Mat 26:64-68 | RWP | e4.org | Thou hast said ( συ ειπας ). This is a Greek affirmative reply. Mark ( ) has it plainly, "I am" ( ειμ ). But this is not all that Jesus said to Caiaphas. He claims that the day will come when Jesus will be the Judge and Caiaphas the culprit using the prophetic language in and . It was all that Caiaphas wanted.

‏ Matthew 26:64-68

Thou hast said ( συ ειπας ). This is a Greek affirmative reply. Mark (Mr 14:62) has it plainly, "I am" ( ειμ ). But this is not all that Jesus said to Caiaphas. He claims that the day will come when Jesus will be the Judge and Caiaphas the culprit using the prophetic language in Da 7:13 and Ps 109:1. It was all that Caiaphas wanted.

He hath spoken blasphemy ( εβλασφημησεν ). There was no need of witnesses now, for Jesus had incriminated himself by claiming under oath to be the Messiah, the Son of God. Now it would not be blasphemy for the real Messiah to make such a claim, but it was intolerable to admit that Jesus could be the Messiah of Jewish hope. At the beginning of Christ's ministry he occasionally used the word Messiah of himself, but he soon ceased, for it was plain that it would create trouble. The people would take it in the sense of a political revolutionist who would throw off the Roman yoke. If he declined that role, the Pharisees would have none of him for that was the kind of a Messiah that they desired. But the hour has now come. At the Triumphal Entry Jesus let the Galilean crowds hail him as Messiah, knowing what the effect would be. Now the hour has struck. He has made his claim and has defied the High Priest.

He is worthy of death ( ενοχος θανατου εστιν ). Held in the bonds of death ( εν, εχω ) as actually guilty with the genitive ( θανατου ). The dative expresses liability as in Mt 5:21 ( τη κρισε ) and as εις and the accusative (Mt 5:22). They took the vote though it was at night and they no longer had the power of death since the Romans took it away from them. Death was the penalty of blasphemy (Le 24:15). But they enjoyed taking it as their answer to his unanswerable speeches in the temple that dreadful Tuesday a few days before. It was unanimous save that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus did not agree. They were probably absent and not even invited as being under suspicion for being secret disciples of Christ.

Thou Christ ( Χριστε ). With definite sneer at his claims under oath in 26:63. With uncontrolled glee and abandon like a lot of hoodlums these doctors of divinity insulted Jesus. They actually spat in his face, buffeted him on the neck ( εκολαφισαν, from κολαφος the fist), and struck him in the face with the palms of their hands ( εραπισαν, from ραπις, a rod), all personal indignities after the legal injustice already done. They thus gave vent to their spite and hatred.