Matthew 26:63

63 But Jesus was still. And the prince of priests said to him, I conjure thee by the living God, that thou say to us, if thou art Christ, the Son of God [that thou say to us, if thou be Christ, the Son of God].

Matthew 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.

Matthew 26:63 In-Context

61 and said, This said, I may destroy the temple of God, and after the third day build it again [and after three days built it again].

62 And the prince of priests rose, and said to him, Answerest thou nothing to those things, that these witness against thee [which these witness against thee]?

63 But Jesus was still. And the prince of priests said to him, I conjure thee by the living God, that thou say to us, if thou art Christ, the Son of God [that thou say to us, if thou be Christ, the Son of God].

64 Jesus said to him, Thou hast said; nevertheless I say to you, hereafter ye shall see man's Son sitting at the right half of the virtue of God [nevertheless, I say to you, from henceforth, ye shall see man's Son sitting at the right half of God's virtue], and coming in the clouds of heaven.

65 Then the prince of priests rent his clothes, and said, He hath blasphemed; what yet have we need to witnesses [Then the prince of priests rent his clothes, saying, He hath blasphemed; what yet need have we to witnesses]? lo! now ye have heard blasphemy;