Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 26:64

"Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." — Matthew 26:64 (ASV)

The answer Jesus gives is affirmative, though reluctantly so (cf. comment on v.25). Certainly Caiaphas understood it as positive. Jesus’ follow-up comment is a qualification, spoken because Caiaphas’s understanding of “Messiah” and “Son of God” is fundamentally inadequate. Jesus is indeed the Messiah and so must answer affirmatively. But he is not quite the Messiah Caiaphas has in mind; so he must answer cautiously and with some explanation.

That explanation comes in allusions to two passages—Psalms 110:1 (see comment on Mt 22:41–46) and Da 7:13 (see comment on Mk 8:31). Jesus is not to be primarily considered a political Messiah but as the one who, in receiving a kingdom, is exalted at God’s right hand, the position of honor and power (cf. 16:27; 23:39; 24:30–31; 26:29). This is Jesus’ climactic self-disclosure to the authorities, combining revelation with threat. He tells the members of the Sanhedrin that from then on they would not see him as he now stands before them but only in his capacity as undisputed King Messiah and sovereign Judge.