Good Friday: What Jesus Felt the Day He Died
There were at least 21 different laws that were violated in conducting these 6 trials throughout the night against Jesus. The following are seven of the most important:
No legal transactions, including a trial, could be conducted at night.
It was illegal for judges to participate in the arrest of the accused. (John 18:3 John 18:28)
They struck Jesus during the trials: It was illegal to strike the accused during a trial. The use of violence during the trial was apparently unopposed by the judges. (John 18:22,23)
In a Jewish court, the accused assumed to be innocent, until proved guilty by two or more witnesses. The Jews failed to find two witnesses who could agree on what Jesus had done. (Mark 14:59 Matt 18:63)
When it was discovered that the witnesses had disagreed on their testimony, the prisoner should have been released, and all charges dropped. (Mark 14:56-59)
A guilty verdict was rendered against Jesus without any evidence. (John 18:30)
The voting process to condemn Jesus was illegal. It should have been by roll call, with the youngest voting first. Here they all voted together at the same time. (Matthew 26:66)
Although the Jewish leadership clearly violated their own laws, Jesus never once opened His mouth to defend Himself. Amazingly, Isaiah predicted that this would happen more than 600 years before Jesus was born.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
