Background
Israel = Powder-keg
As long as Israel kept in line the Romans didn’t send in the army -
iwas going to play out in about 40 years (66-70AD) when Rome finally get’s fed up with all of the rebellions and burns Jerusalem to the ground
What is the Sanhedrin?
συνέδριον - synedrion from the root word edraios - which means to be seated/ or to sit firm
some in the group point back to Moses’ assigning the 70 elders in
Numbers 11:16
“16 The Lord answered Moses, “Bring me seventy men from Israel known to you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting and have them stand there with you.”
Sanhederin was not that
Moses’ 70 elders were:
chosen by God,
filled with the Spirit and
served the people
the first time the Sanhedrin was actually assembled it was a group of priests and aristocrats that were appointed by King Antiochus III of Syria - in 200BC they were sympathetic to the Sryian rule and the practice continued with Rome
Two responses to Jesus vv 45-46
“:therefore” this looks back to verse 42 “…but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.”
some saw and believed - some went and told
how anyone could witness what happened at that grave and not believe is beyond me, but here is the truth : Some people simply will not be moved - even by a genuine move of God
God will be Glorified
People’s unbelief will not prevent God from being glorified
consider the following:
Romans 3:5 says that even our “5 But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, …
Philippians 2:10–11 “10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
God will be Glorified - our sin doesn’t nullify God’s glory
What’s got the Sanhedrin all worked up?
Remember where the Sanhedrin’s authority and power was derived
Consider the Sanhedrin’s reaction:
“since this man is doing many signs” They absolutely know that Jesus is the real deal - maybe they don’t fully understand, but they know they are persecuting someone sent by God
“the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” Their biggest fear is the world
*Practical Atheism - *
Practical Atheism. Practical atheism refers to the situation where people profess belief in some kind of deity, but, for all practical purposes, live as if there were no god. If we consider this practical dimension, perhaps the total number of atheists in the world (particularly in the modern world) would be substantially increased. R. C. Sproul
to the Sanhedrin the power of Rome was more urgent and real than God
Their power was given to them by the world and they lived in fear
What is accomplished by the flesh will always be vulnerable to the world
One Man Die for the whole nation
God does not condone human sacrifice - but there is a precedence for sacrificing or offering up a champion in place of others…
OT typology of Jesus
background on typology - we believe that every verse in Scripture is tied together by a thread of God’s grace and points toward the work of Jesus Christ because of this we see a lot of evidence and things that point toward Jesus
Substitutionary Atonement
scapegoat - a type of Jesus Leviticus 16:21–22“21 Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the Israelites’ iniquities and rebellious acts—all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the man appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry all their iniquities into a desolate land, and the man will release it there.”
in fact this is also what happened in all of the sacrifices at Passover
imputed righteousness
David a champion - a type of Jesus 1 Samuel 17:8–10 “8 He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations, “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. 9 If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!””
The nation of Israel would enjoy the victory of David vicariously in the same way that we would benefit from the death of Jesus
what this means - Jesus’ death on the cross is the ultimate fulfillment of the Leviticus picture of the scapegoat.
Jesus’ death is Him suiting up as our champion to destroy the giant that we have no chance against … not just for the nation of Israel, but for the whole world
An unwitting prophet
Acts 4:6 standing in judgment over Peter and John for performing a healing on a disabled man
Caiaphas wasn’t a good guy - but that doesn’t phase God - not only does God have a history of using unwitting prophets , but also He often used unwilling prophets
Unwilling prophets
Balaam - Numbers 22 - he was hired to curse the Israelites but God kept putting barriers in the way up to the point where a Donkey had to speak to him (under the influence of an Angel)
Jonah - was so despondent about delivering a prophecy to his enemies that God had to have him swallowed by a massive fish
Ignorance, inability or downright unwillingness to serve God can’t keep Him from spreading His Word
The plot to kill Jesus - they actually mean it this time
this is the Sanhedrin
they have the backing of the government
they sat and weighed the facts and intentionally ruled on Jesus’ fate
Jesus’response
He is wise and plans to protect himself, but He also goes according to the will of the father
All according to God’s plan.
Unknowing Accomplices
from this point on, the action leading to Jesus’ crucifixion really ramps up
story of Joseph (beaten, left for dead, sold imprisoned) but his words to his brothers in
Genesis 50:20 “20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”
Our sin and rebellion - Even evil plans can’t prevent God from accomplishing His plans
God’s will being accomplished is not dependent upon human action. Therefore, we can have confidence when we walk forward in good faith.