Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.
Luke 22:70 belongs to Jesus' examination before Annas and the court of Caiaphas, that is, His hearing before the Jewish authorities. At that hearing a charge of blasphemy was sought to secure His condemnation. The Sanhedrin did condemn Him to death, but the sentence could not be carried out without Pilate's confirmation.
When the council all directly asked Him whether He is the Son of God, He answered affirmatively in the words, Ye say that I am. That reply was His confession that He is the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. His answer was calm, public and respectful, made under solemn oath in response to the high priest's appeal to God. It claimed the divine character and prerogatives of the Son of God, spoken without intimidation by the judges' anger and with the conviction of one who knows His identity.
The rulers treated that answer from His own mouth as sufficient testimony needing no further witness. They used it to condemn Him as a blasphemer, having sought to turn His claim into an accusation. They construed His messianic claim as a political claim against Rome. In the same answer He pointed to a coming reversal of roles, when He will sit at God's right hand and come in the clouds as judge, and His judges and all who rejected Him will face Him and receive sentence.
His identity as the only begotten Son of God places Him at the center of the conflict between Christ and Satan. In the trial He endured abuse without using His divine power to force His accusers to acknowledge Him. Though He knew that answering yes would make His death certain, He did not deny the truth to escape suffering, thereby upholding His character and setting an example of remaining faithful under threat even when faithfulness may lead to death.
Luke 22:70 belongs to Jesus' examination before Annas and the court of Caiaphas, that is, His hearing before the Jewish authorities. At that hearing a charge of blasphemy was sought to secure His condemnation. The Sanhedrin did condemn Him to death, but the sentence could not be carried out without Pilate's confirmation.
When the council all directly asked Him whether He is the Son of God, He answered affirmatively in the words, Ye say that I am. That reply was His confession that He is the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. His answer was calm, public and respectful, made under solemn oath in response to the high priest's appeal to God. It claimed the divine character and prerogatives of the Son of God, spoken without intimidation by the judges' anger and with the conviction of one who knows His identity.
The rulers treated that answer from His own mouth as sufficient testimony needing no further witness. They used it to condemn Him as a blasphemer, having sought to turn His claim into an accusation. They construed His messianic claim as a political claim against Rome. In the same answer He pointed to a coming reversal of roles, when He will sit at God's right hand and come in the clouds as judge, and His judges and all who rejected Him will face Him and receive sentence.
His identity as the only begotten Son of God places Him at the center of the conflict between Christ and Satan. In the trial He endured abuse without using His divine power to force His accusers to acknowledge Him. Though He knew that answering yes would make His death certain, He did not deny the truth to escape suffering, thereby upholding His character and setting an example of remaining faithful under threat even when faithfulness may lead to death.