God Enables Man to Kill Jesus! - Mark 13-14

God Enables Man to Kill Jesus!

Mark 14:59-65 (ESV)

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.

The trial of Jesus was a farce.  It would not pass muster in any court in our country today.    Or, would it?   The Chief Priests and the High Priests had created a problem for themselves.  Under Roman law they were not allowed to condemn anyone to death. So, they hav to make a case against Jesus that allowed the Romans (Pilate) to grant death to Jesus.   They brought numerous people to testify against Jesus, but they could not get it right.  Here is the ineptness of mankind.  They couldn’t even crucify Jesus without help from God.   To accommodate they task, Jesus finally gives them, by testimony, what they need.  He finally just admits He is God’s Son, the Messiah.  Of course, they didn’t believe that and did not want to hear that.   This is so ironic.  This is the group of people that knew the most about the coming Messiah.  They were the leaders who were in charge of preparing the people for the coming Messiah.  Here they have someone who did miracles to prove He was the Messiah.   Here they had Jesus confessing He was the Messiah.  Instead of worshiping Him they spit on Him.   Of course, Christ had to die.  He had to die to satisfy God’s wrath for sin ... for our sins.   But, mankind couldn’t pull it off without Jesus giving them what they wanted.   God help mankind kill Jesus so that in Jesus death He might save mankind!!  That is the Gospel.