PEOPLE OF THE PASSION

OPENING PRAYER

CAIAPHAS CHARGES JESUS WITH BLASPHEMY

“PETER WAS FOLLOWING HIM AT A DISTANCE...”

HOW CLOSE DO YOU FOLLOW JESUS?

False Witness: “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.”

“I put you under oath...tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so.”

“But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Images: Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14

Paradox:
Prediction made by Jesus is reminiscent of the Last Judgment: He who is now being judged will himself be the Judge at the end of time.

Caiaphas tore his clothes:
A ritual gesture to stress the enormity of Jesus response and suggested the ending - “You have heard his blasphemy...he deserves death.”

Mocking Jesus as Prophet and Messiah

PETER DENIES KNOWING JESUS

IRONY OF PETER’S DENYING HE KNOWS JESUS

• At that very moment Jesus is confessing to being the Messiah, Son of God
• This is title that Peter confesses in 16:17 when Jesus asked his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter replies, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,”

But he denied it before all of them saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”

Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man”.

Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!”

...At that moment the cock crowed.

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.””
Luke 22:61

...And he went out and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:75

Untitled Slide

JUDAS ENDS HIS LIFE WITH REMORSE

Motive of Judas to betray Jesus unknown. Eternal fate left to the mercy of God.

... saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, He said, “ I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
Matthew 27:3

TRUE REPENTANCE OR REGRET

• Repentance: conversion, change of heart, a new way of life “metanoia”
• Regret
• Debate among scholars based on Greek word used

Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:5

TWO ACCOUNTS OF JUDAS DEATH

• Matthew 27:3-10:
• Only gospel to narrate the suicide of Judas
• He feels remorse when he sees Jesus condemned and admits his sin
• He despaired of being forgiven for his actions
• He killed himself by hanging

SECOND ACCOUNT OF JUDAS DEATH

• Acts of the Apostles 1:16-20
• Differs from Matthew’s account
• “He bought a parcel of land with the wages of his iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out” 1:18.

Field paid for with the money paid to Judas for his betrayal of Jesus.

PURCHASE OF THE FIELD SAME IN BOTH ACCOUNTS

• Field paid for with the money paid to Judas for his betrayal of Jesus
• The name given to the field “The Field of Blood”

BOTH FAILED IN THEIR DISCIPLESHIP

Jeremiah or Zechariah?
“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of a Israel had set a price, and they gave them the Potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Matthew 27:9-10

OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES

• Jeremiah 18:2-3 speaks of a potter; 32:6-9 the buying of a field; 19:1-13 the breaking of a Potter’s flask at a burial ground
• Zechariah 11:12-13 throwing thirty pieces of silver into temple
• Deuteronomy 27:25 “Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood”

PILATE QUESTIONS JESUS AND THE CROWD

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

CHARGES AGAINST JESUS

• Sanhedrin (Jewish Ruling Body): Blasphemy
• Romans (Pilate): As “King of the Jews”; ? threat to empire; ? Revolutionary
• Roman sentence was crucifixion

PONTIUS PILATE

• Fifth governor of Judea 26-35 AD
• Central role in death of Jesus; included in Creeds
• Questions Jesus: Are you “King of the Jews?”
• Believed Jesus innocent but pronounced sentence to satisfy the crowds.

“ARE YOU KING OF THE JEWS?”

CUSTOM OF RELEASING A PRISONER AT PASSOVER

WHO WAS THE CROWD?

• Same crowd singing “Hosanna” when Jesus entered Jerusalem?
• Possibly supporters of Barabbas?
• Where were disciples of Jesus?
• Chief priests were encouraging crowd to ask for Barabbas.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATH OF JESUS?

• Judas handed him over to chief priests.
• Priests handed him over to Pilate.
• Pilate handed him over to be crucified.
• Crowds cry “crucify him”
• Jesus died for our sins.
• All share responsibility for Jesus death.

PILATE IS PUT ON TRIAL BY JESUS

INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE PRAETORIUM

SEVEN SCENES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE PRAETORIUM

• Scenes alternate between Pilate outside confronting the crowd and inside interrogating Jesus.
• Theme: outside - rejection of Jesus; inside - revealing who is Jesus?

JEWS INDICT JESUS AS EVILDOER AND DEMAND HIS DEATH

IRONY OF REFUSAL TO ENTER PILATE’S HEADQUARTERS

• Avoiding ceremonial uncleanness while unconcerned about putting an innocent man to death
• Concerned about not being able to eat the Passover meal, yet are seeking to kill the true Passover Lamb

Reminder of Kind of Death Jesus Would Experience

“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
John 12:32

“ARE YOU KING OF THE JEWS?”

“My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

“You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

KINGSHIP

• “King of the Jews”
• Messiah King
• Jesus is a King whose mission is to reveal the truth of God through his person, words and actions
• His kingdom is not political but comes from above

PILATE ON TRIAL: WHAT IS TRUTH?

(OUTSIDE) PILATE PRONOUNCES JESUS INNOCENT

PILATE HANDS JESUS OVER FOR CRUCIFIXION

(INSIDE) THE SOLDIERS SCOURGE JESUS

(OUTSIDE) PILATE PRONOUNCES JESUS INNOCENT: “BEHOLD THE MAN”

(INSIDE) PILATE QUESTIONING JESUS ABOUT HIS ORIGINS

“Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth...”
Isaiah 53:7-9

(Outside) Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.

CLOSING PRAYER