CRUCIFY HIM! We want to get to our Passover!

Before we get to the CROSS and the darknest moment of history, I want to take a bit of time on the events of the night before the crucifixion.  Jesus is paraded around and God, Himself is mocked.

After His arrest, Jesus faced three trials.

First, Jesus was led to the Sanhedrin – the Jewish council of leaders. He was accused of many crimes against God, but no two witnesses could agree on an accusation.

Finally Caiaphas, the high priest, asked him straightly, “Are you the Christ?” Jesus confessed, “Yes I am, and you will see the Son of Man coming in judgment”. The leaders were furious and demanded that He be executed for blasphemy.


Jesus was tried before Annas, the former high priest; Caiaphas, the current high priest; and the Sanhedrin. He was charged in these “ecclesiastical” trials with blasphemy, claiming to be the Son of God, the Messiah.

The trials before Jewish authorities, the religious trials, showed the degree to which the Jewish leaders hated Him because they carelessly disregarded many of their own laws. There were several illegalities involved in these trials from the perspective of Jewish law: (1) No trial was to be held during feast time. (2) Each member of the court was to vote individually to convict or acquit, but Jesus was convicted by acclamation. (3) If the death penalty was given, a night must pass before the sentence was carried out; however, only a few hours passed before Jesus was placed on the Cross. (4) The Jews had no authority to execute anyone. (5) No trial was to be held at night, but this trial was held before dawn. (6) The accused was to be given counsel or representation, but Jesus had none. (7) The accused was not to be asked self-incriminating questions, but Jesus was asked if He was the Christ.

Puts a new light on the term Jesus used to decribe religious leaders - hypocrites!  (makes me leary - I keep remembering that more is "caught" than "taught".)

They sent him to Pilate,   (John 18:23) after Jesus was beaten. The charges brought against Him were very different from the charges in His religious trials. He was charged with inciting people to riot, forbidding the people to pay their taxes, and claiming to be King.  Pilate found no reason to kill Jesus so he sent Him to Herod (Luke 23:7).

Standing before Herod found Jesus ridiculed, but Herod, wanting to avoid the political liability, sent Jesus back to Pilate (Luke 23:11-12).

 This was the last trial as Pilate tried to appease the animosity of the Jews by having Jesus scourged. The Roman scourge is a terrible whipping of 39 lashes.

In a final effort to have Jesus released, Pilate offered the prisoner Barabbas to be crucified and Jesus released, but to no avail. The crowds called for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Pilate granted their demand and surrendered Jesus to their will (Luke 23:25). The trials of Jesus represent the ultimate mockery of justice. Jesus, the most innocent man in the history of the world, was found guilty of crimes and sentenced to death by crucifixion.


reference Matthew 26:57 to 27:31; Mark 14:54 to 15:15; Luke 22:54 to 23:25; John 18:13 to 19:16 and Jesus the Greatest Life of all by Charles Swindoll.

So the rest of the world went on to their holiday feast preparations, Christ went to Calvary.

I could go on today about the road to Calvary, about the words spoken on the cross or about the many many prophecies that were fulfilled.  But enough for now -

we must accept that that RELIGIOUS LEADERS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, and ALL OF THE ASSEMBLED POPULATION all wanted one thing

- Jesus out of the way -

so they could have their way.

but it's not just them,

It's US!

Everytime we claim Christ as Messiah,

 but ingore the hard teachings of obeying God's word -

we crucify HIM

Everytime we cling to our salvation, yet ignore the Holy Spirit

convicting us to CONFESS AND REPENT of our sin

we crucify HIM

Even we rush ahead of GOD's PLAN

certain that God will bless what we do

even without consulting or waiting on HIM,

we pile onto the CROSS...

as we ponder the next 3 days and nights many aspects of the darkness

I know I will face my own.....

I pray as Christ did in John 17

for my self - that I might hear and obey,

for those who profess Christ that we would pick up our crosses and follow HIM and

for the WORLD who still lives in that darkness but is waiting, just longing for the GOOD NEWS of this empty tomb!

How did ____________ respond to you?  KEEP PRAYING AND OBEYING!