John 18, 19
It is now Friday morning, the 6th day, the day before Sabbath. The people in Jesus’ day did not have names for the days of the week. They numbered the days in relation to Sabbath with Sunday, as we know it, being the 1st day after Sabbath. Jesus was arrested in the early morning hours and has, by now, been questioned, accused, beaten by the religious leaders who arrested Him. He has been shuttled between the houses of Anas, the High Priest deposed by the Romans, and of Caiaphas, the Roman appointed High Priest and son-in-law to Anas. The whole process by the religious leaders can be summed up as a “kangaroo court.” The Jewish religious laws have been violated, even Roman laws are disregarded by these evil men. After Jesus is “tried” 3 times by the religious leaders, He is, then, taken to Pontius Pilate to be killed by the Romans since the Jews are prohibited from capital punishment under Roman rule. After questioning Jesus, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod because Jesus was from Galilee which is under Herod’s control. Herod had wanted to see and hear from Jesus for a long time. But, Jesus would not answer any of Herod’s inquiries. So, Herod had his soldiers to mock and ridicule Jesus, dress Him in purple robes and, send Jesus back to Pilate. Since the early morning hours, Jesus has been “tried,” judged before the religious leaders 3 times and, by 9 AM, the 3rd hour, He has been judged, “tried” by the governing authorities 3 times. As Paul Harvey used to say, we know “the rest of the story.” Christians, we may think that the persecution Jesus suffered was unique because He was the Son of God. But, Jesus tells His followers that, if the world has hated Him, we will, also, be hated by the world. We see and know of persecution, even today, just like Jesus suffered. Though this country has not persecuted Christians to any degree as the rest of the world has, the signs are there, in this country, for persecution of Christians to become openly public. Christians must hold fast to the faith that is ours in Christ Jesus. Like Paul, we must run the race to the end and we receive the “prize” of eternal life with our Savior and Lord Jesus! Be strong in the Lord!!
Source: S C Ball April 7, 2023
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