Are
You the Christ,
the Son of God?
At the Jewish trial of Jesus, the high priest Caiaphas found
himself in a dilemma. He was losing his case before the Roman governor Pilate. The
evidence did not add up. The false witnesses did not agree with one another (Mark 14:59;
Matt. 26:59-62).
The star witness did not show. According to Jewish law, Judas who
arranged for the arrest of the offender had to be the person to make the formal legal
accusation. Because Judas realized he had betrayed innocent blood he did not arrive at the
hastily arranged trials and the Sanhedrine lost valuable time trying to come up with
witnesses to sustain their accusations. By not being at the trial Judas was actually
testifying the opposite that Jesus was innocent.
Pilate, knowing Jesus was innocent tried to set Him free.
Jesus had remained silent before His accusers, and this astonished
Pilate, and frustrated the high priest.
Suddenly in desperation Caiaphas turned on Jesus and demanded,
“I charge You under oath by the living God that You tell us whether You are the
Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63).
The form of the question put to Jesus was brilliant. If Caiaphas had
asked if Jesus were the Messiah, it would not have been a capital offense.
Furthermore, concerning the question of being the Son of God Jesus
earlier had quoted Psalm 82:6, “You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most
High.” In the context God was calling the Jewish judges “gods,” therefore
they could not accuse Him of blasphemy for calling Himself God’s Son. God was not
speaking of a divine nature in man when He called them “gods” (Ex. 21:6; 22:8).
Moreover, they called themselves “gods” because they were created in the image
and likeness of God, and were His representatives. The point Jesus was making was if God
calls human judges “gods” then why should they stone Him? He proved to the Jews
that when He calls Himself the Son of God, He did not blaspheme God (Jn. 10:34-36). His
whole life is done in the perfect will of the Father. Jesus uses the Psalm to contrast His
divine sonship, prior to time, with theirs which began only in the present time.
However, the high priest so phrased his calculating question in such
a way that He would have to respond to it. “I adjure You by the living God,” he
asked Jesus, “that you tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
How did he know to ask that question? Judas had instructed him.
Now if Jesus answered, “Yes” to the statement it would be
blasphemy to His accusers.
Jesus spoke up for the first time in the proceedings saying,
“You have said it yourself” (Matt. 26:64). This is an affirmative reply in the
original language. “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied (NIV). “Plainly,
I am” (Mk. 14:62).
Then Jesus quoted the Old Testament prophet Daniel to give evidence
to the declaration. “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter
you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds
of heavens” (Matt. 26:64).
Jesus clarified for His judges the kind of Messiah and Son of God He
was by quoting Daniel 7:13-14. “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with
the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of
Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom,
that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is
an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be
destroyed.”
Caiaphas got more than he wanted. He got a conviction from the lips
of the accused, but he also got the powerful evidence that will one day convict Him before
God’s great throne of justice. The day will come when Jesus will be the Judge of
Caiaphas.
Jesus quoted a passage that will be fulfilled at His Second Coming
(Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Rev. 11:15; Psa. 2:6-9; Phil. 2:11). The
Son of Man will establish “an everlasting dominion.” His kingdom will never be
conquered and will never come to an end. He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords
for all eternity (Matt. 24:30; Mk. 13:26; 14:62; Lk. 21:27; Rev. 1:7, 13; 14:14).
“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. What
do you think?’ ‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered” (Matt.
26:65-55).
The judges came to the right conclusion, but the wrong judgment.
According to the testimony of the Jewish Scriptures Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of
God.” But the judges refused to personally believe the evidence before them. They
remained in their stubborn, willful unbelief. They were blind spiritually and dead in
their trespasses and sins. A dark veil remained over their minds.
Jesus is the only legitimate Jewish Messiah. He is the King of
righteousness (Isa. 32:1-10; Jer. 23:5-8; 30:8-9; 33:14-18); the Divine servant of Yahweh
(Isa. 52:13-15); born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Lk. 1:26-30; Matt. 1:24-25); in the town of
Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Lk. 2:1-7); from the royal line of King David (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa.
11:1-23; Matt. 1:1-16; Lk. 3:23-37); performed the works of righteousness (Isa. 61:1-2;
Lk. 4:16-21; Matt. 11:1-6); the coming Messiah Prince (Dan. 2, 7, 9, 12); entered
Jerusalem as a king (Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:1-11); betrayed by a friend (Psa. 41:9; Matt.
26:14-15; 27:3-8); the precious fountain opened (Zech. 13:1-7); the Messenger of the
Covenant (Mal. 3:1); the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:1), etc.
Jesus Christ is the only unique Son of God (Psa. 2:7; Isa. 9:6; 7:14;
John 3:16). He is God with us (Isa. 7:14; John 1:14, 18; Lk. 1:35; Rev. 21:3; John 20:31). He is the child with many names (Isa. 9:1-6), and
our blessed hope (11:1-12).
“Why do we need any more witnesses? . . . What do you
think?” We, too, are in the same position as Caiaphas and his friends. What will you
decide to do with Jesus based upon the facts from God’s Word? Just like Caiaphas your
decision will determine your eternal destiny.
For a more detailed study of these great evidences in Scriptures,
please go to our studies on
Christ in the Old
Testament.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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