Unlike the writings of many other religions, the Holy Scriptures are true history. The things they record really happened. They are true. They are real. Yeshua really died just the way this history tells us He did. And, He really rose again from the dead, which has the greatest ramifications for you and me, and the entire human race. In this section, we will get a very detailed account of the arrest and the trials of the Messiah. They really happened!
When Yeshua had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, which is immediately to the east of the Temple Mount, separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples. Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Yeshua had often met there with His disciples. So, this was one of their hangouts when they were in Jerusalem. Judas then, having received the Roman cohort (a Roman cohort had between 300-600 soldiers) and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. This is a very large and formidable force of Gentiles and Jews who were organized, well equipped with lanterns, torches and weapons for trouble at night.
So Yeshua, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him (Yeshua’s betrayal and arrest came as no surprise to Him. He knew exactly what was coming, and still had the courage and grace to face it), went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”
They answered Him, “Yeshua the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. Judas is no longer standing with Yeshua and His disciples. He is standing with Yeshua’s enemies.
“O, Judas was so bad! He betrayed the Lord, and was standing with His enemies.” True. How about you? Where are you standing?
Are you standing with Yeshua when He says, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me? Or are you standing with His enemies who deny that, and say that’s not true; it’s intolerant, unfair, and there are many ways to God?
Are you standing with Yeshua when He says that the most important thing in life is loving God with the totality of your being – with your heart, soul and strength? Or, are you standing with those who say that that’s fanaticism, and just a little religion is good?
Are you standing with Yeshua when He says that God’s Word is pure truth, including the smallest letter or even stroke, or are you standing with His enemies who seek to undermine and deny the authority of the Word of God?
Are you standing with Yeshua when He says we are to be sanctified, and live holy lives, avoiding sex outside of marriage, and the other sins of the flesh, or are you standing with His enemies?
Are you standing with Yeshua, who is the Giver of Life, and respects life, or are you standing with His enemies, who say abortion is OK, and who kill the lives of the most vulnerable?
Are you standing with Yeshua when He says we must hate our lives in this world, deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him? Or, are you standing with those who tell you to pursue prosperity and wealth and a comfortable life?
Where are you standing? Solidly with Yeshua and His followers, or on some key issues, and in some important areas, are you standing with our enemies?
So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. I think they fell back due to Yeshua’s boldness, and perhaps because they feared Him. After all, He was the first miracle working prophet in centuries. Perhaps they knew about the arrest of one of the last great wonder working prophets in Israel, Eliyahu, who, when He was arrested, called down fire from heaven, which burned up100 soldiers and their officers.
Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Yeshua the Nazarene.” Yeshua answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, ” Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”
Like a good shepherd, Yeshua protects His sheep. He puts Himself forward, and offers His own life, so He can protect the life of His disciples. What a great leader! I want to follow a leader like that, who is more concerned for me than He is for Himself. I would follow that Leader anywhere – wouldn’t you?
I love what a Messianic Jew from another century wrote: “in the midst of this trial His thoughts are about His disciples. If He was thinking about us then, how much more now that He is in glory? His thoughts, His prayers, His affections, His energies, are all engaged now with regard to His people who are still on the earth. He has ascended into the Most Holy Place in Heaven, into the region of perfection and glory; but He does not forget us who are still in the wilderness. As He loved His own even to the end, He loves them now, and throughout all the ages; and He will come again to receive us to Himself.”
This also is an answer to Yeshua’s prayer found in chapter 17, verse 12, where Yeshua prays, telling His Father that He has protected and will continue to protect these specially chosen men. And we know that Yeshua is the greatest prophet – what He says happens, and all His prayers are answered.
Even though Yeshua knows what God’s will is in this situation, and that He is the One that will be arrested, Simon Peter, who no doubt is well meaning, does something very provocative that endangers himself and the rest of the disciples:
Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus – Simon Peter had a weapon, and tried to kill Malchus, who, even though he was a slave of the high Priest, may have represented the high priest and wielded a lot of authority. Peter didn’t kill Malchus, but his sword did connect and cut off Malchus’ ear. But Messiah was not pleased. He corrected Peter. So Yeshua said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”
Peter improperly defended Yeshua. In this age, Yeshua doesn’t want us to use violence to protect Him or advance His cause. This is a lesson that sadly, the Roman Catholic church of the Middle Ages didn’t learn. I’m talking about horrific abuses like the Crusades, and the Inquisition.
Yeshua came to suffer and die. By His example and by word He tells us that we are not to pick up the sword. Rather, like Him we are to drink the cup of suffering to promote His cause.
So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Yeshua and bound Him. Yeshua is arrested by both Jews and Gentiles. Both are responsible for His arrest. Unlike Simon Peter, Messiah didn’t put up a fight. He didn’t resist.
Next we come to the first of Yeshua’s trials. Most people think that Yeshua only had one trial, before Pontius Pilate, but in fact He had several. Those involved in prosecuting Him at those trials had heavily vested interests in making sure that the execution was carried out successfully.
And they led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Annas was high priest for some nine or ten year before his son-in-law became the high priest. Annas continued to exercise weighty influence still, along with his son-in-law, Caiaphas. Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people. And, even though his motives were wrong when it said this, and said it in order to justify killing Yeshua, he spoke better than he knew. He spoke the truth. The reality is that it was expedient, it was advantageous for Israel, and for all of us, for one man – Israel’s pure and holy and sinless Messiah, to die. One man dying to save a multitude. One man willingly being sacrificed so that millions could live.
Simon Peter was following Yeshua, and so was another disciple. Peter is usually criticized for denying Yeshua, which he did, but at least he was in a place close enough to his rabbi so that he could deny Him. One betrayed Him, and the other nine abandoned Him. Peter and John showed the most courage.
Now that disciple – John, the author of our book, who does not mention himself by name due to his great humility, an example we should follow, was known to the high priest – which indicates John’s high social status. The high priest was of course in the most powerful religious position, but he was also in a very high political position as well. Not everyone in Israel had a personal relationship with the high priest, as John did. And he entered with Yeshua into the court of the high priest, but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”
Notice the very specific details: John was with Yeshua in the court, Peter was outside standing at the door. The doorkeeper allow Peter to come in. The slave-girl who kept the door spoke to Peter. These are details that only an eyewitness would come up with.
Yeshua had just predicted a few hours earlier, that before the morning, Peter would deny Him three times. This is denial number one, even though John, known by the high priest, had spoken to the high priest, and vouched for Peter.
But Peter’s fears were greater than his faithfulness. Peter was one of Yeshua’s closest disciples, and the future leader of the Messianic community. It’s not good when your main man, the leader you are raising up, denies you. But this is a true historical document, and it doesn’t gloss over Peter’s sins, or cover them up. Instead, it tells us honestly what happened. Only a true historical account would do that. Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.
Now we return to the scene inside: The high priest then questioned Yeshua about His disciples, and about His teaching. Yeshua answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. “Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”
Yeshua is elaborating a legal principle that a person who is on trial need not incriminate himself. In our legal system, it’s called the Fifth Amendment. The authorities doing the arrest have the legal responsibility to charge the man, and have the evidence. You can’t arrest someone without cause, and then go fishing for evidence. And, torture or physical intimidation should never be used at a fair trial. Nevertheless, when He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Yeshua, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” Yeshua answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” Authorities are not to use physical coercion, but legal principles and testimony. Also, when was this trial taking place? At night. Legal trials must take place during the day, when people are aware of what is going on – not in the dead of night when things can be kept secret.
This trial was not a fair trial. But, this does fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: by oppression and judgement He was taken away. God, speaking to the prophet Isaiah, forewarned us that Israel’s king would have a most unfair trial.
Next, we come to trial number two: So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Yeshua is transported from the home of Annas to his son-in-law, Caiaphas. We know from historical writings that Caiaphas was a real historical person. In fact, archeological evidence was recently found in Jerusalem showing the historicity of this man.
Meanwhile Peter is still at the home of Annas. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” Denial number two. Again, specific eyewitness details are given. This time however, it is not a slave-girl that questions Peter, but several people. The story continues: One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”
This time it is another one of the slaves of the high priest, who also may have been a person of some authority, and even worse, a relative of Malchus, who no doubt would have had no love for the disciples, and especially for the one who cut off his relatives ear, questioned Peter. Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed. This is the third and final denial, just as Yeshua had predicted, and immediately a rooster crows, indicating that the night is just about over, and the dawn is about to start. But there was to be no dawn for Peter that day.
Why was it that Peter denied his Rabbi and Messiah in whom he so fervently believed such a short time ago? Not once did he deny Him, which might be understandable – a momentary slip, giving in to sudden fear, but three times?
I think the answer is that Peter was limited in knowledge. He still thought that Yeshua was going to be acknowledged by the majority of the Jewish people as the King of Israel. He didn’t understand or believe Yeshua’s repeated teaching that He came to die in order to make atonement. So, when Yeshua was arrested, Peter’s expectations were shattered, and his faith started crumbling. We must have a good understanding and reasonable expectations as to what we can expect from God. I’m talking about “the good life.” God does not promise us “the American dream” or guarantee us “the good life.” After Peter sees Yeshua raised from the dead, everything falls into place, and makes sense. Peter’s faith will remain strong, and he will never again give in to the fear of man, or the fear of death.
Now we come to Yeshua’s third trial, and this one is before the leader of the Gentiles – Pontius Pilate, who we also know to be a real, historical person. Pilate represents the legitimate authority of the Gentile world. Both Jews and Gentiles were involved in the arrest, trials and death of Yeshua. If the Jewish people are collectively guilty in the death of Yeshua, then so equally are the Gentiles. Maybe more responsible, since Pilate could have singlehandedly stopped this miscarriage of justice at any time. In fact, that was his responsibility.
Then they led Yeshua from Caiaphas into the Praetorium – the palace of the Roman governor, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. What irony! What hypocrisy on the part of these Jewish leaders not wanting to be ritually defiled for Passover by entering a Gentile’s home (something which the Torah never forbids), meanwhile, they are committing one of the greatest sins in history, putting to death the righteous Messiah!
What a warning about the danger of religion apart from a true relationship with God! It’s somewhat insulting, not being willing to enter someone’s home, especially when you are there to ask them for a favor, but Pilate was gracious to the Jewish leaders, and didn’t insist they come before him in his home.
Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” This is a legal situation, and Pilate wants to know the specific charges against the accused. They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.” But, they don’t answer Pilate with specific charges, but with vague generalities, that Yeshua has done evil and has sinned.
That happens when you don’t have a good case. People resort to generalizations and name calling. So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” Pilate assumes that this dispute is between rabbis, Rabbi Yeshua and the other Jewish leaders. Doesn’t want to get involved. If He has done evil according to Jewish law, then judge Him by Jewish law. The Jewish people still had religious courts, and still had that authority. Roman had taken much authority away from us, but not all.
However, the Jewish leaders want a Roman trial because they are aiming for the death penalty, and it was the Roman governor who had the sole power of the death penalty.
The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” to fulfill the word of Yeshua which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.
These leaders thought they were the wise ones, they ones in charge, maneuvering things just the way they wanted. But behind them was the Wisest One of all, who is shrewder than the shrewd! They were actually playing into the hands of God, fulfilling His plans, and also the prophetic word of Yeshua, who had predicted how He would die (As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up… If I be lifted up from the Earth, I will draw all men to Myself (see 3:14 and12:32). Yeshua is certainly a true prophet.
Again, notice the attention to details, and the dialogue that is recorded for us. This indicates a historical account that is based on eyewitness. Pilate has heard the preliminary charges. Now, functioning as a judge, he speaks to the Accused: therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Yeshua and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Why does he ask Yeshua if He is Israel’s King? Why that, and not the charges of the Jewish leaders?
Obviously, Pilate had heard something about the young Rabbi from Nazareth, and that some were saying that He was a descendant of King David, and therefore the King of the Jews, and that was a very political thing, and would have been of interest to Pilate and Rome, even if the vague charges of the Jewish leaders weren’t.
Yeshua answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” The King of Israel wants to know if Pilate wants to know more about Yeshua on his own, and has some genuine interest in Him that is coming from within, maybe even a spiritual interest. How much spiritual truth does Pilate know? Has his time among the Chosen People benefitted him? Is he being drawn to God by the Spirit? Is that why Pilate is asking, or is he going along with a plot of these Jewish leaders who want to have Yeshua killed?
Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Look, I’m not interested in getting involved in your internal Jewish squabbles. I’m not interested in your religion. Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” But I do want to know what you have done to arose the opposition of Your people and its leaders.
Yeshua does not answer this question, but He does answer Pilate’s original question about being the King of the Jews: Yeshua answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Yeshua is wise. He tells Pilate the truth, but not all of the truth. But the truth He told him was sufficient, and not misleading. He admits that He is a king, but His kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom is connected to another realm – Heaven. He is not a treat to Caesar. He is not a king who is a rival for this realm. If He was interested in competing with Caesar, then He would have millions of mighty angels fighting for Him, and all the Roman cohorts and all the mighty Roman armies would be utterly defeated before them!
The nature of Yeshua’s First Coming was not political, to take over the kingdoms of this world. He will at the Second Coming, when He returns as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Now, there are very important implications of Yeshua’s position. Like Messiah, in this age, Messiah’s Holy Community is not to be striving for political power, being rivals to Caesar, taking over the kingdoms of this world. We can and should get involved in politics, and exert what influence we can, but our goal is not the acquisition of political power to move forward God’s agenda. In fact, the Church has almost invariably been purer and holier and more faithful to its calling the farther it has been from the centers of political power. I’m thinking in particular of what John, in the Book of Revelation, calls Babylon, that unfaithful, false church, compared to a whore – drunk with the blood of the saints, who consorts with Anti-Christ, and has had power over the kings of the Earth.
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Yeshua answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Yeshua affirms that He is a king, but a different kind of king, One who is no rival to Caesar. He is the King of truth. He is the Supreme authority who determines what is true. He controls what is real, what is right, what is true, what should be known and believed. And, the purpose of His First Coming was to tells us the truth.
Come on, did the Son of God really need to come down from the glories of Heaven, become a man, suffer all the indignities and misunderstandings that He suffered, just to tell us the truth? Yes – because mankind is so completely confused about the truth, about what is really real, about the way things really are. We think we know, but we don’t know.
And what is truth? That mankind is alienated from the one true and living God, and utterly lost; the whole world is perishing, and unless we are born again, spiritually transformed, given new life from God, we will not enter Heaven and experience eternal life.
That He is the eternal Son of God, and the Way, the Truth and the Life; and no human being can come to God and Heaven and eternal life apart from personally placing their faith in Him. He is the sinless Redeemer, and the Light of the World, and mankind’s only Savior, and unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins. But if we do join ourselves to Him, we will find that He is the Resurrection and the Life.
Since Yeshua is the King of Truth, are you a loyal subject to the King? Have you committed yourself to Him as the supreme giver of truth to humanity? Do you think that there is some higher truth out there? Do you know the truth? Are you committed to the truth? Do you live the truth? Do you know the truth?
Or are you still in a state of confusion, and asking, like the Roman governor, what is truth?
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, ” I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?”
So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but BarAbba.” Now BarAbba was a robber.
Pilate then took Yeshua and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face.
Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Yeshua then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!”
So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”
The Jews answered him, ” We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”
Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Yeshua, “Where are You from?” But Yeshua gave him no answer.
So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”
Yeshua answered, ” You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, ” If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.”
Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Yeshua out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!”
So they cried out, ” Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.
###############
18:38 Yeshua is confident and bold. Pilate retreats into philosophical speculation. How can any man know the truth? Agnostic position. People often retreat into questions, or get philosophical, in order to avoid the truth. Yet the Absolute Truth is standing right in front of Him, revealing Himself to him. In Greek Roman thinking truth is found in an idea or concept or philosophy. In Biblical Judaism, truth is centered in a Person, in God. God has clearly spoken the Truth, but man avoids it like the plague.
18:38-39 Pilate declares Yeshua innocent. He looks for a political, expedient, not costly way out of this dilemma. But it wasn’t possible. He will be forced to make a hard choice. He should have stopped the trial right there. His spirit was willing but his flesh was weak. Pilate was committed to do what is right when it was easy, convenient, when it didn’t cost him too much. His job was at stake, his career. What is that compared to the life on an innocent man. At what point are you willing to jettison doing what is right?
18:40 Both Jews and Gentiles involved in His rejection. What a choice! Bar Abba or Bar Abba? A robber of the sinless Son of God, the Messiah and the King of the Jews? The world esteemed Him not. What irony. Very detailed dialogue – eyewitness.