Day 45 : Mark 14:53–65
I am
The Sanhedrin was the council of the Jewish leaders. It had power to make decisions on matters of Jewish law and could sentence people to death but not carry out the sentence. Under Roman occupation only the Romans could execute those found guilty of capital offences.
Initially at his trial, Jesus remains silent in the face of the charges and accusations made against him. Some suggest Jesus didn’t want to dignify the false accusations with a response. Others noted that the ‘suffering servant’ prophesied about in Isaiah 53:7 ‘did not open his mouth’ (NRSVA), so perhaps Mark is pointing to Jesus being the promised Messiah.4 As the trial progresses the witnesses cannot get their testimonies to agree and Mark is clear to note that this was because the testimony was false, and Jesus is innocent of the charges against him.
It is only in respect to the direct question from the high priest that Jesus breaks His silence. When asked directly whether he is the Messiah, Jesus replies ‘I am.’ (NRSVA) Throughout Mark’s Gospel Jesus has been identified as the Messiah/Son of God but this is the first time we hear Jesus affirm it himself. The words he follows with combine imagery from Daniel 7:13 ‘a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven’ (NRSVA), and Psalm 110:1 ‘The Lord says to my Lord ‘Sit at my right hand.’ (NRSVA)
In Daniel’s vision, the Son of Man ‘was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshipped him.’ (NRSVA) This is what angers the chief priests – that Jesus is claiming to be the prophesied Messiah – one with God-given power and authority and worthy of the worship which is due to God alone. That is why they find him guilty of blasphemy.
Mark presents the stark contrast: Jesus is an ordinary man guilty of blasphemy or Jesus really is the promised Messiah.
4 Jesus was identified as the Messiah by; spirits 1:24, 3:11, 5:7, by disciples 8:29 and by God 1:11, 9:7.