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?” 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?” And Jesus said, “I am …” Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. (Mark 14:60–64)

His faithful disciples did not demand of Jesus an explicit statement of His true identity. But to the unbelieving religious leaders, an explicit acknowledgement only served to inflame their anger against Him. They knew who He was, at least in part, and what they knew they rejected.  Remember when Nicodemus came to Jesus?  He was a “man of the Pharisees” and a “ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1). Speaking on behalf of the other religious leaders, he said, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). They knew at the very least that Jesus was a prophet of God, and on that basis they should have accepted His teachings and repented of their sins.

The multitude followed Jesus because of His miracles, but abandoned Him when He began speaking of total commitment to His teachings (John 6:66). Only the few, the twelve, kept following:

Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:67–69)

Not so the religious leaders! Of all people, one would think they would have been the ones most in tune with God to recognize and submit to the teachings of one whom they knew to be a prophet. However, they rejected Jesus from early on. They saw the same miraculous signs and heard the same teaching. What the writer of Hebrews wrote applies to them:

[T]he word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. (Heb 4:2).

Poignant was the question demanded of Him, “Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?” That is code for, “Are you on the level of Yahweh?” To be “the son of” meant to share in all the characteristics and nature of Yahweh. Jesus, the Master Teacher and prophet sent from God, said, “I am”!

Lord, I join with the twelve disciples and acknowledge You as Yahweh, my God.