Now they arraigned the Lord before the Chief Council, the highest spiritual court of the Jews, which had assembled before Caiaphas. And the chief priests and the elders and the Council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put Him to death, but found none; yes, though many false witnesses came, yet they found none, for their witnesses did not agree. At last there came two false witnesses. One of them testified that Jesus had said: "I will, and am able to, destroy this Temple of God which is made with hands, and within three days I will build another," while the other asserted that He had spoken of the temple that is not made with hands. Thus, very plainly, these, too, did not agree with each other. And Caiaphas arose and asked Jesus: "Do You make no answer? What is it that these witness against You?" But Jesus held His peace. Then a thought occurred to the chief priest. He said to Jesus: "Are You the Christ? Tell us!" Jesus answered: "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go." Then the chief priest said: "I adjure You by the living God that You tell us whether You be the Christ, the Son of God, the Blessed!" Then Jesus said: "You have said it, for I am. Nevertheless, I say to you, Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven," namely, on Judgment Day. Then the chief priest rent his clothes, saying: "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy. What do you think?" Then they all said: "Are You the Son of God ? And they all condemned Him and said: "He is guilty of death." Then they spat in His face, and the servants buffeted Him, and some covered His face, and struck Him on the face, saying: "Prophesy to us, You Christ. Who is it that smote You?" And many other blasphemous things they spoke against Him, and in many other ways they treated Him most shamefully. Thus the Saviour was condemned to death by the elders of His people and of His Church, and was spit upon, because He had said under oath that He was the Messiah, the Christ. This is monstrous, extremely so. But His condemnation is our acquittal. When He was spat upon, we were received to the fatherly bosom of God. Praise be to our Lord!