Luke 22:70 Commentary and Bible Study

They knew what he taught. He had just called himself the Son of man; they had also heard him speak of himself as the Son of God, and now while on trial before them, they want to hear this again, so that they can charge him with blasphemy. ‘And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.’ This is an affirmation that he is truly the Son of God, not a denial. It is not, ‘You said that, not me’; it is, ‘You are right in saying that of me.’ Hendriksen comments, ‘The fact that the original, which, literally rendered, is “You say that I am,” can have no other meaning than “Y o u are right; I am” is clear from what immediately follows.’ The council is now satisfied that they have the necessary material to charge him before Pilate. ‘What need we any further witness?’ – they had failed to get any at all. They then confirmed their decision that he was guilty of blasphemy and determined that he should be sent on to Pilate for civil trial, in order that he might receive a sentence of death, which is what they had been aiming at all along, a sentence which they were forbidden by the Romans to pass themselves. They bound Jesus – he was already described as bound, but either he was rebound or bound more securely to present him to Pilate and the people, and to discredit him. This indicates their fear of him, even though he was apparently in their power.He who was without sin was put on trial before a court of sinful men. It was inevitable that they would fail to find any real evidence against him, and he was only ever going to be found guilty by lies and deceit, and by misrepresentation of true claims about himself.