And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
Lk. 23.10
Sometimes the function of verses in our bible can isolate a thought, event or observation in such a way so as to make us stop and meditate. Whilst not inspired, the effect is very helpful.
Luke 23.10 is one such case. What an entirely extraordinary line. How utterly preposterous.
Chief Priests
Oversight of religious worship in 1st century Jerusalem had become full of bureaucracy and the chief priests were one of the chief by-products. Possessing oversight for a range of temple functions they acted as middle managers with all the air of importance that their title gave them. The Lord Jesus was a threat to their position and power.
Scribes
Oversight of religious and civilian law on the other hand was the responsibility of the scribe. Whereas we might see a scribe as someone who sits at a desk with paper and quill, the 1st century scribe was often far more influential and essential to the rule of law. Like modern day lawyers, their responsibilities lay with knowing the law inside and out. This meant they must be thoroughly educated. There were two schools, with two extremes of interpretation. The one taught exact application of the letter of the law making the law a moralistic burden. The other taught inexact application of the letter and spirit of the law depriving the law of its intrinsic moral value. The Lord Jesus was not educated or discipled in either school. He neither perpetuated the traditions of the former group nor condoned the abuses of the latter. The Lord Jesus was a threat to both because He spoke with His own authority, the authority of the original law giver.
Vehemently Accused
These men stood and vehemently accused the Saviour. Verse 2 gives the background to their accusations.
We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.
What brazen hypocrisy. Apparently Christ was misleading the nation. The exact opposite was true. Apparently Christ was promoting tax evasion and civil disobedience. The exact opposite was true. Apparently Christ’s claim to be Messiah was unfounded. The exact opposite was true.
Their accusation was vehement. With vigour. They went in hard. It was now or never. Their way of life was in jeopardy, their power was in the balance, and this was after all, their hour and the power of darkness (Lk. 22.53). Wicked men. Wicked hearts. Preposterous behaviour.
Him
They accused Him. Oh what is bound up in those three letters. The fullness of the Godhead bodily. The Lord of Hosts incarnate. The perfect co-equal Son. The Just. Surely He will speak, surely He will cause the ground to swallow them up, surely the right thing to do was to consign these men to eternal damnation. Oh the self-control of Christ in those moments. He permitted them breath to vent their bitter hatred, to verbalise their worst, to smear and vilify The Son of God. The glory and majesty of His manhood in those moments should cause us stand as well. To stand in worship and with similar fervour and passion, adore Him and praise Him.
His be the Victor’s name,
who fought the fight alone;
triumphant saints no honour claim;
His conquest was their own.By weakness and defeat
He won a glorious crown,
trod all our foes beneath His feet
by being trodden down.He Satan’s pow’r laid low;
Samuel Whitelock Gandy
made sin, He sin o’erthrew;
bowed to the grave, destroyed it so,
and death, by dying, slew.
