When they pick and choose what from God’s word they will apply and what they will put behind their back.  That’s true in Israel as Jesus faces trial.  It’s true in the church today.  Every leadership scandal in the church is not because God’s word fails, it’s because leaders fail to be godly by leading under God and by his word.  It’s when leaders decide right and wrong for themselves, when they pick and choose what from God’s word they live by and what they ignore. Pray for your church leaders that they never fall into that trap.  

What were Israel supposed to be?  What was God’s design for them, God’s purpose in redeeming them and calling them?  They were supposed to be God’s people, in God’s place, enjoying life under God’s rule.  As they did that they’d be a beacon to the nations, standing out from them like a brightly lit city on a hill.  They were to be a nation that under God’s law were marked by justice, generous care for the oppressed and marginalised, and love for God shown in love for humanity made in his image.  They were to be a just, generous, gracious, holy people in the image of the God who dwelt among them.

As Jesus (Matthew 26v57)is led mob handed to Caiaphas the High priest we see all the leaders of Israel gathered together.  Just think about who’s there.  The High Priest whose privileged position made him overseer of the work of the all the priests who served God, maintained the temple and performed sacrifices.  The High Priest alone could enter the holy of holies once a year and offer atonement sacrifices for himself and for the people, so they could be forgiven for their sin and be right with God.

The teachers of the law were exactly that.  They studied God’s law.  They maintained it and taught it to the people.  And the elders were older men who represented the people and exercised authority and leadership over them.

Why does Matthew list them as they gather?  Because you’d expect the leaders of God’s people to be godly.  To lead according to God’s law.  God is a God of justice and righteousness so the leaders of his people should pursue justice and righteousness.  Their authority comes not from themselves but from God’s word applied to the situations they see.

But (59)highlights the corruption of Israel.  What were they doing as they gathered?  “looking for false evidence against Jesus so they could be him to death.”  The verdict has been decided the only question is can they find evidence to support their conviction?

That verse throws a floodlight onto the hypocrisy of the leaders of God’s people, the depths to which they’ve sunk.

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