The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
Annas the high priest questions Jesus about His followers who believed in Him and about His teaching and doctrine. The questioning takes place early in the morning while still dark in the high priest's judgment hall as the Sanhedrin is assembled, in the course of a night of insults, mockery and scourging as He is passed from ruler to ruler. It is not a fair inquiry after truth but a secret, mock trial kept from the people, designed as a trap to provoke some statement that would condemn Him as secretly organizing a movement and plotting insurrection to alarm Rome, or as a blasphemer under Jewish law. In answer He declares that He taught openly to the world in synagogue and temple with nothing in secret and no hidden purpose, and bids them ask those who heard Him, thereby rebuking their unjust methods when they already know His words through spies who long hunted Him to entrap Him.
Setting and Purpose of Questioning
The questioner is Annas the high priest, and his inquiry concerns both Jesus' disciples, the followers who believed in Him, and His teaching or doctrine. The questioning takes place in the high priest's judgment hall early in the morning while it is still dark and while the Sanhedrin is being assembled. It comes in the course of a night of repeated insults, mockery, and scourging as Jesus is passed from one ruler to another, where He is coarsely accused, sneeringly questioned, and reviled by the assembly.
It is not a fair inquiry after truth but a secret, mock trial held where the people have no voice. The secrecy is deliberate, so the people cannot bring testimony about His mighty works that would expose the council and lead to His release, and so that by perjury before a secret tribunal may be obtained what cannot be gained by fair means. The questions are a trap to provoke a statement usable to condemn Him. They hope to find evidence that He was secretly organizing a movement, forming a secret society, and plotting insurrection to set up a new kingdom, and so to alarm the Roman authorities.
Annas and Caiaphas want material to condemn Him on either ground: as a disturber of the peace and leader of rebellion punishable by Rome, or as a blasphemer condemnable under Jewish law. During this humiliation Peter denies knowing Jesus, even with cursing and swearing. That denial by a beloved disciple pierces Jesus more deeply than the coarse accusations, sneering questions, and reviling of the assembly.
At the same time John stays as near to Jesus as possible in a retired corner out of the mob's observation to hear and see all that transpires at the trial. He does not conceal that he is a follower of Jesus and does not mingle with the rough company that insults and mocks his Master. Because he assumes no false character he therefore lays himself under no suspicion and is not questioned.
Open Teaching and Faithful Witness
When asked about His followers and His teaching, Jesus answered that He had taught openly to the world, always in the synagogue and in the temple where the Jews gather, and had said nothing in secret. There were no secret doctrines, no hidden purpose, and no concealment about His purpose, and He therefore directed the high priest to question those who had heard Him. His counter-question, why ask Him, was a pointed rebuke that exposed their unjust, secretive methods in contrast with His public ministry. The priests and rulers already knew what He had said, for they had set spies to watch His movements, attend every gathering of the people, and report His words and deeds, after hunting Him for months to entrap Him. They had brought Him before a secret tribunal where the people had no voice in order to obtain by perjury what could not be gained by fair means.
In these proceedings He bore witness to the truth despite being treated as unjust when no sin was proven against Him. He was coarsely accused, sneeringly questioned, and reviled by the assembly in the judgment hall. Through a night of repeated insults, mockery, and scourging as He was passed from one ruler to another, He maintained His dignity and spoke only what was essential, saying nothing that failed to honor God.
He had prepared His disciples while still with them for this ordeal of betrayal and condemnation in the judgment hall. His condemnation and the crowd's rejection of Him were a great trial for His followers. During His humiliation Peter denied knowing Him, and that denial led to deep remorse and repentance, after which, restored and humbled, he could better sympathize with the weak and erring and strengthen others.
His mistreatment in this trial stands as an example of the abuse and hostile treatment His followers must be prepared to endure for His name's sake.
Annas the high priest questions Jesus about His followers who believed in Him and about His teaching and doctrine. The questioning takes place early in the morning while still dark in the high priest's judgment hall as the Sanhedrin is assembled, in the course of a night of insults, mockery and scourging as He is passed from ruler to ruler. It is not a fair inquiry after truth but a secret, mock trial kept from the people, designed as a trap to provoke some statement that would condemn Him as secretly organizing a movement and plotting insurrection to alarm Rome, or as a blasphemer under Jewish law. In answer He declares that He taught openly to the world in synagogue and temple with nothing in secret and no hidden purpose, and bids them ask those who heard Him, thereby rebuking their unjust methods when they already know His words through spies who long hunted Him to entrap Him.
Setting and Purpose of Questioning
The questioner is Annas the high priest, and his inquiry concerns both Jesus' disciples, the followers who believed in Him, and His teaching or doctrine. The questioning takes place in the high priest's judgment hall early in the morning while it is still dark and while the Sanhedrin is being assembled. It comes in the course of a night of repeated insults, mockery, and scourging as Jesus is passed from one ruler to another, where He is coarsely accused, sneeringly questioned, and reviled by the assembly.
It is not a fair inquiry after truth but a secret, mock trial held where the people have no voice. The secrecy is deliberate, so the people cannot bring testimony about His mighty works that would expose the council and lead to His release, and so that by perjury before a secret tribunal may be obtained what cannot be gained by fair means. The questions are a trap to provoke a statement usable to condemn Him. They hope to find evidence that He was secretly organizing a movement, forming a secret society, and plotting insurrection to set up a new kingdom, and so to alarm the Roman authorities.
Annas and Caiaphas want material to condemn Him on either ground: as a disturber of the peace and leader of rebellion punishable by Rome, or as a blasphemer condemnable under Jewish law. During this humiliation Peter denies knowing Jesus, even with cursing and swearing. That denial by a beloved disciple pierces Jesus more deeply than the coarse accusations, sneering questions, and reviling of the assembly.
At the same time John stays as near to Jesus as possible in a retired corner out of the mob's observation to hear and see all that transpires at the trial. He does not conceal that he is a follower of Jesus and does not mingle with the rough company that insults and mocks his Master. Because he assumes no false character he therefore lays himself under no suspicion and is not questioned.
Open Teaching and Faithful Witness
When asked about His followers and His teaching, Jesus answered that He had taught openly to the world, always in the synagogue and in the temple where the Jews gather, and had said nothing in secret. There were no secret doctrines, no hidden purpose, and no concealment about His purpose, and He therefore directed the high priest to question those who had heard Him. His counter-question, why ask Him, was a pointed rebuke that exposed their unjust, secretive methods in contrast with His public ministry. The priests and rulers already knew what He had said, for they had set spies to watch His movements, attend every gathering of the people, and report His words and deeds, after hunting Him for months to entrap Him. They had brought Him before a secret tribunal where the people had no voice in order to obtain by perjury what could not be gained by fair means.
In these proceedings He bore witness to the truth despite being treated as unjust when no sin was proven against Him. He was coarsely accused, sneeringly questioned, and reviled by the assembly in the judgment hall. Through a night of repeated insults, mockery, and scourging as He was passed from one ruler to another, He maintained His dignity and spoke only what was essential, saying nothing that failed to honor God.
He had prepared His disciples while still with them for this ordeal of betrayal and condemnation in the judgment hall. His condemnation and the crowd's rejection of Him were a great trial for His followers. During His humiliation Peter denied knowing Him, and that denial led to deep remorse and repentance, after which, restored and humbled, he could better sympathize with the weak and erring and strengthen others.
His mistreatment in this trial stands as an example of the abuse and hostile treatment His followers must be prepared to endure for His name's sake.