The Faith of Jesus
018 The Faith of Jesus
1 Peter 2:21-24
July 19, 2015
SEE ALSO THE ATTACHED PDF
#1 THE FOOLISHNESS OF HIS SUFFERING (2:22)
Eliphaz:
Job 4:7-9 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed? "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it. "By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.”
Bildad:
Job 8:6 “If you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate.”
Zophar:
Job 11:13-18 "If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; "Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, And you would be steadfast and not fear. "For you would forget your trouble, As waters that have passed by, you would remember it. "Your life would be brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning. "Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely.”
Job:
Job 10:3-7 “'Is it right for You indeed to oppress, To reject the labor of Your hands, And to look favorably on the schemes of the wicked? 'Have You eyes of flesh? Or do You see as a man sees? 'Are Your days as the days of a mortal, Or Your years as man's years, That You should seek for my guilt And search after my sin? 'According to Your knowledge I am indeed not guilty, Yet there is no deliverance from Your hand.”
#2 THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS SUFFERING (2:23)
A Jewish Trial (From Mosaic Law & Rabbinic Law)
1) TIMING OF THE TRIAL
· According to Rabbinical Law, a trial could not be held at night.
· Nor could it be held in secret, it was a public affair (The purpose was to make sure all the evidence was available)
· Furthermore a trial could not be held during a feast
It took three days to condemn a man,
The second of which was reserved for fasting by those who voted against him,
And since fasting was forbidden during the feasts, no trial could be held then.
2) WITNESS OF THE TRIAL
· A man could only be condemned upon the testimony of two credible witnesses.
And being a witness was serious for if it was shown that you gave false testimony,
Mosaic Law stated that you must suffer the fate you were trying to earn for the man you testified against.
Deuteronomy 19:16-19 "If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing, then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. "The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.”
· Furthermore if a man was condemned, the first person to strike the blow to the condemned had to be the person who first bore witness against him.
Deuteronomy 17:7 "The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
For this reason, women, children, and the mentally challenged
Were not allowed to be a condemning witness,
Since they were seen as unable or too weak to give this first condemning blow.
· Furthermore the accused could not be forced to testify against Himself. Even a detailed confession was not viewed as adequate evidence to condemn a man.
3) PASSING JUDGMENT
· 23 votes were cast in order determine a person’s fate. (13 to condemn only 11 to acquit)
· And if all 23 voted to condemn the man was automatically acquitted since it was viewed that mercy was lacking and the court was flawed.
· When the votes were cast they voted in order of youngest to oldest so that the vote of the older did not influence the vote of the younger
· If a man was condemned, the law required that he could not be sentenced until the morning of the third day.
The second day was required for the fasting of those who voted to condemn, and when they came back the third day,
Anyone who voted to condemn was given the opportunity to change his mind.
· And even after sentencing as the man was going to his punishment, if on the way he or anyone else remembered evidence that might deliver him, immediately the execution was stayed and the trial was re-opened.
· And if a man was condemned his property could not be seized, it passed to his heirs, in order to keep a man from being condemned for his possessions.
The objective was that life be preserved above all else.
And in those courts, just as ours,
A man was to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
JESUS TRIAL OBVIOUSLY BROKE MAJOR RULES (Turn to Matthew 26:59)
· Held at night (rooster hadn’t crowed yet)
· Held in secret (at the house of Caiaphas)
· Held during a feast (the Passover)
· Acquired False testimony (Matthew 26:59-61)
· Forced Him to testify (Matthew 26:62-63)
· Condemned Him on His own testimony (Matthew 26:63-66)
· Sentenced Him immediately (Matthew 26:67-68)
(1 Peter 2:22-23) “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
Caiaphas:
Matthew 26:62-63 “The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."
Pilate:
Matthew 27:14 “And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.”
Mark 15:4-5 “Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, "Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!" But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.”
John 19:8-12 “Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?" Jesus answered, You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar."
Herod
Luke 23:9 “And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.”
Psalms 118:5-9 “From my distress I called upon the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes.”
#3 THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS SUFFERING (2:24)
John 12:27-28 "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ' Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
APPLICATION
Hebrews 11:35-38 “Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.”
Luke 21:12-19 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake. "It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. "So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. "But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. "Yet not a hair of your head will perish. "By your endurance you will gain your lives.”