Matthew 27:1-2 1And when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so to put him to death. 2And after they bound him, they led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
The story shifts back to Jesus and the Jewish council. The Jews did not have the legal power to execute someone. They could present their case before the Romans who would judge whether the person deserved death. Although the Romans were known for their cruelty in war and enslavement of those they conquered, they also brought peace to many lands because of their rule of law and order. The Jews also needed to wait for the morning to come, since trials and executions had to take place in the daytime. With the Sabbath approaching the Jews had to act quickly, so as soon as the sun was starting to show, they took Jesus to Pilate.
The group consisted of all the chief priests and elders, so there was wide representation. These were the select leaders of the Jewish people. Their scheming resulted in their unanimous verdict of death. They did not need to bind Jesus because he was not resisting them in anyway. His verbal response to their accusations was minimal, and he even showed cooperation in his arrest. Were they afraid of rebellion or escape? It would not take long for word to get out among the people, but most people would not be allowed in the places the Sanhedrin was taking Jesus. They were acting on their unbelief and spiritual rebellion against God’s purposes. Their denial of Jesus echoes Peter’s, but theirs becomes lethal.
For older posts, click here.