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.