February 20, 2022 – Matthew 26:57 – 27:44

Lesson Date: February 20, 2022

Focal Scripture Passage: Matthew 26:57 – 27:44

AIM: To lead students to discover facts about Jesus’ hasty trials and crucifixion, and to thank Him for willingly going to the cross to purchase their salvation.

Before class: Read the notes on Matthew 26:57 – 27:44 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Locate a picture of a courtroom and post it on a focal wall in the classroom.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the picture of a courtroom.  Ask if any of them have ever been involved in a court trial, perhaps as a juror, witness, or as one of the key parties.  Ask: “Is a courtroom a very friendly or inviting place?” (not usually).  Stress the fact that most people who do not work in the legal system are somewhat uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings of a court of law.  A trial can be a scary and intimidating thing.

Tell the class the American justice system was designed to be fair and efficient, but in modern times it has bent over backwards to protect the rights of criminals.  In our day a person can announce he is going to commit a crime, post his intentions on social media, carry out his crime in front of TV cameras and witnesses, and confess to every detail of the crime.  In spite of all that, he can still plead not guilty, be provided with millions of dollars’ worth of publicly funded legal fees and wait years before being brought to trial for his crime.  Even if he is convicted, his case will go through more years of appeals, and he could go free on some insignificant legal technicality.  Unfortunately, swift and certain justice, the greatest deterrent to crime, seems to be a thing of the past.

Tell the students that’s not the way it was in Jesus’ day.  In last week’s lesson we discovered that Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night while praying in a garden just outside Jerusalem.  In today’s lesson we will discover that Jesus was rushed through several hasty “trials,” convicted, and executed for His supposed “crime,” all in a matter of just a few hours.  The title of today’s lesson is Jesus’ Trials and Crucifixion.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Tell the class we are nearing the end of our six-month-long study of the Gospel of Matthew.
   • In two weeks, we return to the Old Testament with a study of Deuteronomy.
   • Give everyone a copy of the Sunday School Member Quarterly for Deuteronomy.
2. Jesus’ Trial before the Jewish High Priest.
   • Read Matthew 26:57-58.
   • Ask: “Where did they take Jesus?” (to Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest; the scribes and elders were assembled there, too).
   • Ask: “What time of day was this?” (it was sometime in the middle of the night).
   • Tell the class that Jewish law prohibited trials from being held at night, but these highly educated and respected Jewish religious leaders did it anyway.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Matthew 26:59-61.
   • Ask: “According to verse 59, what was the purpose of this trial?” (to convict Jesus and sentence Him to death; see Matt. 26:3-5).
   • Ask: “What were the Jewish leaders seeking?” (false witnesses who would testify that Jesus had committed a crime).
   • Tell the students that finally, two false witnesses testified that Jesus claimed He could destroy the Jewish Temple and rebuild it in three days (John 2:19-21).
   • Read Matthew 26:62-68.
   • Explain the following:
     • The high priest pressed Jesus to answer this charge, but Jesus did not answer.
     • The high priest then placed Jesus under oath in the name of the living God to tell whether He was the Christ, the Son of God.
     • Jesus answered that He was the Son of God.
     • Jesus then said the high priest would one day see Jesus sitting on the right hand of God and coming in the clouds of heaven.
   • Ask: “How did the high priest react to Jesus’ announcement?” (he said Jesus had spoken blasphemy so there was no need to hear further witnesses).
   • Ask: “According to verse 66, what did the Jewish religious leaders say about Jesus?” (that He was guilty and must be executed).
   • Ask: “According to verses 67-68, what did these highly respected religious men do next?” (they beat and spit upon Jesus).
   • Summarize: In an illegal secret trial in the middle of the night, the high priest and other influential leaders decided that Jesus must die.
3. Jesus’ Trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin.
   • Tell the class Matthew next records Peter’s three denials of Jesus Christ (verses 69-75). That event is an important fulfillment of Jesus prophecy (Matt. 26:34), but it is not central to today’s lesson.
   • Read Matthew 27:1-2.
   • Explain the following:
     • Jewish law strictly forbid holding a trial at night, so early in the morning the religious leaders hastily assembled the Sanhedrin (the Jews’ ruling council).
     • This esteemed group officially condemned Jesus to death.
   • Ask: “Where did they take Jesus?” (to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate).
   • Tell the students under Roman occupation the Jews were not allowed to execute criminals, so they had to get Pilate, to sentence Jesus to death.
   • They took Jesus off to Pilate.
   • Summarize: In a hastily called early morning trial, the Jewish Sanhedrin officially sentenced Jesus to death.
4. Jesus’ Trial before the Roman Governor.
   • Explain the following:
     • Judas felt remorse for his actions and returned the betrayal money to the chief priests and elders.
     • They were unconcerned for his remorse.
     • Judas went out and hanged himself (those events are not central to today’s lesson).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Matthew 27:11-14.
   • Ask: “What did Pilate ask Jesus?” (are you the king of the Jews?).
   • Tell the class that Jesus’ answer, like that before the high priest, was a clear affirmative response.
   • Explain the following:
     • The chief priests and elders brought accusations against Jesus, but He refused to answer their false charges.
     • Pilate was amazed that Jesus did not defend Himself.
     • The other Gospels make it very clear that Pilate was convinced Jesus did not deserve to die (Luke 23:4, 14, 22; John 18:38; 19:4, 6).
     • Pilate knew this issue was a political “hot potato,” so he decided to turn Jesus over to the “court of public opinion.”
   • Summarize: In a trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor refused to render a verdict, so he delivered Jesus to the will of the people.
5. Jesus’ Trial before the Jewish People.
   • Read Matthew 27:15-18.
   • Explain the following:
     • There was a custom that the Roman governor would release a condemned prisoner at the Passover, as an act of benevolence.
     • Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and that the Jewish religious leaders were bringing trumped up charges against Him.
     • He gave the Jewish crowd the choice of freeing Jesus or a notorious criminal named Barabbas.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Matthew 27:19-21.
   • Ask: “According to verse 20, what did the chief priests and elders do?” (persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released).
   • Tell the class the crowd did as they were told.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Matthew 27:22-26.
   • Tell the students that Pilate asked the crowd what they wanted him to do with Jesus, and they demanded that He be crucified.
   • Ask: “What did Pilate do to show that he was innocent of Jesus’ death?” (he washed his hands in the sight of the crowd).
   • Ask: “Who claimed responsibility and bloodguilt for Jesus’ death?” (the Jews).
   • Pilate sent Jesus to be brutally beaten and crucified.
   • Summarize: In a rigged trial before the Jewish people, Jesus was sentenced to be crucified.
6. Jesus’ Crucifixion.
   • Read Matthew 27:27-44.
   • Explain the following:
     • Jesus was cruelly mocked and beaten by the Roman soldiers.
     • The Romans publicly humiliated and crucified Jesus.
     • Crucifixion was the most agonizing and degrading form of execution imaginable.
     • Two convicted thieves were crucified beside Jesus.
     • The people, the chief priests, and the thieves all mocked Jesus.
   • Summarize: Jesus endured mocking and abuse from the soldiers, the people, the chief priests, and even the other condemned criminals.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that this quarter’s study of Matthew 15 – 28 has been about Jesus’ journey to the cross.  In this lesson He finally arrived at that fateful place.

Direct the class’ attention to the picture of the courtroom.  Ask: “Was Jesus treated like someone accused of a crime today?” (absolutely not; He had no rights and no lawyer).  His “case” was rushed through, and He was executed mere hours after being arrested.

Tell the class Jesus went through mock trials, brutal scourging, and the agony of crucifixion.  Ask: “Was He guilty of any crime?” (no).  Ask: “Why did Jesus endure this terrible treatment?  Since He is God and has all power, why did He let Himself be crucified?” (to pay the price for our sins).

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell the students if they are born-again believers, they should thank Jesus Christ for dying for them on the cross.  There was no other way Holy God could forgive their sins and give them eternal life.  They should thank Jesus for enduring such terrible shame, abuse, and torture for them.  Urge them to do that now.

Tell the students if any of them are not saved, they should confess their sins and place their trust in Christ’s sacrificial death to give them salvation and everlasting life.  Jesus made it clear there is no other way to be saved.  Urge them to do that now.

Voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Matthew 26:64.  Offer to stay after class or meet after worship to talk with anyone who might have questions about being saved.