John Calvin Commentary Matthew 26:62

"And the high priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?" — Matthew 26:62 (ASV)

And the high priest, rising up. It is certain that Christ was silent when false witnesses pressed hard upon him, not only because they did not deserve a reply, but also because he did not seek to be acquitted then, knowing that his hour had come.

But Caiaphas triumphs over him on account of his silence, as if he had been struck dumb by being vanquished; which is usually the case with men who are conscious of having done wrong.

However, it is an instance of extreme wickedness that he insinuates Christ is not free from blame, simply because witnesses speak against him. His question, What is it that these men testify against you? amounts to this: “How is it that these men oppose you, unless it is because they are urged by conscientious views? For they would not have appeared against you without a good reason.”

It is as if he did not know that those witnesses had been procured by fraud. But this is the way wicked men, when they find themselves in possession of authority and power, cast off all pretense and indulge in arrogance.

Christ was again silent, not only because the objection was frivolous, but also because, having been appointed to be a sacrifice, he had thrown aside all anxiety about defending himself.