“Proclaim Liberty To The Captives”
Text: Isaiah 61:1-2a & Luke 22:54-66b
3-23-2022
In the name of Him who sets captive sinners free, dear friends in Christ. Tonight, we’re going to visit the location that was believed to be the palace of Caiaphas the High Priest. The first picture that I would direct your attention to is on the front cover which is of the steps leading up to that location. They’re a perfect introduction to what we’re about to examine in Christ’s passion story. If you were to follow these steps downward, they would lead you to the Kidron Valley. And if you walked eastward up the other side of the valley, you’d find yourself at the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s where Jesus was praying late on Maundy Thursday evening when Judas guided a band of soldiers there to arrest Jesus. When they took Him into custody, they most likely tied His hands together and then placed a rope around His neck to lead their prisoner along. The reason for that was obviously more than just to prevent His escape. They were intentionally treating Him like a dumb animal, which they believed His alleged blasphemy deserved. Besides that, it would also inflict pain, which was the main course that was being served by Jesus’ captors.
Scripture says that Jesus didn’t resist, but that didn’t stop the soldiers from kicking and hitting Him along the way. Unlike our day, there weren’t protestors in the streets claiming police brutality every time someone was arrested. The use of force by soldiers and police was rarely questioned or challenged. Which, of course, leads to the abuse we see in our text. After trudging up those steps, Jesus was initially taken to the house of Annas, the previous High Priest. Caiaphas sent Him there as a way of showing respect to his father-in-law. The elderly Annas asked a few questions. Jesus responded that nothing He said was a secret. Why not ask the people who heard it with their own ears? He was rewarded with a slap to the face from a nearby officer. Disgusted and dissatisfied, Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas.
On the location where Caiaphas lived, a church was built called “St. Peter in Gallicantu.” That word is Latin for a rooster crowing, referring to the sound that awoke the conscience of Peter after he had denied knowing Christ 3 times. We often scratch our heads and wonder how he could have possibly done it. But don’t you see? Jesus was a prisoner bound with ropes that He could have easily broken with His divine power, while Peter was a prisoner bound by fear, pride, and self-preservation. He was shackled by his own sinfulness. After he had so blatantly denied Christ, he threw himself into the dungeon of guilt and shame. We’ll come back to Peter in just a bit.
While Peter was falling into his self-imposed prison, Jesus stood boldly before His accusers. Caiaphas had assembled a meeting of the scribes and elders for a quickie-trial in the middle of the night (which was illegal by the way.) Several witnesses were brought in to give false testimony, but they couldn’t agree. Caiaphas was angry and frustrated because his case against Jesus was unraveling. So he asked Jesus directly, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” When Jesus answered, “Yes” that’s all they needed to condemn Him for blasphemy. (Matthew 26:57-67) This kangaroo court unanimously decided that He was guilty and deserving of death. Once that verdict was declared, the guards were free to beat and mock this notorious criminal.
However, in order to make this trial kosher the Sanhedrin had to assemble again once it was daylight. But in the meantime, it was the middle of the night and Jesus would need to be held somewhere for several hours until dawn. That brings us to the two other pictures on page 9 of your bulletin. Beneath the palace of Caiaphas was a lower level. The top photo is where the guardroom was. If you look closely at the arch support, there are holes bored through the stone with ropes laced through them. These were used to tie up a prisoner who was held there. In that position the captive could be whipped, kicked, and beaten. Once that was complete, the prisoner was then taken to the pit that you see in the lower picture. It was carved out of the stone in a bell-shape like a cistern, with a small opening at the top. If the guards liked you, they would lower you into the pit with ropes. If not, they simply threw the prisoner in and let him dropped the 15 or 20 feet to the floor. As you might imagine, that could be just as, or more, painful than the beatings. There’s plenty of evidence that this is how prisoners were held and treated. You may recall how Joseph’s brothers got mad and threw him into a cistern, and an angry mob did it to the prophet Jeremiah. And in the Gospel of John, it says Barabbas was thrown into prison for insurrection. The word in the Greek isn’t “placed” but literally “thrown” like a ball.
The mosaic on the outside of that church shows Jesus being lowered by ropes into the pit. But considering how much He was hated and despised that’s doubtful. Regardless, what I would have you see is that the innocent Son of God was taken as a prisoner, falsely accused and convicted, and then thrown into a pit to be held for crucifixion.
This treatment of Jesus is emblematic of His saving mission. Earlier in His ministry, Jesus visited the synagogue at Nazareth where He grew up. He stood and read the passage from Isaiah 61. Listen to it again: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor…” When He finished the reading, Jesus said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Friends, these verses aren’t referring to a physical prison. Rather, the Christ came to free people from their spiritual prisons. After denying Jesus, Peter was thrown into a self-imposed prison of guilt and shame over his sins. Caiaphas, the Jewish leaders, and those soldiers were thrown into their own self-imposed prison of sin caused by their anger, hatred, and self-righteousness. Whether they recognized the source or not, their souls were being tortured by the sin that imprisoned them.
There is a strange irony in all this. Jesus allowed Himself to be taken prisoner, beaten, and thrown into a pit for our sakes. He suffered the injustice of being declared guilty when He alone was innocent. He endured the mockery and blasphemy of His captors. He went to the cross and suffered the pangs of hell in our place. He died, falsely accused as a criminal. He was treated like a horrible, vile sinner who deserved to be thrown into the pit of hell forever. The irony is that He became a prisoner so that He could set us free from the bonds of sin. The forgiveness that He won for us has burst open the gates of our spiritual prison. Souls like Caiaphas and the unbelieving Jews reject that freedom and therefore have locked themselves in a dungeon of everlasting torment. But like Peter, if we repent and confess our sins, that freeing forgiveness is ours. The devil cannot torture us with our guilt any longer. In that word of the Gospel, Christ proclaims liberty to us captives. By His innocent, suffering, and death we have been lifted from the pit of despair. We have been lifted up and set free. We’ve been given salvation and an eternal place in heaven. Praise God for that good news proclaimed to us poor sinners who now receive it by faith in Christ Jesus! Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!