64 “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
These words don’t sound like such a big deal, on first reading, do they? But the religious leaders hear blasphemy in these words. Blasphemy is someone claiming to be God. They hear Jesus claim to be the Messiah, the promised savior. These words quoted from the Old Testament prophet Daniel are understood as a clear statement of God’s entrance into history. When this person enters history He is appointed as Judge over all the earth. He is head over a kingdom that never ends. His authority is supreme. So when Jesus quotes this verse, the religious leaders clearly hear Jesus claim to this position. These verses were understood at that time as declaring Messiah to be God. The religious leaders know what Jesus is claiming and they now have enough proof to push the death penalty against Him. Knowing some of this history can make all the difference in understanding the Scriptures. Knowing that Jesus is quoting Daniel chapter seven, is important also. We can go and read that chapter and understand more what Jesus was saying and what the religious leaders understood Jesus to be claiming. But what does it mean to me? In the face of persecution, Jesus told the truth, even when telling that truth gave his enemies the needed ammunition to charge and kill him. The truth was that important to Jesus. The power of telling the truth can never be underestimated. Scripture says that the Truth will set us free. Even knowing the truth about the past can set us free. Some people spend their lives trying to discover their past because they know they need to know what happened. Don’t be afraid of the truth.
The Arnold Journey 