Mark 14:53-65
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,
58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ”
59 But not even then did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?”
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses?
64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.
Context
- Why did the high priest want Jesus dead? (Mark 11:15, 18, 12:12, 14:1, John 11:53, 56, 57)
Reflection
- Why would they break so many laws & even enlist false witnesses? (Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20, 16:18-20, Numbers 35:30)
- What’s important about Jesus’s profound words in v. 62? (Daniel 7:13, Acts 7:55, Philippians 2:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Hebrews 1:3, 1 Peter 3:22)
- Why was the King of Kings spat on, blindfolded, beaten, & berated? (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 50:6, 52:14, 53:7, 8, Psalm 27:12)
Testimony Time
- When did you follow Jesus ‘at a distance?’
- How actively are you presenting the true identity of Christ to others? (1 John 2:19, Romans 10:14, 15, Ephesians 6:15, 19, Revelation 2:4)
