Matthew 26:57-68is about "WITNESS and TESTIMONY".
There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows.
Ad. 2. TRUE WITNESS
Matthew 26:63b-66
26:63b And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"
26:64 Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
26:66 "What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."
Jesus gave us example as the true witness although He had to face persecution and death as follows.
Jesus bore witness that He was High Priest while there was High Priest Caiaphas there.
Caiaphas was the high priest according to the order of Aaron or Levitical priesthood according to the Law.
Why does Jesus have to become the High Priest?
Hebrews7:11
7:11. Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
Leviticus priesthood in Old Testament could not bring perfection.
Therefore, there must be another High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (New Testament), namely Jesus.
The proof is real through Caiaphas’ tearing his robe [Matthew 26:65], referring to his resignation because Jesus had shown himself as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
In shorts, there was movement from the high priest according to the Levitical Priesthood to the high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Why does Jesus have to become the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek?
The practice of bearing witness that Jesus is the High Priest is as follows.
There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows.
Ad. 2. TRUE WITNESS
Matthew 26:63b-66
26:63b And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"
26:64 Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
26:66 "What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."
Jesus gave us example as the true witness although He had to face persecution and death as follows.
- He bore witness that He was Christ, the Son of Living God, or He bore witness about the cross.
- He bore witness that He sat on the right hand of Father God or He was High Priest.
- He bore witness that He will come on glorious clouds as King of kings and Heavenly Bridegroom in glory.
Jesus bore witness that He was High Priest while there was High Priest Caiaphas there.
Caiaphas was the high priest according to the order of Aaron or Levitical priesthood according to the Law.
Why does Jesus have to become the High Priest?
Hebrews7:11
7:11. Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
Leviticus priesthood in Old Testament could not bring perfection.
Therefore, there must be another High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (New Testament), namely Jesus.
The proof is real through Caiaphas’ tearing his robe [Matthew 26:65], referring to his resignation because Jesus had shown himself as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
In shorts, there was movement from the high priest according to the Levitical Priesthood to the high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Why does Jesus have to become the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek?
- Hebrews7:13-14
7:13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
7:14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
Because Jesus is not of the tribe of Levi but Judah.
Our example is Jesus Himself because He does not make any transgression to the Bible.
It means that we have to obey the Word or Bible in all matters. - Hebrews7:24
7:24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
Because Jesus is eternal High Priest who cannot die or be replaced by other priests as the order of Levi.
Therefore, He can serve the congregation continually until He perfects us with the power of His blood.
The practice of bearing witness that Jesus is the High Priest is as follows.
- We have to become priests.
The priest means one who bears the priest’s office or ministry to have on the tunic of ministry.
Do not tear the tunic of ministry by yourself as Caiaphas has done!
Confess and throw away the sin soon after you find it! Afterwards, return to minister God.
The duty of the priest is as follows.
I Peter 2:5
2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.- Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.
Meaning all ministries must have spiritual value, namely the ministry according to the truth of the Word of God or obedience to the truth of the Word of God.
Matthew 7:21-23
7:21. "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
7:23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
It is not the "greatness" of the ministry which can please God but the “obedience to the Word”.
Ministering with disobedience equals to practicing lawlessness. - Being employed as living stone to build the perfect body of Christ or spiritual house.
The practice of building the body of Christ is in fellowship.
The fellowship of the body of Christ begins from marriage, shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the perfect body of Christ where the house of Israel and Gentiles are one in perfection.
There are many members of the body but there is only on Head or Vine.
The fellowship of the body of Christ is as the fellowship between branch and other branches.
Therefore, every fellowship HAS TO heed “the True Vine” namely Jesus Himself.
John 15:1
15:1. "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
John 1:1, 14
1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the true teaching Word ("logos") that becomes flesh.
Before entering the fellowship in marriage, shepherding, et cetera, we have to heed "the one Vine of the True Teaching Word" as the determinant!
There will be Holy Spirit and the love of God where there is God’s Word.
Isaiah 30:1
30:1. "Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin;
The false fellowship will only add sin to sin, deceive, and bring perdition forever. There is no salvation in such condition.
- If we have fellowship with the one True Vine, we will bear sweet fruits soon or later. We have the fruit of light, namely goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Ephesians 5:8-9
5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
5:9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
Truth means all matters in our life must be in line with the truth of the Word of God.
Righteousness means that we are on God’s side or the side of the true teaching Word, not on any human’s side.
Goodness means we do not give any disadvantage to other people. We do not do evil to other people even we can repay good for evil.
Bearing the fruits of light means we bear sweet fruits or joy. - Heavenly Father is the vinedresser who will never be failed, even He is our defender(John 15:1 in Indonesian Old Translation Bible).
- Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.
- Hebrews7:26
7:26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
We have to take the example of Jesus, the High Priest, who is holy and harmless.
The priest in the original language is "kohen" whose meaning is being holy.
The priests must be sanctified. Where can we be sanctified?
Leviticus 21:12
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
In the Holy Place, referring to the perseverance in doing three main services to the Lord in sheepfold.
As long as we are in the Holy Place, our holiness must be guaranteed.
Leaving the Holy Place, one must begin to transgress the holiness.- Table of Showbread= patience in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion where we have fellowship with the Son of God in the Word and His sacrifice.
We are sanctified by Jesus, the Son of God, through the teaching Word and Holy Communion.
What must be sanctified?
Our heart, hand (deeds), saying, appearance (our hair and clothes), friendship, and marriage. - Golden Candlestick= perseverance in doing General Service where we have fellowship with Christ or Holy Spirit God in His gifts.
We are sanctified by Holy Spirit God in it.
I Peter 1:1-2
1:1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Holy Spirit sanctifies us to make us always obedient, strong and of good courage without any hopelessness or disappointment although we must suffer until we can please God.
Romans 15:16
15:16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
The Gentiles are actually only as common or unclean animals which cannot be offered to God, so we need the sanctification done by Holy Spirit. - Golden Altar of Incense = patience in doing Prayer Service where we can have fellowship with Father God in His love.
I Thessalonians 5:23
5:23. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are continually sanctified until we become perfect and blameless.
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
The holy shepherded one is made special by Godand there is anointing oil upon him.
The results are as follows.- We can live together in harmony and all things become good and beautiful in His time. In addition, God commands His blessing to come upon us.
Psalm 133:1-3
133:1. <<A Song of Ascents. Of David.>>Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
133:2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing––Life forevermore. - We are specialized to become the apple of God’s eye none may touch, including antichrist cannot touch.
Be alert! Do not touch the one who is specialized by God with our bad saying, et cetera.
Touching the one who is holy and specialized by God equals to touching the apple of God’s eye.
- Table of Showbread= patience in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion where we have fellowship with the Son of God in the Word and His sacrifice.
- We experience the reconciliation ministry done by the High Priest.
In Old Testament, the reconciliation ministry was done with the two times seven sprinklings of blood together with the incense to result in the light of glory or Shekinah Glory.
In New Testament, we have the sprinkling of Jesus’ blood as follows.
Hebrews2:17
2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.- We confess our sins to God and other people, we are forgiven, and do not repeat the sins.
The purpose of confessing our sins is to repent and be delivered from the sins to return to live in righteousness.
Confessing sins means we realize our sins, we regret, and we confess and leave the sins.
Confessing sins only to be pitied in order to get permission to do the ministry or not to get punishment, God will keep insisting our accountability because of the sin. - Suffering in the flesh without any sin that we can have life renewal.
We are renewed from carnal men to spiritual ones as Jesus is. It begins from our peaceful heart.
The peaceful heart is the proof that there is no enmity or division, no bitterness or revenge, no uncleanness, sins, anxiety, fear, and doubt, but we can believe and entrust our life totally to God and we can lift up our hand to Him.
As a result, God will also stretch His hands which are full of mercy and kindness to us.
10:19. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
10:20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
10:21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,
The result is as follows.- The merciful and faithful hand of the High Priest opens new living way for us.
Physically, the Lord preserves our life although we are in the midst of difficulties and impossibilities. He is able to open the way to beautiful future life.
Spiritually, He is able to open the door of paradise for us.
There was opened door of paradise for transgressor on the cross, moreover God must help us, His servant. Let us now check our life, whether it has been according to the Word or not. - The High Priest is able to help us from all problems, even the impossible one, in His time.
Exodus 32:30-33
32:30. Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."
32:31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!
32:32 "Yet now, if You will forgive their sin -- but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."
32:33 And the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.
(Be alert! Do not feel that all things are okay although there is sin. All things are okay because there is intercession prayer from our pastor that prevents the coming of God’s judgment). - Reconciliation ministry means God removes all our sins and He writes our name in the Book of Life.
The proof of our name’s being written in the Book of Life is our peaceful heart.
- We confess our sins to God and other people, we are forgiven, and do not repeat the sins.