Heritage Addition church of ChristBy Jim BradshawSunday Morning, March 22, 2015

Part 1

Isa 53:1-12 NKJV Who has

believed our report? And to

whom has the arm of the

LORD been revealed? (2)

For He shall grow up before

Him as a tender plant, And as

a root out of dry ground. He

has no form or comeliness;

And when we see Him, There

is no beauty that we should

desire Him. (3) He is

Isa 53:1-12 continued despised

and rejected by men, A Man

of sorrows and acquainted

with grief. And we hid, as it

were, our faces from Him; He

was despised, and we did not

esteem Him. (4) Surely He

has borne our griefs And

carried our sorrows; Yet we

esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

Isa 53:1-12 continued (5) But

He was wounded for our

transgressions, He was

bruised for our iniquities; The

chastisement for our peace

was upon Him, And by His

stripes we are healed. (6) All

we like sheep have gone

astray; We have turned, every

one, to his own way; And the

LORD has laid on Him the

Isa 53:1-12 continued iniquity of

us all. (7) He was oppressed

and He was afflicted, Yet He

opened not His mouth; He

was led as a lamb to the

slaughter, And as a sheep

before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

(8) He was taken from prison

and from judgment, And who

will declare His generation?

Isa 53:1-12 continued For He

was cut off from the land of

the living; For the

transgressions of My people

He was stricken. (9) And

they made His grave with the

wicked— But with the rich at

His death, Because He had

done no violence, Nor was

any deceit in His mouth. (10)

Yet it pleased the LORD to

Isa 53:1-12 continued bruise

Him; He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an

offering for sin, He shall see

His seed, He shall prolong

His days, And the pleasure of

the LORD shall prosper in

His hand. (11) He shall see

the labor of His soul, and be

satisfied. By His knowledge

My righteous Servant shall

Isa 53:1-12 continued justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

(12) Therefore I will divide Him

a portion with the great, And He

shall divide the spoil with the

strong, Because He poured out

His soul unto death, And He was

numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the

transgressors.

Acts 2:22-23 ESV "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know-- (23) this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

There were 12 violations of Jewish Jurisprudence in the Trial of Jesus

(http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/705-the-theological-implications-of-the-trial-of-jesus-part-2 )

Jesus was arrested without a valid

indictment or formal charge. It was

a lynch mob mentality.

John 18:13-14 NKJV And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. (14) Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

John 18:19-22 NKJV The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. (20) Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. (21) Why do you ask Me? Ask

John 18:19-22 continued those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said." (22) And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?”

John 18:23-24 NKJV (23) Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?" (24) Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Legally there was no authorization

for Jesus to have been taken to

Annas’ house.

As the High Priest Caiaphas should

have recused himself.

The role of the High Priest in a trial was to serve as an impartial judge.

John 18:14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. (Jn 11:49-53)

According to Jewish Law a trial

involving capital offence could not be

conducted at night. Also, such trails

could not be held just before a

Sabbath Day or a Feast Day.

Matt 26:59-66 NKJV Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, (60) but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward (61) and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.' "

Matt. 26:59-66 continued (62) And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” (63) But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" (64) Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Matt. 26:59-66 continued (65) Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! (66) What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death.”

The Sanhedrin in essence served as a

group of impartial judges, and if any

doubt arose, should always be

disposed in the favor of the

defendant. Yet, they “sought false

testimony.”

Once a charge was made it could not be

changed. Started with “destroy the

temple.” When that charge didn’t stand,

changed to blasphemy because He said

that He was the Son of God. Later

change to a third different charge of

sedition when delivering Him to Pilate,

Luke 23:2.

When witnesses testified in a capital

case it was required that an investi-

gation be performed. Witnesses even

contradicted themselves. Trial should

have immediately been terminated.

Mark 14:56-59 NKJV For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. (57) Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, (58) "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' " (59) But not even then did their testimony agree.

No evidence was allowed to support

the claim that Jesus was the Son of

God. What do you think Lazarus or

even Malchus (John 18:10) would have

said.

The High Priest was prohibited from

questioning the accused. Also, under

Jewish Law a man could not be

convicted by his own testimony.

In a capital case the accused could not be

tried and convicted on the same day. The

judges needed adequate time for research

and reflection. Christ was tried and

convicted in a matter of hours. He was

arrested in the late hours of the evening (Jn

13:30) and by 9:00 am the next morning he

was hanging on the cross (Mk 15:25).

One convicted of a capital crime had

every opportunity for his sentence to be

overturned right up to the moment of

execution.

A judge (council member) could later change vote to acquittal, but not guilty. Of a quorum of 23 only 11 were required to overturn. Up to 5 times a convicted person could request review if he thought of new evidence. Every advantage given to defendant.

Pilate would find Jesus not guilty three

separate times.

It was a sham:

Matthew 26:67-68 NKJV Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, (68) saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”