Thematic Bible: Courts of justice


Thematic Bible



This will be my third visit to you: every case is to be decided on the evidence of two or of three witnesses. Verse ConceptsThree WitnessesWitnesses, LegalTwo Or ThreeActing Three TimesWitnessing



Why, it is written in your own Law that the evidence of two persons is valid: Verse ConceptsTwo WitnessesTwo WitnessesWritten In The Lawtestimonytestifyingcredibility






Besides, when he was seated on the tribunal, his wife had sent to tell him, "Do nothing with that innocent man, for I have suffered greatly to-day in a dream about him.") Verse ConceptsInnocence, Examples OfJudgment SeatJudgesWise CouncelSittingSleeplessnessWivesVisions And Dreams In ScriptureChrist, Names ForJudgement SeatLeave Them AloneWife



When morning came, all the high priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to have him put to death. Verse Conceptsenemies, of Jesus Christelders, as community leadersChief priestsPlottingChrist Would Be KilledMan's CounselJesus Deathpriests

With these orders they went into the temple about dawn and proceeded to teach. Meantime the high priest and his allies met, called the Sanhedrin together and the council of seniors belonging to the sons of Israel, and then sent to prison for the men. Verse Conceptselders, as community leadersSanhedrinTeachersDaybreakTeaching In The ChurchAt DaybreakBringing People Out Of Other PlacesDisciples In The Temple


When day broke, the elders of the people all met along with the high priests and scribes, and had him brought before their Sanhedrin. They said to him, Verse ConceptsDawnChief priestsAssembling LeadersDaybreakAt DaybreakOpposition To Christ From ScribesThe Chief Priests Convenedelders




there was not a synagogue where I did not often punish them and force them to blaspheme; and in my frantic fury I persecuted them even to foreign towns. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy


'But, Lord,' I said, 'they surely know it was I who imprisoned and flogged those who believed in you throughout the synagogues, Verse ConceptsFloggingBeating Believers

Suppose there comes into your meeting a man who wears gold rings and handsome clothes, and also a poor man in dirty clothes; Verse ConceptsCongregationFilthinessGoldOrnamentsRingsRagsChurch GatheringsFine ClothesFoul ClothesGold OrnamentsPoor PeopleThe Rich Lording ItgaysBeing Gay





So why do you criticize your brother? And you, why do you look down upon your brother? All of us have to stand before the tribunal of God ??11 for it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bend before me, every tongue shall offer praise to God. Verse ConceptsJudgment SeatStandingJesus Christ, JudgeNot JudgingDo Not DespiseJudgement SeatBelittlingJudging Others Actionscriticism

Do you not know the saints are to manage the world? If the world is to come under your jurisdiction, are you incompetent to adjudicate upon trifles? Verse ConceptsCourtsHoliness, Purpose OfMillenniumSaintsBelievers JudgingFamily ProblemsJudgement DayJudgementJudging Others Actions



So, as Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd, he released Bar-Abbas for them; Jesus he handed over to be crucified, after he had scourged him. The soldiers took him inside the courtyard (that is, the praetorium) and got all the regiment together; then they dressed him in purple, put on his head a crown of thorns which they had plaited, read more.
and began to salute him with, "Hail, O king of the Jews!" They struck him on the head with a stick and spat upon him and bent their knees to him in homage. Then, after making fun of him, they stripped off the purple, put on his own clothes, and took him away to crucify him.

But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin called Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law who was highly respected by all the people, got up and ordered the apostles to be removed for a few moments. Then he said, "Men of Israel, take care what you do about these men. In days gone by Theudas started up, claiming to be a person of importance; a number of men, about four hundred of them, rallied to him, but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and wiped out. read more.
After him Judas the Galilean started up at the time of the census, and got people to desert to him; but he perished too, and all his followers were scattered. So I advise you to-day to leave these men to themselves. Let them alone. If this project or enterprise springs from men, it will collapse; whereas, if it really springs from God, you will be unable to put them down. You may even find yourselves fighting God!" They gave in to him, and after summoning the apostles and giving them a flogging, they released them with instructions that they were not to speak about the name of Jesus.

Then, after conferring with the council, Festus answered, "You have appealed to Caesar? Very well, you must go to Caesar! " Verse ConceptsConversation

Then the king rose, with the governor and Bernice and those who had been seated beside them. They retired to discuss the affair, and agreed that "this man has done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment."





Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have our permission to speak upon your own behalf." At this Paul stretched out his hand and began his defence. Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofLawyersNamed Gentile RulersMan Defending


Then at a nod from the governor Paul made his reply. "As I know you have administered justice in this nation for a number of years," he said, "I feel encouraged to make my defence, Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofJudgesSelf DefenceCheerfulnessMan Defending

"He might have been released," said Agrippa to Festus, "if he had not appealed to Caesar." Verse ConceptsPeople Releasing Others

But the Jews objected, and so I was obliged to appeal to Caesar ??not that I had any charge to bring against my own nation. Verse ConceptsNecessityAccusations, Nt Legal SystemPeople Accusing People

If I am a criminal, if I have done anything that deserves death, I do not object to die; but if there is nothing in any of their charges against me, then no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!" Verse ConceptsCivil authoritiesDeath penaltyGovernmentResigned To DeathNo Escape




whereupon the high priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "Whatever is to be done?" they said. "The fellow is performing a number of Signs. Verse ConceptsChief priestsSigns Of The TimesProphecies Concerning ChristPlottingSigns Performed By ChristThe Chief Priests Convenedaccomplishment

When day broke, the elders of the people all met along with the high priests and scribes, and had him brought before their Sanhedrin. They said to him, Verse ConceptsDawnChief priestsAssembling LeadersDaybreakAt DaybreakOpposition To Christ From ScribesThe Chief Priests Convenedelders

They conducted them before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked them, Verse ConceptsInterrogating








Be quick and make terms with your opponent, so long as you and he are on the way to court, in case he hands you over to the judge, and the judge to the jailer, and you are thrown into prison; Verse ConceptsAgreementDiscorddisagreementsLawyersJudgesOfficersAttorneyLawsuitsLitigationQuarrelsDebtorsAgreeingHanding Over PeopleImprisonmentsCourt SessionsPeople Accusing PeopleMisunderstandingsMaking Peace With EnemiesReconciliationConflictResolving Conflictjail





But when her owners saw their chance of profit was gone, they caught hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them before the magistrates in the forum. Bringing them before the praetors they declared, "These fellows are Jews who are making an agitation in our town; they are proclaiming customs which as Romans we are not allowed to accept or observe!"





but those who had seized Jesus took him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered. Verse ConceptsArrestingOld Age, Attitudes ToAssembling LeadersRivers

Now the high priests and the whole of the Sanhedrin tried to secure false evidence against Jesus, in order to have him put to death; Verse ConceptsChief priestsLeaders, SpiritualAttempts To Kill ChristSeeking For Abstract ThingsThe Chief Priests Condemning Christaccusations


As he said this, one of the attendants who stood by gave him a blow, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" "If I have said anything wrong," replied Jesus, "prove it; if I said what was true, why strike me?"


Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Certainly." Verse ConceptsClaimsJews, TheKingship, DivineStandingTreasonInterrogatingAssentingChrist Is King Of Israel


Jesus said nothing. Then the high priest addressed him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!" Verse ConceptsGod, Living And Self sustainingSilenceSpeech, Power And Significance OfAdjurationChrist Being SilentWho Is Jesus?Called Himself The ChristRivers



I told them Romans were not in the habit of giving up any man until the accused met the accusers face to face and had a chance of defending himself against the impeachment. Verse ConceptsCustomContact With PeopleMan Defending


Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Certainly." Verse ConceptsClaimsJews, TheKingship, DivineStandingTreasonInterrogatingAssentingChrist Is King Of Israel

After binding him, they led him off and handed him over to Pontius Pilate the governor. Verse ConceptsGovernorsHanding Over ChristTying Up

Putting him outside the city, they proceeded to stone him (the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a youth called Saul). Verse ConceptsCrimesevangelists, ministry ofMartyrdom, Examples OfMartyrdom Of The SaintsMartyrdom, Methods OfOutside The City








till the commander ordered him to be taken inside the barracks and examined under the lash, so as to find out why the people shouted at him in this way. Verse ConceptsScourgingInterrogatingChiliarchsWhy Do Others Do This?serenity

Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Verse ConceptsChainsTying UpCitizens

Then from the house of Caiaphas they took Jesus to the praetorium. (It was early morning.) They would not enter the praetorium themselves, in case of being ceremonially defiled, for they wanted to eat the passover; Verse ConceptsPassover lambExclusivenessGovernorsHigh Priest, In NtPalacesReligionArmies, RomanRoyal Houses

he went inside the praetorium again and asked Jesus, "Where do you come from?" Jesus made no reply. Verse ConceptsSilenceChrist Being SilentWhere From?






So the high priest rose and said to him, "Have you no reply to make? What of this evidence against you?" Jesus said nothing. Then the high priest addressed him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus said to him, "Even so! But I tell you, in future you will all see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." read more.
Then the high priest tore his dress and cried, "He has blasphemed! What more evidence do we want? Look, you have heard his blasphemy for yourselves! What is your view?" They replied, "He is doomed to death."

but those who had seized Jesus took him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered. Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and when he got inside he sat down beside the attendants to see the end.


Then the high priest tore his dress and cried, "He has blasphemed! What more evidence do we want? Look, you have heard his blasphemy for yourselves! What is your view?" They replied, "He is doomed to death."





Paul was just on the point of opening his lips to reply, when Gallio said to the Jews, "If it had been a misdemeanour or wicked crime, there would be some reason in me listening to you,O Jews. But as these are merely questions of words and persons and your own Law, you can attend to them for yourselves. I decline to adjudicate upon matters like that."

They had strapped him up, when Paul said to the officer who was standing by, "Are you allowed to scourge a Roman citizen ??and to scourge him without a trial?" When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." So the commander went to him and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. read more.
The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul. Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

And in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, till he should pay him all the debt. Verse ConceptsTortureJudicial PunishmentSettling AccountsDebtAnger And Forgiveness


Every subject must obey the government-authorities, for no authority exists apart from God; the existing authorities have been constituted by God. Hence anyone who resists authority is opposing the divine order, and the opposition will bring judgment on themselves. Magistrates are no terror to an honest man, though they are to a bad man. If you want to avoid being alarmed at the government-authorities, lead an honest life and you will be commended for it; read more.
the magistrate is God's servant for your benefit. But if you do wrong, you may well be alarmed; a magistrate does not wield the power of the sword for nothing, he is God's servant for the infliction of divine vengeance upon evil-doers. You must be obedient, therefore, not only to avoid the divine vengeance but as a matter of conscience,




Then said Pilate, "Take him yourselves, and sentence him according to your own Law." The Jews said, "We have no right to put anyone to death" Verse ConceptsLimitednessDeath Penalty For KillingFulfilling The Lawautonomy

Thus, when you go before the magistrate with your opponent, do your utmost to get quit of him on the way there, in case he hales you before the judge; then the judge will hand you over to the jailer and the jailer will throw you in prison. Verse ConceptsdisagreementsImprisonmentsJudgesOfficersReconciliation, Between BelieversLitigationHanding Over PeopleStress And Hard TimesReconciliationPurgatoryeffortjail

Five days later down came the high priest Ananias with some elders and a barrister called Tertullus. They laid information before the governor against Paul. Verse ConceptsAttorneyGovernorsHigh Priest, In NtFour Or Five DaysPeople Accusing People

"But surely our Law does not condemn the accused before hearing what he has to say and ascertaining his offence?" Verse ConceptsJudging RightlyExcellent LawNo Condemnationcondemnation

Examine him for yourself and you will be able to find out about all these charges of ours against him." Verse ConceptsInvestigating