WEDNESDAY 12th APRIL - MARK 14:53-65

This would have been a mess.
Jesus was led/man-handled/dragged into the temple courtyard by an armed mob in order to be confronted by people who wanted him dead.
The accusations would have been loud and angry and physical and all-at-once.
It's hardly a surprise that Jesus stayed silent.
Then the high priest rose to his feet.

"Are you the Messiah?"

Any remaining voices from the crowd would have fallen silent as they waited for Jesus's answer to their key question.

"I am"

what an answer - not just 'yes' but God's name for himself.

Then a frenzy of shock, offence, violence and blood with Jesus at the centre. He was spat upon and Mark says that he was hit with fists - a few days before, Jesus had decried the behaviour of the temple traders as they had made the temple a 'den of robbers', the very same place where he was now being violently assaulted in the presence of the nation's religious leaders.

(Did they blindfold him because he could look through you? as was his custom?)

Only the full Sanhedrin of 71 members could make judgement on a false prophet. So in the midst of all this hate and violence, the religious leaders were still doing the 'right' thing by gathering the entire group together to hear the evidence about Jesus. Religion getting in the way of justice and peace and righteousness - that sounds familiar.