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The Trials: Luke 22; Matt. 26-27
Jesus had taken His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemene, where He went a stone’s throw beyond them and spent His time in prayer to the Father. His resolve is heard in the words, “not My will, but Yours.”
It was in the garden where Judas would find the occasion to betray Jesus into the hands of the chief priests and Pharisees. Coming out with weapons, Judas led them to Jesus, and kissed Him on the cheek. Even here, the events that occurred should have convicted these men of who Jesus was: their falling to the ground before Him (John 18), and the miracle of replacing the ear of the servant were both powerful demonstrations of His identity. None of that mattered to the ones intent on seeing Jesus die.
Jesus did not fight back at this point. He let them bind Him and take Him to where He would stand accused of blasphemy. He would stand before two High Priests (politically and religiously, Annas and Caiaphas), Pilate the governor of the region, and Herod the king. In the process of these trials, He would be beat on, spat on, lied against, and unjustly accused. And for what? They had no better motive than envy. Christ’s motive was love.
In all of this, Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled:
“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?” (53:7-8)
Discussion
1. Why was Jesus in so much agony in the garden?
2. How did Judas betray Jesus? Why did he do it?
3. What events during His arrest demonstrated the power of Jesus?
4. Why were the trials so unjust?
5. Optional Research assignments: a) Give a chronology of the events of the trials. b) In what ways were these trials illegal and unjust?