You Said It
Matthew 26:64; 16:35
Jesus said to him, Thou hast said it: nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man, sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and come in the clouds of the heaven.
Matthew 26:64 GNV
What a challenge! You said it! What had Jesus been asked to do? Tells us if you are the Christ!
But then a few hours later Jesus responded to a question much the same way.
And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou that King of the Jews? Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest it.
Matthew 27:11 GNV
Or as written from a different perspective elsewhere:
So Pilate entered into the common hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou that of thy selfe, or did other tell it thee of me?
John 18:33-34 GNV
But then asked again to clarify:
Pilate then said unto him, Art thou a King then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a King: for this cause am I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth: euery one that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
John 18:37 GNV
When He is asked questions like these Jesus asks those questioning Him to discern clearly for themselves what they are asking, why they are asking, and to cause each one questioning Him to mull over in their mind, Am I saying this of Jesus, or am I bringing the question as I have framed for Jesus to give the exact answer that I want Him to give? Here some wanted Jesus to answer simply to be able to condemn Him against how they believe their law reads. Another just wants to know if Jesus should be considered a political threat. Yet the response Jesus gives challenges introspection on the part of each one doing the asking.
While it is necessary at times to think about what others may be thinking, how important it is that we also answer the question honestly that Jesus asks of us.
Now when Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the son of man am?
...
He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Matthew 16:13, 15 GNV