Jesus is standing on trial before the Sanhedrin, the religious council of Jerusalem and is being questioned by Annas and Caiaphas the High Priest. During the questions and the taunts of the accusers, Jesus remains silent and stands there listening refusing to answer to their lies, correct their rumours and heresies until he is asked directly by the High Priest if Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (v61).
This is the first time Jesus replies by saying “I am and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming with the clouds of heaven” (v62). The question had to be answered because it was perhaps the only true question so far directed to Jesus, but then why does Jesus have to add to his accession with a seemingly obscure sentence, which apparently does not tie in with the subject or the intent of the trial except perhaps to add more fuel to the fire and cause the High Priest to make a decision and end the questioning more quickly.
From the words of Stephen Burns of Scripture Union ‘Closer to God’ daily bible notes: “Jesus breaks the silence with the words ‘I AM’ echoing the mighty name of the Lord from Exodus 3:14.”
The rest of the words do not hold any context however, unless noted that Jesus has said them before when he was talking to his disciples about the signs of the times to come.
In Luke 21 v 27-28 Jesus says the “The Son of Man will come in a cloud from heaven with power and great glory” then he continues in v28 by saying “when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads because your redemption is drawing near.” This is a bold, uplifting command, encouraging us and his disciples to stand up in those times. Jesus may have even drummed this into them, he may have used a bit of drama so they could remember this important command.
This passage in Luke comes shortly before the passage of Jesus’ betrayal, so these words may have literally been spoken a few days before Jesus was arrested and therefore as Jesus spoke these words before the Sanhedrin, the disciples present would have remembered the time when Jesus had last spoken them, would have remembered the bold statement after these words, for them to stand up, to lift up their heads for their redemption is near.
Now, hearing these words again in that room along with the Sanhedrin, it’s as though Jesus was speaking, not to the High Priest, but directly to his disciples, speaking to them in code, urging them to remember the command to lift their heads and to be bold for their redemption is near. This is true now, because if they continued to hold on and to believe and to be bold, even throughout the time when Jesus was to be beaten, whipped, scorned and crucified, Jesus is about to save them from sin by dying for them and for all men on the cross.
Revolutionaries over the years have used similar contexts to call their men to arms but here, Jesus is calling for his disciples not to be downhearted at the trial of himself, because he knows that they all feel saddened and shocked and that outside Peter was sitting with the soldiers around the fire and about to deny he knew Jesus.
At the same time, with the same words, Jesus is telling the High Priest that he will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.
John picks this up in Revelation 1 v7 where he mentions especially “even those who pierced him”. As John is writing this passage, prompted by the Holy Spirit, perhaps he remembers well those words spoken by Jesus before the Sanhedrin, although by all accounts John may not have been present in the room, because in his gospel, he does not record these words, but instead writes about Peter, so John may have been outside with or near Peter.
It’s doubtful the High Priest and those of the Sanhedrin understood what Jesus was talking about and took it as further confirmation that Jesus was blaspheming. Jesus did not defend his position but went with the judgment and the crowds to the cross so his words could be fulfilled.
On the outside, these words recorded in Mark and spoken by Jesus may seem obscure, out of context, just words, but to Jesus and his disciples they were words of meaning, of life and truth and hope.
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