Betrayal Begins
“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will build another that is made without hands.’” Mark 14:58 · Berean Standard Bible
They claim they heard Jesus say He would tear down the temple and rebuild a different one in three days without human hands.
Jesus did say something like this, but He was talking about His own body dying and rising again. These witnesses twisted His words into something that sounded like a threat.
The false witnesses deliver their distorted accusation.
They took something beautiful Jesus said about His resurrection and turned it into a weapon against Him. His words about rising again became the charge used to kill Him.
The witnesses claim Jesus said He would destroy the cheiropoieton (hand-made) temple and build an acheiropoieton (not-made-with-hands) one in three days, distorting His actual words.
John 2:19 records Jesus saying 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,' referring to His body. The accusers twist this into a threat against the physical temple.
The false witnesses quote a distorted version of Jesus' words about the temple.
They twist Jesus' words about His body's resurrection into a threat against the holy temple. It's close enough to be dangerous but far enough from truth to be false testimony.
56For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their testimony was inconsistent.
57Then some men stood up and testified falsely against Him:
58“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will build another that is made without hands.’”
59But even their testimony was inconsistent.
60So the high priest stood up before them and questioned Jesus, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”
Read all of Mark 14 — A woman anoints Jesus with costly perfume while Judas negotiates his price. The Last Supper, Gethsemane, and Peter's denial unfold in rapid succession.
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