Seven Sundays To Easter: The End—but It Wasn’t Series

Introduction: The Lord Jesus Christ had been betrayed and arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, as all four Gospel writers describe in their works. What happened next is an attempt to get rid of Jesus by any means necessary in the minds of the religious leaders. It’s a sad commentary that sometimes, those who claim to speak for God are more ruthless, if not more wicked, than pagan rulers ever dared to be.

Jesus was indeed tried, sentenced to death, and was crucified. The leaders may have thought their problems were solved or that was the end of the issue.

But it wasn’t! Three days later JESUS WAS ALIVE AGAIN!

There were as many as five trials of Jesus after He was arrested in Gethsemane”

1 The first trial was before Annas .

Text, John 18:12-13, KJV: 12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father n law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

Annas and his son-on-law Caiaphas were (joint?) high priests during this time (Luke 3:2). The soldiers who arrested Jesus took Him first to Annas (this event is not mentioned in the other three Gospels). Once Jesus and the others arrived there, apparently still during the night, the trials of Jesus began. Annas began the trial by asking Jesus about His disciples (!) and doctrine. Dr. A. W. Pink’s commentary on John’s Gospel gives much more information about what was right, and what was wrong, during this trial.

Text, John 18:19-21, KJV: 19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

Jesus made a simple reply to the questions posed by Annas. After all, Jesus had been in Jerusalem several times before this, and He had been coming in and out of the city over the last several days. Clearly, somebody didn’t like the way Jesus responded to the high priest, and that person promptly let Jesus know about it:

Text. John 18:22-24, KJV: 22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

There was no need for this. If Jesus was still “bound (verse 12)”, or, if His hands were tied, there was no way He could have done much, humanly speaking, The guard who struck the Lord, using his open palm, might have enjoyed it for the moment—bullies usually do, especially if they can hurt someone else and the other person can’t fight back. Note also the very mild reproach the Lord gave in reply: “Tell Me if I spoke anything evil, but if I didn’t, why did you hit Me?”

2 Then Jesus stood trial before Caiaphas.

Text, Mark 14:53-65, KJV: 53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.