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Daniel English

March 11, 2026

Sermon - Lent 3 - Midweek Wednesday

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Matthew 26: 57-68;

Son of Man, Son of God

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus, while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples at night, is approached by a great crowd armed with clubs and swords. Sent from the elders and chief priests and assisted by Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, the crowd finds Jesus, lays hands on him, and leads him away to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest, for a secret, overnight trial.[1] — During this trial Jesus is proven innocent, but the Council declares Him guilty. Jesus is revealed to the religious elite as the Messiah, the Son of Man and the Son of the Living God, and the Council condemns Him to death. “From [the time before His Transfiguration], Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”[2] This event marks the beginning of that suffering at the hands of men.

It is well into the middle of the night, but Caiaphas’ house is bustling with activity. Caiaphas and the Council want Jesus dealt with. The chief priests and the whole Council are conducting interviews in a desperate search to find some wrongdoing by Jesus to convict Him.[3] On too many occasions, Jesus has publicly embarrassed them by His mastery of the Scriptures. More than that, He teaches as one with authority, and His authority seemed to know no bounds. Christ’s Words of teaching were often accompanied by miraculous signs: The eyes of the blind were opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, lame men leaping like deer, and people who were once mute singing with shouts of joy. He even proclaims the forgiveness of sins! Instead of repenting of their sins at Jesus’ correction, the hearts of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes hardened. As the people’s support for Jesus grew, in them grew a hatred for Christ and His teaching and a desire for His death.

Many false witnesses come forward, but none of their stories line up.[4] Caiaphas knows the Laws Concerning Witnesses recorded in Deuteronomy chapter 19: “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.”[5] Apparently, Caiaphas wants to maintain the outward appearance of justice… at least as much as a trial done in darkness can appear to be just. Despite the best efforts of the Council, the only thing that can be established by two or three witnesses is the claim that Jesus said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.”[6] And Even this, according to the Gospel of Mark, they get it wrong[7].

Caiaphas asks Jesus what he has to say against all of these false charges: “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”[8] What does Jesus say? — “Lies!”, “These men are lying about me.”, “They don’t remember it correctly.”, “They misunderstand me.”, “That’s not what I really meant.” No. Jesus knows that He is innocent, and He feels no need to defend Himself. He knows that in time His resurrection will be His vindication… and our salvation. Instead, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, “[Jesus] was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”[9]

Yes, Jesus is innocent… but when your wealthy enemies in positions of power infiltrate your 12 closest allies to discover where to find you in the middle of the night in order to arrest you out of view from your supporters and put you on trial in a kangaroo court, a trial for which they’ve been preparing by diligently searching out false testimony in order to have you executed… well… the writing is on the wall, as they say.

“The writing on the wall…” Did you know that “the writing on the wall” is a reference to the book of Daniel?[10] King Belshazzar sees a hand writing on the plaster of the wall, and God’s prophet, Daniel, interprets the words written as a sign of God’s imminent judgement coming upon Babylon. That very night Babylon was taken by the Persians and King Belshazzar was killed. And so the phrase “the writing on the wall” means that “there are clear signs that a situation is going to become very difficult or unpleasant.”[11] Knowing our Bibles helps us understand when Scripture is referenced elsewhere… The conversation between Caiaphas and Jesus revolves around references to another prophecy in Daniel and a reference to Psalm 110.

Up to this point Caiaphas is unsuccessful in charging Jesus with any actual crime. Frustrated, and probably very tired, he says to Jesus, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus’ response is the turning point in our reading. Caiaphas responds to what Jesus says by tearing his clothes, a dramatic show of anguish, and accuses Jesus of blasphemy. The Council responds with a death sentence. They begin to abuse Jesus in such a way that Peter, watching outside in the courtyard nearby, becomes afraid to even be associated with Him.[12] When Jesus finally speaks during this trial, what does He say?

“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.”[13]

“Son of Man” is a common title that Jesus gives to Himself. Across all four Gospels, Jesus uses the term over 80 times. This conversation in the Gospel of Matthew between Jesus and Caiaphas is the last of over 20 times in Matthew’s Gospel. The title has long been thought to reveal Jesus’ humanity. As one church father writes, “The Word of God was made man, and He who was the Son of God became the Son of man, that man, having been taken into the Word, and receiving the adoption, might become the son of God.”[14] But in Matthew 26, it is much more. In these few words Jesus reveals not only His human nature as the Son of Man, but He also claims to be the Messiah, and He claims that the Messiah is not only uniquely honored or chosen by God, but is also Himself God. In Jesus’ response to Caiaphas, He alludes to Psalm 110, “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” Not even a week before, Jesus challenges the Pharisees’ understanding of the Messiah using this same exact Psalm, noting that “David, in the Spirit, calls [the Messiah] Lord.”[15] Making the point that the Messiah is more than just the Son of David. Jesus also references Daniel 7:13, our Old Testament reading for today, when He mentions that the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven.

When Caiaphas is confronted with this true teaching about Jesus Christ, he responds with unbelief and anger. Caiaphas, the Council, and others will oversee the severe mistreatment of Jesus and will press the Roman authorities to crucify Jesus until they get what they are seeking. Jesus will accept this suffering, though He has the power to stop it. Jesus will accept this suffering and willingly give Himself up to be forsaken by God the Father and die because He knows that by His death He will reconcile us to the Father.

When you hear Christ’s words to Caiaphas, “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven,” rejoice, because the One who rescues you from eternal death has ascended to the Right Hand of the Majestic Glory and will come again on the Last Day in power and glory to take you to be with Him forever. Baptized into His Name, you are his co-heir of eternal life. Jesus is our “Beautiful Savior, [the] King of creation, [the] Son of God and Son of Man!”[16]

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

[1] Matthew 26:47-57

[2] Matthew 16:21

[3] Matthew 26:57-59

[4] Matthew 26:59-60

[5] Deuteronomy 19:15

[6] Matthew 26:61

[7] Mark 14:59

[8] Matthew 26:62

[9] Isaiah 53:7

[10] Daniel 5:5-31

[11] Collins English Dictionary, s.v. “the writing is on the wall,” accessed March 11, 2026, https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/the-writing-is-on-the-wall.

[12] Matthew 26:65-70

[13] Matthew 26:64

[14] Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.19.1

[15] Matthew 22:41-46

[16]Beautiful Savior,  Lutheran Service Book #537