Luke 22:66-71 – Seeing beyond the now

At daybreak, Jesus was led into the chamber to face the hurriedly assembled Sanhedrin. This council would usually comprise of 70 members led by the High Priest who presided. Other council members included chief priests, scribes and elders of Israel. Perhaps on that morning, not all the members were there. During the time when Pontius Pilate was the governor, this council would judge all matters pertaining to the Jewish community. And matters requiring capital punishment had to be referred to the governor.

Rabbinical law also required that a trial must take place during daylight. So what they did to Jesus in the night was not legal. Hence, they had to quickly assemble at dawn to try Him legitimately. The meeting with the Sanhedrin was a mere formality. For they had already prejudged Jesus and decided that He was guilty. Jesus knew their wicked intention perfectly. Everything they asked Jesus was to nail Him. So He exposed their insincerity by not responding to them directly.

Throughout Luke's account, he had portrayed Jesus as the upcoming Messiah. His ministry clearly showed His Messiahship. The reason Jesus didn't want to entertain the Sanhedrin's request was also that He didn't want them to politicize it. Jesus' whole concern was not the trial and all their antiques. He chose rather to side step all its intrigues and humiliation and focused on what's to come. So He told them, "But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

Obviously, the Sanhedrin understood what He was saying. Picking up the term "Son of Man” they then asked Him point blank, "Are You the Son of God?" The term "Son of Man” is synonymous with "Son of God." So Jesus fearlessly and sternly responded to them with a clear "Yes I am." With that the Sanhedrin felt that they needed no further testimony to deliver the death order, so they eventually did.

Just think of it. The One who went to the cross is no ordinary person. He is the Son of God. What great hope! God the Son, He bore our sin! Throughout the trial, Jesus refused to see Himself as a victim of man's injustice. He chose to look up and see Himself in His rightful place as the Son of Man, seated gloriously enthroned at God's right hand. And according to the Apostle Paul, God has also "...raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...."

Positionally, we are already seated with Christ. Hence, we need not crumble under our circumstances. We must learn to look down at our circumstances from where we are seated. So keep looking down for we are seated in the heavenlies!