ation, that “their witness agreed not together.”1298 But, as Matthew continues, “At the last
came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God,
and to build it in three days.”1299 Mark states that there were also others who said, “We
have heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three
days I will build another made without hands. And therefore (as Mark also observes in the
same passage) their witness did not agree together.”1300 Then Matthew gives us the following
relation: “And the high priest arose and said unto Him, Answerest thou nothing? What is
it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held His peace. And the high priest answered
and said unto Him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the
Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said.”1301 Mark reports the same
passage in different terms, only he omits to mention the fact that the high priest adjured
Him. He makes it plain, however, that the two expressions ascribed to Jesus as the reply to
the high priest,—namely, “Thou hast said,” and, “I am,”1302—really amount to the same.
For, as the said Mark puts it, the narrative goes on thus: “And Jesus said, I am; and ye shall
see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heav-
en.”1303 This is just as Matthew also presents the passage, with the solitary exception that
he does not say that Jesus replied in the phrase “I am.” Again, Matthew goes on further in
this strain: “Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what
further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think
ye? And they answered and said, He is guilty of death.”1304 Mark’s version of this is entirely
to the same effect. So Matthew continues, “Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him,
and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ,
Who is he that smote thee?”1305 Mark reports these things in like manner. He also mentions
a further fact, namely, that they covered His face.1306 On these incidents we have likewise
the testimony of Luke.
21. These things the Lord is understood to have passed through on to the early morning
in the high priest’s house, to which He was first conducted, and in which Peter was also
1298 Mark xiv. 56.
1299 Matt. xxvi. 61.
1300 Mark xiv. 57–59.
1301 Matt. xxvi. 62–64.
1302 Mark xiv. 62.
1303 Mark xiv. 62.
1304 Matt. xxvi. 65, 66.
1305 Matt. xxvi. 67, 68.
1306 Mark xiv. 65.
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Of the Harmony Characterizing the Accounts Which These Evangelists Give…