But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is the high priest's precise wording: "I adjure you by the living God." He's not just asking a question; he's invoking God's name, essentially putting Jesus under oath. This is a deliberate trap, forcing Jesus to choose between remaining silent (which looks guilty) or confessing the truth (which they intend to twist into blasphemy).
But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After being arrested and subjected to a sham trial with false witnesses, Jesus is brought before the high priest Caiaphas and the Jewish council. Despite accusations and even physical abuse from guards, Jesus initially remains silent. Caiaphas then escalates the situation by formally demanding Jesus swear an oath, compelling Him to declare whether He is the Christ, the Son of God, a confession that will be used to condemn Him.
Jesus is on trial, facing false accusations, yet He says nothing. Why the silence when His reputation and life are on the line?
When Silence Speaks Louder
In this intense moment, Jesus' silence is not a sign of weakness or guilt, but a powerful, strategic choice.
Not Worthy of Reply
When the high priest and the crowd throw baseless accusations and contradictory testimonies at Jesus, He remains silent. The ancient commentators suggest this silence is because the accusations are frivolous and the evidence is worthless. Jesus knows that engaging with such dishonesty would be like trying to reason with a storm – unproductive and beneath Him.
Awaiting the Right Moment
Jesus' silence also speaks to His understanding of His purpose. He knows His
The high priest escalates the interrogation, forcing Jesus to answer. What's the significance of this specific demand?
An Oath to Trap and Condemn
When Jesus' silence frustrates the high priest, he employs a powerful tool: an oath.
'I Adjure You by the Living God'
This phrase, 'I adjure you,' is a solemn charge, essentially putting Jesus under oath. The high priest isn't just asking a question; he's demanding a sworn testimony. This is a tactic to force Jesus into a corner. As commentators note, the oath was meant to elicit a confession that they could then use as blasphemy against Him. It's a legalistic trap designed to secure the condemnation they already desired.
Ask a follow-up
The Weight of the Title
By asking, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of God?', the high priest forces Jesus to confront the very claims that, in their minds, made Him worthy of death. It's a loaded question. The Jews expected a Messiah, and 'Son of God' was a recognized title. However, their understanding was often political or nationalistic, not the divine reality Jesus embodied. This question aims to make Jesus' confession of His true identity the very grounds for His execution.
After His strategic silence, Jesus finally speaks. What compels Him to break His silence now?
Answering the Unanswerable Question
Jesus breaks His silence not because of the high priest's authority, but because of the sacredness of the oath and the truth it seeks.
Honoring God's Name
While Jesus saw no value in responding to false accusations, He respected the gravity of an oath sworn 'by the living God.' As the ancient writers point out, the authority of God, even in a wicked magistrate, should be acknowledged. Jesus felt compelled to answer when directly put under oath in God's name. This isn't about submitting to the court's illegitimate authority, but about bearing witness to the truth under a divine charge.
The Defining Truth
Ultimately, Jesus came into the world to testify to the truth of His identity. His mission was to be the Christ, the Son of God. When asked directly, under oath, He could not deny who He was and why He came. His answer, 'You have said so,' (or as other Gospels record, 'I am') is a profound affirmation. It's not an act of defiance but a faithful confession, fulfilling His purpose even as it leads to His suffering and death.
Understand the original words
exorkizō · Greek Verb
To charge or command someone under oath, often invoking the name of God to ensure the truthfulness of the response.
Christos · Greek Noun
The Greek translation of the Hebrew 'Messiah' (Anointed One), referring to the King chosen and consecrated by God to deliver His people and establish His kingdom.
huios Theou · Greek Noun phrase
A title indicating Jesus' unique, divine nature as the second person of the Trinity, possessing the same essence as the Father.
The high priest's oath was a deliberate trap: Jesus' silence under false witness was broken by this solemn demand. By confessing, Jesus fulfilled the legal requirement for the Sanhedrin to condemn him, but also made an undeniable public declaration of his identity, knowing it would seal his fate.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Trial Before the Sanhedrin
After his arrest, Jesus was brought before the high priestly council (the Sanhedrin), led by Caiaphas, on charges that would eventually lead to his execution.
c. AD 30
False Testimony Against Jesus
Witnesses were brought forward to testify against Jesus, but their accounts were contradictory, failing to provide a solid basis for a capital charge.
c. AD 30
High Priest's Formal Questioning
When the testimonies failed, the high priest Caiaphas directly questioned Jesus under oath, demanding he confess if he was the Christ, the Son of God.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Confession
Jesus responded to the adjuration, confirming he was the Christ, the Son of God, and predicting his future glory.
c. AD 30
Condemnation for Blasphemy
The high priest declared Jesus' confession to be blasphemy, tearing his robes, and the council condemned him to death.
c. AD 30
Mockery and Abuse
After the condemnation, Jesus endured further mockery, spitting, and beatings from the council members and attendants.
This passage shows Jesus' response to Pilate's questioning about his kingship, revealing a similar dynamic where Jesus confirms his identity when directly asked, but not when facing mere accusation.
Isaiah 53:7This prophetic passage describes the suffering servant being led like a lamb to slaughter, who 'opened not his mouth,' directly paralleling Jesus' silence in the face of his accusers.
Mark 14:61This parallel account highlights the high priest's persistence in asking Jesus, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?', reinforcing the solemnity and significance of Jesus' eventual confession.
Daniel 7:13-14Jesus' affirmation of his identity as the Son of God here directly connects to this prophecy of the 'Son of Man' receiving dominion and glory, showing Jesus understood his trial as a prelude to divine vindication.
1 Kings 18:39The high priest's adjuration 'by the living God' echoes Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, invoking the true God to reveal Himself and expose false worship.
vincentMatthew 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."
I adjure theeI call upon thee to swear. The high-priest put Christ upon oath.That (ἵνα)In order that; signifying the design with which he adjured the Lord.
henryMatthew 26:57-68: "And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled."
26:57-68 Jesus was hurried into Jerusalem. It looks ill, and bodes worse, when those who are willing to be Christ's disciples, are not willing to be known to be so. Here began Peter's denying him: for to follow Christ afar off, is to begin to go back from him. It is more our concern to prepare for the end, whatever it may be, than curiously to ask w…
What's easily missed here is the high priest's precise wording: "I adjure you by the living God." He's not just asking a question; he's invoking God's name, essentially putting Jesus under oath. This is a deliberate trap, forcing Jesus to choose between remaining silent (which looks guilty) or confessing the truth (which they intend to twist into blasphemy).
After being arrested and subjected to a sham trial with false witnesses, Jesus is brought before the high priest Caiaphas and the Jewish council. Despite accusations and even physical abuse from guards, Jesus initially remains silent. Caiaphas then escalates the situation by formally demanding Jesus swear an oath, compelling Him to declare whether He is the Christ, the Son of God, a confession that will be used to condemn Him.
After being arrested and subjected to a sham trial with false witnesses, Jesus is brought before the high priest Caiaphas and the Jewish council. Despite accusations and even physical abuse from guards, Jesus initially remains silent. Caiaphas then escalates the situation by formally demanding Jesus swear an oath, compelling Him to declare whether He is the Christ, the Son of God, a confession that will be used to condemn Him.
"But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”" — What's easily missed here is the high priest's precise wording: "I adjure you by the living God." He's not just asking a question; he's invoking God's name, essentially putting Jesus under oath. This…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026