救主接受審訊
馬可福音十四章53至65節
53他們把耶穌帶到大祭司那裡，又有眾祭司長和長老並文士都來和大祭司一同聚集。
54彼得遠遠地跟著耶穌，一直進入大祭司的院裡，和差役一同坐在火光裡烤火。
55祭司長和全公會尋找見證控告耶穌，要治死他，卻尋不著。
56因為有好些人作假見證告他，只是他們的見證各不相合。
57又有幾個人站起來作假見證告他，說：
58“我們聽見他說：‘我要拆毀這人手所造的殿，三日內就另造一座不是人手所造的。’”
59他們就是這麼作見證，也是各不相合。
60大祭司起來站在中間，問耶穌說：“你甚麼都不回答嗎？這些人作見證告你的是甚麼呢？”
61耶穌卻不言語，一句也不回答。大祭司又問他說：“你是那當稱頌者的兒子基督不是？”
62耶穌說：“我是。你們必看見人子坐在那權能者的右邊，駕著天上的雲降臨。”
63大祭司就撕開衣服，說：“我們何必再用見證人呢？
64你們已經聽見他這僭妄的話了。你們的意見如何？”他們都定他該死的罪。
65就有人吐唾沫在他臉上，又蒙著他的臉，用拳頭打他，對他說：“你說預言吧！”差役接過他來，用手掌打他。
信息分享
接著，基督被帶到現任大祭司該亞法那裡 （約十八24）。有兩個人來作假見證控告基督，但兩人的見證卻不相合。大祭司最終用了一個詭計來使基督開口，要祂用立誓的方式來回答，說祂是基督、是神的兒子。這是歷史中最關鍵的一刻，基督大可以作出妥協，就可能逃過一死，法庭寂靜無聲。但基督回答說：「是的，你說的是。」祭司們認為這是「褻瀆」神，一致同意祂該當死刑。時約破曉，猶太人公會開會決議要把基督處死（可十五1）。他們把祂解到羅馬巡撫彼拉多那裡 。
祭司們知道，單是控告基督褻瀆，不足以判祂死刑；於是，他們便毀謗祂違抗凱撒的命令，這是嚴重的罪行。彼拉多找不出祂有任何罪行，為了避免作決定，便將基督送到希律那裡；但希律也查不出基督任何罪狀，又把祂送回彼拉多處。
彼拉多不得不作出判決，他下令釋放巴拉巴，卻判基督釘十字架。基督是完全無罪和無辜的，卻要被判死刑。我們當然知道是何原因：祂是為了代替我們。
祂承受這一切，以致我們可以得蒙赦罪。正如彼得所言：「祂被掛在木頭上，親身擔當了我們的罪。」（彼前二24）為此，我們今天只要接受祂為我們所做的一切，便可與神和好。這正是神在永恒中所定的計劃，再按著祂所定的時間推行出來。約翰福音三章16節表述了整個救恩計劃，何不安靜地、敬虔地反復閱讀這節經文，為著神所作的重大犧牲，衷心地感謝祂。
OUR SAVIOUR ON TRIAL
Mark 14:53-65
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,
58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’”
59 But not even then did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?”
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses?
64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.
Message
Then Christ was taken to Caiaphas, the reigning High Priest (John 18:24). Here two false witnesses spoke against Christ but somehow their evidence did not agree. Finally the High Priest used a strategy to make Christ speak. He put Him on oath to answer and say that He was the Christ, the Son of God. It was one of the greatest moments in history. Christ could have compromised and possibly escaped death. The court was silent. Then Christ spoke, “Yes, it is as you say.” The priests called that “blasphemy” and agreed He was worthy of death. Around daybreak, the whole council, or Sanhedrin of the Jews, met and condemned Christ to death (Mark 15:1). They took Him bound to Pilate, the Roman Governor.
Here the blasphemy charge was insufficient so they said He was setting Himself up against Caesar, a serious crime. Pilate could find no fault in Him and tried to avoid a decision by sending Christ to Herod. But Herod also could get nowhere with Christ and sent Him back to Pilate.
When Pilate could no longer avoid a decision, he released Barabbas and sent Christ away to be crucified. Christ was sinless and innocent, yet was condemned to die. We know why, of course. He took our place.
He went through all of this so that we could be forgiven. As Peter said “He bore our sins in His body on the tree” and today we can become reconciled to God by accepting what He did for us. It was all in God’s plan - thought out in eternity and carried out in time. John 3:16 says it all. Could you quietly, reverently repeat that verse just now and thank God for His great sacrifice?