SUNDAY HEADING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12266, 9 May 1903, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY HEADING.

THE TRIAL BEFORE CAIAPHAS.

John xviii. 24.

[BY BEV. F. B. METER, B.A.j

It was as yet but two or three o'clock in the morning. Jerusalem was still asleep, and well it was for the foes of Jesus that no suspicion of what was on foot had breathed into the minds of the crowds of pilgrims; for, had the Galileans only known what was being done to their favourite orophet, they would have risen, and the plot must have miscarried before Jesus was handed ovor to the Romans. But, as the Lord naid, "It was their hour and the power of darkness." The darkest hour before the dawn!

When Annas had completed his preliminary inquiry he gave orders that He should again be bound with the thongs from which He had been relieved, and leu to rha + part of the palace specially used by Caiaphas, who was High Priest, but a mere puppet in the hands of the wily Annas. By this time the leading Pharisees, Sadclucees, and priests had been got together, summoned by special messengers; and though the formal meeting of the Council was probably not held till a. little later (compare Matt. xxvi. 57 with xxvii. 1, 2), the trial was really conducted at that untimely hour, and the evidence procured on which final action was taken.

They awaited the Prisoner in one of the larger halls of the palace, sitting in Oriental fashion on cushions and pillows, in a halfcircle, with turban ed heads, crowed legs, and bare feet;' the High Priest in the centre, the others, on either side, according to age. All the rules of justice were violated. The judge was chief inquisitor; witnesses against the Prisoner were alone summoned; and the Court set itself from the first to get evidence to put the Accused to death. At last two witnesses appeared who seemed likely to_ agree on a very momentous charge. They said they had heard Him utter, more than two years ago, words which seemed to threaten the very existence of the temple. But, when more closely questioned, their witness also broke down utterly. It seemed as though Jesus was- not to die, except on His own testimony .to His own supreme claims. All lesser counts failed.

All this time, as witness after witness was brought in, our Lord maintained an unbroken silence. He seemed as i.hough He heard riot, but was absorbed in other scenes from those transpiring around. What need was there for Him to interpose, when all the charges proved.abortive? He was, moreover, waiting till the Father gave Fim the signal to open his lips. At last Caiaphas could restrain his impatience no longer; he sprang to his feet, and with unconcealed fury fixed ;his eyes on Jesus and said: "Answerest Thou nothing? Hast Thou nothing to say, no question to put, no explanation to offer as to what these witnesses say?" Je-ms quietly returned the look, but held his peace. There are times when it is treason to hold our peace, when Cod demands of us to raise our voice and cry like a trumpet. But when it is clear that high-handed wrong is bent on securing the condemnation of the innocent, and that the case is prejudged, it is the highest wisdom to be as a lamb dumb before" its shearers, and not open the mouth. Theie was a last alternative. Caiaphas might put Jesus on His oath, and extort from His own lips the charge on which to condemn Him; but he was evidently reluctant to do it, and only availed himself of this process as a last resource. It was well known to this astute and cunning priest that Jesus on more than one occasion had claimed, not only to be the long-expected Messiah, but to stand to God in the unique relationship of &on. Nearly two yeai-3 before He had called God his own Father, making Himself equal with God (John v. 18); and again, comparatively recently, at the Feast of Dedication, He had claimed that He and the Father were one; in consequence of which the bystanders threatened to take His life, because that, being a man, He made Himself Cod (x. 31-33). Gathering, therefore, the two claims in one, and in the most solemn form putting Jesus on His oath, the High Priest said unto Him, " I adjure Thee by the Living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" (Matt. xxvi. 63; Mark xiv. 61). There was no ne„d for further hesitation. Charged in this way. in the highest Court of His nation, and by the representative of His people, He could not hold his peace without inconsistency with the whole tenour of His life and teaching. John, representing His disciples and friend, must be assured that his Master did not vacillate by a hairsbreadth at that supreme moment. Those high officials must understand, beyond the smallest possibility of doubt, that if they put Him to death He would die on the supreme count of his Messianic and Divine claims; and, therefore, amid the breathless silence of the Court, without a falter in the calm, clear voice, Jesus said, "I am." . The Father that sent Him was with Him He had not left Him in that awful moment alone, and it was a great pleasure to the Saviour to be able publicly to avow the relationship, which was shedding its radiance through His soul. Then, with evident allusion to the sublime vision of Daniel, he added, "Ye shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of Heaven." Though Son of God, He was not less the Son of Man; and though one with the Father, before the worlds were made, was

rSSSSft* ; yet prepared to exercise the fnw' r the expected Prince of the Hon™ »V°t °f This is the force of neverthew! ?! xxvi. 6t, "T am the Son of God- * ?att - Irks, ye shall see the Son of Man ov . or d><v the right hand of power." * ' 3I -''"g at The.words were very grateful to , of Caiaphas and his confederated t-ar afforded ground for the double chart! ili' y needed, tor a man to claim to he« 7 God would make him guilty 0 |,i .i" 1 ®! and lie must be put to death arn^F emy ' Jewish law; whilst if t'nero waf , ''»*to of his setting up a kingdom the C?**! suspicions would be at once aroused ® a " in their glee to have tW'*• 4 they must not forget to show ad> m horror 01 his crime. In well:.-?,, J !c :, orous may the High Priest rent his clothes T• c 1 1"' . "He hath spoken blasphemy; w hit f? need, have we of witnesses? ' Behold* z n : e have heard the blasphemy." Ariel the 0 " the decisive question which the judV^ lll4 wont to put to his co-assessors "'"WtJl'u** ye?" And they all condemned Him m"? worthy of death. ' 0 te Then ensued a brief interval until .t early formal session of the Sanhedrim ccSd be held ; and during this recess the cfful scenes were repeated whicl had IS" taken place in the hall of Annas. T.uke 11 7 us that the men that held Jesus mocked £* beat Hun, and asked Him to prophet J£ k was that smote Him. M«I.» adefti they spat in His face. But Mark let- • still more light- on the horror of the sw W when lie appears to distinguish bet"" 8 ' some who began to spit on Him amU, cover His face, and the officers who >L; P , Him with blows of their hands Aud V expression some occurs so immediately J,7 tho record of their condemning Hi, L [ the suggestion seems irresistible that scveS of these reverend dignitaries did not rotate to disgrace their grey hairs in per!!!" ally insulting the meek and holy suffer™" venting then spleen on one who save «« .show of retaliation, though one word fr those pale, compressed lips would have kid them low in death, or withdrawn the ™-i of eternity, behind which legions of antrol' were waiting impatient to burst upon thl impious scene. But, do not condemn them as though they were sinners beyond nil others; remember that we have all the s ,, ni ' evil human heart. 10 .At last, the morning broke, and as * 0n ». it was day the assembly of the olden of tl people was gathered together, both el if priests and scribes; and they led Jeans awa into their council (Luke xxii. 66). This scene had already been so well rehearsed that it probably did not take many minute tc run through the necessary stages, according to the precise formulas of Jewish procetW The method that had already proved - valuable was quickly repeated " Questioning Him first as to his Mossiahslnp, Cuiaphas as spokesman of the rest, said formallv "Tf Thou art Christ, tell us." ' •

It was a sorry figure that stood before them. Dishevelled and in disarray, with dis ordered garments, the spittle still haiirin? about His face, and the marks of the awful storm and mental anguish stamped on everv feature, the innate dignity and glory of Jesus shone out in His every movement, and notably in His majestic answer, " What do vou* ask Me? You have no real desire to know' If I tell yon, ye are in no mood to believei And if [ ask you your warran'. for refusing i to believe, if I argue with you, if I adduce Scripture to "upport my claims, ye will not answer; but though I read the motive of your inquiry, I will give you all the evidence you desire. From henceforth shall the Son of Man be seated at the right hand of God." As to the other charge, involving His Divine nature, the admission of which involved the crime of blasphemy, they were too eager to wait for Caiaphas:* but with swollen faces, excited gestures, loud cries, rising from their seats, and gesticulating with the fury of religious frenzy, they all said. "Art Thou then the Son of God?" And He said unto them, solemnly and emphatically, "Ye say that which I am." Then they turned to one another and said, "What further need have we of witness! for we have heard from His own mouth." The inquiry was at an end so far as Jesus was concerned. But they held a further council against Him, how' to construct the indictment which would compel Pilate to inflict death; for tho execution of the sentence of death was keot resolutely by the Roman Procurator in his own hands. Finally, as soon as they dared disturb Him, they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Prjetorium, the palace of the Roman governor, who, in accordance with His custom, had come up from his usual residence at Ctcsarea to the _ Jewish capital, partly to keep order amid the vast crowds that gathered there at the feast, seething with religious fanaticism, and partly to" try the cases which awaited his decision. The Jewish authorities anticipated no great difficulty in securing from him' the necessary ratification of the death sentence.. It surely would- not matter to him to add another "to the long tale of robbers and revolutionaries which were awaiting tho cross, the more especially as they were able to prefer a charge of treason against the Roman powci substantiated by the prisoner's own admissions made recently in their presence. It is an awful spectacle, and one over whioli we would fain draw a veil; but let us dare to stay to watch the evolution of the diabolical plot to the end. Whilst Jesus stands before His judges, He will judge them, the secrets of many hearts will bo disclosed, those that fall on Him will be ground to powder; whilst others built on Him as the sure corner-stone will become stones in an eternal struoture. This, at least, will become manifest, that Jesus died because He claimed to bo the Son of God, in the unique sense of oneness with the Father, that made Him equal with God, and consituted blasphemy in the eye of Jewish law. And He who has taught the world of men Truth could neither have been a deceiver, nor deceived, in this high claim.