Allegations Against the Son of God

“Christ before Pilate” in the style of Hieronymous Bosch (c. 1520), Princeton University Art Museum (RKDimages – Artwork No. 250254) (PD-Art, PD-Old)

The religious hierarchy of Christ’s day feared His power and envied His influence.

“Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do?  For this Man works many signs.  If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation’ ” (John 11: 47-48).

“But Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’  For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy” (Mark 15: 9-10).

For that reason, they sought repeatedly to entrap Christ, ultimately resorting to false accusations against Him.

That He Plotted the Destruction of the Temple

“Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days” ‘ ” (Matt. 26: 59-61).

That He Disrespected Abraham

“Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.  But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God.  Abraham did not do this’ ” (John 8: 39).

“Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM’ ” (John 8: 58).

That He Defiled the Sabbath

“Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked...For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath” (John 5: 8-9, 16).

“And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath’ ” (Mark 2: 27-28).

That His Kingship Was a Threat to Rome

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here’ ” (John 18: 36).

That He Committed Blasphemy by Forgiving Sin

“Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed.  When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’  And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, ‘This Man blasphemes!’ “(Matt. 9: 2-3).

That He Committed Blasphemy by Claiming to Be God

” ‘I and My Father are one’… The Jews answered Him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God’ ” (John 10: 30).

“Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ Jesus said, ‘I am…’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?’ And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death” (Mark 14: 61-64).

So the sinless Lamb of God went to the cross to save us from sin.

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