Gaslighting the public is nothing new. The Sanhedrin, the ruling council during the time of Jesus, did it. Gaslighting is the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one’s own advantage. The term comes from the title of a 1938 play involving a man attempting to make his wife believe she is going insane. The word is used in the media to refer to modern forms of deception and manipulation. [1]
There were many illegal things about Jesus’ trial, but the council tried to make a pretense of justice and honesty for the public. They willingly broke many laws to carry out their evil, yet followed other rules to make it appear legitimate.
Obedience When Convenient
The council first convened at night, which was illegal. But then they met again at daybreak to make it appear legal. Matthew 27:1 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death.[2]
The council intentionally used false witnesses (Matthew 26:59-60), which broke the law. But, to appear to follow the law, they made sure they had two. Deuteronomy 19: 15 You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. [3]
The priests were willing to bribe Judas to betray Jesus. Matthew 26: 14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.[4] But when Judas returned the money, they knew they couldn’t put it back in the treasury. Matthew 27: 6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners.[5]
You Can’t Gaslight God
We can see the evil intent in the hearts of the Jewish leadership in the trial of Jesus. They may have been able to fool the public, but they could not fool God. It is the same for us. We might be able to make a pretense of spirituality to others, but God knows the truth of our hearts. 1 Samual 16: 7 People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.[6]
Jesus had already warned the Jewish leadership. Luke 16: 15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts.[7] We can learn what not to do from the story of Jesus’ trial. God wants us to follow Him with our whole hearts. He can also give us discernment so we can detect those gaslighting the public.
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/blind-ignorance
[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaslighting
[2-7] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.