Are You The Christ
Again the high priest asked Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” -Mark 14:62
The religious leaders hated Jesus. They should have been the first to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah, but their desire for their own glory blinded them from the truth. They were the upper class of society; they thrived on their superior position of authority and power and relished in the praise they received from their peers.
When Jesus came along, He exposed their wickedness. He told them that they were like the whitewashed tombs; they looked good on the outside, but their insides were like dead men’s bones. (Matthew 23:27) Jesus’ harsh speech offended them. His wisdom confounded them. And His popularity made them jealous. They tried to trick Him, trap Him, and stone Him but could not harm Him until the appointed time.
During the Pharisees’ mock trial, a few men brought false accusations against Jesus, but no one had ever seen Jesus do anything wrong because He lived a sinless life. However, when Jesus stated with His own words that He was the Son of God, the Pharisees tore their robes and, wallowing in their false piety, charged Jesus with blasphemy.
Jesus was eventually crucified and died on a wooden cross, but not all the religious leaders believed that Jesus was deranged or blasphemous. Joseph of Arimathea claimed Jesus’ body after His death and had Him taken to his own tomb, where they sealed Him in.
*spoiler alert- but not for long!
