“Following In The Will Of The Father III”

“Following In The Will Of The Father III!*(Mt.26:56-75).
Jesus has been arrested. His friends have all fled except Peter who follows at a safe distance. He is taken to Caiaphas the high priest. The teachers of the law and the elders are already assembled.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin are looking for false evidence against Jesus which they can use to put him to death. They don’t find any evidence, even though many false witnesses come forward to testify against him.
Then comes two people who say they heard him say, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days.”
Even when Jesus is prodded to defend himself, he remains silent. Speech may be silver, but silence is golden!
The high priest charges him on oath by the living God to tell whether he is the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus replies, *”Yes, it is as you say. But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”*
Upon hearing this Caiaphas tears his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy!…” And there seems to be no need for more witnesses. The rest agrees that “He is worthy of death.”
What is the blasphemy? Blasphemy is “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God.” It is also the act of claiming the attributes of God.”
Blaspheming the name of the LORD deserved a dead penalty by stoning(Lev.24:16). The command of the LORD in the Decalogue says, “Do not call the name of the LORD your God in vain.” This means to call the LORD’s name in vain is tantamount to blasphemy.
Was Jesus a blasphemer as Caiaphas the high priest claimed? Did he deserve the death penalty? Could they not just consider him as a lunatic and let it slide? Why was Jesus such a headache to these religious authorities?
Is it not obvious that they suspected that he was the Christ? Except that his manner of teaching rocked their boats and made them unsure of themselves. Their positions of high esteem were threatened by his presence.
Yes, whatever was happening was working in the will of God.
Caiaphas once said, “…You do not realise that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” For Caiaphas this was a political statement, that instead of allowing Jesus’ popularity lure him to lead a rebellion that could provoke the wrath of the Roman authorities, it was better for Jesus to be killed.
John states that Caiaphas did not say this on his own, “but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one”(Jn.11:49-52).
If it is in God’s plan every step taken by evil people would work out according to his plan!
The irony of it all: The religious authorities arrested Jesus on trumped up charges. In their religious trial they condemned him to death for crimes he had not committed. They then passed him over to the civil authorities where they expected nothing less than a seal to be appended on their own verdict.
All this was being done in God’s name; based on wrong motives. But everything was following in the will of the Father for your sake and mine.
Passion prayer: Lord Jesus Christ thank you for bearing the shame and humiliation for my sake. Amen!
Have a blessed Passion Wednesday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.