Although Judas’ betrayal of the Lord for worldly gain was a great and grievous sin, there is good evidence that he was deceived and even supposed he was helping to establish the sort of kingdom all of the disciples were imagining in the existing climate of Roman rule and oppression. Unable to see any victory…
As day broke on Thursday morning of passion week Jesus was hastily condemned to death by a kangaroo court gathered to legitimize the verdict that had already been decided upon in advance by Annas, Caiaphas, and the other Jewish leaders. Since the Romans had stripped from them the authority to carry out executions, an inquisition…
Contrary to Judas’ expectations, Jesus was condemned to death by the Sanhedrin and delivered up to Pilate for execution. Unable to see any victory through suffering, or life through death, he could not imagine that Jesus would allow Himself to be crucified. Faced with the gravity of his error that would make him accountable for…
As Jesus was led away to Pilate to execute His death sentence, Matthew records that Judas, not expecting such an outcome, was moved to remorse by His condemnation. Deceived by his greed that could not see the way to life through death, he could not conceive how Jesus, whose power he had personally witnessed and…
After describing how Jesus was sentenced to death by the ruling body of the Jews, Matthew now interrupts his account of Jesus’ passion to relate what happened to Judas who had betrayed Him. It seems clear from his words that Judas did not expect Jesus to be condemned to death, and driven to remorse by…
Introduction The author of Hebrews warns against a “root of bitterness springing up” that “causes trouble, and by it many be defiled”. Is the root to which he refers just a bitter spirit as is often supposed, or is there something more to it? What is he talking about, and what exactly is such a…
In the very early hours of Thursday morning of Passion week Jesus was interrogated by Annas and then Caiaphas, and then at the break of day condemned to death by the Sanhedrin for truthfully confessing Himself to be who He was—the Christ, though not in the sense they were expecting. Having now been bound and…
It is very early in the morning on Thursday of Passion Week and Jesus has already faced a gauntlet of three inquisitions or trials before the Jews and is about to face the same before the Gentiles; what does this remind us about the sound rejection of God’s King and His kingdom by the kingdoms…
Having appeared first before Annas, and then Caiaphas and select members of the Sanhedrin to decide upon the charges to have Him put to death, Jesus has now been judged guilty by a formal gathering of the ruling Council convened at the break of day for that purpose. It was Thursday of Passion week, and…
As day was breaking on Thursday morning of Passion week Jesus was hastened to a meeting of the ruling body of the Jews by Annas and Caiaphas. A speedy show-trial was necessary to satisfy their punctilious devotion to the law, and to fill up the full measure of their hypocrisy in condemning Jesus on trumped…