Mark 14:53-62

Rachel Workman: ⁵³ They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the 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. Which tells me that Jesus was cold during this.

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 temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 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 Messiah, 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. I can not imagine Jesus being hit with fists and being beaten. I almost can't read it.

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Allen Michaels:  ⁵³ They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the 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.

How can faith be sustained in adversity? Peter was one of the two disciples who had the courage to follow Jesus in his passion.  John was with Jesus when he hung upon the cross at Calvary.  Peter's courage, however, gave way to fear, fear for his own life.  Peter was overconfident in his own strength and now he must pay the price for his own disloyalty and denial of the Lord Jesus. Peter, after all, had been warned by his Master that temptation would come and he would fail the test. Mark records that Peter "broke down and wept" when he remembered Jesus' prediction that he would deny his Master. Unlike Judas who killed himself because his shame was devoid of any hope for forgiveness and restoration, Peter's grief was filled with sorrow for offending his Lord. When you meet failure and temptation, do you give in to despair and self-pity or do you turn to Jesus for the grace of restoration and beginning anew?

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 temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then their testimony did not agree. They brought forth many witnesses, the best money could buy, and yet there were discrepancies in all of the testimony. Deuteronomy 19:15-21 regulated the conditions of testimony in Israel's courts. Guilt was established by two or three corroborating witnesses. Deuteronomy 19:18-20 tells us that false testimony was as heinous as the crime itself, “¹⁸ The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, ¹⁹ then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. ²⁰ The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.” (Deuteronomy 19:18-20 NIV) None of this legislation was applied in the case of Jesus.

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 Messiah, 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.” This answer of our Lord is full of majesty and sublimity. He is arraigned as a criminal, standing in the midst of the chief priests and scribes, his bitter enemies; and it is as though he said, "You, O Caiaphas, and you the chief priests and elders of the Jews, are now unjustly condemning me as a false prophet and a false Christ; but the day is at hand when I, who am now a prisoner at your judgment seat, shall sit on the throne of glory as the Judge of you and of all mankind. You are now about to condemn me to the death of the cross; but I shall then sit in judgment upon you, and condemn you for this terrible guilt of slaying me, who am the true God and the Judge of the world."

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. They agreed that Christ was a blasphemer, and, as such, was guilty of a capital crime, Mark 14:64. The question seemed to be put fairly, “What do you think?” But it was really a prejudgment as the high priest had said; “You have heard the blasphemy.” The priest gave HIS judgment first, who, as president of the court, ought to have voted last. So they all condemned him to be guilty of death. What friends he had in the great Sanhedrin, did not appear.

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Tomorrow's reading for Mark 14:66-72

⁶⁶ While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
⁶⁸ But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.^[g]
69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” ⁷⁰ Again he denied it.
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
⁷¹ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
⁷² Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.^[h] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice^[i] you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.