Day 14 :: No Shortcuts
“Again the high priest questioned him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus, ‘and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”
Mark 14:61-62(53-65)
We all like to take shortcuts. Maybe because it’s faster, or makes things feel less difficult or more comfortable. But Jesus knew that in God’s kingdom, there are no shortcuts, and the path to His glory required suffering.
Jesus’ journey the night before his crucifixion is often referred to as the Via Dolorosa, or the “Way of Suffering”. From his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, to his trial before the Sanhedrin (Jewish court) then back and forth between Pilate (Roman governor) and Herod (Jewish King) and ultimately to the cross at Golgotha. Jesus didn’t only suffer on the cross, he suffered every step of the journey.
“Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.” (v55)
Today, along this journey, we look at his “trial” before the Jewish council, to the high priest. Desperate to get rid of this guy, the Jewish leaders held a joke of a trial to try to accuse this sinless man. They twist his words, and even bring in false witnesses, but they still could not even agree on a solid story or identify any legitimate accusation. Finally, the high priest asks him directly about who he is. For the first time in his earthly life, Jesus publicly and clearly reveals his identity.
“Again the high priest questioned him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus, ‘and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” (v61-62)
Mark records a number of titles and phrases that we might be quick to read over without much thought, but these words were intentional and their meaning would have been clearly understood by these Old Testament scholars.
“Christ”- the promised Messiah, the Rescuer of Israel
“Son of the Blessed”- claiming to share the worship that was only meant for God Himself
“Son of Man”- The eternal King who will return in the clouds (prophecy from Daniel 7)
“Right Hand of the Mighty One”- place of supreme authority (He quotes Psalm 110, claiming that He Himself is the one to fulfill the prophesy of the forever king, priest, and judge)
“I am”- the self-existent God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush.
“’You have heard the blasphemy!’ ... And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. (v64)
There is no question that Jesus is claiming to be God, which for any mere human was an offense deserving of death by Jewish law. But he knew His listeners would refuse to believe that this was true of Him. So, when Jesus made these claims, he was fully aware that it would result in his suffering and death. They began to spit, hit, and mock as they prepared to lead him to Pilate.
Jesus’ call was to suffer. Every beating he received was necessary payment for my sin. Every abuse He endured was effective in producing my salvation. He was willing to be obedient because he knew the end of the story. He knew he would rise, and He will one day return in glory. One day, even His accusers will confess that He is Lord.
Christ called his followers to the same. But his disciples wanted a shortcut. They wanted the kingdom without the suffering.
“But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.” (v54)
Peter thinks he can stand by passively as Jesus is shamed and abused. But he would later choose to embrace this call and give his life in suffering for Jesus. And his letters are filled with encouragement for us to follow Jesus down the Via Dolorosa.
“Rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.”
(1 Peter 4:13)
What does it look like for us to share in Jesus’ suffering? It may include persecution for claiming Jesus is God. But most often it is the daily denying of self and turning from our idols, and that feels like suffering. Every bit of our suffering is working toward our sanctification and joy. We can walk the daily road because we keep our eyes on Jesus - because we know the end of the story. He is coming again to reign as the rightful, eternal King. If his glory is the goal, there are no shortcuts.
Passages to read: Mark 14:53-65, Matthew 26:57-68, Luke 22:66-71
A thought to remember: Jesus did not take any shortcuts on the path to my salvation
A question to ask: Where am I trying to shortcut the path of suffering that God may be using to draw me closer to Him?
A song to sing: Via Dolorosa