Basic HTML Version
Bethesda and the Sanhedrin
121
He who has given light to all, He who has followed the soul with
tender entreaty, seeking to win it from sin to holiness, is in one its
advocate and judge. He who through all the ages has been seeking
[134]
to wrest the captives from the deceiver’s grasp, is the one who will
pass judgment on every soul.
Because He has tasted the dregs of human affliction and tempta-
tion, and understands the frailties of men; because He has withstood
the temptations of Satan and will deal justly and tenderly with the
souls that His own blood has been poured out to save—because of
this, the Son of man is appointed to execute judgment.
But “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 3:17
. And
before the Sanhedrin Jesus declared, “He that heareth My word, and
believeth Him that sent Me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into
judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.” RV.
Resurrection of Life
“The hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear
His voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resur-
rection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
judgment.” RSV.
The only light that can lighten the gloom of the grave was shining
upon Israel. But self-will is blind. Jesus had violated the traditions
of the rabbis, and they would not believe.
The time, the place, the intensity of feeling that pervaded the
assembly combined to make the words of Jesus before the Sanhedrin
the more impressive. The highest religious authorities of the nation
were seeking the life of Him who declared Himself the restorer
of Israel. The Lord of the Sabbath was arraigned to answer the
charge of breaking the Sabbath. His judges looked on Him with
astonishment and rage, but His words were unanswerable. He denied
the right of priests and rabbis to interfere with His work. He refused
to plead guilty to their charges or be catechized by them.
[135]
Instead of apologizing, Jesus rebuked the rulers for their igno-
rance of the Scriptures. He declared that they had rejected the Word
of God, inasmuch as they had rejected Him whom God had sent. “Ye