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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 22:63–71. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We are here told, as before in the other gospels,
I.How our Lord Jesus was abused by the servants of the high priest.
The abjects, the rude and barbarous servants, gathered themselves together against him. They that held Jesus, that had him in custody till the court sat, they mocked him, and smote him (Luk 22:63), they would not allow him to repose himself one minute, though he had had no sleep all night, nor to compose himself, though he was hurried to his trial, and no time given him to prepare for it. They made sport with him: this sorrowful night to him shall be a merry night to them; and the blessed Jesus, like Samson, is made the fool in the play. They hood-winked him, and then, according to the common play that young people have among them, they struck him on the face, and continued to do so till he named the person that smote him (Luk 22:64), intending hereby an affront to his prophetical office, and that knowledge of secret things which he was said to have. We are not told that he said any thing, but bore every thing; hell was let loose, and he suffered it to do its worst. A greater indignity could not be done to the blessed Jesus, yet this was but one instance of many; for many other things blasphemously spoke they against him, Luk 22:65. They that condemned him for a blasphemer were themselves the vilest blasphemers that ever were.
II.How he was accused and condemned by the great sanhedrim, consisting of the elders of the people, the chief priests, and the scribes, who were all up betimes, and got together as soon as it was day, about five of the clock in the morning, to prosecute this matter. They were working this evil upon their beds, and, as soon as ever the morning was light, practised it, Mic 2:1. They would not have been up so early for any good work. It is but a short account that we have here of his trial in the ecclesiastical court.
1.They ask him, Art thou the Christ? He was generally believed by his followers to be the Christ, but they could not prove it upon him that he had ever said so totidem verbis - in so many words, and therefore urge him to own it to them, Luk 22:67. If they had asked him this question with a willingness to admit that he was the Christ, and to receive him accordingly if he could give sufficient proof of his being so, it had been well, and might have been for ever well with them; but they asked it with a resolution not to believe him, but a design to ensnare him.
2.He justly complained of their unfair and unjust usage of him, Luk 22:67, Luk 22:68. They all, as Jews, professed to expect the Messiah, and to expect him at this time. No other appeared, or had appeared, that pretended to be the Messiah. He had no competitor, nor was he likely to have any. He had given amazing proofs of a divine power going along with him, which made his claims very well worthy of a free and impartial enquiry. It had been but just for these leaders of the people to have taken him into their council, and examined him there as a candidate for the messiahship, not at the bar as a criminal. "But," saith he, (1.) "If I tell you that I am the Christ, and give you ever such convincing proofs of it, you are resolved that you will not believe. Why should the cause be brought on before you who have already prejudged it, and are resolved, right or wrong, to run it down, and to condemn it?" (2.) "If I ask you what you have to object against the proofs I produce, you will not answer me." Here he refers to their silence when he put a question to them, which would have led them to own his authority, Luk 20:5-7. They were neither fair judges, nor fair disputants; but, when they were pinched with an argument, would rather be silent than own their conviction: "You will neither answer me nor let me go; if I be not the Christ, you ought to answer the arguments with which I prove that I am; if I be, you ought to let me go; but you will do neither."
3.He referred them to his second coming, for the full proof of his being the Christ, to their confusion, since they would not now admit the proof of it, to their conviction (Luk 22:69): "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit, and be seen to sit, on the right hand of the power of God, and then you will not need to ask whether he be the Christ or no."
4.Hence they inferred that he set up himself as the Son of God, and asked him whether he were so or no (Luk 22:70): Art thou then the Son of God? He called himself the Son of man, referring to Daniel's vision of the Son of man that came near before the Ancient of days, Dan 7:13, Dan 7:14. But they understood so much as to know that if he was that Son of man, he was also the Son of God. And art thou so? By this it appears to have been the faith of the Jewish church that the Messiah should be both Son of man and Son of God.
5.He owns himself to be the Son of God: Ye say that I am; that is, "I am, as ye say." Compare Mar 14:62. Jesus said, I am. This confirms Christ's testimony concerning himself, that he was the Son of God, that he stood to it, when he knew he should suffer for standing to it.
6.Upon this they ground his condemnation (Luk 22:71): What need we any further witness? It was true, they needed not any further witness to prove that he said he was the Son of God, they had it from his own mouth; but did they not need proof that he was not so, before they condemned him as a blasphemer for saying that he was so? Had they no apprehension that it was possible he might be so, and then what horrid guilt they should bring upon themselves in putting him to death? No, they know not, neither will they understand. They cannot think it possible that he should be the Messiah, though ever so evidently clothed with divine power and grace, if he appear not, as they expect, in worldly pomp and grandeur. Their eyes being blinded with the admiration of that, they rush on in this dangerous prosecution, as the horse into the battle.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
7 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Accordingly, after He had said this, and so suggested a comparison of the Scripture, a ray of light did seem to show them whom He would have them understand Him to be; for they say: "Art thou then the Son of God? " Of what God, but of Him whom alone they knew? Of what God but of Him whom they remembered in the Psalm as having said to His Son, "Sit Thou on my right hand? "Then He answered, "Ye say that I am; " as if He meant: It is ye who say this-not I.
The Lord had rather prove Himself a King than call Himself one, that they might have no excuse for condemning Him, when they confess the truth of that which they lay against Him. It follows, And he said, Ye say that I am.
Jesus, the Lord of heaven and earth, sustains and suffers the mockings of the ungodly, giving us an example of patience.
(de Con. Ev. ut sup.) Now our Lord is supposed to have suffered these things until morning in the house of the High Priest, to which He was first led. Hence it follows, And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? &c.
And they all said: Are you then the Son of God? You say that I am. Thus he tempers his response, so that he both speaks the truth, and his statement provides no opportunity for calumny. For he preferred to prove himself the Christ, the Son of God, rather than to say it, so that he would be taken up for condemnation by those who acknowledge what they themselves propose.
They wished not for truth, but were contriving calumny. Because they expected that Christ would come only as man, of the root of David, they sought this of Him, that if He should say, "I am the Christ," they might falsely accuse Him of claiming to Himself the kingly power.
For He had often declared Himself to be the Christ; as when he said, l and my Father are one, (John 10:30.) and other such like things. And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me. For He had asked them how they said Christ was the Son of David, whereas David in the Spirit called Him his Lord. But they wished neither to believe His words nor to answer His questions. However, because they sought to accuse falsely the seed of David, they hear something still farther; as it follows, Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
They understood that He called Himself the Son of God in these words, The Son of man shall sit on the right hand of the power of God.
Likewise the Lord of prophets is derided as a false prophet. It follows, And they blindfolded him. This they did as a dishonour to Him who wished to be accounted by the people as a prophet. But He who was struck with the blows of the Jews, is struck also now by the blasphemies of false Christians. And they blindfolded Him, not that He should not see their wickedness, but that they might hide His face from them. But heretics, and Jews, and wicked Catholics, provoke Him with their vile actions, as it were mocking Him, saying, Who smote thee? while they flatter themselves that their evil thoughts and works of darkness are not known by Him.
He knew the secrets of their hearts, that they who had not believed His works would much less believe His words. Hence it follows, And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe, &c.
As if he said, There is no time left to you any longer for discourses and teaching, but hereafter shall be the time of judgment, when ye shall see Me, the Son of man, sitting on the right hand of the power of God.
When then they heard this, they ought to have been afraid, but after these words they are the more frantic; as it follows, All said, &c.
Whereby it is manifest, that the disobedient reap no advantage, when the more secret mysteries are revealed to them, but rather incur the heavier punishment. Wherefore such things ought to be concealed from them.
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Summary
Luke 22:70 captures the climactic moment of Jesus's night trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin, where He is directly confronted with the question of His divine identity. In response to the council's probing, "Art thou then the Son of God?", Jesus offers a profound and strategically nuanced affirmation, "Ye say that I am," which the Jewish leaders immediately understood as a clear claim to divine Sonship, providing them with the desired grounds for a charge of blasphemy. This pivotal exchange underscores Jesus's unwavering self-identification despite immense pressure and sets the stage for His condemnation.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated at the climax of Jesus's illegal night trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin, detailed in Luke 22:66-71. Following His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is brought before the chief priests, scribes, and elders. The preceding verses show the council's desperate attempts to elicit a self-incriminating statement from Jesus. They first ask if He is "the Christ" (Luke 22:67), to which Jesus responds with a statement indicating the futility of a direct answer given their unbelief, yet subtly hinting at His future vindication as the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God (Luke 22:69). The question in Luke 22:70 is the ultimate theological challenge, directly addressing His divine nature, which they hoped would constitute blasphemy.
Historical & Cultural Context
The trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin was a highly irregular and illegal proceeding according to Jewish law. It was conducted at night, lacked proper legal representation for the accused, and involved self-incrimination, all of which were forbidden. The Jewish leaders sought a capital charge, specifically blasphemy, which carried the death penalty under their law. However, they lacked the authority to execute anyone under Roman occupation, necessitating a charge that would also appeal to Roman law, such as treason or insurrection. The title "Son of God" held immense theological weight in Judaism. While "sons of God" could refer to angels or even righteous men, claiming to be the Son of God, implying divine equality and unique relationship with Yahweh, was considered blasphemous if not true, as it usurped God's unique sovereignty.
Key Themes
The central theme in Luke 22 leading up to this verse is Jesus's divine authority and identity, juxtaposed with the rejection and hostility of the religious establishment. Even as Jesus prepares for His crucifixion, He consistently asserts His unique relationship with God and His messianic role, whether through His teaching, His actions (like instituting the Lord's Supper in Luke 22:19-20), or His responses during the trial. This passage also highlights the theme of truth and witness, as Jesus, though facing death, refuses to deny His true nature, providing the very "witness" the council claimed to need (Luke 22:71). The Sanhedrin's question and Jesus's answer bring the underlying theological conflict to a head, revealing their fundamental misunderstanding and rejection of God's redemptive plan.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, while broadly meaning "child" or "offspring," carries profound theological significance when applied to Jesus in the context of "Son of God." It implies a unique, inherent relationship of divine nature and essence, not merely adoption or a special status. The Jewish leaders understood this as a claim to deity, which they considered blasphemous.
This term refers to the supreme Divinity. When combined with "Son," it forms the title "Son of God," which in this context, and as understood by the Sanhedrin, indicates a claim to co-equality and shared nature with the Almighty God of Israel.
Used in "Ye say," this verb signifies speaking or relating, often in a systematic or set discourse. Here, it highlights that the Sanhedrin's statement is their own assertion, which Jesus then affirms as truth through a common Semitic idiom.
G1473 (egō) and G1510 (eimí). While egō is the first-person pronoun "I" and eimí is the verb "to be" ("am"), their combination, particularly in the emphatic form egō eimí, often carries profound theological weight in the Gospels, echoing God's self-revelation as "I AM" in Exodus 3:14. In this context, Jesus's "Ye say that I am" is a powerful, albeit indirect, affirmation of the truth of their statement regarding His divine identity.
Verse Breakdown
"Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God?"
The unanimous nature of the Sanhedrin's question ("they all") underscores the collective pressure and the critical importance of this particular inquiry. Having failed to find other sufficient charges, they pivot to the ultimate theological question, "Art thou then the Son of God?" This question is not merely seeking information but is a direct challenge to Jesus's perceived blasphemous claims, designed to elicit a self-incriminating statement that would justify their condemnation.
"And he said unto them, Ye say that I am."
Jesus's response is a classic Semitic idiom, a nuanced yet clear affirmation. It is equivalent to "You are correct in saying that I am" or "Indeed, as you say." While not a simple "Yes," it leaves no doubt about His agreement with their assertion. This indirect affirmation allowed Jesus to confirm His divine identity without directly playing into their trap in a way they could easily twist, yet it was sufficiently clear for them to consider it blasphemy, as seen in the very next verse.
Literary Devices
The passage employs several literary devices. Irony is prominent, as the very council seeking to condemn Jesus for blasphemy unwittingly compels Him to declare the truth of His divine nature, which ultimately becomes the basis for their false judgment. Jesus's response, "Ye say that I am," utilizes Affirmation by Implication or Nuance. This Semitic idiom allows for a powerful, unambiguous "yes" while maintaining a degree of rhetorical subtlety. It is a strategic declaration that avoids a simple "yes" which could be misconstrued or used to accuse Him of rebellion against Caesar, yet it is understood by His accusers as a direct divine claim. This also demonstrates Foreshadowing, as Jesus's unwavering declaration of His divine Sonship under threat of death foreshadows His ultimate victory over death and His vindication as the Son of God through the resurrection.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Luke 22:70 serves as a foundational theological statement, directly addressing the core identity of Jesus Christ. His affirmation, "Ye say that I am," is not merely a verbal assent but a profound declaration of His unique, divine Sonship, which stands at the heart of Christian doctrine. This identity is the basis for His authority, His redemptive work, and His ultimate triumph. The Sanhedrin's question and Jesus's answer highlight the stark contrast between human attempts to control and condemn God's Anointed One, and God's sovereign plan unfolding through His Son's perfect obedience, even unto death. This exchange underscores that Jesus's claim to be the Son of God was not a minor point but the central, non-negotiable truth that defined His mission and provoked the ultimate conflict with the religious authorities.
Reflection and Application
Luke 22:70 calls us to profound reflection on the identity of Jesus Christ and its implications for our faith and lives. Jesus, facing the gravest injustice and imminent death, did not waver in affirming who He truly is: the Son of God. This unwavering commitment to truth, even when it leads to suffering, challenges us to examine the depth of our own conviction regarding Jesus's divine nature. Do we truly believe He is the Son of God, with all the authority, power, and redemptive purpose that title entails? Our acknowledgment of His Sonship should not be a mere intellectual assent but a transformative truth that shapes our worship, our obedience, and our willingness to stand for Him in a world that often rejects His claims. Just as the Sanhedrin was forced to confront His identity, we too are called to respond to the truth of who Jesus is, allowing it to define our relationship with God and our mission in the world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why didn't Jesus simply say "Yes" to the question "Art thou then the Son of God?"
Jesus's response, "Ye say that I am," is a common Semitic idiom that functions as a strong affirmation, equivalent to "You are correct in saying that." While it isn't a simple "yes," it was unequivocally understood by the Sanhedrin as an affirmative answer, leading them to declare it blasphemy. Jesus's choice of words demonstrates His wisdom and strategic communication. A direct "yes" might have been more easily twisted into a political charge of claiming to be a king in opposition to Caesar, which was a concern for the Roman authorities. By using this idiom, Jesus affirms His divine identity clearly to those who understood the cultural context, while maintaining a nuanced stance that prevented immediate political misinterpretation by the Romans. It also highlights that the Sanhedrin themselves articulated the truth of His identity, which He then validated.
What is the significance of the title "Son of God" in this context?
For the Jewish leaders, "Son of God" was a messianic title, but more profoundly, it carried implications of divine nature and equality with God. While "sons of God" could refer to Israel or righteous individuals, the Son of God, especially in the context of Jesus's other claims (like the Son of Man coming on the clouds, as mentioned in Luke 22:69), was understood as a claim to deity. This was considered blasphemy if the claimant was merely a man, as it usurped God's unique glory. Therefore, Jesus's affirmation of this title was the ultimate challenge to their monotheistic understanding and the direct cause for their condemnation of Him.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Luke 22:70 stands as a profound Christ-centered fulfillment, revealing the very essence of who Jesus is and why His coming was necessary. Jesus's affirmation of being "the Son of God" is the bedrock of Christian theology, establishing His unique relationship with the Father and His divine authority. This declaration, made under the shadow of condemnation, foreshadows His ultimate vindication through the resurrection, which powerfully confirmed His divine Sonship (Romans 1:4). As the Son of God, Jesus is the only one capable of offering a perfect, atoning sacrifice for the sins of humanity, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies of a suffering servant and a divine king (Isaiah 53:5-6). His divine identity means that His death on the cross was not merely the death of a martyr, but the redemptive act of God Himself in human flesh, reconciling humanity to God (2 Corinthians 5:19). Ultimately, His confession before the Sanhedrin points to His present reign as the exalted Son of God, seated at the right hand of the Father, to whom "every knee should bow" (Philippians 2:9-11). Thus, Luke 22:70 is not just a historical account but a timeless declaration of Jesus's divine personhood, foundational to the gospel message and the hope of salvation.