Mark 14:53-72
53 And
they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and
the scribes came together. 54 And
Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high
priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief
priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him
to death, but they found none. 56 For
many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up
and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple
that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with
hands.’ ” 59 Yet
even about this their testimony did not agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and
asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify
against you?” 61 But
he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are
you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And
Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of
Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said,
“What further witnesses do we need? 64 You
have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as
deserving death. 65 And
some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to
him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.
66 And
as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high
priest came, 67 and
seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with
the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But
he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went
out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to
say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while
the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are
a Galilean.” 71 But
he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of
whom you speak.” 72 And
immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus
had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
And he broke down and wept.
Jesus testifies that he is the Son of Man of which Daniel
has seen coming on the clouds. They have multiple witnesses that don’t agree on
their testimony. But everything must be verified by two or three witnesses, so Jesus
provides them all with enough evidence. The high priest even says, “What
further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy.”
Now the error that most people make is calling blasphemy
truth and truth blasphemy. There are a lot of people telling Christians
blasphemy in the place of truth. Here the Son of Man speaks truth and it is
called blasphemy. When people tell other Christians they have to accept,
welcome, call, or seek out God, they miss the point of grace. People say you
need to become a follower of Jesus, you need to become a disciple. You need to
act a certain way, or do certain things.
Jesus Christ our Lord has died upon the cross for the
forgiveness of all the sin of the world. Jesus Christ has been rejected by his
people. He spoke plainly before the high priest and their council. He speaks
the truth and they only hear blasphemy. He tells them that in will be destroyed
and rise again on the third day. He tells us the truth, but we only see blasphemy.
We do not accept or recognize the grace of God as a pure gift, because there
has to be something required of me.
You have to believe: Is blasphemy. You have to lead a good
life: Is blasphemy. You are forgiven of all your sin in Christ Jesus: Is truth.
Christ has died for your sins: Is truth. Christ has redeemed you out of pure
divine love: Is truth. Christ has died and rebuilt the temple on the Third Day:
Is truth. This is not of your own doing but a free gift of God.
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