Read Luke 22:63-65
Jesus is completely abandoned. The disciples being scattered (best described in Matt 26:56), apart from Peter, who followed Jesus after his arrest, has now also denied Him as predicted (vs 54-60). He has been accused by the priests at a dodgy overnight hearing, as mentioned earlier in the chapter when Jesus is first arrested: “….your hour – when darkness reigns.” (vs 53).
Before Jesus is taken before the authorities, the high priests and Pilate (in chapter 23), Jesus is mocked and beaten (22:63), as if he has already been condemned to death. Whilst being beaten and ridiculed, he was blindfolded (vs 64) and asked to prophesy, mocking his claims of being the Messiah.
Unfortunately, it is the mockers and accusers who are blindfolded to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah that has been proclaimed by the prophets.
By Andrew Griffiths (Gospel Community Vision Coordinator)
Reflection Questions
- Why do the guards mock and beat Jesus?
- Who do you know that still mocks and insults Jesus? Why do you think they do this?
- How do we take the blindfold off those who ridicule who Jesus is?
- Isaiah 50:6 and Isaiah 52:14 are two prophecies of the beating and mocking of the Christ from 700-681 BC. What are your thoughts regarding these prophecies? Do you think the High Priests accusing Jesus would have understood what they meant?
I have had this question through much of Acts… what sort of power did the priests/religious leaders have, how can they order people beaten and put in prison?
Hi Katja,
thanks for the question. I’m sending you an email with a pdf from the book – Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity by Paul Barnett (didn’t want to accidentally break any copyright by posting pages on the web). It gives a good explanation of the connection of The High Priest and Chief Priests to the Roman Governor. If anyone else would like to know this as well feel free to email me and I can send the pages to you as well. Thanks. Ian
Hi Katja I am pretty sure they had their own court system Sanhedrin which was made up Sa
Acts 23 1 to 11 explains the difference between the two groups Pharisees and Sadducees but in the end, all the apostles were preaching the same message that Jesus is the son of God, He is the only way to salvation. They didn’t like it when Jesus said these things and He was given over to the Sanhedrin for a few silver coins. So beating or stoning was easy for them as their hearts were hardened to the message.
(Sorry I am not a scholar Katja did do to well at school but would love to learn how to do more.)
1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2At this the high priest, Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”
4Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’ ”
6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
*made up of mainly the Pharisees and Sadducees.
*didn’t do well at school 🙂
Thanks to both of you