THE PRICE of INNOCENT BLOOD

ALL the disciples have forsaken Jesus. Now it’s ALL the chief priests and elders who hold counsel - on the Passover Day!  What for?  ‘To put Jesus to death’. (Matt 27:1-10)        

Yup, the sentence of death has been decided first, then false witness sought for a conviction and now let’s make it look nice’n legal, hey.

Meanwhile what’s happened to that trusted friend Judas?

Does he repent? 

Not really – he regrets it, from Greek: ‘metamellomai’...so hangs himself.

Those 30 pieces of silver paid by the priests for innocent blood – what happened to them?                 

Thrown down in God’s house then used to buy the potter’s field for burial of strangers – exactly as prophesied by Zechariah! (in the ‘scroll of Jeremiah’)...

 “they weighed for my price 30 pieces of silver...I took the 30 pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord”

The Messiah has been condemned to death by His own people and His blood money - at slave price - provides a resting place for Gentiles. Wow!

Where to now?  They hand Jesus over - bound - to the Gentiles to keep everything legal and proper of course!...NEXT

PARTING OF THE WAYS?

Did you notice it wasn’t easy to distinguish Jesus among His friends, unless someone betrayed Him?  

Now watch the parting of the ways...  (Matt 26:57-75)    

While Jesus is led to an illegal trial before the Jewish council... ‘Peter followed Him afar off’.

(Apparently Jewish law stipulated no trial should be held at night or during a feast. No execution should be immediate and only after public trial at the temple.)

More to the point, let’s see who tells the truth here...

‘All the council seek false witness against Jesus’    

False witness??  Never mind the 9^th Commandment, guys... ‘Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour’ 

What was the charge? There wasn’t one!... so they had to make it up - blasphemy. Jesus had said “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up...” but they claim He said: “I am able to destroy the temple...”  

Yup, false witness just as prophesied.

"Blasphemy!!"

High Priest: “Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God”                                                 

Jesus: “You said it!”

Cop that!

"I don't know the man!"

Where’s brave Peter who claimed he would even die for Jesus?                                                                   
He has come to ‘see the end’ but will he tell the truth too?

He’s too busy lying 3 times that he doesn’t know Jesus - until the cock crows, just as prophesied!

What now?  It’s Passover, the city is overflowing with visitors, Roman soldiers are on high alert, and now some miracle worker from out of town is falsely accused of ‘blasphemy’...NEXT

BETRAYAL!...just as prophesied

Here they come! ...a great multitude armed to the teeth, to arrest the Messiah who has done nothing but teach and heal. (Matt 26:47-56)

Notice what everyone - except Jesus - is doing with their hands....                                                                               

So many hold swords and staves, and after they seize Jesus, one of the disciples even wacks off the ear of a servant to the high priest!

What was the trigger?  

Judas had promised them he would betray his Master with a kiss (Gk:phileo) but when the time came, he chose to kiss Jesus profusely! (Gk:kataphileo) 

How does Jesus respond?  With 72,000 angels?        

No, with His voice as He reminds them twice that everything happening is fulfilling prophecy – God’s Word will always prevail.

Which prophecies?

• “Yes, my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me”   What a kick in the guts that smooch is!
• ‘He was numbered with the transgressors’  The disciples weren’t supposed to be carrying swords but it gave the band an excuse to arrest Jesus.                         

Don’t forget guys...  “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”!

Now watch what happens...                 

• ‘ALL the disciples forsook Him and fled’                                                 ...just as Zechariah prophesied 550 years before.

Betrayed & alone, Jesus now faces trial by Jew & Gentile...NEXT