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Alone

Consider that moment when Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin, the governing religious council of the Jews? Against their own law, which they were in place to judge and uphold, the put Jesus on trial throughout the night. Matthew records that “many false witnesses came they found none that could accuse Him.” (JST Matthew 26:60) Mark says “Many bare false witness against Him but their witness agreed not together.” (Mark 14:56)

If the witnesses could not agree their witness was invalid. Then came two witnesses who claimed something about Jesus intending to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Even their witness was substantially different, yet it seems they were close enough to satisfy the Jews.

Through all of this, Jesus “held his peace”. He said nothing. Have you ever been publicly and vehemently slandered, blamed, and accused of all manner of things untrue. There is a tendency to at least reason and attempt to persuade their opinion, or to speak up, fight back, and defend yourself. Words hurt! Can you imagine how painful it must have been to stand there and listen as His own blaspheme and accuse Him—and say nothing?

His stoic silence caused even the High Priest to marvel, “Answeredst thou nothing? Knowest thou not what these witness against thee?” (Mark 14:50) And yet He said nothing. Then the High Priest came right to the exact point—the reason they were all there. “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63)

At this point, it would seem that Jesus gives them exactly what they have been looking for all night—a justification to condemn Him. He responds simply, “I am.” (Mark 14:62)

The High Priests reacts with explosive emotion and rends the sacred robes of his priestly office and cries, “He hath spoken blasphemy, what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy. What think ye?” (Matthew 26:65-66)

It is the bitterest of ironies that the Council decrees, “He is guilty and worthy of death.” (Matthew 26:66) He is condemned to die for blasphemy against God.

The Savior’s power over Himself and His emotions is beyond my comprehension. His meekness and restraint are the epitome of power, especially when the verbal and emotional abuse of the entire night is then followed by the unjust physical abuse of spitting in His face and slapping Him while mocking and taunting Him. And there were none to defend Him and speak on His behalf. Who would dare do so in such an environment. It would be suicide!

And while all of that plays out before the Council, another drama is unfolding in the nearby courtyard. Caught up in the charged emotions of the moment. Peter is accused of being one of Jesus’s own. Twice he denies that even knows Jesus. A third time he is accused and this time Peter began to “curse and to swear saying, “I know not the man of whom ye speak.” (Mark 14:71)

At that moment, the rooster crowed the second time. Jesus, knowing full well what has happened with Peter, “turned and looked upon Peter.” (Matthew 22:61)

The scripture records, “And Peter called to mind the words which Jesus said unto him, ‘Before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice, And he went out, and fell upon his face and wept bitterly.” (JST Mark 14:72)

The record gives us an idea of the depth of Peter’s pain and anguish at his own failure, but can you imagine the emotions that Jesus felt when denied by His own Chief Apostle and friend? “I came unto mine own and mine own received me not.”

The Jews have rejected His doctrine. The highest and holiest council of His people have now rejected Him as their God, and He has been abandoned by His closest friends. Hence there is powerful meaning to His words, “I have trodden the winepress alone.”