57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgement?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spat in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Basic to the apostolic interpretation of Christ's death is that it was a substitutionary act. It was for us; He stood in, in our place. And this is really the key to an understanding of the trial also. He stood trial for us. Let us think of this for a little. The question that arises here is: Why a trial? The rulers wanted rid of Him. But could this not have been done without the pretext of a trial? Was the trial only a cover for their evil deed? Would a death without a trial have been the same? An assassination or a secret poisoning, for example? From their point of view - yes. But God decreed otherwise. There had to be a trial, and it had to be this kind of arraignment, and there had to be these particular charges against Him. For the trial was part of the great substitutionary atonement that He made for us. Furthermore, the charges He bore - blasphemy and treason, of which He was innocent - are precisely the charges against man the sinner. The blasphemy involved in sin is seen very clearly in Genesis 3, in Satan's tempting bait, 'Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil'. Man snatched at this, and became guilty of blasphemous pretensions against God, determined to put himself on the throne that rightly belongs to God.