RTW 2024

Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony:  “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” But even then they didn’t get their stories straight!

Mark 14:55-59

The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,

“They took the thirty pieces of silver—
    the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
and purchased the potter’s field,
    as the LORD directed.”

Matthew 27:6-10

• “At least according to Pharisaic legal ideals, such as a meeting was illegal on all these counts: capital trials had to meet during the day, and only after a day had intervened might the court render a verdict. Only the worst criminals could be executed at festivals.” IVP Bible Background Commentary New Testament
• The push to do the “trial” at night is a picture of the dark spiritual nature of the Sanhedrin’s goal. They knew what they were doing was unethical and tried to hide it.
• It was not the government or a pagan group that initiated Jesus’ death, but instead the religious leaders who should have been leading the people with righteousness and seeking out the truth.

Seek out and uphold truth and light and expose the darkness. Uphold the true heart of Jesus.