The Lived-out Parable
of the Last Days Pt. 3
(Mat. 26:55-75)
By Jonathan Mitchell
But now Jesus turns and addresses the crowd that came out to arrest Him, and this begins the next Act of the Passion...
55. In that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "You folks come out as upon a robber (or: = social bandit or outlaw; or: highwayman) or an insurrectionist - with knives, swords, staffs and clubs - to jointly seize (or: apprehend) Me. Daily I used to habitually sit facing you men within the Temple grounds, constantly teaching, and you did not take hold of Me (= lift a hand against Me or attempt to arrest Me).
56. "Yet this whole [affair] has come to be (has happened) so that the Scriptures (or: writings) of the prophets would (or: could) be fulfilled."
Notice that He repeats what He had just said, in vs. 54, above. Saying something twice is done to stress the importance of the statements. At this point His disciples - everyone abandoning Him - took flight (or: fled; made escape). Now we can conclude that this is referring to the eleven, for we are told in Jn. 18:15 that,
"another disciple kept on following Jesus. Now that [other] disciple was personally known by (or: intimate with; or: = a close friend of) the chief priest, and he went in together with Jesus into the courtyard of the chief priest's house."
We suggest that this "other" disciple was Judah, who had been in contact with the chief priest (26:14, above).
[note: Observe that Judah's reaction (to the priests and elders planning to have Pilate put Jesus to death, and then to Jesus being conveyed on to Pilate, in 27:1-3, below) was an insertion, in 27:3-10 below, which interrupted the narrative of Jesus before Pilate (27:2), which picks up again in 27:11. What Judah did (27:3-10), upon hearing this plan, most likely happened later.]
This flight of the eleven leads us to the next Act of the Passion...
57. Now those having a strong grip on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high (chief; ranking) priest, where the scribes (theologians and scholars of the Law) and the elders had been gathered together in assembly.
58. Yet Peter kept on following Him from a far distance, until [coming to] the courtyard of the high (ruling; chief; ranking) priest. Then upon entering within, he continued sitting with the subordinates (Temple guards, attendants and servants - folks under orders of others) to see the outcome (or: the end [of the matter]; the final act; [His] destiny).
This sets the scene for what Peter would soon experience. We know of His denial of Christ, below, but consider the courage it took to enter "the enemy's camp." Prior to this, in 56, above, the fight-or-flight reaction brought on by fear, had turned from fight to flight. This very human response lets us see ourselves in this emotionally-charged situation.
59. Now the chief (ranking) priests and the whole Sanhedrin (the ruling council of the Judean nation) had been seeking false evidence (testimony from false witnesses) [to bring] down against Jesus so that they could put Him to death.
We see this very same situation reflected from recurring political situations, throughout human history, ever since - and that was what this was, as well: a political situation. They had been in charge; they did not want a messiah to deprive them of their power. Like it is in our own day, they "had been seeking false evidence (testimony from false witnesses)" so that they might destroy what they thought that He planned to do.
61. "This man affirmed, 'I am able to demolish (loose-down) God's inner sanctuary of the Temple (= the holy place and the holy of holies; God's divine habitation), and - through (or: during [the period of]; or: by means of) three days - to build the house."
62. And then, upon standing up, the high (chief; ruling) priest said to Him, "Are you continuing answering nothing (or: Do you continue making no decided response of even one thing) to what are these men presently testifying against you?"
63. Yet Jesus continued silent. And so the high (ruling; ranking) priest said to Him, "I now bind you to speak out an oath in accord with the living God (or: Down from the living God, I am now exorcising you; or: I now bind you by oath in correspondence with the living God) that you should say to us if you, yourself, are the Christ (the Anointed one; = the Messiah) - God's son (= the one having the same relationship to God and to the people as did Israel as a nation, or Israel's king)!"
Jesus had given no recognition of those who had spoken against Him, but now, the current ruler of the People makes a binding demand regarding who He was, so Jesus will comply. Notice that in the high priest's question, he seemed to equate "the Messiah" with the phrase, "God's son." We suggest that he was not thinking along ontological lines about "the deity of Christ," at this point, but rather along the lines of their history, as suggested in the parenthetical expansion. Likewise, in the next verse, Jesus answered with the phrase "the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the eschatological Messiah figure; the representative human)."
64. Jesus is then saying to him, "You yourself are saying [it] (or: are [so] saying)! Moreover, I am now saying to you people, from now (this present moment) on you folks will continue seeing 'the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the eschatological Messiah figure; the representative human) continuously sitting at the right [hand]' of the Power, and 'progressively coming (or: repeatedly coming and going) upon the clouds of the atmosphere (or: sky; heaven).'" [Dan. 7:13; Ps. 110:1]
Notice that He specifically spoke to the priests and the Sanhedrin, and He said, "from now (this present moment) on YOU FOLKS will continue seeing 'the Son of the Man coming and going upon the clouds of the atmosphere." Let that statement sink in. He was saying that His Passion Parable would have a Sequel, and that they would see it. You see, they were about to be the instruments that God would use to enthrone their Messiah - to promote Him into the Holy of Holies to sit on God's throne (Rev. 3:21). What a promise! But they could not perceive the glory (2 Cor. 3:14), at that time...
So when did that happen? We suggest that - whether they recognized Him or not - it began happening in Acts 2, within Peter as he gave his first sermon, as well as in the rest that were there, and especially in the face of Stephen (Acts 6:15), and then later, in the Roman Army, in AD 66-70.
65. At that point the high (ruling; ranking) priest tore and ripped his outer garments (= his vestments?), saying, "He blasphemes! What need are we still having of witnesses? See! You now (at this moment) heard his blasphemy (villainous, defaming speech; harm-averment)!
66. "What does [this] now seem to you men - what is your opinion?"
We suspect that Jesus expected this reaction. He had heard this before, in 9:3, above. When (in 9:2) Jesus had told the paralytic that his sins had been caused to flow away, then, "Certain ones of the scribes (the scholars and theologians of the Law) said among themselves, 'This fellow is now blaspheming'." In Jn. 10, when Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the Judeans there came up and asked Him to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah.
When, in vs. 30, He said,
"I, Myself, and the Father are (continuously exist being) ONE,"
they
"again picked up stones and brought them so that they could stone Him."
When He asked them why they were preparing to do this, they answered,
"because YOU (or: you yourself), being a human (a man), continue making yourself God (or: frame yourself [to be] a god)" (vs. 33).
We cannot be sure of how they were using the term "god," in their response. But Jesus responded to this with a quote from a Psalm, and then placed His works before them, and how the Father had approved of Him, as a parable of His life being lived before them:
35."Since He said 'gods' [= elohim] to whom God's Logos (the Word which was laid out from God) came to be (or: toward whom the Idea and Blueprint, which is God, was birthed; toward whom God's message proceeded and was directed into existence) - and it is not possible (or: there is no power) for the Scripture [= the Tanakh] to be loosened, to be undone so as to nullify, or to be destroyed -
36. "are you yourselves now saying to the One Whom the Father set apart (consecrated as holy) and sent forth as an Emissary (on a mission; as a Representative) into the organized domination-System (into the world; into the cosmos; unto the religious, political and cultural complex; into the midst of the aggregate of humanity) - that 'You are blaspheming (speaking impious villainy and giving a false image [of God]),' because I said, 'I am God's Son (I exist being the Son of, and from, God)'?
37. "If I am not habitually (continually; progressively) doing My Father's works (deeds; actions), do not make it a habit to put trust in Me (or: Don't proceed to believe Me or give allegiance to Me).
38. "Yet since I am constantly performing (habitually doing; repeatedly making; progressively producing), even if you folks cannot now be trusting and believing in Me or continue loyal to Me, continue to [other MSS: at some point] trust, believe and put faith in and by the results (acts; works; deeds) so that you may come to experientially know and habitually trust (or: believe [other MSS: continue knowing]) that (or: because) the Father [is] within Me, and I [am] within the Father!"
From these examples, we can understand the thinking and decisions, in our present text, where we see the Sanhedrin and the priests responding in like manner...
So they, giving a decided response, said,
"He now is held within and under the control of death."
67. At that point they spit into His face and hit (or: punched) Him with their fists. Yet some men slapped Him, one after another saying,
68. "Prophesy to (or: for) us, O Christ (or: O 'anointed one') - who is the one striking you?"
In Mk. 14:65, it is explained that they covered His face before saying this. Remember, there was a political issue that was fueling this, as well as religious fervor which was easily tapped. But this part of the parable was for us, as well. For many religious and political reasons, down through history people had (Heb. 11:36-38), and would continue to have (on to our present day),experienced similar treatment. And here is where trust (faith, reliance, faithfulness, and allegiance) enters our own picture, and Rom. 8:28 gives firm witness:
"Now [look], we have seen, and thus know and are aware, that to those habitually or progressively loving and giving themselves to God - to the folks being called and invited according to [the] purpose
(or: for, in and with the people progressively experiencing participating acceptance in, unambiguous love for, and the urge toward union with, God - in, with, by and for the people being invited down from an advanced placing, congruent with a design and corresponding to a before-placing and a prior setting forth) - He is constantly working all things together into good and is progressively working all humanity together into that which is advantageous, worthy of admiration, noble and of excellent qualities, [with other MSS: Yet we know that God is continuously joining everything together (or:working together with everything) into goodness by those continuously loving God...]."
And then, returning to the book of Hebrews,
(or: in the position on the opposite side from the happiness) continuously lying before Him
(or: lying in the forefront within Him; lying ahead for Him), remained under a cross (an execution pole for suspending a body) - despising shame
(or: thinking nothing of [the] disgrace) - and has sat down and now continues seated, remaining in the right [hand] of
(or: = in union with the place of receiving at; = at the place of power and honor, which is) God's throne" (Heb. 11:39-40; 12:2) [cf Rom. 13:12; Eph. 4:22; Gal. 4:9ff]
The next Act of the parable involves Peter's testing, as he warmed himself at the fire (Lu. 22:55) in the chief priest's courtyard:
69. Now Peter was sitting outside within the courtyard. And one servant girl came toward him, then is saying, "You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean."
70. But he contradicted [her], denied [it], and disowned [it] in front of them all, by saying, "I am not aware of what you are now saying (or: I don't know what you are talking about)!"
72. And again he contradicted, denied and disowned [it] (or: said, "NO!)," with an affirming oath: "I have not seen nor do I know the man!"
73. Now after a little while, upon approaching, the men standing [around] said to Peter, "Truly you also belong to them (= are one of them), for even your speech (= dialect, or, the way you talk) continues making you plainly evident (or: conspicuous)."
74. At that point Peter started to repeatedly correspondingly-establish (or: continue to lay down affirmations) and to confirm them with oaths (or: continue submitting by swearing [to the men]), that, "I have not seen nor do I know the man!" And immediately (or: upright and set for goodness and ease [of the day]) a rooster crowed.
75. Then Peter remembered the saying of (effect of the flow [of the discourse] from) Jesus - He having said, "Before a rooster is to crow, you will proceed in denying and renouncing Me three times." And so, after going outside, he wept and lamented bitterly.
What a clear parable of human frailty and failure-under-pressure. Fear. This all started in Gen. 3:11 (LXX) when Adam heard the Voice and was made afraid, because he was exposed. We find it in Cain, fearing that someone will kill him; we find it in Abram when he visits Egypt (Gen. 12:12), and then again in Jacob, in Gen. 31, as well as when he is about to meet up with Esau (Gen. 33). Fear came upon Joseph's brothers, when he confronts them in Egypt (Gen. 44). Fear is a central element in humanity's story. So this narrative about Peter became a backdrop to the Adam/Messiah story that Jesus was living-out, is this short, intense parable of the "first Adam realm," in which Peter was living. How often have humans wept and lamented bitterly...
To be continued...
Return To Jonathan Mitchell's Page