01/12/2021 - HE TORE THE WRONG THING

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Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? Mark 14.63

In the days of the Law, people tore their clothes in protest, because of an illness or an affront – as did the ruler of the synagogue. Today, many mock the Gospel and in so doing seal their eternal fate. Why would anyone act like this when we are all already born going to the lake of fire and brimstone? Well, Jesus’ death and the consequent shedding of His blood save us from this damnation. But there are those who seem not understand what they are doing.

Poor authority! Jesus only said Who He was, because He was asked by him. However, that man made a theater of it, tearing his clothes, as if the answer given by Christ was an aberration. He left the Son of God no choice. If Christ did not say so, He would be held accountable for not speaking the truth. When he heard the answer from the Lord’s mouth, he should have accepted Him as his Savior and Lord immediately.

The priest should have done better, believing in Jesus and prostrating himself at His feet to be forgiven, but he preferred to say that this was blasphemy. Some are not sincere, because they are afraid of being persecuted by the wicked. Let us do the will of the Father, for in so doing, we honor Him. There will not be another more important moment in your life than this one to accept the Lord – being saved from Hell. God is good!

That churchman said that he needed no further proof, because the “impostor” had declared himself to be the Son of God. Those poor souls that made up the fateful council had the Scriptures. They read them, without believing them. Many people in the church act like that. Then, when a serious trial comes, they say they don’t understand the Lord, claiming that they live according to Him, in a very “correct” manner. “How does He allow these things to happen to us?” – they inquire. Watch and pray!

Orthodox Jews did not accept the fact that Jesus was the Son of God, because He would be God Himself. In several biblical passages, God is spoken of in the plural, as in the creation of man: Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth  (Genesis 1.26). Now, to whom was God talking?

The chief priest could have asked for proof from the Scriptures – to believe, but he didn’t, nor did the Lord offer it. After all, he knew that Jesus was the Messiah. There is no way for a sincere person to look at the Bible, read a text, and say that he has learned nothing from reading it. The Holy Spirit always bears witness to the Truth, convincing of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16.8). Those who play blind to the Word continue to be without the light of revelation!

We cannot be angry with the Jews for the fact that they killed the Lord. In fact, that is exactly why He came into the world. In His death, we gain life, salvation, and the other blessings that do us so much good. When Abraham proved his love for God, to the point of giving his son, the Most High was pleased, because He would also do the same to save us (John 3.16). 

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares