Learning Jesus | Week 39
Learning Jesus Week 39
Accused & Denied
Key Word – innocent >> Central Passages – Mark 14:53-65 & Day 4 texts
Best engagement = complete all five days at home. Next best = read central passages & answer Days 4 & 5 to prep for group.
Day 1
Background Information – In our last lesson we learned that Jewish leadership had violated five of their own laws about how a person was to be arrested and tried. In today’s reading, Jewish leadership breaks sixteen more of their own laws. It’s a little overwhelming to take in the audacity of the supposed lawmakers and law enforcers breaking their own laws. So we will read some of the laws and then read the text to see how these laws were broken. Then in Days 2 and 3, we will read another set of laws and discover their violation in the text.
Before we start, remember the judging body is called the Sanhedrin. This supreme court consisted of 72 men: 24 of these were chief priests, 24 were elders, 22 were scribes, and the last seat was for the high priest, who officiated the trial. The chief priests and the high priest were Sadducees, and the elders and scribes were Pharisees. Only 23 members of the Sanhedrin needed to be present during a capital punishment trial. We do not know how many were present for Jesus’ trial.
Here is our first set of laws --
a. All Sanhedrin trials took place in the Hall of Judgment in the Temple Compound. For accountability purposes, trials had to be public, and the public had the right to know where these trials would be held every single time.
b. In Jewish proceedings, the defense stated his case first giving all the reasons he could not be guilty of the crime and providing his character witnesses.
c. The trials were conducted before the Sanhedrin. These members could not all argue for conviction. They could all argue for acquittal. The accused had to have at least one defender.
d. The Jewish proceedings actually started with two witnesses bringing charges against the accused. The witnesses had to agree completely in their testimony if proceedings were to be initiated at all.
Read Mark 14:53-59.
1. Complete the sentences below, and add the verse reference. The first one is done for you.
a. Jesus’ trial was not conducted in public at the Hall of Judgment, but at the house of Caiaphas, the high priest (v54).
b. Jesus’ trial did not begin with his defense but with ____________________ whose testimony did not agree (v ).
c. The chief priests and ___________ council were seeking testimony in order to _________________
___________________ (v ).
d. The witnesses’ testimony at Jesus’ trial should not have been allowed to testify because ___________
___________________________ (v ).
2. What does the lack of agreeing witnesses say about the Jewish leadership who were supposedly shepherding the people toward a relationship with God, the Judge of the world?
Background Information – When Jesus cleansed the temple of sacrifice profiters and moneychangers at the opening of His ministry, He was asked for a “sign” to explain from where He had the authority to cleanse the temple. Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:18-19).
3. Review what the false witnesses said Jesus said and what Jesus actually said.
o How do they differ?
Remember that the people also asked for a sign to explain where Jesus had the authority to do His miracles. He had been accused of performing miracles like healing a deaf mute through the power of Satan. Jesus promised His accusers of one sign, the sign of Jonah, who was resurrected from the body of a great fish on the third day.
o How does this sign compare to Jesus raising up “this temple”?
o Why is the sign of His resurrection the best sign for those questioning Jesus’ authority?
Day 2
Background Information – At this point in our story, Jewish leadership has violated nine of their own laws. Read about five more laws they will violate and then see if you can identify their violation in the story text.
Here is our second set of laws --
a. The accused was not allowed to testify against himself because he might be protecting someone else or actually seeking a death wish.
b. The defendant’s words alone could never condemn him. The words of at least two agreeing witnesses were necessary to condemn.
c. We have learned how Jews might express deep emotions by tearing their clothes. During a trial, however, the high priest was not allowed to rip his clothes no matter what he heard because the conviction was to be based on facts, not emotions.
d. A person could not be accused of blasphemy unless the name of God was pronounced.
e. Judges could not bring the charge themselves. They could only investigate charges others brought.
Read Mark 14:60-64.
1. On the basis of what law does Jesus remain silent when the high priest questioned him? (v60)
2. In what ways does the high priest break the law?
Background Information – Remember that in Jesus’ last days of ministry, the Jewish leadership tested Jesus with questions. Jesus passed every test and then He tested Jewish leadership with this question: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” After they answered, “The son of David,” Jesus asked, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet”’? He then pointed out, “If David calls him Lord how is he his son?”
Jesus used familiar Scripture, Psalm 110, to teach them something they had NEVER considered, which was that the Messiah, who was the Son of David, was not merely fully man; He was also fully God. Now here at His trial, Jesus is asked about whether He is claiming to be the Messiah, Jesus replies that He is the Messiah and references Psalm 110 again. He highlights that they will see Him sitting at the right hand of Power. He does not use the name of God, but the word “Power” to refer to God.
3. Why is it ironic that the Jewish leadership is accusing Jesus of blasphemy?
Day 3
Background Information –
At this point in our story, Jewish leadership has violated fourteen of their own laws. You are reading the same text as Day 2, but this time with an eye for the last seven laws Jewish leadership violated.
Here is our last set of laws --
a. A trial is trying for everyone. So that the judges would not be hasty to end the proceedings just to be done after a long day, the verdict could not be announced at night.
b. When voting for or against the death penalty, the count was taken one by one, starting with the youngest members so that the older members did not influence them.
c. If all the members decided unanimously that the defendant was guilty, then that meant he for sure was innocent. The logic is that this many men would never reach a unanimous vote without having plotted together.
d. If a person was determined to be guilty, then the sentence for his guilt could not be given until three days passed. This was to protect the accused.
e. The trial and the verdict of a capital punishment had to be separated by at least 24 hours. This was to protect the accused.
f. Judges were to be humane and kind.
g. A person who was sentenced to death could not also be beaten before his execution.
Read Mark 14:60-65.
1. When they created these laws, Jewish leadership clearly anticipated that men are biased sinners who will abuse their power and that this abuse of power could even include putting an innocent man to death. Describe the abuse of power of those who condemned Jesus to death.
2. Why does Jesus say to those who are abusing their power “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven”?
3. Last week we learned that Jesus learned obedience as a son through the suffering He endured in His passion, including what He endured at this illegal trial led by the high priest. The injustice He suffered prepared Him to be our perfect sympathetic high priest. Meditate on this irony. Praise Him!
Day 4
Background Information – The unnamed disciple that John references in today’s text is himself. His family and the family of the high priest were associates. Through John’s connections, Peter has access to Jesus. Remember Peter had just cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant, so he followed Jesus to His trial at risk to his own life. As you read, note how Peter’s three denials grow more vehement.
Read the text below and take notes.
John 18:15-18
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
Mark 14:66-71
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.”
Luke 22:60b-62
And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
1. In John’s gospel, he moves the story from Jesus on trial before the Sanhedrin to Peter in the courtyard denying Jesus before a maid, then back to Jesus on trial before the Sanhedrin and then to Peter denying Jesus a second time and third time before officers and a servant. What is the effect John creates by moving the story back and forth from Jesus to Peter?
Background Information – The word “deny,” arneomai, is used in the New Testament as an opposite to confess, homlogeo. Jesus called His disciples to deny themselves for His sake to address the human tendency to serve our own interests instead of the interests of God.
2. Peter denies Jesus.
o What does Peter actually deny?
o How does each of Peter’s denials become more intense?
o Why do you think Peter denies Jesus?
o What is lost because Peter denies Jesus? (for himself, for Jesus, for his fellow apostles, for the kingdom?
3. Jesus loves Peter.
Background Information – Jesus had warned Peter saying, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen you brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).
The word to describe how Jesus “looked” at Peter is emblepo. The word has a positive connotation, for it is used to describe a look of interest, concern, or love.
What are your thoughts about how Jesus walked Peter through his own test?
Day 5 Personal Reflection Time
1. Recall a time when you were falsely accused.
o How did you respond as God would want you to do? Or how did you respond poorly?
o How did Jesus walk you through this time?
o What is something you learned about how Jesus responded to false accusation that you could imitate next time?
2. Recall a time when a friend or family member denied you in some way.
o How did you respond as God would want you to do? Or how did you respond poorly?
o How did Jesus walk you through this time?
o What is something you learned about how Jesus responded to denial that you could imitate next time?
3. Consider our key word for this week “innocent.” As sinners we also have falsely accused another or denied someone close to us in some way. Jesus, however, not only never committed those sins, but He also never responded to those sins against Him with sin of His own. To emphasize Jesus’ complete innocence in contrast to the guilt of humanity is likely why the gospel writers included these accounts of Jesus’ trial and Peter’s denial. Enjoy a time of praising Him and a time of confession and petition. Pray for those who have falsely accused you or denied you in some way as well and for those whom you may have harmed.
REFLECTION Questions Remember we started these RQ’s in Lesson 38 & are now continuing them in this lesson, Lesson 39.
1. Share your Day 5 answers with your group.
Earlier in our Learning Jesus lessons, we shared with our group where we were in our spiritual formation using the Journey of Discipleship chart as a tool. That first chart purposefully omitted the final column IV. Come Abide with Me because Jesus had not taught on abiding with Him yet. He was still training His disciples to trust Him as He taught them and engaged them in ministry in the III Come Be with Me stage. However, at His Passover discourse, Jesus told the Eleven that since He was leaving, He would send the Holy Spirit. They, the branches, would need to depend upon Jesus, the vine, through the Holy Spirit in order to abide with Him as they made disciples (John 15:1-11).
2. On the back of this sheet is the complete Journey of Discipleship chart. Read through column IV now with your group. Take each box in column IV only and discuss it through the lens of depending like Jesus depended. Questions to guide your discussion could include:
o What would that type of dependency look like?
o Why is that level of dependency necessary for mature disciplemakers?
o How does “practicing” dependency prepare disciples for God’s set apart time of refining us through trials?
