Posts Tagged ‘chief priests’

Spiritual Training 28 February 2012

Posted: February 28, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus Stands Trial before Pilate

John 18:33-37 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for the reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

If Pilate was asking this question in his role as the Roman governor, he would have been inquiring whether Jesus was setting up a rebel government. But the Jews were using the word King to mean their religious ruler, the Messiah. Israel was a captive nation, under the authority of the Roman empire. A rival king might have threatened Rome; a Messiah could have been a purely religious leader.

Pilate asked Jesus a straightforward question, and Jesus answered clearly. Jesus is a king, but one whose kingdom is not of this world. There seems to have been no question in Pilate’s mind that Jesus spoke the truth and was innocent of any crime. It also seems apparent that while recognizing the truth, Pilate chose to reject it. It is a greater tragedy when we fail to recognize the truth but fail to heed it.

Spiritual Training 17 February 2012

Posted: February 17, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, The book of John, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested

John 18:1-6 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley, On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus knowing all that was going to happen to him went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” Jesus of Nazareth, “they replied. “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

The officials from the chief priests and Pharisees were probably members of the temple guard; they were Jews given authority by the religious leaders to make arrests for minor infractions. The soldiers may have been a small contingent of Roman soldiers who did not participate in the arrest but accompanied the temple guard to make sure matters didn’t get out of control.

John does not record Judas’s kiss of greeting (Matthew 26:49; Mark 14:45; Luke 22:47) which was set up to identify Jesus was and also marked a turning point for the disciples. With Jesus arrest each one’s life would be radically different. For the first time, Judas openly betrayed Jesus before the other disciples. For the first time, Jesus loyal disciples ran away from him (Matthew 26:56). The band of disciples would undergo severe testing before they were transformed from hesitant followers to dynamic leaders.

They drew back and fell to the ground.
The men may have been startled by the boldness of Jesus question, or by the words “I am he,” a declaration of his divinity ((Exodus 3:14). Or perhaps his obvious power and authority overcame them.