“Before Caiphas”
Saint Matthew 26. 47-68
Midweek Lenten Homily II: 23 February Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
The eleven stared wide-eyed in fear at the crowd coming down the Gethsemane path. The Sanhedrin had not only sent eight dozen of the Levitical Temple Police with their clubs, but two-hundred Roman Legionaries of the cohort had been dispatched as well; their short swords glistening in the torch and lantern light. The High Priest and the Chiliarch were working together; no chances were taken. And this army was being led by "one of the twelve," the world's greatest act of treachery carried out.
As this army of dark surged forward it was met by One Man; One God/Man with eleven apprehensive followers "behind" Him. Nothing has changed. He's by our side upon the plain. He is our Champion, our David walking down into the valley of the shadow of death for us. As everything in the disciple's lives seemed to be unraveling, Christ was in perfect control of the situation. Things only appeared to be playing into Judas' hands.
Judas' "invented" sign, oh what evil. The symbol of most intimate affection and love is made the "tip-off" for the marking of a victim. The traitor feigned joy when he met Jesus with greetings. Without waiting for a response the snake struck. Judas threw his arms around Jesus and showered Him with kisses. The prolonged act was in order that no one would have any doubt whom to seize. It was also to close the mouth of Jesus as long as possible; to disarm Him; to keep Him from displaying any strange powers before the mob. The Lord neither hurled the traitor off Him, nor used His omnipotent power to blast him; comeuppance comes late upon many.
It was the Father's will, and Christ's own, to accept all the indignities, shame, suffering, and agonies the men would heap upon Him. Judas even then thought he was deceiving Jesus; that Jesus was only a rabbi. Hypocrites will always misjudge the character and actions of the Holy One.
Jesus struck hard at Judas' conscience with a brief penetrating word: "Fellow, for this...you are here?" But already the conscience of the "son of perdition" was seared; no repentance followed. Before a move was made to arrest Him, He delivered Himself. He points Himself out to prevent any molestation of the eleven. His passion was wholly voluntary. The Chiliarch ordered his men to bind Him. They never touched a more willing prisoner.
Peter's rashness is an example of all of our attempts to "help" God get His work done. As movement was made to arrest Christ out flashed Peter's sword. He delivered his blow at the first man that was near to him. Intending to split his head open; the man moved to avoid the blow, thus allowing Peter's sword to only sever his ear. Blood everywhere...already. The fisherman may had thought that with the entire armed force already "falling back" at the one word of Jesus, that maybe with his direct and bold action one sword alone might still rout the crowd. Had not Peter already protested his readiness to lay down his life for the Lord? Here he redeemed his word. The Lord could see he was in earnest.
Peter did not understand Jesus was the Lamb; the Lamb which would go forth without struggle or noise. Peter acted as though Jesus had meant none of the things He had said. Peter's love did not listen and obey; it assumed to dictate and to rule.
Christ again took control. He disavowed Peter's action. The sword of violence, vengeance, and pay-back is wild, and will strike down all who think they can control murderous rage and hatred. Did Jesus need Peter's help to accomplish His mission? A Legion had 6,000 foot soldiers and a body of cavalry; but at a word, the sky could have blazed forth with a tremendous host of angels. That's the true nature of His submission to the Father's will. Jesus had the ability at any moment to avoid the suffering and death. Nothing coerced Jesus. His love for you motivated Him. It was His will to Redeem, to save, to fulfill Scripture.All of the Disciples then left Him; first they left Him... then they fled. He was left alone.
Matthew's account takes us straight to the Sanhedrin's "trial." Did they even have a legal quorum? The restrictions that forbade trials at night were summarily set aside. "Leaders" who had deliberately plotted murder were not men to balk at legal technicalities.
Peter and John had followed at a distance and had gained entrance into the High Priest's outer court. Peter sat with the Sadducees' underlings, hypocritically pretending to be one of their number. Love had drawn him there, but fear had held his tongue.
Caiphas and the other members of the Supreme Jewish Court were seated on a raised platform in a semi-circle. Jesus, bound, under guard, faced them from the floor. Contrary to Jewish law there had been no indictment and no prior supporting testimony. The arrest had been illegal and even after multiple perjurers, paid stooges, had come forth, no believable, consistent, corroborative testimony was adduced. They had first decreed death and then they incompetently worked backwards. Terms such as travesty, black-mark, and kangaroo are pale, inadequate and an insult to kangaroos. Finally, two testified in harmony, after a fashion: "This fellow said I am able to destroy the sanctuary of God and after three days to build it." They quoted Him out of context, garbled His words and put a malicious meaning on them. Fearing an adjournment; a mistrial of incompetence, Caiphas acted to save the sorry situation. "Play acting" he, outraged and indignant, confronted Jesus directly: "don't you answer anything?" He was hoping that Jesus might incriminate Himself. The en-fleshed God/Man stared at the little man, and with unflinching eyes was SILENT. The silence was a truthful answer to the mockery, evil and hollow questions. Innocence and dignity could have made no other reply. Sensing he was about to loose it all, in almost a panic, Caiphas quickly acted and presented the main issue fully and squarely. This is why you are here this evening. This was the offense of Jesus' claim to be the promised Messiah and the Son of God. Caiphas screamed at Jesus, put Him "under oath" and demanded an answer: "Are you the Messiah; that is, the Scripture's promised deliverer? Are you God; that is, Divine?
Then Jesus broke His silence. Now the truth was demanded of Him for it was this which He came to reveal: His Office and His Person. Now since silence would have been the wrong answer, Jesus swears: "Yes." Jesus confessed to His own harm. Truth must be uttered though it be turned to our own damage and loss by wicked men.
Caiphas dramatically swept the Sanhedrin along with him in a feeding frenzy. This Sadducee wasn't shocked; he was practicing dramatics. He rent his robes, but it would be Jesus' own robes which would be rent from Him in order to crucify Him; it would be the Temple curtain itself rent from top to bottom by God. Every "judge" present focused with envious hatred on the Nazarene. The vote was unanimous; no reflection, no consideration. Guilty was He of death. But, before Pilate, before the tree, another quick outrage that was beastly and brutal. The Supreme Judges of the Nation, in whom all the dignity and grandness of the Jewish people had been vested, gave us a real show of their inner nature. It was rowdiness of the lowest kind; gutter rabble, bullies, cowards. Once they had shouted their illegal verdict repudiating all reverence for God and for His laws, they lost even common human decency. Like wild hyenas surrounding the solitary deer, we see their hearts and souls; we see our own old-Adams. They spat; they could not act vile enough. They struck a defenseless man; ribald laughter and horrendous blasphemy.
The condition of Jesus at the end of this experience can more easily be imagined than described.
There was far more to come. He loves you that much.
Amen.