Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61b-62 CSB)
Following His arrest, Jesus was taken to stand trial before the Sanhedrin. Led by the high priest, this group of seventy-one religious officials including the chief priests, elders, and scribes had assembled with one goal in mind. They were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death (v.55).
To find a way to condemn Jesus, the officials brought forward different people to provide false testimony against Him. But it was ineffective, as their testimonies did not agree. In the meantime, Jesus stood in silence, offering no response as they conducted this kangaroo court against Him.
Finally, the high priest stood up and asked Jesus, Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One? Rather than using the personal name of God, which the Jews believed they should not do, the high priest referred to God as the Blessed One. He wanted to know if Jesus was claiming to be the Son of God.
Why was this so important? According to the Apostle John, this was one of the primary reasons for the hostility of the religious leaders toward Jesus. This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill him, he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God (John 5:18). To claim to be the Son of God was to claim to be God.
This was the moment of truth for Jesus. It was time to show His cards. Is Jesus the Son of God? I am, Jesus said, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.
At that, the high priest tore his garments and declared that Jesus was committing blasphemy against God. In his mind, this statement alone was enough to condemn Jesus. He deserved death.
Timothy Keller wrote this about Jesus: “If he is who he says he is, then you have to center your whole life on him. And if he is not who he said he is, then he is someone to hate or run away from. But no other response makes any sense. Either he is God or he isn’t – so he’s absolutely crazy or infinitely wonderful.”
This is why the work of Jesus Christ on the cross is so amazing and why Easter is so special to those who are in Christ. Jesus was not merely a man condemned to death. He is God Himself in the flesh who came to rescue and redeem humanity by shedding His own blood on our behalf. Like the high priest and other religious officials, we can choose to reject Him and move on with our lives. Or we can embrace the awesome truth of who He truly is and all that He has done, and fully surrender our lives to Him in faith.
As we look toward Easter, I encourage you to reflect today on the reality that God Himself went to the cross for you. Allow that infinitely wonderful truth to flood your heart with gratitude and joy as you remember what Jesus has done for you.
