But they shouted, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify you king?” Pilate asked, “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. John 19:15
The determination of mankind to halt God’s work of Grace is astounding. God’s infinite persistence to continually offer Grace is amazing!
The Sanhedrin was the ruling court for the Jewish people of Judea/Jerusalem. It had great power over civil issues, but was subject to Roman governors. This counsel consisted of elders, lawyers, Pharisees and Sadducees. These men were far more interested in protecting their cultural and monetary advantages than acknowledging that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus’ trial was highly unusual and technically invalid according to Jewish law! There were no witnesses, it was done in the dark of night and the death sentence was pronounced and carried out immediately when the law says there is a waiting period of at least a day.
The offense Jesus was charged with was blasphemy, claiming He was the Son of God. The very evidence that He was and is God’s Heir is what got the Jewish authority so angry and anxious about their own future. Rome didn’t care who Jesus said He was so the Sanhedrin concocted the charge of sedition, the act of creating an uprising against the state. Still, Rome wasn’t all that worried, but the Jews would not stop until they forced the Roman judicial system to over look normal protocols and carry out the death sentence they wanted.
Evil was exhaustively determined to rid the world of this man called Jesus. BUT!!!! The Good News, The Gospel……is the rest of the story, AN EMPTY TOMB and life everlasting!
Have a Lovely Friday!
Gretchen