Even when unjust things or unfair circumstances pile up in our lives, we must trust in the sovereignty of God, who, behind the scenes, turns all evil into good and ultimately causes us to triumph.

Even when unjust things or unfair circumstances pile up in our lives, we must trust in the sovereignty of God, who, behind the scenes, turns all evil into good and ultimately causes us to triumph.

 

 

 

 

“Now at daybreak the assembly of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes, gathered together, and they brought Him into their council and said, ‘If You are the Christ, tell us.’  But He said to them, ‘If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer.  But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.’  And they all said, ‘Then You are the Son of God?’  And He said to them, ‘You yourselves say that I am.’ Then they said, ‘What further testimony do we need?  We have heard it ourselves from His own mouth’” (Luke 22:66–71).

 

 

(1)   After reading today’s passage, Luke 22:66–71, in both the Korean Bible and the Greek Bible, I first felt the desire to compare it with the parallel passages—Matthew 26:59–66, Mark 14:55–64, and John 18:19–24—and to provide a comprehensive summary. This is because doing so allows us to see the entire picture of today’s passage.

 

(a)  This passage deals with a central event in the Gospels: Jesus’ interrogation before the chief priests and the council before He was crucified.  Each Gospel records this event from its own perspective and with its own emphasis, and when these accounts are combined, we can obtain the following overall picture (Internet):

 

                      1.   The Process and Timing of the Interrogation (A Comprehensive Development)

 

The preliminary interrogation during the night (John): Jesus was first taken to Annas, the former high priest, where He was questioned about His disciples and His teaching.  John’s Gospel alone records the humiliating scene in which one of the officers struck Jesus with his hand during this process.

 

The official interrogation during the night (Matthew and Mark): Jesus was then taken to the place where Caiaphas, the current high priest, and the entire council had gathered.  They sought false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but they failed because the testimonies did not agree with one another.

 

The final verdict at daybreak (Luke): As soon as day broke, the chief priests and scribes—that is, the council of the elders of the people (the Sanhedrin)—formally assembled, interrogated Jesus, and confirmed the death sentence.

 

2.  The Central Issue: Jesus’ Declaration of His Divinity and His Answer

 

In each Gospel, the decisive question the council posed in order to condemn Jesus concerned His identity: “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”  Jesus’ answer and the council’s response form the climax of the Gospel accounts.

 

Matthew and Mark: Jesus openly declares that He is the Christ and says, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”  The high priest regards this as “blasphemy,” tears his clothes, and concludes that Jesus deserves the death penalty.

 

Luke: Luke focuses on the council that gathered at daybreak.  After Jesus points out their unbelief by saying, “If I tell you, you will not believe,” He says, “From now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”  When the council asks again, “Then You are the Son of God?”  He answers, “You yourselves say that I am.”

 

John: Rather than focusing on the blasphemy controversy before the council, John concentrates on Jesus’ conversation with Annas.  John emphasizes Jesus’ kingly character as He confidently declares that He has spoken openly and publicly to the world without hiding anything.

 

3.  Summary of the Key Characteristics of Each Gospel

 

Matthew deals in detail with the accusations made by the false witnesses brought forward by the Jewish leaders and with Jesus’ interrogation before Caiaphas, the high priest.  Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of Man who will come on the clouds of heaven, fulfilling the prophecy of the Old Testament book of Daniel.

 

Mark sharply highlights the contradiction among the false testimonies brought against Jesus.  It vividly portrays the injustice of the council in imposing the death penalty on the innocent Jesus by charging Him with blasphemy, as well as the tense atmosphere of the scene.

 

Luke focuses not on the confusing interrogation that took place during the night but on the formal legal proceedings of the council that assembled “when day came.” In a calm and confident tone, Luke presents Jesus as the true Son of Man who will sit at the right hand of the power of God and as the Son of God.

 

John uniquely records the preliminary interrogation before Annas that took place prior to the formal trial before the council.  At the same time, John exposes the illegality of the religious leaders while highlighting Jesus’ kingship and authority as He boldly defends His teaching.

 

Overall Conclusion:

When the four Gospels are considered together, this event was not simply a religious trial.  It was the setting in which the Messiah, suffering according to the prophecies of the Old Testament for the salvation of humanity, boldly declared His divine identity.  When the Jewish religious leaders could not find evidence of guilt, they ultimately portrayed Jesus’ self-declaration as the “Son of God (Son of Man)” as blasphemy and confirmed the death sentence (Internet).

 

(i)      As I meditate once again on the process of Jesus’ interrogation in the four Gospels, I have become particularly interested in these three stages: (1) first, Jesus was taken to Annas, the former high priest, and was initially questioned about His disciples and His teaching [the preliminary interrogation during the night (John)]; (2) then Jesus was taken to the place where Caiaphas, the current high priest, and the entire council had gathered, where they sought false testimony in order to put Jesus to death but failed because the testimonies did not agree with one another [the official interrogation during the night (Matthew and Mark)]; and (3) in today’s passage, Luke 22:66–71, as soon as day broke, the chief priests and scribes—that is, the council of the elders of the people (the Sanhedrin)—formally assembled, interrogated Jesus, and confirmed the death sentence [the final verdict at daybreak (Luke)].  In particular, I began to wonder what lessons we can learn from the progression of Jesus’ trial through (1) Annas, (2) Caiaphas and the entire council, and (3) the Sanhedrin council.

 

·         The process of Jesus’ trial, moving from Annas to Caiaphas and the entire council, and then to the Sanhedrin council that assembled at daybreak, vividly demonstrates how God’s sovereignty is fulfilled even amid the illegality, hypocrisy, and human schemes of human society. The spiritual lessons we can discover in these three stages are as follows (Internet):

 

                                         a.   The Preliminary Interrogation by Annas: The Illegality of Human Greed and Privilege

 

Annas was a former high priest, but in Jewish society at the time, he was the “pinnacle of power,” holding real influence behind the scenes.  Rather than taking Jesus to a lawful court, he first brought Him to his private residence during the middle of the night and questioned Him about His disciples and His teaching.

 

Lesson: When human privilege and greed encounter the truth, they first seek to suppress it through illegal means.  Annas disregarded proper procedure and justice in order to maintain a system of “power structures” in the name of religion.  This causes us to examine whether, in our own lives, we are ignoring God’s Word or justice through expedient means in order to protect our own interests and privileges.

 

b.  The Nighttime Interrogation by Caiaphas and the Entire Council: Hypocrisy That Justifies the Means for the Sake of the End

 

The current high priest, Caiaphas, and the entire council had already reached the conclusion that they would “put Jesus to death,” and they were desperately searching for false testimony to justify that conclusion.  However, the lies contradicted one another and ultimately failed.

 

Lesson: This demonstrates that human schemes opposing the truth ultimately become trapped in their own contradictions and can never truly succeed.  The Jewish leaders claimed that they were acting to “protect God’s law,” but in reality they committed the hypocrisy of employing falsehood.  This warns us to guard against the spiritual hypocrisy of trying to justify “unrighteous means” under the excuse of a “good purpose” when doing the Lord’s work or living our lives of faith.

 

c.  The Sanhedrin Council Assembled at Daybreak: The Futility of Organized Hypocrisy and Human Certainty

 

The “council that assembled as soon as day came,” which Luke emphasizes, was the formal procedure used to make the illegal trial conducted during the night appear legitimate. At last, after hearing the declaration from Jesus’ own mouth, “I am He,” they confirmed the death sentence.

 

Lesson: No matter how much institutional legitimacy or procedural perfection a coalition of people committing evil may possess, before God it remains nothing more than outright wrongdoing.  The members of the council may have been convinced that they were doing what was right because they had followed a proper legal procedure.  Yet, in that very lawful court, they committed the most terrible crime in human history by condemning the “Son of God.”  This shows us how blind we can become when human institutions, the opinion of the majority, or even our own personal certainty takes precedence over God’s will.

 

d.  The Comprehensive Redemptive-Historical Lesson: God’s Sovereignty in Turning Human Evil into Good

 

From the human perspective, these three stages appear to be a process of layer upon layer of illegality and conspiracy.  Yet from God’s redemptive-historical perspective, they were also part of the process by which Jesus was publicly confirmed as the perfect “Passover Lamb” who would bear the sins of all humanity in our place.

 

Lesson: Although the powers of this world—Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin—joined forces to tighten their grip on Jesus and ultimately confirm His death sentence, all of this was not their victory.  Rather, it was the process through which God’s plan of salvation was being fulfilled without the slightest deviation.  This gives us powerful comfort: even when unjust things or unfair circumstances pile up in our lives, we must trust in the sovereignty of God, who works behind the scenes to turn all evil into good (Gen. 50:20) and ultimately causes us to triumph (Internet).

 

·         Here, the statement that even when unjust things or unfair circumstances pile up in our lives, we must trust in the sovereignty of God, who, behind the scenes, turns all evil into good (Gen. 50:20) and ultimately causes us to triumph, speaks deeply to my heart.  At the same time, when I think about the fact that God’s purpose in turning all evil into good in Joseph’s life was the salvation of life (45:5, 7; 50:20), I come to the thought that God’s purpose in turning all evil into good in the life of Jesus Christ, whom Joseph points to, was true salvation, namely eternal life.  Therefore, as those who have been saved by believing in Jesus Christ, who is eternal life (1 Jn. 1:2; 5:20), we are once again reminded of the lesson that we must trust in God’s sovereignty, which turns all evil in our lives into good.

 

-             The “salvific purpose of God in turning evil into good,” which extends from Joseph and Jesus to our own lives, can be more deeply confirmed and summarized as follows (Internet):

 

        1.   Joseph’s Life: A Channel for the Salvation of Physical Life (Shadow)

 

Joseph experienced the “evil” of his brothers’ jealousy and hatred, and after resisting the temptation of Potiphar’s wife, he faced the unjust situation of being “wrongfully imprisoned.”  However, under God’s providential sovereignty, Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt and, during the famine in the land of Canaan, became an instrument through whom the physical lives of Jacob’s household (Israel) were preserved and saved (Gen. 45:7).  This was a mirror that foreshadowed the true Savior who would come.

 

2.   Jesus’ Life: The Fulfillment for the Giving of Eternal Life (Reality)

 

Jesus likewise endured layer upon layer of evil and illegality, followed by an unjust death sentence, through the progression from Annas to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.  In the eyes of the world, it appeared to be the perfect triumph of evil, but God transformed the greatest evil—the horrific evil of the cross—into the greatest good: giving humanity “eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:20).  If Joseph saved physical life from famine, Jesus saved our souls from sin and death.

 

3.   Our Lives: The Trust and Mission of Those Who Possess Eternal Life (Application)

 

Even for us, who have already been saved by believing in Jesus Christ, who is eternal life, there are times when we encounter injustices like Joseph did or unfair circumstances like those Jesus experienced.  However, there is a clear reason why we can trust in God’s sovereignty without becoming discouraged.

The Unchanging Purpose: God’s ultimate purpose in turning the evil in our lives into good is also “the salvation of life.”  Through the suffering and injustice that I experience, God not only refines my own faith like pure gold, but also uses my example of trusting the Lord to the very end in the midst of suffering as a channel through which eternal life (Jesus Christ) is proclaimed to someone around me.

 

The Assurance of Victory: The God who made Joseph prime minister and raised Jesus from the dead will likewise never allow the lives of those of us who possess eternal life to end in defeat (Internet).

 

(2)  Second, as I meditate on today’s passage, Luke 22:66–71, I became interested in the four titles: “Prophet,” mentioned in verse 62; “Christ,” mentioned in verse 67; “Son of Man,” mentioned in verse 69; and “Son of God,” mentioned in verse 70.  I became curious about the brief meaning of these four titles and why Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke, recorded these four titles side by side in this way.

 

(a)  These four titles—Prophet, Christ, Son of Man, and Son of God—are key Christological titles that progressively reveal who Jesus is (Internet):

 

                     1.  Brief Meaning of the Four Titles

 

Prophet (v. 64): One who fully speaks God’s will and word as His representative

 

The Jewish leaders blindfolded Jesus and struck Him, mockingly demanding, “Prophesy!  Who is the one who hit you?”  Yet Jesus did not allow Himself to be drawn into their human guessing game.  At the same time, by having just previously foretold that Peter would deny Him three times and then seeing that prophecy fulfilled, Jesus paradoxically demonstrated that He is the true Prophet (spokesperson) who fully fulfills and accomplishes the Word of God.

 

Christ (v. 67): The Anointed One (Messiah)

This refers to the King, Priest, and Prophet of the Old Testament whom the Jews had been eagerly awaiting.  The council directly interrogated Jesus concerning His political and religious identity by asking Him, “Are you the Christ?”

 

Son of Man (v. 69): The eschatological divine ruler of Daniel 7 (the Son of Man)

 

This is the expression Jesus used most frequently to refer to Himself.  Going beyond the simple meaning of “human being,” it refers to the supernatural heavenly figure who, at the end of the age, will sit at the right hand of God’s power and judge and rule over the entire world.

 

Son of God (v. 70): One who possesses divinity and shares the same divine essence as God

 

After hearing Jesus’ answer, the council asks, “Then are you the Son of God?”  This signifies that Jesus possesses authority and divinity equal to God, and for the Jews it became the basis for accusing Him of “blasphemy,” a charge worthy of death.

 

2.  Why Luke Arranged These Four Titles Together

 

Luke’s concentrated recording of these titles within one passage has a clear theological intention.

 

① The Progressive Revelation and Crescendo of Jesus’ Divinity (The Development of the Titles)

 

Luke gradually increases the weight of these titles in order to reveal completely who Jesus is.

 

Prophet (the fulfillment of actions and prophecies) → Christ (the Jewish Messiah) → Son of Man (the Judge with heavenly authority) → Son of God (the culmination of divinity)

 

When human beings ask according to earthly standards, “Is He a prophet?  Is He the Christ?”—thinking in terms of a political Messiah—Jesus goes beyond these questions and answers with the higher spiritual truth that He is the “Son of Man” with heavenly authority and the “Son of God.”

 

② The Paradox (Irony) of Moving from “An Unjustly Accused Sinner” to “the Judge of the Universe”

 

At this moment, Jesus is bound and being interrogated in a human court, the Sanhedrin, in a miserable condition.  Yet Luke has Jesus declare through His own mouth, “From now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God” (v. 69).

 

At present, they are the judges and Jesus is the accused, but in reality Jesus is the true Judge of the entire universe, and the members of the council will one day be judged before Him. Luke exposes this reality through these titles.

 

③ The Proclamation of the “True Savior” to Gentile Readers

 

The primary readers of the Gospel of Luke were Gentiles (such as Theophilus).  The concept of the “Jewish Messiah (Christ)” may have been unfamiliar to Gentiles.  Therefore, Luke begins with Jewish religious titles (“Prophet,” “Christ”) and concludes with the “Son of Man,” the Judge of all humanity, and the “Son of God,” the divine Savior whom all nations must confess.  In this way, Luke argues that Jesus is not merely the King of the Jews, but the eternal life and Savior of the whole world (Internet).

 

(i)      The following are specific applications concerning what these four titles—Prophet, Christ, Son of Man, and Son of God—each mean and how they can become personal confessions in “my life, which has received eternal life” today (Internet):

 

                                a.   The True Prophet: A Life of Obeying the “Word of God” Heard in My Life

 

Jesus is the true Prophet who fully speaks and fulfills the will of God.

 

Confession: “Jesus is the One who even today speaks God’s living Word (will) into my life through the written Word of Scripture and the Holy Spirit.”

 

Specific Application: Rather than listening to the countless voices of the world—success, trends, and anxiety—I will receive the Word I meditate on every morning as God’s solemn declaration to my life.  Even when moments come that resemble Joseph’s incomprehensible experience of wrongful imprisonment, I will trust more in the words given by the Lord, who is the Prophet, than in my own thoughts, and I will live by quietly aligning my steps with His Word.

 

b.  Christ (Messiah): A Life of Surrendering Control of Every Area of My Life to the Lord

 

Christ is the Anointed One and the true King, Priest, and Prophet of my life.

 

Confession: “Jesus is not only the Savior of my soul, but also my true King (Master) who rules over my entire life.”

 

Specific Application: I will let go of the habit of making myself the master by planning and worrying about my future. In every area of my life—family, workplace, finances, and raising my children—I will acknowledge, “The Lord is King,” and whenever I make important decisions, I will practice a life under His rule by seeking the will of the Lord, who is my King, before my own desires.

 

c.   Son of Man: A Life of Looking Toward the Glorious Victory of Heaven Even in the Midst of Suffering

 

The Son of Man was humbled on this earth, but ultimately He is the glorious Judge who will rule over the entire world at the right hand of God’s power (Daniel 7).

 

Confession: “Although I may now be living on this earth in a weak and lowly condition, I will ultimately be one who triumphs forever with Jesus, the Son of Man who possesses heavenly authority.”

 

Specific Application: Even when unjust and unfair circumstances pile up in my life today, I will not be shaken by the judgments of earthly courts or the evaluations of people in this world.  Remembering that Jesus, the final Judge, is seated at the right hand of power, rather than trying to resolve my own grievances through bloodshed, I will endure suffering by trusting in God’s righteous judgment and His sovereign purpose behind the scenes.

 

d.   Son of God: A Life of Holy Confidence as One Who Possesses Eternal Life

 

Jesus is the Son of God who possesses complete divinity, and to those who believe in Him, He has also given “the right to become children of God” (Jn. 1:12).

 

Confession: “By believing in the Son of God, who is eternal life, I am a precious and honored child of God who has inherited eternal life together with Him.”

 

Specific Application: I will not allow myself to become spiritually intimidated because of material lack in this world or because other people disregard me.  With the spiritual confidence—the holy boldness—of one who possesses “eternal life,” I will decisively turn away from places of temptation to sin and compromise with the world, maintaining a holy and dignified attitude worthy of a child of God.

 

Conclusion for Meditation:

 

Just as God had the sovereign purpose of “salvation of life” behind Joseph’s suffering, when we confess these four identities of Jesus through our lives today, we believe that God will turn all the evil in our lives into good.

 

When we listen to the Lord’s proclamation as the Prophet, submit to His rule as the Christ, look toward heavenly glory as the Son of Man, and enjoy the mystery of our identity as children of God through the Son of God, I believe that our lives will become the most blessed channels through which “eternal life” flows to the dying souls around us (Internet).

(3)  Third, I would like to meditate on Jesus’ words to the members of the Sanhedrin [“the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes” (Lk. 22:66)]: “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer” [Ἐὰν ὑμῖν εἴπω, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε· ἐὰν δὲ ἐρωτήσω, οὐ μὴ ἀποκριθῆτε (ean hymin eipō, ou mē pisteusēte; ean de erōtēsō, ou mē apokrithēte)] (vv. 67–68).  What is the meaning of these words of Jesus, and how can we apply them to our lives?

 

(a)  These words that Jesus spoke before the members of the Sanhedrin were a solemn rebuke directed toward those who had already hardened their hearts, shut themselves off, and decided to kill Him, as well as a spiritual diagnosis of human stubbornness.  Let us share the deeper meaning of these words and the specific applications that speak clearly to our lives today (Internet):

 

                1.   The Deep Meaning of Jesus’ Words (Analysis of the Greek Context)

 

In this passage, Jesus uses twice the Greek grammatical expression ou mē (οὐ μὴ, “absolutely not,” “never”), which expresses strong negation.  This exposes the fact that the members of the Sanhedrin had gone beyond mere doubt and had reached a state of deeply entrenched unbelief and rejection that could not easily be broken.

 

“If I tell you, you will not believe” (v. 67):

 

This means that no matter how clearly Jesus might tell them and demonstrate that He was the Messiah (Christ), even though He had already shown them countless signs and teachings, they would never be willing to believe because they wanted to protect their privileges and religious framework.  What they lacked was not “evidence,” but a “heart” willing to accept the truth.

 

“If I ask you, you will not answer” (v. 68):

 

Previously, when Jesus had asked biblical questions such as, “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” (Lk. 20:4), or, “David calls the Christ Lord, so how is He his descendant?” (v/. 44), the religious leaders avoided answering and remained silent. Jesus was directly pointing out their hypocritical attitude of intentionally refusing to answer and running away because they were afraid that the truth would be exposed.

 

Ultimately, these words are a powerful indictment of the illegal trial: “You are not conducting this trial and asking questions in order to know the truth; you are merely putting on a performance in order to find an excuse to kill Me.”

 

2.   Specific Applications for Us Today

 

These words also give us, as Christians who possess eternal life, a very serious spiritual warning and lesson on two levels: inward self-examination and outward mission.

 

①  Inward Self-Examination: Beware of the “Hardness That Has Already Decided the Answer”

 

Like the members of the Sanhedrin, we sometimes come before God having already decided “the answer I want.”

 

Application: Even while praying, are we subtly insisting, “Answer me in the way I want”?  Even while reading Scripture, are we accepting only the words of comfort that we like while rejecting the words that rebuke our lives?  We must thoroughly repent of the “Sanhedrin-like hardness” within us—when God speaks, we refuse to respond in faith because of our stubbornness, and when the Holy Spirit questions our conscience, we pretend not to know and persist in silence.  We must lay down our own thoughts and privileges and maintain a tender heart that immediately responds, “Amen,” to the Lord’s Word.

 

② Outward Mission: Trust the Sovereignty of God Who Turns Evil into Good to the Very End

 

Even though Jesus knew that the other side would not believe or answer, in verses 69–70 He boldly proclaimed that He was the “Son of Man” and the “Son of God.”

 

Application: When we proclaim the gospel or fulfill our mission as good Christians in our daily lives, we may encounter situations in which, like Joseph, we are unfairly misunderstood by those around us or face people who stubbornly reject us.  It is easy to become discouraged and think, “What is the use if they will not listen even when I speak?”  But, like Jesus, regardless of circumstances or people’s reactions, we must quietly speak the truth and proclaim the Lord’s will where we stand.  The results belong to God’s sovereignty.  The Lord will ultimately use even their unbelief and evil as instruments for accomplishing the great good of “the salvation of eternal life” (Internet).

 

(i)      Here I came to ask this question: “In a hardened world that ‘does not believe even when we speak, and does not answer even when we ask,’ how are we to live so that we proclaim the words of Jesus, the true Prophet, while trusting in God’s sovereignty alone?”

 

·       The way is to “translate the life of Jesus Christ” into the world through our words, character, and life choices.  Just as Joseph in the Old Testament demonstrated God’s work through his life even in an unjust environment, the concrete life of proclamation that we, as those who possess eternal life, should live out in a hardened world can be summarized in three stages (Internet):

 

a.   Lay Down “My Will” and First Proclaim “His Word” to My Own Life

 

Before proclaiming the Word to the world, we must first allow the Lord’s Word to fall upon our own hardened hearts.

 

Way of life: Do not leave the Word you meditate on every morning as mere knowledge.  We must thoroughly surrender, before the mirror of the Word, the stubbornness within us that “did not want to believe even when I spoke” and the selfish desires that “wanted to remain silent even when the Holy Spirit asked.”  When I first become the “first hearer” who absolutely obeys God’s Word, my life finally becomes a genuine channel of proclamation that resounds toward the world.

 

b.   Do Not Become Discouraged by the Results; Show the Truth Through “Quiet Faithfulness”

 

Like Jesus, who boldly proclaimed the truth even though He knew that the members of the Sanhedrin would never believe, and like Joseph, who did not complain against God even amid his brothers’ hatred and his imprisonment, we must live lives that are not controlled by results or circumstances.

 

Way of life: Do not become discouraged even if people in the world ridicule the gospel and mock you as foolish because you are trying to live as a Christian.  Rather than being emotionally tossed about by the world’s response (“not believing and not answering”), we must reveal the living God through honesty, kindness, and quiet faithfulness in our homes and workplaces.  The world may shut its ears to a gospel proclaimed only with words, but it cannot easily reject the “proclamation of life”—choosing justice and love to the very end even in unjust circumstances.

 

c.   Trust to the Very End in the “Sovereignty of God” Who Turns All Evil into Good

 

Just as Jesus’ unjust crucifixion accomplished the salvation of eternal life, we must be convinced that the “evil” and “unjust circumstances” that the world brings against us can never ultimately destroy us.

 

Way of life: When injustice or suffering comes into our lives, do not respond with the same anger as the world or try to solve it through human schemes.  Have the holy boldness (spiritual confidence) to believe, “God is behind this situation, and ultimately He will turn this evil into good and use it as a channel of life through which someone may be saved.”  Maintaining peace amid suffering and responding with that “supernatural attitude of love” by embracing, like Joseph, even those who have wounded us is the most powerful proclamation to a hardened world and the most powerful declaration of the gospel.

 

One-sentence conclusion:

A life that proclaims the words of Jesus, the true Prophet, does not mean raising our voices against the hardness of the world.  Rather, it is the very path of life in which, regardless of whatever injustice we face, we trust in “God’s sovereignty” and continue to love and obey to the very end as those who possess “eternal life” (Internet).

 

(4)  Fourth, I would like to meditate on the meaning of Jesus’ words, “But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God” [ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν δὲ ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενος ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θεοῦ (apo tou nyn de estai ho huios tou anthrōpou kathēmenos ek dexiōn tēs dynameōs tou Theou)] (Lk. 22:69).

 

     1.  The Deep Meaning Seen Through the Greek Phrase

 

“But from now on” [ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν δὲ (apo tou nyn de)]

 

“Apo tou nyn” (ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν) indicates a powerful turning point in time, meaning “from this very moment onward.”  To human eyes, Jesus appears at this moment to be a powerless criminal who has been bound and is being interrogated.  But in the spiritual realm, it means that from this very moment the power of Satan and death is being broken and Jesus’ glorious reign is beginning.

 

“The Son of Man” [ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (ho huios tou anthrōpou)]

 

This is the title by which Jesus officially assumes the identity of the supernatural Judge prophesied in Daniel 7:13–14, the One who appears “with the clouds of heaven” and receives everlasting authority and a kingdom.

 

“Shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God” [καθήμενος ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θεοῦ (kathēmenos ek dexiōn tēs dynameōs tou Theou)]

 

The “right hand” in Scripture symbolizes the highest glory, victory, and authority to reign. “Shall be seated” means that, having completed all His redemptive work, He will be enthroned as the Ruler and Judge of the entire universe.  Jesus declared that the death sentence handed down by the unlawful human court would not be the end; rather, it would become the beginning of His enthronement at the heavenly throne.

 

2.  The Redemptive-Historical Paradox (Irony) and Its Connection to Joseph

 

This declaration reveals the climax of “God’s sovereignty, which turns all evil into good and gives eternal life.”

 

Human evil: Annas, Caiaphas, and the members of the Sanhedrin sought to completely eliminate Jesus by crucifying Him (evil).

 

God’s good: Yet God transformed the very unlawful courtroom they convened to condemn Jesus into the place where Jesus’ identity as the One “seated at the right hand of the power of God” was proclaimed to the whole world.

 

The parallel with Joseph: When Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers and imprisoned in Egypt, that was not the end of Joseph; rather, it was the beginning of his journey toward the throne of the prime minister of Egypt.  In the same way, the miserable moment when Jesus was seized by the Sanhedrin became the moment when He was publicly established as the true Savior who would sit on the heavenly throne and give “eternal life” to all humanity.

 

3.  Application to the Lives of Those Who Possess Eternal Life

 

This passage gives powerful comfort and a standard for living to Christians who experience injustice and suffering in the midst of the world.

 

A “holy confidence” that does not shrink before the world’s evaluation

 

The world may sometimes treat us as failures or ridicule us because we live according to the Word.  But what enables us to lift our heads is the fact that the Jesus whom we believe in is still ruling the entire universe from the “right hand of the power of God.” Remembering our identity as children of the King (1 Jn. 5:20), we can stand confidently before the world.

 

“Trust” that entrusts my injustice to the Lord

 

When we encounter injustices in life or hardened circumstances in which people do not believe us even when we speak, the reason we do not try to shed blood ourselves through revenge or solve matters by our own means is that the Lord seated at the right hand of power is our final Judge.  The Lord will surely wipe away our tears and, as in Joseph’s life, turn all evil into good and accomplish the good of life.

 

The Lord’s confident declaration, “From now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God,” is a powerful promise guaranteeing that our lives today will ultimately end in glorious victory with the Lord (Internet).

 

(a)  Here, as I meditate on the words “the right hand of the power of God” (Lk. 22:69), I want to receive the lesson given in connection with Romans 8:34 (“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”) and Hebrews 12:2 (“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”).

 

(i)   When these three passages are connected, we can discover three profound lessons concerning the specific grace and power that Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of God, is for our lives today as those who possess eternal life (Internet):

 

                     a.   Romans 8:34: Complete Victory Over Condemnation and a Perfect Advocate

 

The Sanhedrin accused Jesus of “blasphemy,” condemned Him, and determined that He should die.  But Jesus, who was raised from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God, has instead become the true Judge who renders all the condemnation of the world powerless.

 

Biblical passage: “Who is to condemn? … He is at the right hand of God and is interceding for us.”

 

Spiritual lesson: Satan and the world continually use our past, weaknesses, or unjust circumstances to condemn us and make us discouraged.  But Jesus, the Judge of the entire universe, is at the right hand of God, personally interceding for me with His blood-stained hands raised on my behalf.  The court of Caiaphas, the high priest, condemned Jesus, but the Lord, the Judge of the heavenly court, has declared us “not guilty.”  Therefore, we receive spiritual freedom that enables us to stand confidently in the face of the world’s unjust evaluations and condemnation.

 

b.  Hebrews 12:2: “Glorious Hope” That Enables Us to Overcome Suffering and Shame

Jesus endured all the humiliation of the members of the Sanhedrin—their mockery, spitting, blindfolding, and beating.  Yet because He saw the heavenly joy beyond that miserable reality, He endured the cross.

 

Biblical passage: “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 

Spiritual lesson: When Joseph was falsely accused and imprisoned, or when we are misunderstood by hardened people who do not believe us even when we speak, we feel deep shame and injustice.  But the place at God’s right hand is the final place of glory given to those who pass through suffering.  The present suffering cannot be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us in the future (Rom. 8:18).  Just as Jesus did not regard the shame as worthy of consideration and passed through the cross to sit at the right hand of the throne, we too learn spiritual perseverance to complete the race of faith by looking only to Jesus, who perfects us, rather than being bound by the shame and injustice of this world.

 

c.   Synthesis of the Three Passages: The “Throne of Power” That Turns All Evil into Good

 

When we bring together Luke’s “right hand of power,” Romans’ “intercession for us,” and Hebrews’ “sitting at the right hand of the throne,” we ultimately arrive at absolute trust in God’s sovereignty.

 

The fact that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God means that He holds all authority to rule the universe.  No matter how unjust or evil the situation unfolding before our eyes may appear, the Lord who sits on the throne of power neither slumbers nor sleeps but is ruling over that situation.

 

The Lord who turned the evil of the Sanhedrin, who sought to kill Jesus, into the good of salvation for humanity now intercedes for us at the right hand of God, transforms our suffering into glory, and turns all the evil in our lives into good so that we may bear the fruit of eternal life.

 

Meditation conclusion:

The place we should look is not the earthly “Sanhedrin” that misunderstands and condemns us.  It is Jesus Christ, who is interceding for us at the right hand of the power of God and preparing a glorious victory. When we look to the Lord, we can walk today’s path quietly like Joseph and confidently like Jesus (Internet).

 

(5)   Fifth, when the members of the Sanhedrin said, “Then You are the Son of God,” I became interested in Jesus’ response: “You say that I am” [Ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι (hymeis legete hoti egō eimi)] (Lk. 22:70), particularly His words “that I am” [“I am He” (Korean Revised Version)] [ἐγώ εἰμι (egō eimi)].  The reason is that I remembered Jesus’ seven statements in the Gospel of John in which He said, “I am” [ἐγώ εἰμι (egō eimi)]. What kind of “I am” [ἐγώ εἰμι (egō eimi)] should this “I am” of Jesus become for us, His disciples?

 

     1.   “I Am” [ἐγώ εἰμι (egō eimi)] is the very divine name by which God revealed Himself in Exodus 3:14: “I AM WHO I AM.”  Even in the face of the death sentence pronounced by the Sanhedrin, Jesus boldly proclaimed this name.  Let us consider specific applications of how this declaration should be experienced and confessed today by us, the Lord’s disciples who possess eternal life, by matching it with the seven declarations in the Gospel of John (the seven declarations of the Gospel of John and the disciple’s “I AM” confession) (Internet):

 

            a.   “I am the bread of life” (Jn. 6:35)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the only satisfaction of my soul (egō eimi).”

Life application: I will stop pursuing material possessions, honor, and success in the belief that they will fill my hunger. I will live a contented life satisfied with Jesus alone, who gives eternal life, and every day enjoy a spiritual abundance that the world cannot provide.

 

b.   “I am the light of the world” (Jn. 8:12)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the only guide (egō eimi) who illuminates my dark life.”

 

Life application: When darkness in the form of fear and anxiety about the future or unjust circumstances comes upon me, I will not depend on my experience or human schemes. I will quietly follow only the Lord’s Word, which is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path—the proclamation of the true Prophet—and I will live as a child of light in the world.

 

c.   “I am the door of the sheep” (Jn. 10:7)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the only protection and safe refuge (egō eimi) in my life.”

 

Life application: No matter how much the world shakes me or unjustly condemns me, I will be convinced that I am already safe within the door of salvation, which is Jesus.  I will shut out the dangerous temptations and voices of the world and enjoy true peace and rest in the Lord.

 

d.  “I am the good shepherd” (Jn. 10:11)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the leader (egō eimi) who guides me along the best path.”

 

Life application: Just as God, the Shepherd, was with Joseph when he passed through the pit and prison, I will trust the perfect guidance of the Lord, the Good Shepherd who turns all evil into good behind the scenes of my life.  Even when I pass through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not become discouraged but will trust the Lord’s rod and staff.

 

e.  “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the power (egō eimi) that turns all my despair into hope.”

 

Life application: I will not become discouraged even when I face not only physical death but also “situations that seem dead”—broken relationships, hopeless finances, shattered circumstances, and every other situation in my life that seems to be dying.  I will believe and proclaim hope that the Lord, who is the resurrection and eternal life, will breathe the breath of life again into every dying place in my life.

 

f.   “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the only direction and standard of value (egō eimi) by which I should walk.”

 

Life application: In a hardened world that does not believe when I speak and does not answer when I ask, I will neither compromise nor wander.  Holding firmly to Jesus Christ, the signpost who is the only Way and the unchanging Truth, I will confidently walk the narrow path with holy confidence as one who possesses eternal life.

 

g.   “I am the true vine” (John 15:1)

 

The disciple’s confession: “Jesus alone is the source of life (egō eimi) to which I must remain attached every moment.”

 

Life application: I will not struggle desperately to bear good fruit through my own strength and efforts.  Like a branch of the vine, I will remain completely in the Lord and unite deeply with Him through the Word and prayer.  Then I believe that the “eternal life” within me will naturally flow through my life to the dying souls around me and bear fruit.

 

Meditation Conclusion: The “I AM” That Must Be Heard Through the Disciple’s Life

 

The reason Jesus boldly proclaimed “I am” (egō eimi) before the Sanhedrin was because that truth is the only life capable of saving the entire universe.

 

Today, when we live out these seven characteristics and identities of the Lord in the midst of a hardened world, people will see us at peace even amid injustice, confident even amid suffering, and joyful even amid shame, and they will ask, “Who is this Jesus you believe in that enables you to live this way?”

 

Then, through our lives and lips, we can proclaim to the world: “The Jesus whom I believe in is the bread, the light, the door, the shepherd, the resurrection, the way, and the true vine (egō eimi) of your soul!”

 

(a)  “The Final Prayer of Decision and Proclamation to the Lord of ‘Egō Eimi’”

 

             Heavenly Father,

 

We praise Your great sovereignty, by which You accomplished the great redemptive-historical good of salvation and life even through the layers of evil and injustice in the world represented by Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin.  Just as You transformed Joseph’s suffering into the throne of the prime minister and used him to save his family, we trust the perfect providence of the Lord who reversed the shame of Jesus’ cross into the glory of sitting at the right hand of the heavenly throne and gave us eternal life.

 

Today, at this very moment, I engrave in my heart the voice of the Lord who, even before the death sentence of the Sanhedrin, boldly proclaimed Himself to be the Son of Man, the Judge of the entire universe, the Son of God, and “I am” (egō eimi).  I proclaim that the divine authority and eternal life that the world could neither imprison nor silence are the power of my life as I confess Jesus as Christ today.

 

I begin this week in a hardened world that “does not believe when spoken to and does not answer when questioned.”  Even when I suffer injustice like Joseph and face unjust circumstances like Jesus, please do not allow me to become discouraged or intimidated by the courts of this earth or the judgments of the world.  Help me look to Jesus Christ, who has already completed all His redemptive work, is seated at the right hand of the power of God, and personally intercedes for me. Just as the Lord triumphed by looking to the joy of heaven and disregarding the shame of the world, help me also complete the race of faith with holy spiritual confidence.

 

I proclaim the Lord who is the “egō eimi” of my soul.

 

This week, I will be satisfied not with the perishable food of the world but with You, the Bread of Life.

 

In the midst of dark realities, I will not wander but will walk only according to Your Word, You who are the Light of the World.

 

Even amid Satan’s accusations and threats, I will enjoy peace within the embrace of You, who are the safe Door of the sheep.

 

Even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will never cease to trust the Good Shepherd who will turn all evil into good.

 

Even when I face hopeless and seemingly dead situations, I will proclaim the hope of You, who are the Resurrection and the Life.

 

Even amid the temptations to compromise with a hardened world, I will keep my eyes fixed only on You, who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

 

Help me remain completely attached to You, the True Vine, rather than relying on my own strength, so that the fruit of eternal life may be borne through my life.

 

Make me the first hearer who immediately obeys Your Word, and, by choosing quiet faithfulness and the love of forgiveness even amid injustice, make my very life a holy channel of proclamation that translates the words of Jesus, the true Prophet, to the world.

 

In this way, let a work of life take place so that everyone who sees the path of my life will confess, “Jesus is truly the living Son of God.”

I proclaim and pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the King who rules the world today from the right hand of the throne.  Amen” (Internet).