Knowing The Word in Luke 22:66-71, Jesus Before the Council

At daybreak, when a legal meeting could be held, the guards bring Jesus to the elders. Interestingly, no charges are made or witnesses called against him. Instead they invite Jesus to incriminate himself! They do not understand Jesus because they do not understand Messiahship. They are asking whether Jesus claims a special relationship to God, especially one they do not have as the leaders of the Jews. Is he the Son of God? When Jesus says, “You say that I am,” he is saying “That’s your statement, not mine. But now that you’ve said it, I can’t deny it.” Jesus’ understanding of “Son of God is different from theirs; but he could not disown it and his answer recognizes this. For the Sanhedrin, this ends the matter. The rejection of Jesus by the Sanhedrin is less honest and much more profound than that of Peter in the courtyard.

Luke 22:66-71

66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

Prayer

We thank thee, O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou hast revealed thy Son to us, on whom we have believed, whom we have loved, and whom we worship. O Lord Jesus Christ, we commend our souls to thee. O heavenly Father, we know that although we shall in thine own good time be taken away from this life, we shall live for ever with thee. “God so loved the word, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Father into thy hands we commend our spirits; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Martin Luther