215. The Lord at the Trial Before Caiaphas. Mt. 26:59–68; Mk. 14:53–65

And the Lord Jesus was brought into the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where all the other high priests and elders and scribes had gathered.

These high priests and elders and the whole Sanhedrin sought false testimony against the Lord Jesus to put him to death, and found none; and though many false witnesses came, they found none because their false testimony was insufficient.

Finally two false witnesses came and said (one of them spoke): We heard him say: I am able to destroy the temple of God and in three days build it; (the other false witness testified differently): I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will raise up another not made by hands. But not even such testimony was sufficient.

Then the high priest rose up and stood in the midst and first questioned the Lord Jesus: What, do you answer nothing? Do you hear what they are testifying against you? But when the Lord Jesus kept silent and gave no answer, the high priest turned to him with these words: I adjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God, the Son of the Blessed God?

The Lord Jesus says to him: You have said so. And moreover I tell you: from now you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest tore his garments and said: He is blaspheming! Why do we still need witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy! What do you think? They all declared him guilty of death and said in answer: He is worthy of death. Then some began to spit in his face and to strike him; others beat him on the cheeks; and others, covering his face, struck him and said: Prophesy to us, O Christ, who struck you! and the servants beat him on the cheeks.

(After this the Lord was led out into the courtyard and held in custody until morning.)