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Illegal Trial of Jesus
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with passion: “Answerest Thou nothing?” he exclaimed; “what is it
which these witness against Thee?”
Jesus held His peace. “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted,
yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaugh-
ter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not
His mouth.”
Isaiah 53:7
.
At last, Caiaphas addressed Jesus in the form of a solemn oath:
“I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be
the Christ, the Son of God.”
To this appeal Christ could not remain silent. He knew that to
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answer now would make His death certain. But the appeal was made
by the highest acknowledged authority of the nation, and in the name
of the Most High. He must plainly declare His character and mission.
Jesus had said to His disciples, “Whosoever therefore shall confess
Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is
in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32
. Now by His own example He repeated
the lesson.
Every eye was fixed on Jesus’ face as He answered, “Thou hast
said.” A heavenly light seemed to illuminate His pale countenance
as He added, “Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see
the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the
clouds of heaven.” For a moment the high priest quailed before the
penetrating eyes of the Saviour. Never in afterlife did he forget that
searching glance of the persecuted Son of God.
Caiaphas Almost Convinced
The thought that all would stand at the bar of God, to be rewarded
according to their works, was a thought of terror to Caiaphas. There
rushed before his mind the scenes of the final judgment. For a
moment he saw the graves giving up their dead, with the secrets he
had hoped were forever hidden. He felt as if the eternal Judge was
reading his soul, bringing to light mysteries supposed to be hidden
with the dead.
Caiaphas had denied the resurrection, the judgment, and a future
life. Now he was maddened by satanic fury. Rending his robe, he
demanded that the prisoner be condemned for blasphemy. “What
further need have we of witnesses?” he said; “behold, now ye have