Mark 14:53-65 Jesus before the high priest

Mark 14:53-65

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. 54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. 56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. 57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” 59 But not even then did their testimony agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 “You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

Devotional (Back drop)

The Lord Jesus having allowed Himself to be arrested in Gethsemane; and the disciples having fled; He is now taken to Annas the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest (John 18:12-14). Here a brief preliminary examination will take place by Annas (John 18:19-24) before Jesus will be sent to Caiaphas the presiding high priest, and the Sanhedrin counsel, which then governed Israel’s religious affairs under Rome’s patronage. Now if you read the parallel gospel accounts, both Annas and Caiaphas are referred to as high priest, since both shared the duties at the time of John the Baptist (Luke 3:2). But it was Annas’ son–in-law Caiaphas who was the officiating high priest at the time of Jesus’ arrest. Since Annas had been officially disposed by the then ruling procurator of Judea, and Caiaphas installed in his place. *Apparently this occurred since Annas was imposing and executing capital sentences without Rome’s official sanction. Nonetheless Annas retained the title, as well as his substantial influence over the dynasty, and the Sanhedrin counsel, throughout his life (Consider Acts 4:5-7). In evidence of this all of Annas’ five sons would officially succeed him as high priest as well as one grandson, but it was Caiaphas his son-in-law who again officially held the position at the time of Jesus’ arrest. Thus the Lord Jesus is first brought to Annas for a preliminary examination before being sent on to Caiaphas. And it is only Annas that Jesus however briefly, and seemingly annoyed with, actually responds to in questioning. Therefore Annas was defacto the high priest; or at the very least he was sharing in exercising the offices authority unofficially with his son son-in-law. Therefore even though he was deposed, Annas was a powerful man whose decision would warrant under normal circumstances whether a person was to be “officially” taken to the high priest; and the Sanhedrin counsel assembled for a trial. Nonetheless the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ arrest; i.e. Judas agreeing to betray Jesus to the chief priests for money, along with their collaborating with all of the religious and political factions in Israel, meant Jesus’ fate had been already decided (See John 11:47-53). As John’s gospel declares, “Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.” John 18:14 Therefore these preliminary judicial reviews are merely formalities until that end is reached.

Now it will be when Jesus is brought before Annas and then Caiaphas. That the Apostle Peter and another unnamed Apostle; likely the Apostle John, will follow Jesus into the courtyard. Here the Apostle John gains entry, being known to the high priest, while the Apostle Peter is temporarily detained at the gate until John procures his entry onto the grounds (John 18:15-18). It is at this point that Peter denies knowing Jesus to the high priests’ servant girl who kept the gate (John 18:17). This is Peter’s first denial. Peter then having gained entry, waits in the center courtyard with the servants and Temple guards who had built a fire to warm themselves (John 18:18). And it is here that Peter’s two other denials will take place. Now the Apostle John records for us the brief inquiry of the Lord Jesus by Annas and Jesus Words to him, before Jesus is sent bound to Caiaphas (See John 18:19-24). For that is where the chief priests, elders and scribes had already assembled with him (Mark 14:53-54). Which may have been within the same building structure but on an upper level (Mark 14:66). And that is where Mark’s gospel picks up the text and we now start. So beginning in verse fifty five of Marks gospel it states “Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.” Vs. 55

Notice they all sought testimony to put Jesus to death. Since Annas himself had (nor found) no legal grounds for condemning Jesus or His doctrine. It is then a gravely dark scene where Israel's assembled leaders (both religious and secular) are seeking testimony to execute God’s Son under the guise of upholding the Law. Matthew’s gospel is even more explicit saying that they sought false testimony to put Jesus to death (Matt. 26:59). Which under the Law of Moses would warrant the punishment or death of not only the false witnesses, but also those who sought it (Deut. 19:16-21). Yet it is the chief priests and the council members who are seeking to use God's Law to execute Jesus through it, by securing false witnesses to testify against Him. They will not be last who will use either God's Law, or mans, to forward the wrongful and unjust execution of those who will follow after Christ (consider John 15:20; Rom 8:36-39).
Verse fifty six then says of their “witnesses” testimonies: “For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.” That many bore false witness against Jesus indicates that these witnesses had already been assembled beforehand for that expressed purpose, to forward and justify their condemning Jesus to death. But as the passage says their testimonies did not agree. Which should’ve immediately ended the preceding. Yet those bearing false witness do not come under any sort of scrutiny. By either the chief priests or the members of the Sanhedrin counsel. Instead having failed to bring forth a uniform testimony against Jesus they are set aside, and others sought. Having then failed to condemn Jesus in their first attempt, Marks gospel beginning at verse fifty seven says: 57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” 59 But not even then did their testimony agree. Vs. 57-59

Now these next witness who arise will try to cite the Lord Jesus’ Words as evidence against Him, but as they do, they pull them out of there context and the intent in which they were given (See John 2:13-22 for there context) and so their testimonies do not agree. And thus they again fail to bring forth a uniform witness against Jesus. And so they fail in their second attempt to condemn Jesus. And even if they would’ve succeeded in bringing forth a uniform testimony, there is absolutely nothing in Jesus Words’ that deserves death. Indeed Jesus’ quoted Words by them are just His foretelling His own death at their hands! At this point there seems to be great confusion amongst the council members as Jesus has remained silent throughout their proceedings; both as a gesture against their unjust act, surely, but also as a fulfillment of Scripture (see Isaiah 53:7). And with that the high priest being greatly agitated by Jesus' silence and their failing to uniformly testify against Jesus stands up in the midst of them all and asks Jesus saying: …“Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Jesus, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Vs. 60-62

Notice the Lord Jesus did not respond to their false witnesses, or even the high priests agitation at Jesus not doing so. Instead Jesus remains silent. Only after they fail to bring charges to justly condemn Jesus, and the high priest in great frustration makes a direct inquiry of Jesus, saying “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Does the Lord Jesus reply by saying, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Vs. 62

Therefore it will not be the testimony of false witnesses that will be the grounds for Jesus' being condemned by the high priest and Sanhedrin counsel. Rather and this is critically important it will be Jesus’ own testimony of His Person in response to their question “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” that will be the sole grounds for their condemning Him. Nothing other than Jesus declaring to them that He is the Promised Christ, (the Messiah foretold in the Scriptures) the Son of God, the Son of Man of the gospels; who in His Person encompasses full Deity and Humanity. For Jesus having previously told the Jews in the Temple the truth of His Person when He declared Himself "I AM" (See John 8:30-59, vs. 58 to understand) will now declare His victory over them. That is the earthly powers who have united and assembled themselves together and are seeking to crucify Him (Ps. 2:1-2; Acts 4:24-31), will one day see Jesus the Son of Man at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Therefore the very powers and persons who took, or now take Jesus, for being just a Man, will indeed one day see the Son of Man sitting at God’s Right Hand when He comes again to judge world! (Rev 19:11-21). Now with the Lord Jesus’ declaration of His Person and Power to them the Scripture says: 63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 “You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands. Vs. 63-65

The high priests tearing his clothes as a gesture of being aghast at Jesus’ Words calling them blasphemy is truly the only blasphemy! Yet with Jesus’ honest declaration of His Person and Power, the high priest is swift to condemn Jesus. For that is what they wanted to do. And with that those in attendance begin to mock and abuse and beat Jesus. It is a ghastly sight as Jesus Christ, God's Son who came to redeem not just God's chosen people (but all people; anyone, anywhere, regardless of their background or circumstances, whoever is willingly to listen to Him (John 8:42-27) and receive Him by faith, will indeed be saved by Him (John 1:12; Rom 10:9-10, 13; Rev 3:20). "For God is my King from of old working salvation in the midst of the earth." P2. 74:12  Yet now Jesus is being mocked and beaten by lawless and unjust men. But that is what the wicked do. True to their nature they mock, abuse and ultimately seek to destroy the ones God sends to them (Mark 12:1-12).

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Additional Resources:

Gleaned from Wikipedia article titled Annas, quote num. 3