No understanding of what He had Done

Luke 22:63-65

As a child, all the way till I left home, there was one person I feared, and that was my Dad.  Dad had rules we lived by, you want to die, then talk back to your mother, you want to get a whipping talk back to any adult, and that seemed like anyone five years older than myself.  Hit your sister or any other girl and it was not going to be a good day, if you lived through it.  Though I feared my dad, I also admired him for I believe he often did not feel he was loved by his own family, yet he held down two jobs, walked everywhere with two bad knees that he wrapped so he could walk and make a living for his family.  We did not have air-conditioned and dad worked shift work and often the neighborhood kids and his own kids would make it impossible for him to sleep.  Yes, I had a very healthy fear of, and great respect for, and admiration for my dad.

So when I read about these men who were holding Jesus in custody, did they not have any 

understanding of what He had done, and what so many had said about Him?  Maybe it 

would be helpful to revisit what men and women had said about Jesus: The demons are 

reported to have said in Mark 3:11: “Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall 

down before Him and shout, "You are the Son of God!"  And in Luke 4:41: “Demons also

 were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But rebuking them, He would 

not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.”         

It makes one wonder if they had heard what Peter had said when asked the question by Jesus about who he believed Jesus to be in Matthew 16:16-17, “He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Or what about this exchange with Martha in John 11:25-27 Jesus said to her [Martha], "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."

The very day they were mocking and beating Jesus they would have heard this exchange recorded in Mark 14:61-64, “But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 And Jesus said, "I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." 63 Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.”

One can only wonder what kind of men they were, did they have no fear of God, for this is what doctor Luke records, “Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.”  (Luke 22:63-65 ESV)

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice