Before the Council

Before the Council

2026 Theme:  Gentleness

Series Title:  Gentle Savior

Scripture:  Matthew 26:57-68

March 22^nd, 2026

Something to think about:

The board meeting got pretty tense, and people said some pretty harsh things.  One guy—someone everyone respected and knew was wise—didn’t say a word the whole time.  Finally, one of the leaders turned to him and said, “You’ve been quiet this whole time.  We’d really like to hear what you think.”

He just looked at them and said, “I’ve found that sometimes, saying nothing is actually saying something.”[1]

As we continue our series today on Jesus’ gentle response to His disciples, betrayer, and accusers in the final moments of His life, we come to His trial in front of the Jewish High Court:  The Sanhedrin.  While standing trial, Jesus remained silent before His accusers, not because He didn’t have anything to say, but because in His silence He was actually speaking volumes.  Jesus’ acquiescence to the Father’s will had driven Him to this point.  He knew that the religious leaders had it out for Him and that they wanted blood.  They would stop at nothing less than having Jesus put to death.  Of course, Jesus knew this, and He knew that this was the way the Father had called Him to go.  So, speaking was of no use.  What had to be done at this point was the Father’s will, and it was the LORD’s good plan to crush Him.[2]  However, it was through this crushing that He would be poured out for us for the forgiveness of sin. 

Let’s take a closer look:

Turn in your Bible to:  Matthew 26:57-68

Key Point:  “Jesus’ refusal to argue against the Jewish Council’s false accusations gives witness to His deep, calm acceptance of the Father’s will.”

Let’s take this a piece at a time:

1. Jesus remained  in front of the Jewish High Council and the High Priest.

Matthew 26:62-63a (NLT),  ⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges?  What do you have to say for yourself?”  ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.

2. Jesus only  when pressed by the High Priest about His being the Messiah.

Matthew 26:63b-64 (NLT),  Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

⁶⁴ Jesus replied, “You have said it.  And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

3. The High Priest and Jewish Council responded with  and  to Jesus’ admission of Messiahship.

Matthew 26:67-68 (NLT),  ⁶⁷ Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists.  And some slapped him, ⁶⁸ jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!  Who hit you that time?”

Something to take home:

Jesus knew what the Father’s will was from the moment He saw His betrayer, Judas, and the Temple guards, coming to arrest Him in the garden on the hillside just outside of the city walls of Jerusalem.  With certitude and resolve, Jesus willingly submitted Himself to being arrested and questioned by the Jewish High Council and Caiaphas, the High Priest.  He already knew the outcome of their questioning and knew that it was of no use to argue against them.  Instead, like a lamb being led to slaughter, or a sheep before the shearers, Jesus remained silent; He did not open His mouth.[3]  And what was the result?  Isaiah gives us a glimpse:

Isaiah 53:8 (NLT),  Unjustly condemned, he was led away.^* No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.^*  But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.

What can we learn from Jesus’ demeanor and actions in the face of His accusers?  Like Jesus, we can learn the importance of silence and listening:

James 1:20-21 (NLT),  ²⁰ Human anger^* does not produce the righteousness^* God desires.  ²¹ So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

[1] Bits & Pieces, September, 1989.

[2] Isaiah 53:7.

[3] Isaiah 53:7

^* 53:8a Greek version reads He was humiliated and received no justice. Compare Acts 8:33.

^* 53:8b Or As for his contemporaries, / who cared that his life was cut short in midstream? Greek version reads Who can speak of his descendants? / For his life was taken from the earth. Compare Acts 8:33.

^* 1:20a Greek A man’s anger.

^* 1:20b Or the justice.