John the apostle wrote concerning Jesus how, “Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Are not you also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, said, Did not I see you in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew”, and in chapter eighteen and verse twenty-eight of his book John shared how the high priests and officers led, “Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment” where we read:
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
The verse reads, “Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment:” John began with the words, “Then led they” which means “at that time they, the servants and officers of the high priest, guided, carried and brought” “Jesus from Caiaphas” or “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation apart and separate from Caiaphas whose name means as comely and was the high priest of the Jews appointed to that office by Valerius Gratus, governor of Judaea, after removal of Simon, son of Camith, A.D. 18” “unto the hall of judgment” which means “to the Praetorium or palace in which the governor or procurator of a province resided”. John shared how the men who arrested Jesus took Him from “Caiaphas'” location to the Roman palace known as the “Praetorium” to be judged by the Roman official.
The verse goes on to say, “and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled;” John continued with the words, “and it was early” or “and the time was early in the morning or at day break”; “and they themselves” which means “and the servants, officers, priests and high priests” “went not into the judgment hall” or “did not enter the Praetorium”, “lest they should be defiled” which means “or otherwise the servants, officers, priests and high priests would be sullied, contaminated and soiled with sins”: “but that they might eat the passover” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover so the servants, officers, priests and high priests would be able to consume and devour the sacred passover meal or paschal sacrifice where a lamb the Israelites were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan (the first month of their year) in memory of the day on which their fathers, preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing the blood, might pass over their dwellings”. John shared how the ones who arrested and held Jesus captive took Him early in the morning to the “Praetorium”, however, they would not enter the place because doing so would “soil them with sins”, and they would not be able to partake of the “passover meal”.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn not only how these wicked men led Jesus to the “Praetorium” to be judged by the Roman government, but also how pretentious they were for “defiling” themselves with sin and thereby would not be able to participate in “passover”. They had the “Son of God, Jesus, the sacrificial lamb of God” with them who came to die for the sins of the world, and rather than be concerned over Him, they were afraid they would “stain themselves” with the “sins” of the “judgment hall” and would not be allowed to receive “passover”. Regardless of their misguided attitudes and actions, Jesus came to the world to go through this process and be the “sacrificial lamb of God” on behalf of all mankind. He was to be judged, tortured and crucified so people may have a personal relationship with God. Those who carefully examine all Jesus endured so they might be saved should yield their lives to Him and be more concerned with their relationship with Him than whether they would be “defiled” by entering some place.
Next time John shares how Pilate asks, “what accusation bring you against this man?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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