The adjuration in Matthew 26.63.

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Ben C. Smith
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The adjuration in Matthew 26.63.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Just noticed this today. In Luke, Jesus cannot stop yammering at his hearing before the high priest; every question he is asked he answers immediately and verbosely:

Luke 22.66-71: 66 When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, 67 "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." 70 And they all said, "Are You the Son of God, then?" And He said to them, "Yes, I am." 71 Then they said, "What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."

In Mark, however, he is silent at first before finally responding:

Mark 14.60-64: 60 The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" 61 But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 And Jesus said, "I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." 63 Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

The question arises: why did Jesus finally break his silence? I have suggested that Jesus, in (the story behind) Mark, notices that he is not going to be condemned by the lame efforts being put forth by the high priest and his cronies, and so he commits technical blasphemy and cuts right through the red tape. But Matthew seems to offer a different answer:

Matthew 26.62-66: 62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You [ἐξορκίζω σε] by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 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." 65 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; 66 what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"

In Matthew, the high priest presses an adjuration upon Jesus, who answers immediately, probably in accordance with a verse from the Law:

Leviticus 5.1: 1 "Now if a person sins, after he hears an adjuration [ὁρκισμοῦ] to testify, when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his guilt."

This principle is the exact opposite of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States: in this case, if you are adjured, you have to tell what you know. That the Matthean Jesus would follow this rule and speak when the high priest finally adjures him seems in keeping with Jesus elsewhere in Matthew fulfilling the law rather than abrogating it (Matthew 5.17-18).

Ben.
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Charles Wilson
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Re: The adjuration in Matthew 26.63.

Post by Charles Wilson »

Hello Ben --

See also:

Mark 5: 6 - 9 (RSV):

[6] And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him;
[7] and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."
[8] For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"
[9] And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many."

So much here (for me) but I'll leave that for another day.
Odd construction, yes?

CW
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Re: The adjuration in Matthew 26.63.

Post by Secret Alias »

ggg
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
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