Episode Transcript
The theme of Matthew’s Gospel is the kingdom of heaven. From the start, Jesus’s message has been that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (near). In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus revealed that the hour was here. It was time for the kingdom of heaven to finally be established. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, we see a transition from the kingdom of heaven being near to being here. Jesus is now on trial, an illegal trial, before the high priest—Caiaphas.
Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome. Now the chief priests and the whole aCouncil kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ” The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!” Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?” (Matthew 26:57-68).
Through the high priest’s insults and interrogation, Jesus largely remained silent—fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy,
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:7).
After the high priests struggles to hire false witnesses, he is finally able to conjure two. They accuse Jesus of saying, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.” Jesus remains silent at their accusation, but I want to observe the record. In John 2:19, Jesus did indeed say something like this, but it carried a different connotation.
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:19-21).
This was Jesus’s answer when the people asked for a sign that He had authority to stop the unlawful business transaction taking place in the Temple complex. Notice that the false witnesses at the trial bore false testimony about Jesus, misquoting Him. Jesus did not say that He would destroy the Temple and rebuild it. He was speaking as if the people destroyed the Temple, then He would rebuild it in three days. Further, Jesus was speaking in symbolic language, not literalistic language. Yet, evil people do what evil people do—taking an element of what Jesus said and twisting it to their own ends. The people would destroy the temple Jesus spoke of (his body), and he would rebuild it within three days. In John 2, Jesus draws attention to His future death and resurrection. The high priests understands this claim because he interprets it as a claim to the position of Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus answers, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Jesus’s statement is one of the more profound in Matthew’s Gospel. It is the only line attributed to Jesus in this particular interrogation. In it, Jesus quotes from two Old Testament passages. 1) He quotes from Psalm 110. In the first verse of Psalm 110, David writes,
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
Who is David’s lord? Yahweh says to David’s lord, who can only be identified as another person of God (whom I believe to be the preincarnate Christ; cf. Matthew 22:44)… Here, we have the Father speaking to Jesus in the Old Testament. Jesus is referring to this trinitarian relationship as He stands before Caiaphas. Further, Jesus is claiming that Psalm 110:1 will be fulfilled “hereafter,” or “from now on.” Jesus is about to take His place at the right hand of the Father—the Lord to whom Yahweh spoke in David’s presence. So, Jesus claims to be God and Lord. He also provides a timing for His ascension to the right hand of the Father—hereafter or from now on.
In the second portion of His response, Jesus quotes from the prophet Daniel (Chapter 7). Daniel prophesied concerning four great beasts. The last beast had ten horns, similar to the beast in Revelation 12:3 and 13:1. Daniel then prophesies concerning the opening of the same book we see in Revelation 12. As the books are opened, the beast is slain. After this,
I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).
In the interpretation of this vision, which is provided in Daniel 7:15-28, it is said that after the kingdom represented by the fourth beast will lose its dominion—at which time the saints who are on the earth will take possession of every kingdom.
Jesus is telling Ciaphas that Daniel’s prophecy is being fulfilled. From that point forward (“hereafter” or “from now on”), you (in the plural, referring to everyone present at Jesus’s interrogation) will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds. Jesus’s kingdom, the kingdom of Heaven is no longer near. It is here. He is taking every worldly kingdom as His own possession as an inheritance for His saints. We are reaching the climax of the story. Upon His death and resurrection, Jesus will be given all authority in heaven and on earth; He will sit at the right hand of the Father. Upon His death and resurrection, He will be coming in the clouds having slayed Daniel’s ten-horned beast. Daniel foretold the saints taking possession of worldly kingdoms—saving them rather than being their physical end. It is generally agreed that Daniel's fourth beast signifies Rome. Rome will not physically be destroyed upon the death and resurrection of Christ, but it will not take long to become inundated with Christians—just as Daniel predicts. Jesus is finishing the work at Calvary. The kingdom of heaven is here.
Then, like it says in Psalm 110, which Jesus also quotes from, Jesus will sit at the right hand of the Father reigning until all of His enemies are His footstool from now on (as He is before Ciaphas). Once all of His enemies are under His feet, Jesus will at that time hand the kingdom over to the Father.
…then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).
According to His own words, Jesus begins to reign around the time of His death and resurrection here in Matthew 26. I refer to this reign as the federal reign of Christ because He obviously has always had all divine authority as God. He quotes Psalm 110 and Daniel 7 to prove it. Paul agrees with Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15. John recounts the exact visions and symbols in Revelation. The Bible is coherent. Matthew will drive his point home. The Old Testament prophecies are true. The kingdom of heaven is here. We finally have our Messiah and forever king.
In reaction to Jesus’s bold claim during this illegal interrogation, we can understand why Ciaphas tore his robe and accused Him of blasphemy. The people spat on Jesus and beat Him. They began mocking Him—unwittingly proving that Jesus is truly the Messiah according to Isaiah 53. Jesus lets it happen. His crucifixion is the necessary atonement for the establishing of His own kingdom and authority. By His crucifixion, He purchases humankind—redeeming her from death.
What does this mean for us today? Well, I don’t think we should make it a big deal if someone disagrees with the eschatological truths Jesus reveals here or with our own personal eschatologies. I have not here mentioned anything about a millennial reign or a 1,000 year period; I know that there are some reading into my words what is not there. That is perfectly okay. I understand the temptation to do so. I don't feel pressed to persuade you, and I’m not sure Jesus is pleased when we argue about what may happen in our futures anyway. We know for sure that Jesus currently reigns. He is Lord of lords and King of kings. That means He has all authority in heaven and on earth. So, we go boldly and serve Him knowing that He has the authority to bring the story to its right and just resolution. Upon His bodily return, we will all celebrate, no matter our “millennial” views.
