But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, *Thou* art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
The witnesses at this trial have contradicted each other, so the high priest turns and questions the prisoner himself. Two things stand out. Jesus stays silent under accusation, and then the high priest names Him "the Son of the Blessed."
One writer links this silence to Isaiah's prophecy and to Peter's later words. He also marks the line between what Jesus ignored and what He answered:
Finally the high priest has to appeal to Christ Himself. In the presence of all this hatred and malice the Lord "remained silent and made no answer." Peter, who witnessed these solemn scenes, can tell us years later that "when He was reviled, He did not revile in return." "Like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth" (Isa. 53:7). To the accusations of malice He had nothing to say. But when challenged about the glory of His Person, He witnesses to the truth without hesitation, whatever it costs. He is the perfect example for all His servants.
The silence was not sulking. The charges had already destroyed each other, and the high priest's demand was a bid to save them:
Still there was no agreement. So the high priest turns to Jesus, to make Him answer what needed no answer, and so make something out of nothing. That is why He is silent.
No accusation would stick. The only way left to a death sentence was to make Jesus condemn Himself with His own words. One commentator draws out what the high priest was doing — and what he did not realise he was doing:
This lowly One stood bound in their presence. Did the high priest and his associates know that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah? They knew He had given witness to that effect throughout His public ministry... The high priest knew he would succeed if he put that question about His Sonship to Him. But he little knew what he was doing; false witnesses could not condemn the blessed One. His own confession of who He was — the confession of the truth alone — could bring about His condemnation.
He met the false charges with silence, but a direct question about His identity was different. The answer that condemned Him has been serving others ever since:
But the direct question He will not fail to answer. He must answer "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" with nothing left unclear. It will give them what they seek against Him. But it will also give rest to those who truly seek the truth, and bring blessing to people through the ages. Yes, He is the Son of the Blessed, while He is the Son of Man as well.
The title the high priest uses raises a question about rank. Is the Son somehow less than God?
The Son holds no lower or secondary place in Deity, because the whole fullness of the Godhead has a permanent home in Him. It was not an incomplete fullness. It was not just a part of the fullness. It was the fullness in its perfect entirety, with nothing of Deity lacking or reduced in any way, or at any time. He is "the Son of the Blessed," and "God blessed for ever" (Mark 14:61-62; Rom. 9:5).
He knew what the court intended to do with Him. He had also come for a purpose of His own:
Here in this chapter we find the Lord as a lamb that is silent before its shearers. He does not answer the accusation of His enemies. They were there intending to put Him to death, and He knew it. He was there to give His life a ransom for many... He is rejected and crucified for His own witness to the truth.
- Silence — The charges contradicted each other, so they needed no answer, and He gave none.
- Speech — The moment they question His Person, the silence ends. He confesses the truth whatever it costs, and that is the pattern for those who serve Him.
- Title — "The Son of the Blessed" confesses a Sonship with no lesser rank. The whole fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him permanently.
- Condemnation — False witnesses could not convict Him. Only His own true confession could, so the trial published the very glory it meant to bury.
- Blessing — His answer gave His enemies what they wanted. It still gives rest to every honest seeker, for He is the Son of the Blessed and the Son of Man.
And Jesus said, *I* am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
Witnesses have failed to convict Jesus, so the high priest asks Him outright who He is. His answer is what sends Him to death — and it reaches far past that night, to a throne and a return.
The court had hunted all night for evidence and come up empty.
They found the will, but not the power; readiness to testify, but even in that they could not succeed. Man fails in everything, except in malice against Jesus... So they rejected Jesus, not because of man's false testimony, but on the true testimony of God. It was for His own testimony that they condemned Him. He came witnessing to the truth, and He witnessed to it to the point of death... The Lord answers, "I am." He makes a good confession, not only before Pontius Pilate, but before the high priest.
The high priest now had what his witnesses could not give him.
The high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" He received the reply, "I am." He understood the nature of the claim Jesus was making. "And the high priest tore his garments and said, 'What further witnesses do we need? You have heard His blasphemy. What is your decision?' And they all condemned Him as deserving death" (Mark 14:61-64).
Jesus does not stop at answering the question.
Notice what we have here. He was the Christ, the Son of God, as One who had come among the Jews on earth, living among men. Besides that, we have the double position of the Son of man — sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Up to that night, "Son of Man" had meant lowliness.
He adds a clear, positive declaration. His accusers would yet see not only the Son of God, but the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. Though being the Son of God, He had come in lowly humility as the Son of Man. But as Son of Man He would come again, no longer in lowliness, but as the Man of God's right hand in power and majesty.
"Son of Man" was not a phrase invented on the spot. It came from a prophet's vision, and a man named Stephen would later see part of the promise already true.
Of this One Daniel had written, and in a vision he had seen Him (Dan. 7:13)... The Lord Jesus also clearly applied this title to Himself, showing that He was the one the prophet had written about (Mark 14:61-62). Stephen now saw Him as the Son of man and in heaven, and there standing in the place of honour — at the right hand of God. Power, then, belongs to the crucified One, and as Son of man He will one day exercise it... Many members of the council had probably been present when the Lord Jesus declared that He was the Son of man. They had a part in judging Him worthy of death for that.
"You will see" points straight at the men running the trial.
The Son of Man thus stood before the leaders of Israel. What a moment when the leaders of Israel shall stand before the Son of Man.
He let false charges pass in silence. A direct question was different.
But He will not fail to answer the direct question. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" — He must answer that with no ambiguity at all. It will give them what they seek against Him. But it will also give rest to honest seekers, and through the ages it will bring blessing to people. Yes, He is the Son of the Blessed, while He is the Son of man as well.
- Two testimonies. False testimony could not touch Him. They condemned Him only when He told the truth about Himself.
- Two words. The court heard "I am" as a claim to be the Son of the Blessed, and called it blasphemy on the spot.
- Two seats. He named a double position as Son of Man — seated at the right hand of power now, coming with the clouds later.
- Two witnesses. Daniel had written of this One; Stephen soon saw Him standing there, before some of the very men who judged Him.
- Two verdicts. His judges will one day stand before Him. The same answer gives rest to every honest seeker.
And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses?
The high priest has just asked Jesus if He is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, and Jesus has answered, "I am." Now the high priest tears his own clothes and tells the court it needs no more witnesses — so who is really on trial here?
Everything before this verse had failed. The witnesses could not agree. The leaders had their verdict already, but no legal way to reach it.
We must understand that the Lord's condemnation was already settled. The chief men of the Jews were only looking for a way to carry out wickedness and murder while keeping up the appearance of justice. They looked for witnesses against Him to put Him to death. The testimony was false, and the witnesses did not agree with each other. Many were ready to testify, but their evidence counted for nothing. The Lord had to be condemned on His own witness.
So the charge rested on what Jesus said about Himself. The court never caught Him out. He spoke, and they used His words.
The result was that Jesus was rejected, not on the false testimony of man, but on the true testimony of God. It was for His own testimony that they condemned Him. He came bearing witness to the truth, and He bore witness to it to the point of death.
The word the high priest used was not vague. The leaders had aimed this charge at Jesus before, when He claimed what belongs to God alone.
Blasphemy in Holy Scripture, while sometimes used for evil speech against man, also refers to speaking evil against God or about God. The unspoken charge of blasphemy against our Lord on this occasion came from an assumption of the scribes. They held that by pronouncing forgiveness of sins He was taking to Himself one of the attributes of Godhead. The Jews saw His claim to be the Son of God in the same way. As the Lord said to them, "Do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?"
The gesture itself was illegal. Israel's law singled out the high priest and told him never to do this.
They condemned Him on the ground of the witness He bore to Himself; and even in doing that they broke the law themselves. It was written: "The priest who is chief among his brothers … shall not … tear his clothes" (Lev. 21:10). The high priest ignored this, so shaken was he in the presence of his Victim, so carried away with anger and hatred.
Commentators read his state of mind differently. Some see real agitation; others see an act.
Such words from such lips should have brought the high priest to broken repentance. Instead he put on a shameful, unlawful show of being shocked. He tore his clothes and charged the Lord of glory with blasphemy. He had no interest in asking honestly whether it was true that Jesus was the Son of God.
Tearing the robe did more than break a rule.
In his frenzy the high priest tore his clothes. By that act he destroyed his priesthood, and he pronounced the Lord guilty of blasphemy.
Set against that ruined office stands the priesthood of the One on trial.
In Israel, tearing your clothes was a sign of mourning. Signs of mourning did not fit priestly character, because the priest draws near to God, and mourning has no place in His presence. A priest was never to tear his garments. Caiaphas did this when questioning the Lord Jesus (Matt. 26:65), an offence for which the law demanded the death penalty. For above all, the High Priest is a picture of the Lord Jesus. Will His garments of priestly dignity ever be torn? Absolutely not! That would point to some failure or fault in His priestly work. Thank God this is impossible. He remains faithful and true forever!
Everything Jesus endures in this room comes from human hands. Commentators mark a clear line between that suffering and His suffering at the hand of God.
It is a solemn thing to think about this — to consider Who He was, while men heaped all these insults on Him! But this is no part of His atoning work. Atonement was made when He suffered at the hand of God. He suffered at the hands of men for righteousness — for God. He suffered at the hand of God for sin — for us.
- No evidence. The court wanted a death sentence but could not produce one. The witnesses contradicted each other.
- His own word. What false testimony could not achieve, His truthful confession did — they condemned Him for telling them who He is.
- The charge. "Blasphemy" meant claiming what belongs to God alone. The leaders understood His answer, and refused it.
- The torn robe. The high priest broke the law he was sworn to keep. By tearing his garments he ruined the office he judged from.
- The robe that holds. Caiaphas destroyed his own priesthood. Christ's garments of priestly dignity will never be torn, because His work never fails.
Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
Every witness against Jesus had collapsed. So the court fell back on the only evidence left: His own answer about who He is. The verdict is unanimous, and it comes from the nation's religious leaders. What did they mean by "blasphemy," and why were they so sure?
The men who wanted Him dead could not build a case. So the sentence rests on what Jesus said about Himself.
Man fails in everything, except in malice against Jesus. Bribed testimony from the witnesses, judges ready to condemn — and still everything failed. The testimony did not agree. As the law required, there must be two or three witnesses in agreement; but these did not agree. The result was that Jesus was rejected, not for the false testimony of man, but on the true testimony of God. It was for His own testimony that they condemned Him. He came witnessing to the truth, and He witnessed to it to death.
The outcome was never in doubt. They only had to find a route to it.
We must understand that the Lord's condemnation was a settled thing. The chiefs of the Jews were only looking for a way to carry out wickedness and murder while keeping up the appearance of justice.
The word had a definite meaning for them, and it fastened on what He claimed about Himself.
Blasphemy in Holy Scripture, while sometimes used for evil speech against man, also refers to evil speaking against or about God. The charge of blasphemy brought against our Lord on this occasion came from an assumption of the scribes. They held that by pronouncing forgiveness of sins He was taking to Himself one of the attributes that belong to God alone. The Jews saw His claim to be the Son of God in the same way. As the Lord said to them, "Do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?"
Two things stand out here: who was really being judged, and who actually broke the law.
The prophet Micah had predicted that "the Judge of Israel" would be made subject to human judgment. This came to pass. They condemned Him on the ground of the witness He bore to Himself, and even in doing this they broke the law themselves. It was written: "The priest who is chief among his brothers … shall not … tear his clothes" (Leviticus 21:10). The high priest ignored this. He was so agitated in the presence of his Victim, so carried away with anger and hatred.
One writer weighs what that act cost the man who made it — and where their verdict was aimed.
In his frenzy the high priest tore his clothes. By that act he destroyed his priesthood, and pronounced the Lord guilty of blasphemy. Their verdict recalls the command in Deuteronomy 21 about a man put to death and hanged on a tree: "a hanged man is cursed by God." From then on they were determined that He should be hanged on a tree — the object not only of their accusations but, as they hoped, accursed of God.
The whole council agreed. And the One they sentenced answered the abuse with no resistance.
In the eyes of these leaders, blinded by unbelief, the truth appears as blasphemy. Without a single dissenting voice "they all condemned Him as deserving death." In perfect submission to the Father's will, He offers no resistance to the outrages of those who spit in His face and strike Him with their hands. Yet He is the One who will soon be exalted to the right hand of power, and come again in glory.
They proved no crime. So what drove them?
On earth there was a power strong enough to drive away all the effects of sin, for the power of God showed itself in goodness. But this only awakened the natural enmity of the human heart against Him. There was no motive for the death of Jesus; this enmity was the only cause. What took away the terrible effects of sin did not take the sin itself out of man's heart. It revealed God enough to awaken the natural enmity of the heart, and so to show what that heart is.
The sentence passed that night was not the last word spoken about Him.
Goodness in human form had been shamefully betrayed, cruelly treated and rejected. A solemn legal process, religious and civil, condemned Him as worthy of death in its most shameful form. "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him," had been the language of the leaders of the nation. But God "raised him from the dead and gave him glory," and so reversed the verdict of the world.
- Charge. They called it blasphemy because He claimed what belongs to God — the right to forgive sins, and the name Son of God.
- Court. Every witness failed. They condemned Him on His own testimony — the true testimony of God.
- Judge. Tearing his robe broke the law he judged by. In sentencing the Judge of Israel, the high priest ended his own priesthood.
- Verdict. Not one voice dissented. They aimed at a death on a tree, and the One who will sit at the right hand of power took the blows without resistance.
- Reversal. Enmity was the only motive for His death. God answered the world's sentence by raising Him and giving Him glory.