Jesus is Guilty of Death - Matthew 26:66

Matthew the apostle wrote how the high priest demanded of Jesus, “I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God”, and “Jesus said unto him, You have said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew continued, “Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard his blasphemy”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse sixty-six of his book, Matthew wrote how the religious leaders determined, “He is guilty of death” where we read:

What do you think? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

The verse reads, “What do you think?” Matthew began word, “what do you” which means “how do the religious leaders with the high priest” “think” or “suppose, judge or determine”. Matthew shared how the “high priest” desired to know what judgment the other religious leaders and elders thought was appropriate for Jesus.

The verse continues, “They answered and said, He is guilty of death.” Matthew continued with the words, “they answered and said” or “the religious leaders responded and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “He is guilty” which means “Jesus is bound, under obligation, subject to and liable” “of death” or “to be killed and put to death”. Matthew shared how the religious leaders determined that Jesus was worthy to put to death.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the “high priest” confirmed his judgment with the remainder of the “religious leaders, elders and Sanhedrin”. They determined that Jesus was “guilty” of “blasphemy” and deserved to die. This was another step in the process by which Jesus would be “tried, tortured and eventually crucified” for the sins of mankind. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (See Romans 3:23), and “there is none righteous, no, not one” (See Romans 3:10), and “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (See Romans 6:23). All these verses speak of the need for people to be “saved”, and the condemnation of Jesus by this “religious group” was another part of God's plan to rescue them.

Next time Matthew shares how the religious leaders, “spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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