This meditation on Matthew 26:59-66 was first published in the Bellevue Chapel Easter Reader for 2019.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.”’
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’
64 ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’[e]
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?’
‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.”’
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’
64 ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’[e]
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?’
‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.
One confession enables the Jewish authorities to condemn Jesus. “Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God”, they say. Jesus replies “You have said so” (verses 63-64). What the dodgy witnesses couldn’t achieve, Jesus provides willingly. His confession is classed as blasphemy and worthy of death.
Jesus continues “From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus rarely called Himself Son of God – those who did included Peter (Matthew 16:16), demons (Matthew 8:29) and God the Father (Matthew 3:17) – but Son of Man was His favourite self-description. It emphasised His humanity and humility, giving the authorities no justification to arrest him and the crowds no incentive to crown Him king. He only identified explicitly with the all-conquering Son of Man of Daniel 7:13-14 in conversations with His disciples. Until now.
Just when it appears prudent to play down claims about Himself, Jesus reveals authority dwarfing the power of the Jewish leaders and the Roman Empire. He confirms the Son of Man is also the Son of God, effectively signing His own death warrant.
Jesus sees beyond His horrific sufferings to the glory that will follow. How will we respond when faith and courage are put to the test? The keys are to keep our eyes on Jesus and to remember that our sufferings are incomparable with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).
OneFiveThree 