The Meaning of Matthew 26:63 Explained

Matthew 26:63

KJV: But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

YLT: and Jesus was silent. And the chief priest answering said to him, 'I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou mayest say to us, if thou art the Christ -- the Son of God.'

Darby: But Jesus was silent. And the high priest answering said to him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us if thou art the Christ the Son of God.

ASV: But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  Jesus  held his peace.  And  the high priest  answered  and said  unto him,  I adjure  thee  by  the living  God,  that  thou tell  us  whether  thou  be  the Christ,  the Son  of God. 

What does Matthew 26:63 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Frustrated by Jesus" silence the high priest tried to cut through to the basic issue. Did Jesus claim to be the Messiah or not?
"In terms of the plot of Matthew"s story, this unexpected query raises the problem as to the source from which the high priest has even gotten the idea to question Jesus about being the Son of God. This source is Jesus himself and his narration of the parable of the wicked husbandmen [1]. As the presiding officer of the Sanhedrin, the high priest has knowledge of the claim to divine sonship which Jesus made in telling his parable to the chief priests and the elders. At the trial, therefore, the high priest seizes on Jesus" own claim ... and hurls it back at Jesus as a weapon by which to destroy him." [2]
Caiaphas demanded that Jesus answer under oath by the living God. "Son of God" was an equivalent title with "Messiah" (cf. Matthew 2:15; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 16:13-20). If Jesus refused to answer, He would break an oath imposed on Him legally by the high priest. If He denied the charge, He would have had no further influence even though the Sanhedrin might acquit Him. If He affirmed the charge, He would appear to be an impostor given the presuppositions of the Sanhedrin. From their viewpoint, the Messiah would not allow others to imprison Him and put His life in jeopardy.

Context Summary

Matthew 26:57-66 - The True Answer To False Witness
This meeting of the Jewish leaders had been hastily summoned; but their difficulty was to substantiate a charge that would warrant the death sentence. They had to go back to the beginning of Christ's ministry for the one charge that seemed sufficient for their purpose. But see John 2:19; Mark 14:58. In the meanwhile our Lord opened not His mouth. He left His reputation in the care of the Father, to whom He also committed His soul. It is a good example to follow. Do what is right and let God vindicate you!
It was only when Jesus was directly challenged as to His unique relationship to God, that He opened His lips. There is an evident reference in His words to Daniel 7:13-14. The court instantly recognized that in His reply He claimed to be equal with God. To be the Son of God was to be God. See also John 5:18. Note that word henceforth, which suggests that though it is hidden from us, the Kingdom is already set up, as was David's even when Saul was still on the throne. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 26

1  Jesus foretells his own death
3  The rulers conspire against him
6  The woman anoints his feet
14  Judas bargains to betray him
17  Jesus eats the Passover;
26  institutes his holy supper;
30  foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36  prays in the garden;
47  and being betrayed by a kiss,
57  is carried to Caiaphas,
69  and denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Matthew 26:63

Held his peace [εσιωπα]
Kept silent, imperfect tense. Jesus refused to answer the bluster of Caiaphas. [source]
I adjure thee by the living God [εχορκιζω σε κατα του τεου του ζωντος]
So Caiaphas put Jesus on oath in order to make him incriminate himself, a thing unlawful in Jewish jurisprudence. He had failed to secure any accusation against Jesus that would stand at all. But Jesus did not refuse to answer under solemn oath, clearly showing that he was not thinking of oaths in courts of justice when he prohibited profanity. The charge that Caiaphas makes is that Jesus claims to be the Messiah, the Son of God. To refuse to answer would be tantamount to a denial. So Jesus answered knowing full well the use that would be made of his confession and claim. [source]
I adjure thee []
I call upon thee to swear. The high-priest put Christ upon oath. [source]
That [ἵνα]
In order that; signifying the design with which he adjured the Lord. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 26:63

Matthew 26:68 Thou Christ [Χριστε]
With definite sneer at his claims under oath in Matthew 26:63. With uncontrolled glee and abandon like a lot of hoodlums these doctors of divinity insulted Jesus. They actually spat in his face, buffeted him on the neck (εκολαπισαν — ekolaphisan from κολαπος — kolaphos the fist), and struck him in the face with the palms of their hands (εραπισαν — erapisan from ραπις — rapis a rod), all personal indignities after the legal injustice already done. They thus gave vent to their spite and hatred. [source]
Luke 6:22 Son of Man []
The phrase is employed in the Old Testament as a circumlocution for man, with special reference to his frailty as contrasted with God (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 8:4; Job 25:6; Job 35:8; and eighty-nine times in Ezekiel). It had also a Messianic meaning (Daniel 7:13 sq.), to which our Lord referred in Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64. It was the title which Christ most frequently applied to himself; and there are but two instances in which it is applied to him by another, viz., by Stephen (Acts 7:56) and by John (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14:); and when acquiescing in the title “Son of God,” addressed to himself, he sometimes immediately after substitutes “Son of Man” (John 1:50, John 1:51; Matthew 26:63, Matthew 26:64). The title asserts Christ's humanity - his absolute identification with our race: “his-DIVIDER-
having a genuine humanity which could deem nothing human strange, and could be touched with a feeling of the infirmities of the race which he was to judge” (Liddon, “Our Lord's Divinity”). It also exalts him as the representative ideal man. “All-DIVIDER-
human history tends to him and radiates from him; he is the point in which humanity finds its unity; as St. Irenaeus says, ' He recapitulates it.' He closes the earlier history of our race; he inaugurates its future. Nothing local, transient, individualizing, national, sectarian dwarfs the proportions of his world-embracing character. He rises above the parentage, the blood, the narrow horizon which bounded, as it seemed, his human life. He is the archetypal man, in whose presence distinction of race, intervals of ages, types of civilization, degrees of mental culture are as nothing” (Liddon). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
But the title means more. As Son of Man he asserts the authority of judgment over all flesh. By virtue of what he is as Son of Man, he must be more. “The absolute relation to the world which he attributes to himself demands an absolute relation to God … .He is the Son of Man, the Lord of the world, the Judge, only because he is the Son of God” (Luthardt). Christ's humanity can be explained only by his divinity. A humanity so unique demands a solution. Divested of all that is popularly called miraculous, viewed simply as a man, under the historical conditions of his life, he is a greater miracle than all his miracles combined. The solution is expressed in Hebrews 1:1-14. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Luke 6:22 For the Son of man‘s sake [ενεκα του υιου του αντρωπου]
Jesus foretold what will befall those who are loyal to him. The Acts of the Apostles is a commentary on this prophecy. This is Christ‘s common designation of himself, never of others save by Stephen (Acts 7:56) and in the Apocalypse (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14). But both Son of God and Son of man apply to him (John 1:50, 52; Matthew 26:63.). Christ was a real man though the Son of God. He is also the representative man and has authority over all men. [source]
Luke 6:22 Cast out your name as evil [εχβαλωσιν το ονομα υμων ως πονηρον]
Second aorist active subjunctive of εκβαλλω — ekballō common verb. The verb is used in Aristophanes, Sophocles, and Plato of hissing an actor off the stage. The name of Christian or disciple or Nazarene came to be a byword of contempt as shown in the Acts. It was even unlawful in the Neronian persecution when Christianity was not a religio licita.For the Son of man‘s sake (ενεκα του υιου του αντρωπου — heneka tou huiou tou anthrōpou). Jesus foretold what will befall those who are loyal to him. The Acts of the Apostles is a commentary on this prophecy. This is Christ‘s common designation of himself, never of others save by Stephen (Acts 7:56) and in the Apocalypse (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14). But both Son of God and Son of man apply to him (John 1:50, 52; Matthew 26:63.). Christ was a real man though the Son of God. He is also the representative man and has authority over all men. [source]
John 1:34 I have seen [εωρακα]
Present perfect active of οραω — horaō John repeats the statement of John 1:32 Have borne witness Perfect active indicative of μαρτυρεω — martureō for which verb see John 1:32. This is the Son of God The Baptist saw the Spirit come on Jesus at his baptism and undoubtedly heard the Father‘s voice hail him as “My Beloved Son” (Mark 1:11; Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:22). Nathanael uses it as a Messianic title (John 1:49) as does Martha (John 11:27). The Synoptics use it also of Christ (Mark 3:11; Matthew 14:33; Luke 22:70). Caiaphas employs it to Christ as a Messianic title (Matthew 26:63) and Jesus confessed under oath that he was (verse Matthew 26:64), thus applying the term to himself as he does in John‘s Gospel (John 5:25; John 10:36; John 11:4) and by implication (the Father, the Son) in Matthew 11:27 (Luke 10:22). Hence in the Synoptics also Jesus calls himself the Son of God. The phrase means more than just Messiah and expresses the peculiar relation of the Son to the Father (John 3:18; John 5:25; John 17:5; John 19:7; John 20:31) like that of the Logos with God in John 1:1. [source]
John 10:24 Came round about him [εκυκλωσαν αυτον]
Aorist active indicative of κυκλοω — kukloō old verb from κυκλος — kuklos (cycle, circle). See Acts 14:20 for the circle of disciples around Paul when stoned. Evidently the hostile Jews cherished the memory of the stinging rebuke given them by Jesus when here last, particularly the allegory of the Good Shepherd (10:1-19), in which he drew so sharply their own picture. How long dost thou hold us in suspense? Literally, “Until when dost thou lift up our soul?” But what do they mean by this metaphor? Αιρω — Airō is common enough to lift up the eyes (John 11:41), the voice (Luke 17:13), and in Psalm 25:1; Psalm 86:4 (Josephus, Ant. III. ii. 3) we have “to lift up the soul.” We are left to the context to judge the precise meaning. Clearly the Jews mean to imply doubt and suspense. The next remark makes it clear. If thou art the Christ Condition of first class assumed to be true for the sake of argument. Tell us plainly Conclusion with ειπον — eipon rather than the usual ειπε — eipe as if first aorist active imperative like λυσον — luson The point is in “plainly” Jesus declined to use the word Χριστος — Christos (Messiah) then as now because of the political bearing of the word in their minds. The populace in Galilee had once tried to make him king in opposition to Pilate (John 6:14.). When Jesus does confess on oath before Caiaphas that he is the Christ the Son of God (Mark 14:61.; Matthew 26:63.), the Sanhedrin instantly vote him guilty of blasphemy and then bring him to Pilate with the charge of claiming to be king as a rival to Caesar. Jesus knew their minds too well to be caught now. [source]
John 19:9 Whence art thou? [ποτεν ει συ]
Pilate knew that Jesus was from Galilee (Luke 23:6.). He is really alarmed. See a like question by the Jews in John 8:25. Gave him no answer See same idiom in John 1:22. Αποκρισις — Apokrisis (old word from αποκρινομαι — apokrinomai) occurs also in Luke 2:47; Luke 20:26. The silence of Jesus, like that before Caiaphas (Mark 14:61; Matthew 26:63) and Herod (Luke 23:9), irritates the dignity of Pilate in spite of his fears. [source]
John 11:27 Yea, Lord [Ναι κυριε]
Martha probably did not understand all that Jesus said and meant, but she did believe in the future resurrection, in eternal life for believers in Christ, in the power of Christ to raise even the dead here and now. She had heroic faith and makes now her own confession of faith in words that outrank those of Peter in Matthew 16:16 because she makes hers with her brother dead now four days and with the hope that Jesus will raise him up now. I have believed (πιστευω — pepisteuka). Perfect active indicative of οτι συ ει ο Χριστος ο υιος του τεου — pisteuō It is my settled and firm faith. Peter uses this same tense in John 6:69. That thou art the Son of God (ο εις τον κοσμον ερχομενος — hoti su ei ho Christos ho huios tou theou). The Messiah or the Christ (John 1:41) was to be also “the Son of God” as the Baptist said he had found Jesus to be (John 1:34), as Peter confessed on Hermon for the apostles (Matthew 16:16), as Jesus claimed to be (John 11:41) and confessed on oath before Caiaphas that he was (Matthew 26:63.), and as John stated that it was his purpose to prove in his Gospel (John 20:31). But no one said it under more trying circumstances than Martha. Even he that cometh into the world (ho eis ton kosmon erchomenos). No “even” in the Greek. This was a popular way of putting the people‘s expectation (John 6:14; Matthew 11:3). Jesus himself spoke of his coming into the world (John 9:39; John 16:28; John 8:37). [source]
Acts 19:13 Exorcists [ἐξορκιστῶν]
Only here in New Testament. The kindred verb, adjure, occurs Matthew 26:63, and means, originally, to administer an oath. These Jewish exorcists pretended to the power of casting out evil spirits by magical arts derived from Solomon. [source]
Revelation 2:18 The Son of God [ο υιος του τεου]
Here Jesus is represented as calling himself by this title as in John 11:4 and as he affirms on oath in Matthew 26:63. “The Word of God” occurs in Revelation 19:13.His eyes like a flame of fire (τους οπταλμους αυτου ως πλογα πυρος — tous ophthalmous autou hōs phloga puros). As in Revelation 1:14.His feet like burnished brass As in Revelation 1:15. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 26:63 mean?

- And Jesus was silent And the high priest said to Him I adjure you by - God the living that us You tell if You are Christ Son of God
δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐσιώπα Καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἐξορκίζω σε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ἵνα ἡμῖν εἴπῃς εἰ σὺ εἶ Χριστὸς Υἱὸς Θεοῦ

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἐσιώπα  was  silent 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: σιωπάω  
Sense: to be silent, hold one’s peace.
ἀρχιερεὺς  high  priest 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀρχιερεύς  
Sense: chief priest, high priest.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
αὐτῷ  to  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Ἐξορκίζω  I  adjure 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐξορκίζω  
Sense: to extract an oath, to force to an oath.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ζῶντος  living 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ζάω  
Sense: to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead).
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ἡμῖν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
εἴπῃς  You  tell 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Χριστὸς  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Υἱὸς  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.