Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 14:64

"Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be worthy of death." — Mark 14:64 (ASV)

The tearing of one’s clothes was originally a sign of great grief (cf. Genesis 37:29; 2 Kings 18:37). The action of the high priest showed that he had just heard a blasphemous statement. Blasphemy was considered not only the overt and definite reviling of the name of God (cf. Leviticus 24:10–23) but also any affront to the majesty and authority of God (cf. Mark 2:7; 3:28–29; 10:33). Caiaphas understood Jesus’ claim in the latter sense and therefore considered it blasphemy. All the members of the Sanhedrin concurred with his judgment and condemned Jesus “as worthy of death” (cf. Lk 24:14; Mark 10:33).