LUKE LESSON 55

    We will begin this lesson in Luke 22:63  "And the men that held
Jesus mocked him, and smote [him]."  Luke 22:64 "And when they had
blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying,
Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?"

    This is a terrible scene. All I can think of, as I read this, is
how these same men will feel when they stand before Jesus (the Judge
of all the world). Then all of this will come home, because without
them saying anything, He will be able to say: You are the one who hit
me while I was blindfolded. Many a word that some of us have said
about people in the ministry will be regretted, as well.

    Luke 22:65 "And many other things blasphemously spake they against
him."

    Many would regret all of this later in the day; when all of a
sudden, darkness comes for three hours--right in the middle of the
day; and also, when the earthquake comes. Then all of this blasphemy
will be sorely remembered.

    Luke 22:66  "And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people
and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into
their council, saying,"

    These three groups made up the Sanherdrin. this group could
sentence Jesus in its court, but they could not carry out the
punishment. The Roman governing group had taken this authority from
them. This is the first action that had taken place in daylight. I had
always been disappointed in the multitudes of followers of Jesus for
not stopping all of this, but they probably were not aware of it;
because they had gone somewhere to rest for the night when all of this
happened. Even the crucifixion would take place so early in the
morning that word could not have gotten around sufficiently for them
to know of this in time to do anything.

    Luke 22:67 "Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them,
If I tell you, ye will not believe:"

    He had already told them in all the healings, deliverances, and
powerful sermons that had taken place in their own temple. The only
reason they want Him to answer now is so they can accuse Him. They are
really saying, are you the promised Messiah? He answers them
correctly.  If all of the miracles didn't answer for Him, what could
be gained by saying He is now?

    Luke 22:68 "And if I also ask [you], ye will not answer me, nor
let [me] go."

    Why should He answer? If He answers either way, that just gives
them more evidence for the trial before Pilate.

    Luke 22:69 "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand
of the power of God."

    Jesus prohesies to them of where He will be shortly. Jesus not
only sits at the right hand, but is spoken of as God's Right Arm and
Hand. We know from previous lessons that Jesus is Creator God. In St.
John 1:1 we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God." John 1:2 "The same was in the
beginning with God." John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made." We could go back
and show that the Lord was the Rock in the wilderness. He was the
symbolic Arm that was stretched over the Red Sea to part it. He was
the finger of God who wrote the Ten Commandments in the tables. Jesus,
you see, is the Second Person of the Godhead. Jesus really is boldly
telling them who He is. I believe they know and are just jealous and
feel if they get rid of Him, they will have more power over the
people.

    Luke 22:70 "Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And
he said unto them, Ye say that I am."

    Jesus does not deny that He is God the Son. By all of them asking
Him this question, it is obvious that they were all involved in this.
This is not just one of these men, but rather a conspiracy of all of
them to get rid of Him, The problem with this Sanherdrin committee,
and people in a good many of our churches today, is they could not get
it out of their head that He was a man. Because they could see His
flesh and bone. They could not believe that God the Son was standing
before them. I go back once more to St. John 1:14. "And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Our
eyes will deceive us. We must not believe in only what we can see with
our natural eye, because that takes no effort at all and is not faith.
In Hebrews 11:1. we learn what faith is: "Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." These men of
the Sanhedrin were not interested in things of faith. They believed
what they saw with their carnal eye, a man.

    Luke 22:71 "And they said, What need we any further witness? for
we ourselves have heard of his own mouth."

    This Sanhedrin group is satisfied that they can now take Him and
get Him sentenced to crucifixion by Pilate.

    To recap all of this, it is ridiculous. What was He really accused
of? Doing miracles that the religious people of that day could not do.
His works alone proved who He was. They knew the people would never
stand for this, so they bring this whole thing about in the middle of
the night. The thing that stands out to me in this is that even though
these evil people betray Jesus, God's time table is perfect in this
happening. On the 14th of Nisan just after 6 p.m., Jesus takes
Passover with the disciples. A short time later, Jesus carried to the
high priest's home where He is buffeted all night. At daylight, the
Sanhedrin meets and condemns Jesus. About 9 A.M., He is crucified. At
noon, it turns dark. At 3 P.M., Jesus is dead. All of this is still on
Passover, making Jesus the sacrificial Lamb. Before 6 P.M., Jesus is
put in the tomb. This is one of the fastest captures.  condemnations,
punishments. And burials on record. This is so it will fit into God's
perfect plan.


















































                            Luke Lesson 55

1.  What did the men who held Jesus do to Him?
2.  When they blindfolded Him, what did they ask Jesus?
3.  In verse 65, what kind of things did they say to Him?
4.  What would cause them to regret all of this that very day?
5.  As soon as it was day. the elders, chief priests, and scribes took
    Jesus where?
6.  Who did these 3 groups make up?
7.  What was the only thing they could do to Jesus?
8.  Why did the multitude of Jesus' followers not stop this?
9.  What did the Sanhedrin ask Jesus?
10. How did Jesus answer them?
11. If Jesus answers them, what will happen?
12. In verse 69, Jesus calls Himself whom?
13. Where does Jesus tell them He will sit?
14. St. John 1 tells us that Jesus is _________ _________.
15. Name 2 or 3 times the power of Jesus was manifest in the
    Old Testament.
16. The author believes they knew who Jesus was and were just _______.
17. In verse 70, what do they ask Jesus?
18. How does He answer?
19. What was wrong with the way these men of the Sanhedrin viewed
    Jesus?
20. In St. John 1:14, what do we learn abut who Jesus is?
21. What is faith?
22. What was the only thing these of the Sanhedrin saw when they
    looked at Jesus?
23. What proved without a shadow of doubt who Jesus was without Him
    even speaking?
24. What day was Passover?
25. What day was Jesus crucified?
26. Who was the Passover Lamb?