As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe."
--Luke 22:66-67 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on August 28, 2013 of Psalm 149; Luke 22:54-23:12; Job 14-15.
Everything Jesus said would happen indeed came to pass. He was betrayed by one of the twelve and arrested. Peter, the steadfast disciple, the rock upon whom Christ would build His church, had denied even knowing Him three times before sunrise. In custody He was questioned, mocked, and beaten. Taken prisoner under the cloak of darkness, Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin in the harsh light of day. It all came about just as Jesus knew it would, all to fulfill God's plan as foretold by the prophets in scripture.
"Are You the Christ?", the chief priests and scribes ask. This won't be the last time Jesus will hear this question, phrased in one form or another. This first time, standing there in front of the religious leadership in Jerusalem, the high priests over all the children of Israel, Jesus knew what the reaction would be to His response to this and all future repetitions. So maybe in frustration of this foreknowledge, He simply replied, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe it." Perhaps the words of Jeremiah echoed in His head, when the prophet said, "Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not." (Please see Jeremiah 5:21.) Of course the hand of God was at work here, assuring His plan is carried out, even if it requires He fulfills Isaiah's prophesy where, "They do not know or understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand." (Isaiah 44:18.)
No, the priests and scribes would not believe Jesus, no matter what He told them. Their minds were already made up, their eyes and hearts closed to the truth. They were jealous of Jesus, and wanted Him stopped. They hated Him, and wanted Him dead. This also was foretold in scripture and again by Isaiah when he spoke the message concerning God's Son, saying, "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Isaiah 53:3.)
The Sanhedrin would not believe Jesus because they turned their faces from Him, hiding from the truth. They could not believe Him for God had shut their eyes and hearts. Everything happened as foretold in scripture, as God willed it. And Jesus saw it all coming yet He never wavered. But unlike the high priests, our eyes have not been shut, so we can still see. Our hearts remain open to understanding. Our ears can still hear the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a choice the Sanhedrin lacked. Believe in Jesus, and live. Amen.
Lord Jesus, It is difficult for us to imagine how You could have known everything that would happen to You and still go through with it all without a complaint, without begging our Father to call it all off, without calling down Your great army from heaven and freeing You from Your tormentors. In our weakness, we marvel at Your strength. It is only by Your strength, O Lord, that we are able to get through each day. And it is only by Your selfless sacrifice that we might be saved. Thank You so very much, dearest Jesus! In Your most beautiful and holy name, sweet Jesus we pray. Amen.
"Are You the Christ?", the chief priests and scribes ask. This won't be the last time Jesus will hear this question, phrased in one form or another. This first time, standing there in front of the religious leadership in Jerusalem, the high priests over all the children of Israel, Jesus knew what the reaction would be to His response to this and all future repetitions. So maybe in frustration of this foreknowledge, He simply replied, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe it." Perhaps the words of Jeremiah echoed in His head, when the prophet said, "Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not." (Please see Jeremiah 5:21.) Of course the hand of God was at work here, assuring His plan is carried out, even if it requires He fulfills Isaiah's prophesy where, "They do not know or understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand." (Isaiah 44:18.)
No, the priests and scribes would not believe Jesus, no matter what He told them. Their minds were already made up, their eyes and hearts closed to the truth. They were jealous of Jesus, and wanted Him stopped. They hated Him, and wanted Him dead. This also was foretold in scripture and again by Isaiah when he spoke the message concerning God's Son, saying, "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Isaiah 53:3.)
The Sanhedrin would not believe Jesus because they turned their faces from Him, hiding from the truth. They could not believe Him for God had shut their eyes and hearts. Everything happened as foretold in scripture, as God willed it. And Jesus saw it all coming yet He never wavered. But unlike the high priests, our eyes have not been shut, so we can still see. Our hearts remain open to understanding. Our ears can still hear the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a choice the Sanhedrin lacked. Believe in Jesus, and live. Amen.
Lord Jesus, It is difficult for us to imagine how You could have known everything that would happen to You and still go through with it all without a complaint, without begging our Father to call it all off, without calling down Your great army from heaven and freeing You from Your tormentors. In our weakness, we marvel at Your strength. It is only by Your strength, O Lord, that we are able to get through each day. And it is only by Your selfless sacrifice that we might be saved. Thank You so very much, dearest Jesus! In Your most beautiful and holy name, sweet Jesus we pray. Amen.
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