Mattheüs 26:63

63 Doch Jezus zweeg stil. En de hogepriester, antwoordende, zeide tot Hem: Ik bezweer U bij den levenden God, dat Gij ons zegt, of Gij zijt de Christus, de Zoon van God?

Mattheüs 26:63 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 26:63

But Jesus held his peace
Knowing it would signify nothing, whatever he should say, they being set upon his death, the time of which was now come; and therefore he quietly submits, and says nothing in his own defence to prevent it. To be silent in a court of judicature, Apollonius Tyanaeus ^F3 says, is the fourth virtue; this Christ had, and all others:

and the high priest answered and said unto him;
though Christ had said nothing, a way of speaking very frequent among the Jews, and in the sacred writings:

I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be
the Christ, the Son of God;
the Christ; the anointed, that David speaks of in the second Psalm, and who is there said to be the Son of God, ( Psalms 2:2 Psalms 2:7 ) , to which the high priest seems to have respect; since there is no other passage, in which both these characters meet; and which was understood by the ancient Jews of the Messiah, as is owned by modern ones ^F4. Jesus was given out to be the Messiah, and his disciples believed him to be the Son of God, and he had affirmed himself to be so; wherefore the high priest, exerting his priestly power and authority, puts him upon his oath; or at least with an oath made by the living God, charges him to tell the truth, and which when ever any heard the voice of swearing, he was obliged to do, ( Leviticus 5:1 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Philostrat. Vita Apollouii, l. 8. c. 1.
F4 Jarchi & Aben Ezra in Psal. ii. 1. & Kimchi in ver. 12.

Mattheüs 26:63 In-Context

61 Maar ten laatste kwamen twee valse getuigen, en zeiden: Deze heeft gezegd: Ik kan den tempel Gods afbreken, en in drie dagen denzelven opbouwen.

62 En de hogepriester, opstaande, zeide tot Hem: Antwoordt Gij niets? Wat getuigen dezen tegen U?

63 Doch Jezus zweeg stil. En de hogepriester, antwoordende, zeide tot Hem: Ik bezweer U bij den levenden God, dat Gij ons zegt, of Gij zijt de Christus, de Zoon van God?

64 Jezus zeide tot hem: Gij hebt het gezegd. Doch Ik zeg ulieden: Van nu aan zult gij zien den Zoon des mensen, zittende ter rechter hand der kracht Gods, en komende op de wolken des hemels.

65 Toen verscheurde de hogepriester zijn klederen, zeggende: Hij heeft God gelasterd, wat hebben wij nog getuigen van node? Ziet, nu hebt gij Zijn gods lastering gehoord.