what I said.” 22 At these words, one of the guards standing by slapped Yeshua in the face and said, “This is how you talk to the Cohen HaGadol?” 23 Yeshua answered him, “If I said something wrong, state publicly what was wrong; but if I was right, why are you hitting me?” [4]
This is how you talk to the Cohen HaGadol? Yeshua was not answering disrespectfully but pointing out that even though this late-night meeting was most irregular, normal legal procedure requires the obtaining of independent witnesses. Yeshua was willing to trust public reports of His public behavior, as is clear from v. 23. Yeshua’s response is like Sha’ul’s in Acts 26:26: “These things … didn’t happen in some back alley.”
In our next post, we continue to follow Yeshua’s Trial Before the Sanhedrin.
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[1] F. LaGard Smith, The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order.
[2] Yochanan 18:12–14.
[3] Yochanan 18:15–17.
[4] Yochanan18:19–23.
My Heart is for Israel 