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

 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  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.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  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!"  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."  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!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"

- Matthew 26:57-68

 Yesterday we read that while Jesus was still speaking to the disciples ("See, My betrayer is at hand"), Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.  Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."  Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?"  Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.  And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?  How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"  In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.  But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."  Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  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.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  We note how the high priest, chief priests, elders and all the council seek to find false witnesses who will testify sufficiently to condemn Christ.  St. Jerome comments that the historian Josephus indicates that Caiaphas had purchased the position of high priest from Herod for a term of one year, a sign of corruption and dishonor, which we see played out in the text.  St. Jerome further comments on this text that Peter, either out of love for Christ or human curiosity as to what judgment would happen, follows Christ at a distance, to find if Jesus will be put to death or beaten with whips.  At this point Peter, through this action, has separated himself from the other disciples, who have fled.

But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  These false witnesses have misunderstood the Lord's words which are reported in John 2:19-21.  My study bible comments that some Jews believed the temple would be destroyed, and a new one built by the Messiah.

And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.   As He will with Pilate, Jesus kept silent.  What would be the purpose of responding, when those who sit in judgment of the Lord neither wish to hear any defense nor will entertain any truth?  Their desperate search for false witnesses has confirmed that.  Moreover, to explain His word to those determined to hate Him -- and correcting these false witnesses -- would be casting pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).

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!"  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."  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!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Jesus quotes from Psalm 110 and Daniel 7:13, giving images known and understood to be those belonging to the Messiah.  He testifies, in effect, that He is fully Man and fully God, for only a divine One could sit at the right hand of the Power, thereby sharing authority with God the Father.  My study bible comments that this statement is clearly understood by the high priest to be a claim of equality with God the Father.   For a mere human being to claim this was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16), but Christ isn't simply a human being, and therefore His declaration of equality isn't blasphemy. 

 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"  We see the holy function of prophesy ridiculed and belittled in these actions designed to humiliate Christ.  It is one more expression of corruption.

In today's passage we read of the corruption and evil that can befall even the One without sin, the One so innocent and blameless that it was hard to find false witnesses who could successfully testify against Him.  But Christ accepts what is happening, as He knows that to enter into this evil time, and to journey through an unjust trial, is part of the salvation plan for an entire creation.  The most holy and innocent One of all will live His human life facing the injustices of evil that human beings face in a world that is broken from communion with God through sin.  How are we to understand these things?  We commented in yesterday's reading that Jesus was seized in the garden of Gethsemane, betrayed by a friend (Judas), but Christ "goes just as it is written" (26:24), in contrast to the story of the first sin and temptation in the garden of Eden.  Jesus' endurance through this trial and these false witnesses, unjust accusations and unjust conviction, is a part of the salvation plan through which He will bring renewal and Resurrection to all of us.  His faith is unshakeable, His commitment to the mission absolute.  He will lay down His life for His friends (John 15:13) -- that is, for all of us who will follow and seek the redemption He offers.  As we continue to dwell in this world which is not perfect, but in which injustices and evil and corruption continue to be at work, let us consider how we go through life ourselves.  Jesus has given us the pattern for facing evil.  We stand firm in our faith.  We must "watch and pray" to resist the temptation to fall into the traps that are set for us should we also find ourselves in such circumstances.  As we can see through this false trial, which breaks even the laws these men are sword to uphold, Jesus does not respond to false accusations in the conventional ways one would think of fighting in a courtroom.  He does not testify on His own behalf except to refer to His role in Scripture before the seat of the high priest, although the man who occupies that position is corrupt.  Jesus knows the trial is a foregone conclusion, but it is not the outcome of this trial that is important.  What really matters is specifically the conduct of Christ, and the ways in which He walks through this time.  It is highly important for our faith that we understand that what Jesus asks of us is not nominally "successful" outcomes, but rather endurance in our faith (10:22, 24:13) and in following His commandments (see this reading).  We are to live as light in His name, living and teaching the gospel (5:16).  He will tell His apostles to make disciples of all the nations, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" in the Great Commission after His Resurrection.   But this is an ongoing mission, and not one with a designated outcome or quota to fulfill.  It is what we are to be about, how we are to live and what we are to do, most especially to follow His commandments, and to endure through all things.  And this is what Jesus does in this great example set before us.  His is not a teaching of "by any means necessary."  Rather it is the means itself that matters which He teaches to us, for it is how we are to live our lives that He gives us.  If that mission seems a little daunting or frightening, let us consider the power in His word, the power of the truth, and the work of God among us.   The Holy Spirit, which He has called the spirit of Truth, is at work in our world in ways we can't calculate and don't know in advance.  Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and all the Trinity dwells with us.  We are not alone in our faith, but He is with us always, even to the end of the age.