57 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ” 62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.” 67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
The goon-squad now brought Jesus before Caiaphas (26:57-68). The trials of Jesus occur from 26:57 to 27:26.
26:57
And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
Caiaphas was high priest from A.D. 18 to A.D. 36. Annas (father-in-law of Caiaphas) was the main power behind the scenes. Both were Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection. Matthew does not mention that they led Jesus to Annas first.
The Sanhedrin was hastily and illegally formed in verses 57 and 58. They formed privately in Caiaphas’ house; Jewish trials were to be public. They also indicted him before trail, which was illegal.
26:58
But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard.
Peter stealthily followed Jesus at a distance to the house of Annas and then to the courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas.
And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
Peter sat clandestinely with the officers and servants of the Sanhedrin.
26:59
Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
They assembled the Sanhedrin consisting of chief priests, elders, and scribes (Mark 14:53) to make Jesus’ trial appear legal. The “Council” (Sanhedrin) acted illegally by taking the roles of both prosecutor and judge.
26:60
but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward
The Sanhedrin could not find credible witnesses to give testimony against Jesus. Instead, they found two “false witnesses.” Matthew mentions twice that when it comes to credible witnesses, they “found none.”
26:61
and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”
The two false witnesses cited a statement Jesus made about raising the temple in three days after it was destroyed. Jesus, however, did not refer to the Temple in Jerusalem but to His own body.
26:62
And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?”
Caiaphas became frustrated because he could not find adequate evidence against Jesus.
26:63
But Jesus kept silent.
Jesus remained “silent” because he did not want to give this trial a sense of legitimacy. Since it was illegal to bring Him before trial without official charges, He would not answer them.
Jesus remained silent before the specific charge laid before Him. This fulfilled Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.”
And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
The high priest tried to put Jesus under an oath of the “living God” that he claimed to be “the Son of God.” This was an attempt at the charge of blasphemy. Blasphemy was subject to death (Lev 24:16).
26:64
Jesus said to him, “It is as you said.
This was tantamount to admitting He was the Son of God.
Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus referenced Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13 to Himself. He said, in effect, “Not only am I the Son of God but I will return one day to be your judge.”
26:65
Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
Because Jesus was unambiguous about who He was, the high priest charged Him with blasphemy. Caiaphas tore his clothes in dramatic fashion, giving the appearance that he defended God’s honor. It was pure theater.
26:66
What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”
They quickly came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
26:67
Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,
Not operating by a sense of decency, they spat in His face and then beat Him.
26:68
saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
After blindfolding Jesus, they beat Him, asking sarcastically who it was that hit Him.
PRINCIPLE:
Nobility under trial is a testimony to the world.
APPLICATION:
Jesus faced the Father’s appointed time with nobility. When he was reviled, He reviled not again.
1 Pe 2: 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
