Daily Devotional – I’m Normal.™ I AM Ministries
“To promote Godly living in a culture committed to destroying it”
Friday, February 19, 2016
Cutting Words
Hebrews 4:12 tells us “The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.” Jesus Christ, Himself the Word of the LORD, living and active, demonstrated this principle in His encounter with Annas in John Chapter 18. Deprived of sleep and having just been arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus made a mockery of His phony-baloney trial before Annas, His first trial of the night.
Once Jesus was in the hands of Roman soldiers, the Jews fretted over their need to act quickly in dispatching Him. In Truth, they needed to act quickly or Scripture would not be fulfilled; however, fulfilling Scripture never entered their minds. It became clear rapidly that they intended to invert due process. Instead of an honest and fair trial, they first decided Jesus was guilty – in other words, they inverted the process, starting by selecting the punishment (death) and verdict (guilty). Next, the next hurdle was to find charges sufficient to pronounce a death sentence under Roman law. They needed Annas, the high priest, to pronounce the judgment.
Traditionally, the high priest was a descendent of Aaron, the tribe of Levi, and a man appointed to the position by God. During the Roman era, however, the rules of God were corrupted. The position of high priest was open to anyone – as long as you were the highest bidder. This condition meant only men of substantial wealth and power could ascend to the position because it required bribing Roman officials. Along with your money, you also had to provide cooperation and collaboration in order to keep the peace between the Romans and the Jews. It was a complicated, sordid, and political position.
Annas was a wealthy priest. He had been in the position for nine years before stepping down, systematically increasing his wealth each year through unsavory means. Officially, Annas was “retired”; however, once a high priest, always a high priest, and Annas retained the title even though his son-in-law Caiaphas was the official high priest that particular year.
Annas’ questioning of Jesus carried a big responsibility – he needed to extract information the Romans would consider serious enough to punish by death. He no doubt used all of his authority while questioning Jesus, acting pompously and haughtily to exaggerate his Earthly position. He asked Jesus, “Whom have you been teaching?” We can imagine Annas all decked out in his priestly garments and his voice dripping with condescension, trying to intimidate the sinless, exhausted prisoner.
Annas probably anticipated a timid reply from a distraught man in fear of his life. A person in Jesus’ unusual position should be frightened – trials in the middle of the night were highly irregular and implied certain guilt. However, fear and cowering from the prisoner were not what Annas experienced. Jesus Christ, the LORD of the Universe, was not the least bit intimidated by Annas, who was one of His creations. Instead, clearly and directly, Jesus answered that He had spoken openly to the world.
In the blink of an eye, the mockery roles shifted. No longer was Annas mocking Jesus, Jesus was mocking Annas. Jesus’ answer implied dereliction of duty on Annas’ behalf. Jesus implied, “Why ask me? Where have you been all these months? Where have you been this past week when I spoke to all comers in the temple? Are you doing your job Mr. High Priest or have you been derelict in your duties? As former religious leader, it’s your responsibility to be aware of what’s being taught on temple property. Now you’re telling me you don’t know what’s been going on? Perhaps you should spend less time with the Romans and more time in the temple. Shame on you! You didn’t bother to observe the recent happenings? You didn’t even bother to send someone else to see what I was doing? Are you fit for your position? Are you fit to be trying me?”
Jesus’ response cut through Annas like a double-edged sword. Jesus destroyed Annas, the high priest, in a short, one-sided verbal contest. Annas’s face must have blushed as red as humanly possible at the supreme embarrassment Jesus bestowed upon him. With their leader exposed and vulnerable, the tension of Annas’ compatriots in the room must have been palpable. Then suddenly, the anger erupted almost volcanically when one official could no longer control his frustration and anxiety and slapped Jesus in the face. What an embarrassing admission of losing control for those who had thought they were firmly in charge!
The physical abuse stopped quickly. However, everyone in the room knew that to hit an unarmed prisoner, yet uncharged of a crime and yet unproved of guilt, was a crime in itself. Conveniently, Annas did not press charges against the rogue official. Rather, he conceded defeat and sent Jesus to Caiaphas, Annas’ his son-in-law, to see if he might have better luck.
Jesus proved it was normal for the Word of God to cut through anything, just as a double-edged sword penetrates all. Jesus was not intimidated by the trappings or the authority of the makeshift kangaroo court. Jesus knew He was still in control and that His words could still control the situation because He spoke the Truth, and the Truth will conquer all. The Truth of God’s Word still rings true today, even though many deny it just as Annas and other Pharisees denied the Truth Jesus spoke. Nothing cuts quite like God’s Word. Such a weapon is normal to use and foolish to ignore. How will you use His Truth today?
In His love and service,
Jeff Myers
A servant of Jesus Christ
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