Matthew 26:61-65
Mat 26:61 (KJB)
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build
it in three days.
The first of the false witnesses came forward and stated that Jesus said that He
is able to destroy the Temple of God. The man had completely quoted Jesus
inaccurately. (John 2:19 KJV) Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Jesus was telling them
that if they destroy this temple, then in three days He would raise it up. The
religious leaders instantly thought that Jesus was referring to the physical
temple but He was not. (John 2:21 KJV) But he spake of the temple of his
body. Jesus was referring to His physical body. Once Jesus was crucified
and His physical body was killed, the third day He would be raised from the
dead. The physical temple was destroyed 37 years later by Titus but to try and
falsely accuse Jesus for the purpose of having Him killed, they would say
anything and misinterpret anything.
Mat 26:62 (KJB)
And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it
which these witness against thee?
The High Priest stood up because he was very agitated that Jesus was not
responding to the charges that were being levied against Him. The High Priest
wanted Jesus to answer to no doubt, incriminate Himself. Jesus probably thought
to Himself that to answer such a nebulous charge would be fruitless. He was well
aware that these “witnesses” were totally false.
Mat 26:63 (KJB)
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I
adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the
Son of God.
Jesus continued to hold His peace because He knew this was nothing but a
kangaroo court for show. The High Priest was getting very angry at this point
because He wanted Jesus to tell them whether He was the Christ or not. To adjure
is to compel someone to say something as if they were under an oath or for
someone who has been placed under an oath. The Sanhedrin wanted to know if Jesus
was the Messiah. Their spiritual blindness was so severe that they could not
realize that only God can raise the dead or open the eyes of the blind. They
completely rejected His miracles and especially the healings of thousands of
people up and down the nation of Israel. If they would have done serious
Scripture search and compared the life of Jesus to the Scriptures, they would
have had their answer a long time ago. Their main concern was keeping their
positions and wealth making schemes. (John 11:48 KJV) If we let him thus
alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both
our place and nation. Jesus had answered them many times on this question
in various ways and places but their refusal to acknowledge Him had hardened
them progressively.
Mat 26:64 (KJB)
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter
shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in
the clouds of heaven.
Jesus then responds to the High Priest’s question by stating that “Thou hast
said:…” Since the High Priest had adjured Jesus on this matter, these three
words of Jesus was a declaration under oath. In other words, Jesus had given
total approbation to the words of Caiaphas and confirmed that he spoke the truth
that Jesus was the Messiah. Then Jesus continues the statement with the word
“hereafter” stating that after all these events take place and He goes back to
Heaven, He will be seated at the right hand of power, that is, He will take His
rightful place at the right hand of God the Father and when the last one is
saved on earth, on the last day, then He will return on the clouds of glory to
take His church home. (1 Th 4:16-17 KJV) For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: {17} Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Mat 26:65 (KJB)
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what
further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
Once Jesus had made those three declarations, the High Priest then rent his
clothes, that is, he tore his clothes and declared that Jesus had spoken
blasphemy. Originally, to tear one’s clothes was a sign of grief. (Gen 37:34
KJV) And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned
for his son many days. Later on in Israel, to rent one’s clothes had become
a tradition. At the point that Caiaphas had rent His clothes, he himself had
violated the law and should have been dealt with accordingly. (Lev 21:10
KJV) And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the
anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall
not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; Then he makes the determination
that no more witnesses were needed because now they all heard Him speaking
blasphemy. On one hand they ask Jesus if He was the Messiah and then when He
tells them that He will sit on the right hand of God and then return on an
appointed day, which is what the Messiah would do, they considered it blasphemy
instead of another declaration of His Messiahship. This proves no matter what
Jesus said, they would have turned His words around and called it blasphemy.