Day 12 of 21
Did Jesus claim to be God during His trial?
In Mark 14.61, when Caiaphas, the high priest, asked Jesus if He was the "Christ," the term refers to Jesus' claim to be the promised Messiah. The "Son of the Blessed" clearly refers to Jesus' claim to Deity. This is the only New Testament use of the expression, and it is an example of Jewish wording that avoided using God's name. Jesus' acceptance of messiahship and Deity (see Luke 4.18-21; John 4.25, 26; 5.17, 18; 8.58) had always brought vigorous opposition from the Jewish leaders (John 5.19-47; 8.16-19; 10.29-39). Clearly, the high priest was asking this question in hopes that Jesus would affirm it and open Himself to the formal charge of blasphemy.
Jesus' response that "I am" (v. 62) was an explicit, unambiguous declaration that He was and is both the Messiah and "the Son of Man"-Jesus used this commonly acknowledged messianic title of Himself more than 80 times in the Gospels, here in a reference to Psalm 110.1 and Daniel 7.13 (see Rev. 1.13; 14.14). He added that His glorified position is next to the throne of God, "the right hand of the Power." Jesus' "Power" is another reference to God.
That Jesus' declaration was understood is seen when the high priest "tore his clothes" (v. 63), a ceremonial, and in this case contrived, display of grief and indignation over the presumed dishonoring of God's name by Jesus (see Gen. 37.29; Lev. 10.6; Job 1.20; Acts 14.13, 19). Strictly speaking, Jesus' words were not "blasphemy" (v. 64) or defiant irreverence of God (Lev. 24.10-23), but Caiaphas regarded them as such because Jesus claimed for Himself equal power and prerogative with God.
Mark 14:61 NKJV
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
Luke 4:18-21 NKJV
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord .”
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
John 4:25-26 NKJV
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He. ”
John 5:17-18 NKJV
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
Psalms 110:1 NKJV
1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
Daniel 7:13 NKJV
13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
Revelation 1:13 NKJV
13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
Genesis 37:29 NKJV
29 Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
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