Mark 14:55
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
Original Language Analysis
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἀρχιερεῖς
the chief priests
G749
ἀρχιερεῖς
the chief priests
Strong's:
G749
Word #:
3 of 19
the high-priest (literally, of the jews; typically, christ); by extension a chief priest
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
4 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ὅλον
all
G3650
ὅλον
all
Strong's:
G3650
Word #:
5 of 19
"whole" or "all", i.e., complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
τὸ
G3588
τὸ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
6 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
συνέδριον
the council
G4892
συνέδριον
the council
Strong's:
G4892
Word #:
7 of 19
a joint session, i.e., (specially), the jewish sanhedrin; by analogy, a subordinate tribunal
ἐζήτουν
sought
G2212
ἐζήτουν
sought
Strong's:
G2212
Word #:
8 of 19
to seek (literally or figuratively); specially, (by hebraism) to worship (god), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life)
κατὰ
against
G2596
κατὰ
against
Strong's:
G2596
Word #:
9 of 19
(prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined)
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦ
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦ
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
11 of 19
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
εἰς
to
G1519
εἰς
to
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
13 of 19
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
τὸ
G3588
τὸ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
14 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτόν
him
G846
αὐτόν
him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
16 of 19
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
17 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Historical Context
Jewish law (as codified in the Mishnah tractate Sanhedrin, reflecting first-century practice) required capital trials to begin during daytime, prohibited night sessions, and mandated acquittal if witnesses disagreed. This trial violated multiple procedural safeguards. The Sanhedrin needed Roman approval for executions (John 18:31), so they sought a charge that would convince Pilate, not just satisfy Jewish law.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the Sanhedrin's failure to find true charges testify to Jesus's sinless perfection?
- What does it reveal about human justice systems when religious leaders must fabricate evidence?
- How should Christians respond when facing false accusations, following Christ's example here?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus (ἐζήτουν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ μαρτυρίαν, ezētoun kata tou Iēsou martyrian)—The verb ζητέω (zēteō) reveals their predetermined agenda: they were hunting for testimony, not truth. The preposition κατά (kata, 'against') shows hostile intent. To put him to death (εἰς τὸ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν, eis to thanatōsai auton)—the purpose clause exposes this as a show trial with a predetermined verdict.
And found none (καὶ οὐχ εὕρισκον, kai ouch heuriskon)—Despite the entire religious establishment's resources, they could not find legitimate charges. Deuteronomy 17:6 required two or three witnesses for capital punishment, but the Sanhedrin couldn't even manufacture convincing false testimony. The Lamb of God stood spotless even before His enemies' scrutiny, fulfilling Isaiah 53:9: 'he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.'