Luke 22:63 - 23:13

Wednesday Evening Bible Study

April 5, 2000

Introduction

Jesus is in His last hours on earth. He has made His final addresses to His disciples. He’s spent the night in prayer. Then Judas showed up with a crowd and pointed Jesus out to the Temple Police by giving Jesus a kiss. Peter followed Jesus from a distance and ended up denying Him. Things are bleak.

22:63-65 Jesus is beaten

:63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

the men – aner – with reference to sex of a male; with reference to age, and to distinguish an adult man from a boy; any male

that held – sunecho – to hold together; to hold together with constraint, to compress; to hold completely; to hold fast; of a prisoner

mocked – empaizo – to play with, trifle with; to mock; to delude, deceive; from paizo, to play like a child

smote – dero – to flay, skin; to beat, thrash, smite

:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

blindfolded – perikalupto – to cover all around, to cover up, cover over

they struck – tupto – to strike, beat, smite; with a staff, a whip, the fist, the hand

the face – prosopon – the face; the front of the human head

asked – eperotao – to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of, ask, interrogate; to address one with a request or demand; to ask of or demand of one

smote – paio – to strike, smite; to sting (to strike or wound with a sting)

Blind man’s buff – when you’re blindfolded and can’t see the blows coming, your head can’t brace itself for the blows and they have a greater impact.

Lesson

Keep going

(Heb 12:1-3 KJV) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, {2} Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. {3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

contradiction – antilogia – gainsaying, contradiction; opposition, rebellion

(NLT) Heb 12:3 Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up.

Jesus knows what it’s like to be abused and mistreated.

Sometimes we are mistreated simply because we are being a jerk. Peter says,

(1 Pet 4:15 KJV) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

If we suffer because we’ve done something bad, we deserve it.

Sometimes we are mistreated and we need to protect ourselves. I do not believe that when a wife or her children are being beaten or abused, they should stick around and let themselves be killed because of a husband’s sin.

But there will be times when we are mistreated simply because we’re believers, or because we’re doing the right thing.

Jesus knows what it’s like.

He says to hang in there. He wants you to put your eyes on Him.

:65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

blasphemously – blasphemeo – to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate, blaspheme; to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at

spake – lego – to say, to speak

I think it’s ironic that they will charge Him with blasphemy

(Mat 26:65 NLT) Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror, shouting, "Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy.

Yet Luke puts the reality of this in perspective. These people are the ones who are blaspheming in how they are treating the King of Kings.

:66-71 Jesus before the Sanhedrin

:66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

came together – sunago – to gather together, to gather; to bring together, assemble, collect

the elders – presbuterion – body of elders, presbytery, senate, council

the chief priests – archiereus – chief priest, high priest

scribes – grammateus – a clerk, scribe, esp.a public servant, secretary, recorder, whose office and influence differed in different states; in the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion. Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people.

council – sunedrion – any assembly (esp. of magistrates, judges, ambassadors), whether convened to deliberate or pass judgment; the Sanhedrin, the great council at Jerusalem, consisting of the seventy one members, viz. scribes, elders, prominent members of the high priestly families and the high priest, the president of the assembly. The most important causes were brought before this tribunal, inasmuch as the Roman rulers of Judaea had left to it the power of trying such cases, and also of pronouncing sentence of death, with the limitation that a capital sentence pronounced by the Sanhedrin was not valid unless it was confirmed by the Roman procurator.

The Sanhedrin was composed of elders, chief priests, and scribes. With Luke mentioning all three, it is most likely that a majority of the Sanhedrin is represented at this meeting.

:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

Christ – Christos – “anointed”; the Messiah

The word “Christ” is a Greek word, translating the Hebrew word “Messiah” (Mashiach), or, “anointed one”.

It is a word that is used to describe the priests, who were anointed with the holy anointing oil, but most often was used to refer to the kings, who were also anointed with oil.

When Samuel the prophet was called by God to select the first king over Israel, he found Saul,

(1 Sam 10:1 KJV) Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

The word eventually became used to describe the Hope for Israel, their Savior, their “Anointed One”, the Messiah.

ye will not believe – Jesus uses a very strong negative here, “You will absolutely not believe”. He knows where their hearts are.

:68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

let me go – apoluo – to set free; to let go, dismiss, (to detain no longer)

(Luke 22:67-68 NLT) and they said, "Tell us if you are the Messiah." But he replied, "If I tell you, you won't believe me. {68} And if I ask you a question, you won't answer.

Lesson

Warning: Minds made up

These people have already formed their opinion of Jesus.

It seems that their opinion is based on:

1. They are jealous of Jesus’ popularity.

Pilate was aware of this.

(Mat 27:18 NLT) (He knew very well that the Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

2. Jesus has offended them.

Jesus had told a parable about a landowner who entrusted his farm to a group of farmers. When the landowner sent his servants to receive his share of the profits, the farmers only killed the servants, even killing the landowner’s son.

(Luke 20:19 KJV) And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

If you think about it – is this a very rational way to make a decision about whether or not to follow Jesus?

Yet many people make decisions based on excuses just as flimsy.

Lesson

Make your decisions based on the truth.

Be sure you know why you make your decisions.

In truth, the evidence has been before them for years. At the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus announced who He was:

(Luke 4:16-21 KJV) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. {17} And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, {18} The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, {19} To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. {20} And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. {21} And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Jesus went on to literally fulfill this prophecy. He taught. He preached. He healed. He set captives free.

There were over 300 specific prophesies in the Old Testament concerning the first coming of Jesus Christ.

If the Sanhedrin took the time to look at the prophecies of the coming Messiah, they would have found out that Jesus fulfilled them all.

What are the odds?

Peter Stoner wrote a book called Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963), that applies the science of probability to the prophesies of Jesus.

First, Stoner looks at just eight of the prophecies and considers the probability of just these being fulfilled by one man. (from Evidence That Demands A Verdict… pg.174-176)

Being born in Bethlehem (Mic.5:2)

Preceded by a messenger (Is.40:3)

Entering Jerusalem on a donkey (Zec 9:9)

Betrayed by a friend (Ps.41:9)

Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zec 11:12)

Money thrown in the temple, buying a potter's field (Zech 11:13)

Dumb before accusers (Is.53:7)

Hands and feet pierced, crucified with thieves (Ps.22:16; Is.53:12)

Stoner concludes that the odds of any man that might have lived down to the present time fulfilling all eight of these prophecies are 1 in 10¹⁷. That's a one with seventeen zeroes after it!

To grasp the size of this number …

“Suppose we take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wished, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.”

But keep in mind, that's with only EIGHT of the prophecies! Don’t forget that there were over 300 prophecies concerning Jesus

:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Illustration

God is left-handed

Little Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother after a particularly trying week in kindergarten. His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked... “doesn’t it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?” Bobby said, “Yes, God did it and he did it left handed.” This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him “What makes you say God did this with his left hand?” “Well,” said Bobby, “we learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God’s right hand!”

the power – dunamis – strength, power, ability

son of man – Literally, this simply means a person who is human, descended from a man.

(Psa 8:4 KJV) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

The prophet Ezekiel uses this title to describe himself some 90 times.

This is also a title that is used at times to describe the Messiah.

Daniel had a strange vision in his old age. In his vision he saw the various empires of the world, including the empire of the coming antichrist, who was described as a horn with a big mouth. Then Daniel saw the Messiah’s Second Coming:

(Dan 7:9-14 KJV) I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. {10} A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. {11} I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. {12} As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. {13} I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. {14} And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The gospels use this phrase some 84 times, and it’s always used in reference to Jesus, most of the time as Jesus refers to Himself.

Lesson

Jesus identifies with you

He knows what it’s like to be human.

(Heb 2:16-18 KJV) For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. {17} Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. {18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

He knows how to help you because He’s been there. Done that.

He also knows how to be victorious as a human.

(Heb 4:15-16 KJV) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. {16} Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

He knows what it’s like to be tempted. He also knows how to resist sin.

Paul gives us a hint as to how to achieve victory in our lives:

(Gal 2:20 KJV) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I need to learn to die to myself, to say “no” to myself. I need to let Jesus live through me.

:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

son of God – I think it’s interesting that the Sanhedrin changes from “son of man” to “son of God”. They understand the deity involved in the phrase “son of man”.

Ye say – This is a Greek idiom for saying “Yes”.

Another way of translating this verse is:

(NLT) Lu 22:70 They all shouted, "Then you claim you are the Son of God?" And he replied, "You are right in saying that I am."

I am – ego eimi – though these Greek words can simply be used to express the phrase “I am”, it isn’t exactly the simplest way to do so (it would be simpler to say, “eimi”). Jesus is using the same Greek words that are used to express how God described Himself to Moses, as the “I AM” (Yahweh):

Ex 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

The original was written in Hebrew, but when the Greek translators came to this, they translated it with the words ego eimi.

It’s interesting to see how Jesus seems to use this phrase to refer to Himself, also tying Himself to God, claiming to be God.

Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.

If you do not believe that Jesus is God, you will die in your sins.

Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

When Jesus would be lifted up on the cross, the people would know that He was Yahweh.

Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Strange phrase, but Jesus is saying that He is the “I AM”. He is claiming to be the eternally existing one. The Jews understood this and took up stones to kill Jesus.

(John 18:5-6 KJV) They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. {6} As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

There was power when Jesus said “I AM”. I love it!

:71 And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

You can’t say that Jesus isn’t claiming to be God. The Jews understand Him to be doing so.

Lesson

Jesus is God

The Jews will consider this blasphemous that a person would claim deity. In most cases they would be correct in thinking so. Except in this case. Here it’s true.