Abandoned at the Gate

Because Jesus Christ is willing to be tried before the gate, you and I will never have to be tried before the gate of heaven. Because Jesus Christ is condemned by man's injustice, we never need fear being condemned by heaven's justice. Because Jesus Christ experienced the wrath of unrighteous men, we never fear facing the wrath of a righteous God. In Jesus' trial, he suffered many injustices.

In fact, for much of his life, he was mistreated, falsely accused, and considered an enemy by the people in power. The good news of the Gospel is that all Jesus' suffering, anguish, and pain was for our benefit. Jesus suffered all these things predicted by King David for our benefit.

Thanks for joining us today here on Wisdom for the Heart. Today, Stephen Davey wraps up a series from the Psalms by looking at Psalm 69 in a lesson that he's calling Abandoned at the Gate. Here's Stephen with today's Bible lesson. Well, in our last study, I paraphrased the words of John Phillips, the British expositor, in his exposition of Psalm 69. He said, in the Gospels, we have the facts about Christ and his suffering. But in Psalm 69, we have the feelings of Christ and his suffering. So we began our look at just a couple of prophetic phrases from this messianic psalm, a psalm that points to the coming Messiah. And we noted in our last study how verses 1 to 3 begin to reveal the deep anguish in the heart of our Lord and his lonely weeping. He writes, David does save me, O God, for the waters have threatened my life.

Literally, they've come up to my neck. I've sunk in deep mire and there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters and a flood overflows me.

Let me add that nowhere does this take place than in the garden. You study our Lord's ministry before the crucifixion, nothing quite like the Garden of Gethsemane to fulfill what he writes here in verse 3. I am weary with my crying.

My throat is parched. My eyes fail while I wait for God. You know, we tend to have a picture in our minds of the Lord in the garden. It's a picture that is made famous by Heinrich Hoffmann in the 1800s, 1890, who painted a picture of Jesus in the garden. And he's praying rather calmly. But if you go into the Gospel by Matthew and you read that account, you discover that Jesus is literally falling to the ground. And he prays, and the imperfect tense is used there, which means he falls to the ground and he prays, and he gets up and he staggers a few more steps, and he falls down again and he prays, and he gets up and he staggers for a few more steps, and he falls down and he prays. Hebrews chapter 5 refers more than likely to that event in his life where it informs us that Jesus prayed with loud crying and tears.

He feels the injustice of these unfolding events, and he is, yes, fully God, but he is also fully human, and he agonizes over his abandonment. David prophetically hints at that unjust proceeding against him. Look down at verse 11. When I made sackcloth my clothing, that is literally stripped and now covered with that which signifies mourning and anguish.

When was that? Verse 11 tells us, when I became a byword to them. That idea is someone who's being mocked and ridiculed and insulted. Well, those who sit at the gate talk about me. So he contextualizes this particular agonizing moment when he is mocked and ridiculed by those at the gate.

That gives us a big clue. The gate is a reference to those in leadership. In the cities in that day, those of you who've been to Israel, you have been to the gate. It's the administrative center, and those who held positions of authority were those represented by the gate.

The highest authority in Israel, of course, was the Sanhedrin and the high priest that carried out their verdict. The gate would be a place then where justice and truth was supposed to be upheld. But for our Lord, those at the gate are abandoning him. Those at the gate are insulting him.

They're mocking him. So I wanted to pause and retrace those particular steps in the Gospels. Turn to John 18. John 18.

Hold your finger in Psalm 69. Look at verse 12. We're told in verse 12, and I'll summarize, that they lead him from the garden.

They've arrested him. And they're taking him, verse 13, to Annas first, for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest, that year. Now it isn't hard, by the way, to understand why Annas wanted to see Jesus. He was the most powerful man in Jerusalem.

He'd served as the high priest 20 years earlier, still basically had control over virtually everything religious. Annas controlled the temple system, and we studied that in our last discussion. You remember where he basically controlled the marketplace of the temple, where the system—and it was actually conceived of and developed by Annas, extorted from, for the most part, poverty-stricken people, somewhere around $400 million a year at Passover.

Remember? The fees that it cost to get in, and then the temple livestock that they would have to purchase. And Jesus was the one who earlier had come into the temple, tipped it all over, scattered everybody, even the livestock, and made the statement that this house had been converted into a den of what?

Thieves. Well, Annas is in charge of this den of thieves. And so in this highly irregular procedure, he wants to crack at Jesus before anybody else gets at him. And eventually, after a little interrogation where the Lord basically challenges him, he will be taken to the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin, often called the 71, composed of 23 priests and 23 elders and 23 scribes and the appointed high priest, and then the Roman appointment, who served sort of as a puppet. It's interesting that in Mark chapter 14, Jesus is effectively telling the disciples, he says that he has to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and the chief priests and the scribes. What he's effectively telling them is, I'm going to stand before the Sanhedrin so that they can kill me, he says in Mark 14. Now in the chaos of all of this, he's taken out of the garden, Annas has a crack at him and Jesus challenges him.

I may refer to that in a moment or two. But then the Sanhedrin has gathered. The Sanhedrin is effectively the Supreme Court of Israel. And they have laws that they follow and these laws are to uphold their system of justice. And yet when David writes in Psalm 69 that he will bear injustice and shame will cover his face by these at the gate, he's talking about the Messiah will one day stand before the authorities of Israel and be dishonored. And it is a rather interesting process that I believe will only shed more light on the preciousness of our Savior. So let me briefly cover for you several violations of Hebrew law whereby the Sanhedrin met with Jesus and we'll touch down on a few gospel accounts. Let me give you several laws that they violated.

There are more but I'm going to whittle it down to four or five. Number one, it was against Jewish law for any trial to be held at night secretly. Which is exactly what Jesus is pointing out to Annas as he's being interrogated. In fact, if you look at verse 20 of John 18, find your way there.

And the high priest, Annas, is questioning Jesus about his teaching. And Jesus answers him and he says this, I have spoken openly to the world. There is a subtle statement there. What I have said is in the open, right? It's all out in the open. There are no secrets here.

All out there for everyone to see. I spoke nothing in secret. And then he comes around and he says, why do you question me? And there is the implication that he's saying, I've spoken in the open.

Why are you questioning me in secret? This is a violation of the law. He doesn't say that because he's not going to defend himself. But it's implicit.

Secondly, another law they violate is that they never required the accused to speak. And I just want to put a pause here for just a moment. Let me pause this. What is the greatest insult you have ever received? What is the greatest insult you've ever had to endure? What is your deepest injury against your character, your person, your body?

What's your greatest injury? What accusations have you had thrown at you that you knew were not close to the truth? Doesn't the desire to speak on your behalf come to mind?

Doesn't the desire to eventually get around to where they take a breath and you say, well, let me tell you, and you set the record straight? Jesus Christ here in this scene in the middle of the night is in the right, but he is willing to be wronged and he remains silent. But back to a theme that I'm tracing in this Messianic Psalm.

How did he feel about this? Well, don't turn back because I don't want to lose your place. But here's what David writes in Psalm 69 verse 17. Oh, ransom me because of my enemies. Thou dost know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor. All my adversaries are in front of me.

That's how he felt. And the third law they violate is the law that two witnesses have to agree exactly in their testimony. And with that in mind, I want you to notice the horror of this text. Look at verse 59.

Go back to verse 59. Now the chief priest and the whole council, that is the entire Sanhedrin, kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order that they might put him to death. They're trying to find somebody to lie.

The trouble is, Mark's Gospel informs us that many were giving false testimony, but their testimony was not consistent. I mean, where do you get reliable witnesses at midnight? Who will be willing to enter into an illegal trial and lie consistent?

I mean, where can you find good guys like that? They can't find them. And they're trying. The entire council has set aside their role of defense so they can kill him. Another law is violated.

Fourthly, the Sanhedrin was not allowed to demand that the accused incriminate himself. Now we call that today, we actually do that too. It's called pleading the what? The fifth.

How many of you have done that? Don't raise your hand. That was a joke, okay? Hebrew law allowed Jesus to remain silent.

You weren't required to incriminate yourself. Now it's at this moment that Caiaphas does something unusual. This is basically his last chance against Jesus before dawn. If you look at the last part of verse 63, the high priest said to him, I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God. Now what Caiaphas does here is he places Jesus under oath and he sets due process aside and demands that Jesus incriminate himself. Now, Jesus could have remained silent.

This is an illegal requirement, but it is only now where Jesus speaks. And I want to tell you ahead of time, just as he had earlier helped the soldiers identify him in the garden so they could arrest him, just as he willingly had allowed Judas to come and give him a kiss, so he is now going to literally help the Sanhedrin condemn himself. And now he speaks, verse 64. Jesus said to him, you have said it yourself.

Well, what did he say? Go back to verse 53. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the anointed Messiah, the Son of God. And Jesus said, you got it right. It's exactly who I am. And now what he does is go even further than that. He adds, verse 64, nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Here's what he's saying. Not only am I the Son of God, like you said, the anointed Messiah, which, by the way, you are rejecting. I am the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy. I am the Son of Man.

I am effectively the fulfillment of every messianic song this nation has been singing for centuries. And by claiming that title, Son of Man, he is saying, I am going to come, the Prince of God one day, back to earth and judge humanity. Why is he saying that? He's helping them. Condemn them. Because that's why he came.

Jesus in his speaking then gives them cause to claim he is blaspheming, claiming to be God in the flesh. This midnight illegal courtroom drama reveals to me the amazing, unstoppable love and purpose of Christ in fulfilling the plan of our triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit, to come to earth, to bear our sins in his body on the tree. And he doesn't allow himself to go free at this point. It's time.

And he hands them what they want. There's a fifth law the Sanhedrin violates. Here it is. The death penalty by the Sanhedrin could only be delivered after the court spent an entire day fasting and praying. Jewish records reveal that none of the 71 were to eat anything or drink anything. And that sort of symbolized the Supreme Court's agony over the future of a man condemned to die. But for this Sanhedrin, you notice how immediate the verdict is? The high priest calls for a vote. Look at verse 66. He asks the court, what do you think? And they answered and said, he is deserving of death. Not even a brief prayer to media.

No deliberation, no fasting or praying for wisdom, not here. So here's what happens next, verse 67. Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists. And others slapped him and said, prophesy to us, you Christ. Who is the one who hit you?

Mark's gospel explains that the reason they're asking him to prophesy is because before they begin to do this, they blindfold him so he can't see. And then they hit him. They slap him. They punch him. They mock him. And then they say, now who among us did that? The Supreme Court of Israel descends into a vicious mob of 70 men. And what's going through the mind and the heart of Jesus?

How does he feel? Listen to what David writes in verse 20. You might want to go back to Psalm 69. Verse 20, reproach has broken my heart. And I am so sick.

I'm just sick. I looked for sympathy. There was none. And for comforters.

But I found none. Now David moves us from Gethsemane and from the scenes of an unjust trial to the very hill of Calvary. In fact, he writes in the next verse this amazing Messianic prophecy that David did not experience, but Jesus will, the son of David. Notice this. They gave me gall for my food. Notice this phrase.

And for my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink. What an amazingly specific prophecy that will come true centuries later. Jesus refuses that, you remember? He will not allow anything to dull his pain because he doesn't want anything to dull his mind. He has extremely significant things to say from the cross. Not the least of which is to offer an everlasting pardon to the thief hanging next to him.

But eventually, he cries out, I thirst. And we're told in John's Gospel at chapter 19 that there's a jar of sour wine or vinegar nearby. And they dipped a sponge into the jar, which would be their practice, and then put it on a branch of hyssop, about 18 inches long, and brought it up to his mouth.

It was wonderfully ironic. By the way, there's no anesthetic in that. It's just a sour sip for a parched tongue, which David said Jesus would have. No coincidence that according to Old Testament commands, it was hyssop that was commanded to brush the blood on the doorposts of those slave quarters in Egypt on that first Passover.

It is hyssop that is connected with the ceremonially cleansing process of water with animals that are going to be sacrificed. It's interesting to me that he is effectively given a drink by means of hyssop. But isn't it striking to you that Jesus here, where he talks about, David does in Psalm 61, that he's thirsty, that Jesus would cry out centuries later, I thirst. Imagine, Jesus begins his public ministry hungry, and he ends his public ministry thirsty. He began his ministry hungry. He ends his ministry thirsty, so that you and I, who hunger for his righteousness, who hunger for forgiveness, who hunger for an eternal hope of the righteousness of Christ, can be everlastingly satisfied.

Amen. Not much earlier, by the way, John has informed us that Jesus has announced, If any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink, and he will never thirst again. John 4. Have you ever thought about the fact that the very last invitation to mankind at the end of Revelation, the last chapter, it ends with the invitation, so let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes to take the water of life take it without cost.

And then the book just about after that ends. Because Jesus Christ was willing to suffer hunger and thirst. Because Jesus Christ is willing to be tried before the gate. You and I will never have to be tried before the gate of heaven. Because Jesus Christ is condemned by man's injustice, we never need fear being condemned by heaven's justice.

None of us would stand a chance. Because Jesus Christ experienced the wrath of unrighteous men, we never fear facing the wrath of a righteous God. For those who believe in him, here's our future. Psalm 69 ends.

In fact, go there. Verse 34. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there. This is kingdom now, prophecy.

Possess it. And the descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell in it. He just kind of takes us through the scheme and scope of the Messiah's agony. And he makes sure he ends it with the coming kingdom, where we will inhabit Jerusalem and the Father's house.

Man of sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came. Ruined sinners to reclaim Hallelujah, what a Savior. Lifted up was he to die, it is finished was his cry, now in heaven exalted high, Hallelujah, what a Savior. And when he comes, our glorious King, all his ransomed ones to bring, then anew this song will sing, Hallelujah, what a Savior. With that hymn, we bring this lesson and this series to a close. This is Wisdom for the Heart with Stephen Davey. Today's lesson was called Abandoned at the Gate, and it comes from a series of select Psalms entitled The Song Volume 2. If you missed any of the lessons in this series, you can go back and get caught up because we've posted them to our website.

The Song Volume 2 is available in our online store, or you can call us today and we can help you over the phone. Our number here in the office is 866-48-BIBLE or 866-482-4253. Our website is wisdomonline.org. Next time, Stephen's going to shift gears and take us to the end of the Bible. We're going to be looking at the book of Revelation and looking specifically at a series on the Antichrist. Join us for that here on Wisdom for the Heart. .