Holy Week Prophecies: Rerurn in Glory
Midweek Lent V – Pr. Abraham Faugstad Homily
St. Matthew 26:62-68
62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, You who for the sake of my sin were falsely accused, rescue me from the accusation of the Law and of my conscience; You who remained silent in the face of false accusations, help me so that I do not have to be silent before God’s judgement; You who in an innocent manner were shamed and spit on, rescue me from the eternal disgrace and shame; let Your innocent, suffering condemnation be my eternal acquittal. Amen. (Johann Gerhard, An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, p. 137).
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
Tonight we learn of Christ’s hearing before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin, seemingly led by the high priest, was a court that handled religious and legal matters among the Jews. The Gospel writers clearly demonstrate the court’s bias. They had planned to convict Jesus before the trial began. Yet, regardless of all their efforts to produce false testimony of his guilt, they could not find any evidence nor have witnesses corroborate their stories. The last of the accusers were two men who, twisting and speaking Jesus’ words out of context, claimed that he would destroy the temple and build it in three days (Matthew 26:61). After all the accusations had been made, the high priest, with hopes of getting Jesus to say something amiss and catch him in a trap, says, “Do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?”
Jesus endured the attacks of “many false witnesses” (Matthew 26:60). They attacked his teaching and his person. They blatantly lied about him. We all know the saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” But if you have ever been lied about, falsely accused, and spoken ill of by others, you know how painful it can be to have your name, your work, your intentions, and your history attacked and tarnished. It can feel frustrating to be lied about because no matter what evidence comes out to the contrary, there will always be a sneaking suspicion of guilt. The Proverbs verse is true, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 26:22).
It hurts to be lied about and falsely accused. When this happens, we understandably feel like lashing out and defending ourselves. But Jesus serves as our example for how we Christians should bear the cross. Despite being wrongfully accused, he bore these assaults with patience. As the Apostle Peter writes, “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (I Peter 2:21–23).
What’s amazing is that Jesus was completely innocent. He was the only perfect Man to ever live. None of these accusations of blasphemy or lies were true. Yet, he was silent. The same can’t be said for us. Not only do we often fail to bear attacks against our person and work with patience, but the accusations against our sins are all true. We aren’t innocent. We are sinners. We can’t excuse even one of our thousands of sins. No, not one. We haven’t lived a perfect life by anyone’s standards, let alone God’s. Scripture says, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10).
If we were to be judged, we would rightfully be condemned. We deserve death and hell. But standing between us and hell stood the innocent Son of God. Our Lord Jesus was wrongly accused, attacked, and lied about, so that we could be acquitted. He did not revile in return, he suffered and bore on himself all our sins in his own body on the tree, so that he could pay for all our sins—fully and completely (I Peter 2:23–25). Jesus went to the cross so that you and me, who deserve punishment, might be forgiven and have the gates of paradise opened for us. When we see Jesus suffering what we deserve, we should realize his love for us. But even more importantly, you should know with confidence that your debt has been paid by another. And through faith in Jesus, you have been given a perfect and holy resume—the perfect life of Jesus.
The high priest accused Jesus of blasphemy and called for his execution. While Jesus would not answer back any of the false accusations, he would not deny truth. He spoke up even though it meant his own condemnation. Not only was he true God, but he would return in glory. Jesus said, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus is the real judge. He will come again in glory. The high priest thought he had the power to judge and convict. All he saw was a beaten and lowly son of a carpenter. He failed to see him as the Son of God and Lord of all. Jesus says that he is the one whom David and Daniel foretold. He was the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13–14) seated at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1). The high priest might not see it now, but he would.
The soldiers join in on the mocking. They spit on his face, which was one of the greatest insults. They strike him and say, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” These men got caught up in the excitement of this unjust hearing. They laugh at Jesus’ words of a glorious return.
Yet, we learn in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, that when some of these soldiers who guarded Jesus witnessed the earthquake after Jesus’ death and all that took place, they exclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54) and “Surely this was a righteous man” (Luke 23:47). We don’t know how many Romans converted after Jesus’ death. But imagine the joy and absolute love that these converted soldiers would have for Jesus. They would have known they participated in his death. But even their sins were forgiven. Jesus had gone to the cross for them! They would have sought comfort in his words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” What love they would have for their Savior that despite all the wrong, wicked, and evil things they had done to him, he just as certainly forgave them all their sins! They could look with confidence at Christ’s return in glory and could exclaim, “He suffered for me. He died for my sins. He died so that I could live!”
It’s the same for you and me. It’s not just the Sanhedrin and soldiers who crucified their King. It was you and me. Our sin is the reason Jesus was on the cross. We were the ones hurling insults and accusations. But we are also the ones for whom he came to save. He suffered for your sins and mine. He has paid for them all. He died so that we could live! Think of that. Think of the love of Jesus! If we could only know “the width and length and depth and height” of Christ’s love for us (Ephesians 3:18).
Christ will return in glory. For those who reject him, they will flee in terror because they will be judged. But for all those who trust in him and his forgiveness, there will be no fear—only joy. For the day of Christ’s return is our day of redemption. This is a great comfort for every Christian. This sinful world will be brought to an end. Christ will reign and you will be a member of his kingdom. The wrongs of this life will be made right. Christ will judge. He will save. In this life, you will have to bear hardships and may be the recipient of false accusations or lies. But do not despair in them. They will not last forever. What’s more, let your crosses in life remind you of the cross Christ bore for you. He was falsely accused and condemned, so that you could be declared innocent and rescued from all sin and death. Now, because of Jesus only glory awaits. And so, we rightly pray, “Lord, come quickly!” Amen.