Mark 14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. 55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. 57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.' " 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree. 60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 63 The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.
Introduction: Tale of Two Trials
Witnessing
In Mark 13, Jesus told his disciples, “You will be arrested and you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them for my sake.” Now, imagine you’re a Christian in, say, 65 A.D. and Mark’s gospel is a new release, hot off the presses. And you have family members in prison and you could be arrested any day now. And so when you get to the part of Mark’s gospel where he tells the story of when that situation you’re facing happened to Peter and Jesus, you’re all ears. How did they handle it?
Your Bible might title this section, “The trial of Jesus” but a more accurate title would be, “The trials of Jesus and Peter.” Mark wants to make sure we notice trial of Jesus in the courtroom and the informal trial of Peter in the courtyard were happening at the same time. And so he jumps back and forth.
Mark 14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest 54 Peter followed … right into the courtyard Verse 55, back to Jesus. Verse 66 back to Peter. So this whole section is a split screen… —Jesus’ formal trial in the courtroom and Peter’s informal trial in the courtyard—a good example and a bad example running simultaneously.
We’ll cover Peter next time, but I do want to point out one thing now. The fact that Mark puts these side by side tells us that all the principles apply to both formal and informal trials. The same principles apply whether you’re arrested and formally charged… , or you’re just sitting around chatting and some people start mocking Christianity. So what we learn from Jesus’ example here applies any time you face injustice, any time someone lies about you, any time you’re afraid to speak up, and any time you’re mistreated be evil people.
Enemies of God
Mark 14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.
That’s the same word as in Psalm 2:2.
Psalms 2:2 … the rulers gather together … against the Lord’s Messiah.
Jesus stands alone as the rulers join forces and gather around him like menacing storm clouds.
How to Handle Injustice: Entrust Yourself to Him Who Judges Justly
Injustice
And the thing that stands out the most in Jesus’ trial, right off the bat, is the injustice of it.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.
The trial starts with the verdict. You know you’re in trouble when the judge opens the trial by saying, “Let’s begin the proceedings for this guilty criminal.”
That happens to all of us in informal settings. Someone forms an opinion about you, then all they do is search for evidence to support that judgment. They ignore anything in your favor and make a big deal out of any evidence against you.
False Witnesses
56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
Deuteronomy 19:15 says no one can be convicted without the corroboration of two or three witnesses. So when none of these witnesses agreed, their testimony is inadmissible. And if a witness lied in a capital trial, the law called for them to be executed. All those false witnesses, if they were lying, should have been put to death. But they weren’t.
They give their testimony and Jesus is thinking, “What? I never said that. I didn’t do that. They’re totally twisting what I said.” And Jesus can see that people are believing the lies. Every-one’s being won over, and Jesus is getting more and more angry looks and sneers.
When someone is lying about you, and people are believing those lies and there’s nothing you can do about it, that hurts… —especially when there are people who could shut it down and they won’t do it. When you’re the victim of injustice, there’s something in the human spirit that finds that almost unbearable. Injustice makes your insides just roil and squirm in protest.
Jesus Entrusted Himself to God
Jesus was human. He felt all those same feelings. How did he handle them? Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2, and he uses it as an example for how we should respond in mundane, everyday episodes of injustice. He’s talking about slaves being treated unfairly by their masters.
1 Peter 2:21 Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. … When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Just let God handle it. “What about my reputation?” Leave that in the hands of the one who judges justly. “What about the damage being done by these lies?” God will handle that. “What about protecting myself in the future? What about teaching the person a lesson so they don’t keep doing this? What about fairness?” Entrust all of that to God.
But what does it mean to entrust it to God—isn’t God in charge of it already? Yes, he is, but entrusting it to him means I let go of it. I don’t fight with it, I don’t worry about it, I just put my life and future and wellbeing at God’s disposal to do with as he will—without my supervision. Very often we give things over to God, but then we try to supervise him. “You’re moving too slow God. You’re not doing it the way I expected God.” Entrusting means entrusting. “However and whenever you choose to deal with this God, I trust you.”
If you find it difficult to cast your cares on the Lord and let go of them, just remember—the key to doing that is in the second half of 1 Peter 5:7.
Cast your cares on him because he cares for you.
If you have trouble letting go of your cares, it’s because you’re not really convinced that God cares for you as much as you care for yourself. You need to study more of what the Bible says about how much God cares for you until you understand he cares about your wellbeing even more than you do.
Make Them Have to Lie
And one of the ways God vindicated Jesus was by the very fact that his accusers had to revert to lies.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.
He was the spotless lamb. And that’s why they had to revert to lies—because there was nothing scandalous they could say that was true. If people lie about you, be glad that they have to re-vert to lies. That says a lot in your favor.
How to Handle Distraction: Don’t Get Sidetracked
Mark doesn’t tell us what the false accusations were—except for one. This one stands out be-cause multiple people brought it and because it’s the one the crowd remembered at the crucifixion and used to taunt Jesus and again in Acts 6:13–14.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.' "
Stumbling into Truth
What’s false about that? Mark doesn’t say, probably because they used it to make Jesus sound like some kind of terrorist or someone who was opposing the dwelling place of God. But even in trying to smear Jesus, they manage to stumble into saying something that’s actually quite pro-found.
I Will Destroy It
Isn’t it true that Jesus did destroy the Temple? He didn’t tear it down physically. But like fire inspector condemning a building so it can’t be used anymore, Jesus condemned the temple and rendered it obsolete. He pronounced it a den of thieves, and his final exit from the temple symbol-ized the departure of the Holy Spirit from the temple. And when he died as the ultimate sacrifice, there was no longer any need for animal sacrifices and the veil was torn. So in a spiritual sense, yes, Jesus destroyed the temple.
Man-Made
And notice that term, “man-made” (or literally, “made by hands”).
58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made by hands and in three days will build another, not made by hands' "
“Made by hands” is a term use all through the OT and NT to describe idols or pagan temples where God does not dwell. When they turned God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves, they essentially reduced it to being just like the pagan temples—human institutions without God’s presence. The NT writers even use that term, “made with hands” of the temple in Jerusalem, making the point that God doesn’t dwell there.
Build a New Temple
Then the last part of their accusation:
58 … 'I will destroy this temple made by hands and in three days will build another, not made by hands.'
Did Jesus do that?
John 2:19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." … 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
Jesus rose from the dead as the new Holy of Holies where man can approach God in worship.
He was the new altar, the new sacrificial system, and the new priesthood. And when Jesus ascended to heaven, he left his body, the Church to function as the new temple. The NT has a whole lot to say about that.
Remaining Silent
So multiple different witnesses brought this same accusation, but they twisted Jesus’ words, and no two witnesses twisted them the same way.
59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
The High Priest Manipulates the Court
At this point the case should be dismissed. There’s no charge, no corroboration, all the testi-mony is inadmissible—the case fell apart. But look what happens:
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?"
He just pretends there’s legitimate testimony and he demands an answer.
When not to Answer
So what does Jesus say? Seems like a great opportunity to set the record straight.
61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Way back in the time of Isaiah God wanted us to know that when the Servant of the Lord would come, he would give up his life without a struggle.
And that silence must have been deafening. Can you imagine? They make all these accusations, and any normal person would jump up and say, “No, that’s not true! I can prove it! Here’s what I really said …” They expect Jesus to do that, and they all look at him, and he just stands there. The room is dead silent. Maybe you can hear the faint sounds of Peter downstairs in the courtyard swearing he doesn’t know Jesus, but in this room, deafening silence.
Don’t Engage Fools
When people accuse us falsely, our instinct is always to defend ourselves. And that’s fine if what they’re saying is an honest mistake. But in a case like this where the people aren’t interested in the truth… —what they’re doing is just pure hostility—it’s rarely wise to try to defend yourself in cases like that. Whatever you say will just fuel a fight. It might feel good to say it, but all it will do is make the situation worse.
When someone is hostile toward you, always ask, “Is it going to do this person any good for me to respond?” If not, then follow Jesus’ example and refuse to engage. That’s true whether you’re the defendant in a courtroom or debating someone online, or in your living room talking to your spouse. If it’s a quarrel rather than a discussion, walk away.
How to Handle Opportunity: Focus on Christ’s Sacrifice AND Exaltation
So they make their accusations, they turn to Jesus, and he stands silent. Then the high priest himself rises and demands an answer from Jesus. Dead silence. At this point, the high priest must be frustrated beyond what he can stand. They want to trick Jesus into saying something they can twist into a charge of blasphemy, but he won’t say anything. Finally the high priest is so exasper-ated he blurts it out what he really wants Jesus to say.
61 … "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 "I am," said Jesus.
Woah—he spoke! A few of them jump a little bit. He’s been like a mute this whole time, and they may have been wondering if something was wrong with him. No matter how unjust and unfair the accusations, he won’t say a word. And if he’s so intent on not incriminating himself, and he refused to say anything on the milder questions, this one… , the one that could really get him in trouble, I’m sure they really didn’t expect an answer here. They probably thought this would be the last question he would respond to.
But the second the question is out of the high priest’s mouth Jesus startles them with an unequivocal response: "I am.” He doesn’t say, “Well, you could say that, sort of, but don’t misunderstand …” and try to mitigate the damage. He says, “I am—and that’s not the half of it. Let me just escalate this whole deal.”
62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Suddenly he’s really talkative. The answer to your questions is yes, and now let me just dial my answer right up to 11.”
Getting to the Point
Jesus wasn’t silent to avoid incriminating himself. He stayed silent because he wanted to get to the point. This shows Jesus’ mastery over his own trial. By not answering each time, it’s like he’s saying, “No, that’s not what this is about. No. The temple? No, try again.” And they do. They keep trying until they finally stumble into asking about the real issue, namely, who Jesus is. And the second they ask that, Jesus says “Bingo!” and he lets them have it with a lot more than they even asked.
So what do we learn from Jesus’ example here? Don’t get baited into arguments, but when you have a chance to declare who Jesus is, take it.
The Son of God?
Jesus had made it clear in the parable of the vineyard that he considered himself the unique Son of God, above the prophets. And now the high priest wants him to just say it outright. And Jesus says, “Sure, I’ll say it. In fact, I’ll say a lot more.” And verse 62 becomes the high water mark of the whole gospel.
Everyone should have known that the Messiah would be the Son of God. It’s clearly stated in Psalm 2:7. And Jesus as the Son of God is a major theme in Mark. It’s how the book starts.
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
He’s the Christ and he’s the Son of God. Then we see it again in the climax of the book which is the center of the book. Peter’s great confession: “You are the Christ” (Mk.8:29). And then God speaks on the mountain: “This is my Son” (Mk.9:7).
Now, here at the end of the book, the high priest asks, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” “I am.” And the Roman centurion at the cross, “Surely this man was the Son of God” (Mk.15:39).
Beginning of the book, end of the book, center of the book—he’s the Christ and he’s the Son of God. We also hear it a twice out of the mouths of demons, who lived in the spirit world and knew exactly who Jesus was (3:11 and 5:7). We hear it from demons, from the people who mur-dered Jesus (the Jewish leader and the Roman executioner)… , we hear it from Peter who speaks for the Apostles, we hear it from Mark as the narrator, inspired by the Holy Spirit… , we hear it from Jesus here, and twice from God the Father. His enemies, his friends, his followers, the de-mons, and each member of the Trinity.
David’s Lord
But Jesus isn’t done. After affirming that he is the Son of God from Psalm 2, he goes on to place himself in Psalm 110 and Daniel 7.
62 And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One.
That’s from Psalm 110, and it’s the verse Jesus had brought up earlier in the temple when he pointed out that David calls his own descendant “Lord.”
Right Hand
And more than that, he says he will sit at God’s right hand which means he will share the very sovereign throne of Almighty God. You can’t make a claim any higher than that. And he’s still not done.
Coming on the Clouds
62 …And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.
That’s from Daniel 7, which is a breathtaking description of God’s awesome greatness.
Daniel 7:9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
I love that description of God. It never gets old. It’s not just God’s throne. It’s thrones, plural, referring to the divine council. God created a council of powerful, exalted divine beings. The Bible even calls them gods.
Psalm 82:1 God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the gods.
So you have all these awesome beings on these exalted thrones, and above all of them… , the Ancient of Days presides on his blazing, fiery throne attended by thousands upon thousands of angels. And don’t even think about approaching that throne because a river of fire is flowing out from it. No mere man could ever even dream of coming anywhere near that throne. But then this happens:
Daniel 7:13 … there before me was one like a son of man (Jesus’ favorite title for himself by a mile), coming with the clouds of heaven.
Only God travels on clouds in the Bible.
13 … He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
He looks like a human being, and yet he can wade upstream through that river of fire and ap-proach Almighty God.
And if that weren’t enough, listen to what he goes on to say and ask yourself if this kind of language is ever used of anyone other than God.
14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Keep in mind—this is Daniel.
A man who would rather be thrown into a lion’s den than bow before anyone but the one true God. And yet he says all that about the son of man.
And now Jesus stands before the high priest and says, “Yeah, that’s me.” “Yes, I’m the Christ. Yes, I’m the Messiah, and I’m greater than David—he calls me Lord, and I will share the throne of God… , and I’m the son of man figure in Daniel 7 who will be given all glory, honor, and sovereign power and be worshipped by all forever.”
We talk a lot about the death of Christ on the cross; I wonder if we say enough about the glo-ry of Christ in his exaltation.
You Will See—Warning of Judgment
You Will See
And Jesus doesn’t just say this will happen; he tells the Sanhedrin, “You will see it.” That’s confrontive. “You’re going to see me exalted over you.” And notice the purpose.
Psalm 110:1 The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
Jesus looks at the Jewish Supreme Court and says, “You guys are going to be my footstool.
And it will happen in that awesome scene in Daniel 7 where the court is seated and the books are opened. That’s the higher court that’s going to overturn the decision of this court. And every one of you will be brought up on charges of treason against the Son of God.”
When?
So Jesus says they will see this happen—when will they see it happen? I don’t think it’s his ascension, because the Sanhedrin didn’t see his ascension. Others point to 70 A.D., but they didn’t see that either. Most, if not all of them were long dead by then. They didn’t see those events, but they will see the Second Coming.
Revelation 1:7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.
And even now Christ can be seen to be exalted through his body, the Church.
Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, ... 33 Exalted to the right hand of God … 36 "There-fore … God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Even in their lifetimes, they could see the exaltation of Christ by the Father through the explo-sive growth and power and preaching of the Church.
Like so many aspects of the kingdom of God, it’s fulfilled in a partial way now and will be fulfilled in a complete way at the Second Coming.
• So how do you handle injustice?
Entrust yourself to the One who judges justly.
• How do you handle hostile questions?
Don’t get pulled into a quarrel.
• How do you handle opportunity?
Proclaim Christ whenever you have a chance. And make sure to include both his death and his glorification and sovereign reign. We don’t just preach a Christ who died for your sins. We also preach a Christ who reigns and demands obedience and loyalty.
• One more: how to handle depravity.
How to Handle Depravity: Surrender Your Life for Depraved Sinners
The Bad Leadership of the High Priest
Those people in that room just heard the greatest news ever given from the mouth of the most reliable source in existence. The Son of God personally delivered to them the most marvel-ous, breathtaking, spectacular truth there is. What a privilege! To get to hear God the Son describe his own glory. What an awesome moment, not just in their lives, but in all of history! So how do they respond to the most wonderful statement ever made?
63 The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"
What a ridiculous display. Tearing clothes is something they did in times of extreme sorrow and grief, like when a loved one died. He’s acting like he’s so shocked and saddened that anyone would dishonor God in such a way , he loves God so much and that he’s just overcome with emo-tion and has to tear at his own clothes. Such a pious man! All this while committing the vilest sin ever committed in the history of the world. Sometimes the people who make the biggest show of being outraged by evil are the ones committing the very sins they rage against.
Why do we need any more witnesses?
63 Why do we need any more witnesses?
Why do you need any more witnesses? How about because you haven’t had a single credible witness yet? But this is another example of someone stumbling into speaking true words. The fact is, they don’t need any more witnesses. Once Jesus speaks, you don’t need testimony from anyone else. Jesus speaks—that settles it.
You’ve Heard the Blasphemy
But that’s not what he means. His point is that no more witnesses are needed because they heard Jesus blaspheme God with their own ears. The word “blasphemy” means “to slander” or “to defame.” So blasphemy is any time you slander God, curse God, or denigrate God. Jesus doesn’t do that, but he does claim equality with God , and they took that as the equivalent of cursing God and denigrating God’s name because it drags God down to the level of a sinful human being in their mind.
Blasphemed the High Priest
At least that’s what he claimed. The real truth is the high priest was upset not because Jesus blasphemed God, but because Jesus blasphemed him. A lot of religious leaders don’t seem to know the difference. For that matter, even just regular Christians. There are a lot of Christians who, if you contradict their beliefs, their church, their denomination , their traditions, their favorite preacher or author—as far as they’re concerned, you’ve slandered God. And now they have every right to treat you like garbage. Civility goes out the window because you’re a heretic.
Bad Leadership
So at this point, the high priest calls for a vote. When they voted, the youngest members vot-ed first. They did that so the younger ones wouldn’t just watch to see how the more prominent members voted and just go along with them. But here, the most prominent member, the high priest himself, before the vote even starts, gives his verdict.
64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"
If you’re one of the junior members, what are you going to say? “Um, no, it’s not blasphemy. You just tore your clothes for nothing.” No one’s going to say that. They’re all going to fall in line and say exactly what the high priest just directed them to say.
Be Careful Who You Follow
Be careful about the influence of confident people. There are people who are skilled at saying things so forcefully that you can hardly help but to go along with it. And that’s exactly what hap-pens here. It’s the biggest sham trial ever—illegal and unjust in so many ways. In any other situa-tion surely some of these men would have raised objections, but here everyone is just caught up with following the high priest’s lead.
64 … They all condemned him as worthy of death.
That’s yet another exact fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy.
Mark 10:33 The ‘son of man’ will be handed over to the chief priests and to the teachers of the law, and they will condemn him to death.
Depravity
This is the depth of human evil. It’s the bottom. Things like murder, human trafficking, gen-ocide—all that kind of stuff is horrible, but this is the worst. To see the most beautiful being in existence and hear him utter the most marvelous words ever spoken, and to respond by becoming enraged to the point of wanting to murder him—that’s human wickedness at its absolute bottom.
They Blasphemed Him
And again, it’s irony. They accuse Jesus of slandering God and what are they doing? Slander-ing the Son of God. They accuse him of blasphemy while they’re blaspheming.
Spit
Once they declare him guilty, the wheels really come of the wagon in this proceeding.
65 Then some began to spit on him.
Yet another fulfillment of prophecy.
Isaiah 50:6 … I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
Demand for Prophecy
65 … they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!"
The word for “fists” come from the word, “knuckle.” These were bare-knuckle blows to the face. He couldn’t see them coming to brace or turn his head or anything, just one blow after an-other pounding him. “If you’re a prophet, tell us who just that last punch.” That’s more irony. They want him to prophesy—he already did. He prophesied this exact thing that they are doing.
Mark 8:31 …The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law.
Mark 10:34 [They] will mock him and spit on him
While they mock him about being a prophet, they are proving him to be a prophet by ful-filling his prophecy. And this is another point where Jesus’ silence is amazing because he could have done what they are asking. BAM! “Tell us who just punched you.” Jesus could have said the guy’s name, address, social security number—he could have said his kids’ names, his eye color, and the last ten secret sins he committed. Why didn’t he? Because he had already done miracles and they didn’t believe. No amount of evidence can convince a heart that’s determined not to believe. But Jesus knew their names and still does. They might just hear on Judgment Day, “Re-member that day when you blindfolded my Son and punched him and wanted to know if he knew your name? Well, he did.”
Jesus Can See
The blindfolding in this scene calls to mind the theme of blindness and sight. More irony. The only one with clear vision in that whole room is the blindfolded Jesus. He’s the only one who can see and understands what’s really going on, and the people blindfolding him are blind as bats.
Be Ready to Die
Jesus could have exposed them all and judged theme all right here if he chose to. But he didn’t.
65 … And the guards took him and beat him.
He just let it happen. Why? Because of what he told the disciples back in ch.10 about why he came. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. So what do we learn from Jesus’ example here? What can we learn from his example about how to handle those times when you come face to face with the dregs of human depravity? What did he do? He gave his life to provide for their salvation. When they were punching him and mocking him, he wasn’t thinking about Judgment Day when they would be punished. He was thinking about later that day when he would voluntarily lay his life down to purchase salvation for them so that they could be forgiven and never have to be punished. So what should we do? We can’t die on a cross for the sins of the people hurting us, so what’s our role?
Colossians 1:24 … I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's sufferings.
Jesus suffered to accomplish redemption ; our role is to take the salvation he purchased and be willing to suffer anything in order to be the messenger to deliver that salvation to people. When you come face to face with human depravity, follow Jesus’ example and do whatever you can to bring the gospel to people who are otherwise doomed to hell, even if it costs you your life.
Summary
By Jesus’ example, we learn how to handle injustice (Entrust yourself to the One who judges justly), hostile questions (don’t take the bait), opportunity (proclaim Christ’s death and exaltation and supremacy whenever you have a chance), and depravity (be ready to give up your life to bring people the gospel).
