As Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin, deposition of (false) witnesses was sought that would incriminate Jesus with blasphemy. After some time, two witnesses announced that they heard Jesus say, “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.” Ironically Jesus did make this statement in John 2:19, but because their testimony did not agree (Mk 14:59), it was overthrown. Up to this point in the trial, Jesus remained silent, refusing to defend himself.
Frustrated and angry, Caiaphas made a bold and devious move that changed the direction of the proceedings. He came right out and directly asked Jesus to swear an oath telling if he was indeed “the Messiah, the Son of God.”
Curiously, Jesus finally spoke up and answered Caiaphas’s challenge in verse 64, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” These powerful words drawn from Daniel 7:13-14, became the turning point of the trial. Caiaphas and the judges did not misunderstand that reference – they had the blasphemy they were waiting to hear, and their indictment was that Jesus’s crime was worthy of death.
Join us this week as we begin with the first of the three trials our Lord went through before Calvary.
And ask yourself who was really on trial when Christ was brought before the Sanhedrin?
