IN the previous meditation we considered the historical course of events which made up the trial of Jesus before the Jewish Council, so there is no need to consider this again in this meditation, so let us together draw out of this examination of Jesus on the morning that the Jews were to bring Jesus before Pilate the Roman governor. In this record Luke summarises the great testimony Jesus gave of himself to the Jews, giving them the whole truth; giving them the opportunity to believe; but giving them no excuse when they refused to believe.

Jesus confesses the truth that he was the promised Messiah, the Christ, promised by God, and for whom the Jews had waited so long. He made this confession from a direct question by the Jewish council, where they said "if you are the Christ, tell us."

In his answer Jesus made it clear that he was their promised Messiah sent by his Father in heaven. Jesus did not answer directly because he knew the unbelief and animosity in the minds and hearts of his questioners. They asked their question to be able to condemn him. But it is plain that Jesus was not denying the truth that he was their Messiah, the Christ.

In his reply, Jesus challenges the invincible unbelief in the hearts and minds of the Jewish council. Jesus says "If I tell you, you will not believe." Jesus exposes the wicked unbelief in the hearts and minds of his accusers. They had no excuse for their unbelief. All through his earthly ministry Jesus had openly confessed that he was the promised Messiah, and he had backed up this truth by irrefutable evidence of his Messiahship. He showed his divine power in his miracles, not only in his healing of the sick, but also in his miracles where he showed that he was in total control of creation. He fed 4000 and 5000 people with a few bits of bread, creating bread out of nothing. He stilled storms and raised the dead and much more. His teaching was divine and exposed the false teaching of the Pharisees. All this the Jews knew and had first hand evidence of, but they still would not believe. And why did they refuse to believe? It was because Jesus showed up the worldliness and corruption of their lives, and exposed their jealousy of Jesus, and their holding on to power in spite of the evidence before them.

In the completion of Jesus' answer to the question whether he was the Messiah, Jesus showed up the hardness of heart in the Jews. Jesus continued his answer with the words "and if I asked you, you would not answer." Replying with a question was the form of words used in Jewish culture. Jesus had asked a question of the Jews earlier when he asked them whether John the Baptist's baptism was from heaven or from men. At that time the Jews refused to answer his question, so Jesus exposed their refusal to answer him now when he testified to being the Messiah. Jesus gave the Jews no excuse for their unbelief and enmity against him. This is true of all who refuse to receive Jesus as the Christ and Saviour of the world. The evidence is there and irrefutable.

Then Jesus makes clear his final victory. He says "But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." What majesty there is in these words. Jesus is telling the Jews that they may kill the Son of Man, but they would not be able to get rid of him, for he would rise again and be exalted to the highest honour of reigning at the right hand of God almighty.

Though Jesus was facing the terrible death and suffering to come, which he knew about in every detail, he told the Jews that he would be victorious, and their murdering him would be the way in which he would be victorious, and given the highest honour by the Father. How certain Jesus was that he would not fail in this great work the Father had given him to do in order to redeem sinners. I can see here Jesus speaking indirectly to Satan, and telling him that though he felt he was now gaining the victory over God which he lusted after, he would in fact be defeated, and stripped of his power, and his kingdom would be brought down, and his captives freed from his dominion and cruelty.

Jesus was forever the conquering redeemer. All the might of hell was set against him. Satan thought he had won when he moved the Jews to crucify him, but in this God worked everlasting redemption. There was never any doubt of Christ's victory.

Lastly, Jesus clearly answered the question of the Jews as to whether he was the Son of God with a direct answer. He said clearly and with authority, "You are right in saying that I am." What clearer testimony to the truth could Jesus have given than this affirmative. At various times and various ways Jesus had made clear to the Jews that he was the Son of God, and they would not believe or receive the truth. They denied the truth evidenced before them in the life and work of Jesus. Instead they accused Jesus of blasphemy.