Old Lutherans

137. Thursday after Second Sunday in Lent.

“I have preached righteousness in the great congregation.”
Lord, open our ears, that we may hear it.

Matthew 26, 59-68. Now the chief priests, and elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him: and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

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The Lord holds his peace when the false witnesses testify against him; and by his silence he atones for all the falsehood in the world. The Lamb of God suffers, and opens not his mouth. Neither was it necessary that he say anything in self-defense; for the harder they strive to make him appear guilty, the more clearly is his innocence brought to light. He is, and continues to be one in whom there is no fault. But it has been determined in advance that he shall die; and now the question which troubles his judges is, how they may find something for which to condemn him. They must and shall destroy the temple, the temple of his body, and, at the same time, the temple of Jerusalem, the place of offering; for the old system of sacrifices ceased with the death of the true sacrificial Lamb. They must carry out the decree of God and place Jesus in the sepulchre, in order that he may rise again and build a living temple on the eternal rock of his divinity and his victory. Therefore the high priest himself must carry out the divine plan, and gives the order that Jesus shall testify and swear by the living God whether he be the Christ, the Son of God. And now Jesus speaks, and testifies and swears that he is the Son of God. He knows what they intend the question to mean, namely, whether he be true God, one with the Father, and that it is their purpose to construe an affirmative answer as being blasphemy; and in this sense he makes reply. Note this: Jesus declares before the magistrates of his people, and calls upon God to witness his declaration, that he is the Christ, the only begotten of the Father, and equal God with him. If he be a true teacher, he cannot lie, least of all at such a time as this; and we therefore know of a final certainty that he is the Son of God. It is for this very declaration that he is condemned to die; he seals it with his blood. So sure a foundation does the church have for its creed, “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our true God, begotten of the Father from eternity;” and so hollow is the foundation on which they stand, who regard Christ as being merely a wise and good man. The whole council hears distinctly what the Lord says. He repeats it, that all the world may hear it; and he is condemned because he is the Son of God and the Son of Man. “He is guilty of death.” This is the verdict of the jury of God on earth; for it is so ordained in heaven. The only begotten Son of God, in his holy human nature, is made to be sin, in order that the blood of God may wash away the sin of all the world.

Be of good cheer, ye Christians; no infidel, who denies Christ; no, not any number of infidels shall be able to overthrow the testimony of the Lord himself which resounds through the creed of the church in support of the truth that he is God from everlasting. The Son of Man sits on the right hand of power, and reigns in the midst of his enemies.

We praise thee, Lord Jesus, and see thy glory, and await the time when we shall see thee come again in the clouds with thy mighty angels, that all the world may see that thou art God. Hold us fast to thee; and give us courage to confess thee in the face of scorn and derision on the part of the worldly wise, and gladly to suffer for thy name’s sake. Amen.

Soldiers of Christ, arise,
And put your armor on;
Strong in the strength which God supplies,
Through his eternal Son;

Strong in the Lord of Hosts,
And in his mighty power;
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts
Is more than conqueror.