But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
But {G1161} he held his peace {G4623}, and {G2532} answered {G611} nothing {G3762}. Again {G3825} the high priest {G749} asked {G1905} him {G846}, and {G2532} said {G3004} unto him {G846}, Art {G1488} thou {G4771} the Christ {G5547}, the Son {G5207} of the Blessed {G2128}?
But he remained silent and made no reply. Again the cohen hagadol questioned him: "Are you the Mashiach, Ben-HaM'vorakh?"
But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and saith unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
-
Matthew 26:63
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. -
Matthew 26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. -
Mark 15:2
And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest [it]. -
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. -
John 10:30
I and [my] Father are one. -
John 10:31
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. -
John 19:7
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Mark 14:61 (KJV): "But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
This verse captures a profoundly significant moment during Jesus' trial before the Jewish high council, the Sanhedrin. After enduring false accusations and contradictory testimonies, Jesus remains silent until directly confronted by the highest religious authority.
Context
Following his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was brought before the high priest, Caiaphas, and the assembled chief priests, elders, and scribes. This was a hurried night trial, outside the usual legal procedures. Witnesses were sought against him, but their testimonies did not agree. Despite the chaos and the pressure, Jesus initially offered no defense, fulfilling prophetic descriptions of the Suffering Servant.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "the Blessed" (Greek: eulogētos) is a common Jewish way of referring to God, particularly in blessings and prayers. The high priest's question, "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?", is therefore asking, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?" This was the most direct and critical question Jesus faced during this trial.
Related Scriptures
Jesus' silence in the face of his accusers is foreshadowed in the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7, which describes the servant being silent before his shearers. His initial lack of answer here contrasts with his direct affirmation in the very next verse (Mark 14:62), where he explicitly claims his identity. The high priest's question about Jesus being "the Christ, the Son of the Blessed" echoes similar confessions of faith made earlier by his disciples, such as Peter's declaration in Matthew 16:16.
Reflection
This verse highlights the pivotal moment where the religious authorities directly confront Jesus about his identity. His initial silence, though striking, leads to the point where he must either deny or affirm who he is. The high priest's question lays bare the central claim of Christianity – that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. Understanding this question is key to grasping the core conflict that led to his condemnation.