SUCCESSFUL SUFFERER SERIES
(Author’s Note: While we will be exploring the Scriptures to understand how people responded to Christ, this is not meant to be a modern-day indictment on people who currently hold these positions. In fact, I am hoping that we will see beyond titles and individuals and focus on characteristics. These may not only be behaviors that have been perpetrated against us but we may even be exhibiting some of these characteristics ourselves in response to Christ, as well as others. I am prayerful that this series will give us strength to endure as we reflect on our Lord. His suffering is an example for us as we strive to be Successful Sufferers. Let’s proceed in a spirit of grace and humility as we each receive what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. Blessings, T.L.)
The Truth Keepers
As I wrote in Betrayed:Introduction, Jesus was betrayed by everyone around Him and left to face His death alone. Although this was the Father’s plan, I believe that Jesus still had to endure the emotional pain of this experience as much as He did the physical pain of suffering on the cross. The betrayal of Jesus culminated during that fateful week that He became the Passover Lamb but betrayal had been present throughout His ministry.
Jesus was betrayed by the very people that we might assume would be overjoyed at His coming: the religious leaders. At the time of Jesus’ ministry, there were different sects and positions for Jewish religious leaders. The scriptures primarily mention the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, priests, chief priests, elders, and the high priest. While these men varied in their philosophy, the overarching responsibility that these men shared was to preserve the truth of the Word of God and bring people closer to Him. They were the keepers of the truth; the repositories for the evidence for Christ. They were learned and knowledgeable regarding the scriptures and the prophecies concerning the Messiah.
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet (Matthew 2:3-5).
The Inconvenient Truth
It was the religious leaders that people trusted for the answers to understand Christ. However, the religious leaders were not only given information about Christ but they were also witnesses of His ministry. They were in His presence, saw the miracles and heard His teachings. Unfortunately, instead of embracing and rejoicing in the Redeemer of Israel, they continually resisted and conspired against Him. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased (Matthew 21:14-15-KJV).
Can you imagine that anyone could see the marvelous things that Christ has done and become indignant? They were unwilling to praise Christ and did not want Him to receive His praise from others. There are so many wonderful things that Christ is still doing in people’s lives but sometimes we do not see the miracles before us. What marvelous things do we see and we want to minimize the recipient’s joy?
And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them. So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor (Luke 20:19-20).
The religious leaders had all of the evidence to identify the coming Messiah. However, they chose to betray Christ and their responsibility. The religious leaders chose to ignore the evidence of what they knew, what they saw, and what they heard. The Truth was available to them but they chose to reject Him. Why would the religious leaders betray the Messiah? He interfered with their plans and agendas. They considered Jesus as a threat to their positions and prominence. Jesus was an inconvenient Truth that they had to eliminate.
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation”…Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. (John 11:47-48, 53).
The Eternal Truth
The religious leaders were the driving human force used to crucify Christ (Matthew 16:21). They sought opportunities to use the Law against Him, used Judas as a tool to betray Him (Matthew 27:3-4), searched for false witnesses to testify against Him (Matthew 26:59-60), persuaded the crowd gathered in Jerusalem for Passover to demand His death (Matthew 27:20), mocked Him as He died (Matthew 27:41-43), asked Pilate to place guards at His tomb (Matthew 27:62-66), and then lied about His resurrection (Matthew 28:11-15). The evidence and the truth were irrelevant; they were not going to stop until Jesus and His reputation were destroyed; however, Jesus is the Eternal Truth that will not be conquered.
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war (Revelation 19:11)
I used to believe that evidence was black and white. Once evidence is presented, it cannot be denied…right? Now, I am realizing that while the evidence does not change, the context and the environment in which it is presented can distort its veracity. The leaders were going to be hostile against Christ no matter what evidence was presented to them. It is not a coincidence that the first piece of spiritual armor that is mentioned is truth because all of the other pieces are connected to it.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…(Ephesians 6:14a)
How often are we confronted with the truth and chose to ignore it? How do you respond when people ignore the truth about you?
To continue this series, read BETRAYED: JUDAS ISCARIOT
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Copyright 2021 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from King James Version. Public Domain.
