Wednesday 26th March
Read Mark 14:61b-64
“Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’
62 ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’
63 The high priest tore his clothes. ‘Why do we need any more witnesses?’ he asked. 64 ‘You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’
They all condemned him as worthy of death.” (NIVUK)
Jesus speaks when asked to answer on oath by the high priest. It is an interesting question that cuts to the heart of the high priest’s frustrations. So many false witnesses and nothing would stick. His last chance was to extract a confession.
Although the confession he elicited was perfect to condemn Jesus in his mind, the sting in the tail was missed. Jesus’ claim was clear even if we don’t accept the ‘I Am’ as a divine reference (which I do, and I suspect they did also). Jesus’ claim to be the Daniel 7 ‘Son of Man’ coming with the clouds is a claim to come in final, and earth-shattering, judgement.
Whilst they sit on judgement on Him, He simply states that He is in fact the Judge.
