Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Mark 14:60-65
And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. (ESV)
by Jo Anne Kandel
It is difficult for those of us who were brought up in a Christian society to look at these passages from any other point of view than our own. Of course Jesus was the Son of God! But in order to truly comprehend what Mark is talking about, we need to remember that from the standpoint of the High Priest Jesus was a heretic. The chief priests had not been with Jesus for three years like the disciples had been. There were other people at that time claiming to be divine, as there are today. The leaders considered Jesus to be a liar and a troublemaker who needed to be eliminated.
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2008, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service .
