Lent DaysSample

Lord Jesus Christ was very popular with the masses. His love, compassion, teachings, and miracles attracted many people towards Him. This caused a sense of insecurity in the minds of Jewish leaders. Caiaphas was the high priest when Jesus was crucified. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Pilate could sense that the high priest had accused Jesus out of envy (Matthew 27:18). Envy was the root cause for the other sins, which caused the violent death of Jesus.

The bazaar of Annas had a notorious history. The priest officiating in the temple used to turn away all offerings brought from outside the bazaar of Annas. And in that bazaar, a dove could have cost 20 times more than the market price. Annas and Caiaphas hated Jesus because Jesus cleansed the temple and they were looking for an appropriate opportunity to take revenge. Jesus used to condemn the hypocrisy of priests and Pharisees. Hence they had bitterness against Lord Jesus Christ.

Envy, insecurity, hatred, bitterness, and an attitude for revenge made them conspire against Jesus. They prepared Judas for that purpose. And they gathered their cronies who would give false witness against Jesus. They arrested Jesus in the night with the help of Judas. The children of darkness perform their dark deeds in the cover of darkness. They arrested Jesus and interrogated him in the night. The Sanhedrin never met at night. They broke the law and framed charges against Jesus. In the Sanhedrin, the charges were religious: blasphemy and allegation about destroying the temple and building it again.

Since they did not have the authority to give capital punishment, they took Jesus to Pilate. In John 18:28 we read an intriguing note. The high priests did not want to go inside the judgment hall fearing defilement. But they were ready to murder the Son of God with false charges.
Before Pilate, they changed the charges against Jesus. All charges were political. He was portrayed as a revolutionary (Luke 23:5) who forbade people from paying tax, and who claimed Himself as king. They even declared Caesar as their king (John 19:12). It was life according to convenience and not according to Scriptures.

Envy rots the bones (Proverbs 14:30) and is condemned by the apostles (Galatians 5:26 and James 3:16). Love dispels jealousy. Christ still loved them and prayed for their forgiveness.