The teachers of the law were infuriated when Jesus healed a man with a paralysed hand on the Sabbath. They had been watching closely to attest if he would heal on the Sabbath. Jesus knew this but healed the man’s hand regardless. Jesus tried to explain to the reality of the matter to the Jewish Leaders. ‘What does the law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save a life or destroy It.’ nevertheless they were caught up in their pompousness and did not rely. Jesus merely pitied them. Soon after the Pharisees went to a private meeting with some of Herod’s men and started devising plans for Jesus’ death.
On another occasion Jesus was perceived to be degrading the law on the Sabbath day when the disciples and himself were seen plucking ears of corn and eating it as they walked. The law was made up of 513 points including the law of the Sabbath. Which opened up into further thirty-nine headings. The Sabbath law in Judaism held a lot of authority. This was because the majorities of the people living there were believers of the Torah and therefore took matters regarding their religious law very seriously. It was felt that it was vital for every Jewish person abided with the law and complied with it. If someone did not, they felt that God was being offended which could lead to some form of affliction on the Jewish nation. The disciples were accused of ‘reaping’ which was illegal on the Sabbath. The Pharisees became very angry at this apparent disrespect of the law and religion and said expressed their disgust ‘Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to that on the Sabbath!’
Jesus first replied by referring to a story in the Old Testament concerning King David an extremely popular former king amongst the Jewish population. This was a very smart and cunning technique of argument. He had been able to contemplate a situation and person that people could relate to, or find great difficult rejecting. He then continued to expose the awkwardness of the laws and the unsympathetic, power-hungry Pharisees by stating ‘The Sabbath was made for the sake of man not man for the sake of the Sabbath’ (2:27). Which basically means that the Sabbath was supposed to aid people not for people to be restricted by it.
I consider Jesus’ next words to be pretentious. I think it displays his human nature. I am not disagreeing about the truth of the matter I just feel it was unnecessary that he used his father’s name to gain him more status in the disagreement. ‘The Son of man is sovereign even over the Sabbath’ (2:28).
The Jewish leaders were incensed by the actions Jesus displayed and the mixed atmosphere he left. They feared the Jewish community might be turned into turmoil, which other than causing unrest could anger the Romans; which could lead to the little authority they had managed to build up being seized from them. The Jewish leaders wanted to gain power and authority over their people not to loose it and with Jesus around the future looked unpredictable.
It could only be a matter of time before the prevalent peoples of the society ensured Jesus had a fatal downfall. The calculated plan commenced with Jesus’ unjustifiable arrest. Which as planned lead to a trial where Jesus would be dammed by whatever means necessary.
The trial was very unjust for a number of reasons. Jesus was arrested in Gethesmane during his prayer. It was during the night and Jesus was defenceless and vulnerable. A law had already been broken because Jesus was arrested at night by group of rowdy, aggressive, mercilessly soldiers. The law boldly stated ‘ No trial to be held at night or on the eve of a feast.’
Jesus was brought before the council otherwise known as the Sanhedrin. It constituted around seventy people. It was composed of elders of priestly families, teachers. The Sandherin were desperate to condemn Jesus of some commodity. The Sanhedrin allowed many witnesses with ridiculous or exaggerated truths to testify. An example of these fabrications was told by a group of men. They claim they heard Jesus boast, ‘ I will tear down this temple which men have made, and I will build one that is not made by man.’ Jesus had mentioned something similar (in 13:2) where he had foreseen the devastation of the temple. However he had not actually stated that he was going to conduct the destruction. I believe Jesus was talking metaphorically not literally; the temple he spoke of I believe, is his body and the three days is his resurrection. Neither the group nor anybody else was able to make their testimony believable. The charges were dropped yet the trial continued. This was a flagrant violation of the law. The law boldly stated that
‘ Trial to end if there were disagreement between witnesses’ this did the happen.
The Sanhedrin were becoming increasingly frustrated and angered because to spite all they’re hard work they could find no evidence against Jesus. Finally the High priest asked the all-important question ‘ Are you the Messiah, the sun of the blessed God?
’ Jesus sincerely answered ‘ I am and you will all see the Son of Man seated on the right of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven.’
With that the High priest ripped his robes (which displays he has just witnesses blasphemy) and cried Blasphemy. Jesus’ comment was ambiguous; as a result it has to be looked into in depth.
Blasphemy means ‘ irreverent talk or treatment of a religious or sacred thing.’ In Christian terms means insulting God or lying about him. In the torah it said is blasphemy is when God is cursed. Jesus did not curse God, the Sanhedrin could argue that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah which could be considered wrong but not actually against the law. Jesus did not actually commit blasphemy and the Sanhedrin knew this but they were so desperate to convict Jesus that they were prepared to act in a despicable way and break many laws.
Jesus was then sentenced to death, which broke yet another law because ‘No prisoner can be sentenced on the same day of a trial’; the High priest did this. Although they did not have enough power to administer it himself.
The trial seems very unjust and unfair from the surface. But if you look into the matter in depth you notice that maybe it was needed. The trial led to Jesus’ death. I believe that Jesus’ sacrifice gave us freedom. Jesus took our sins upon himself when he died.
However for the actual conspiracy to continue, and Jesus’ somewhat horrific prophecy to transpire, the chief Priests has to deliver Jesus to a higher more powerful authority who could condemn him to death. Jesus was brought before Pilate weak and fragile. By now number of false accusations had increased; he was now accused of three crimes.
- Claiming to be King of the Jews – which is untrue and a misuse of his words. Jesus actually said ‘ I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated on the right of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven’ The Pharisees and Chief Priests fabricated this to make it a more serious allegation. Hoping that Pilate will see it as undermining his authority.
- Telling people not to pay their taxes – another lie aimed to anger Pilate whom the Pharisees hoped will increase the probability of Pilate giving Jesus a death penalty.
- Misleading the Jewish People – aimed to show Pilate that Jesus is calculated and dangerous. And could cause a colossal amount of unrest amongst the Jewish peoples and in turn difficulties for the Romans and himself. This worked and Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas who was in-charge where Jesus lived.
Herod Antipas was baffled and could not find Jesus guilty of any crimes, so simply sent him back to Pilate.
Pilate could not establish what all the hysteria was about see and did not care about what Jesus was doing or about Jesus on a whole. It was not Pilate’s religion, he merely wanted to keep the peace by avoiding the start up of riots and keeping the Jews as restricted as possible without rebellion. Pilate washed his hands of the predicament, which had been placed upon him literally and metaphorically. He asked for a bowl of water and bathed his hand before the crowd ‘ I am not responsible for this mans death, this is your doing’. Pilate then allowed the biast crowd to choose between the murderer Barabbas and Jesus. Jesus was sentenced to crucifixion.
Pilate acted cowardly and immaturely to the predicament placed before him. However he did not particularly care he probably just saw the matter as a minor, foolish Jewish problem that was spiralling out of control. By the act of washing his hands he felt he was washing Jesus’ blood of his conscience.
The actions of pilot had a huge impact for Jesus future on earth. Jesus was later crucified. Jesus was crucified and nailed to the crossbeam he then suffocated to death. Just before his death Jesus uttered ‘Eli, Eli, Lema Sabacthani’ which translates to ‘My God my God why have you forsaken me.’ With that the curtain hanging in the temple were torn in two from top to bottom. And strange weather occurred. The God that was hidden is now revealed. The death of Jesus ends where the gospel began with a clear statement that Jesus is the Son of God.
I believe the answer to the question ‘According to mark why did various groups want Jesus dead’ is because they had to fulfil the prophecy. Jesus had to undergo hardship and hostility. The various groups in society that wanted him dead may have been placed there, in various shapes and forms by fate. There is a possibility that if the events leading to Jesus death had not transpired as they had, Jesus may not have been able to save us from our sins and therefore not been able to be seated at the right hand side ‘Of The Father.’