ESOCS Devotional 4 May 2026 – Jesus: Messiah, Son of God
MEMORY VERSE: “But He held His peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Mark 14:61 KJV
TEXT: MARK 14:53-65
And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. 54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. 56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” 59 But not even then did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 61 But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers [b]struck Him with the palms of their hands.
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As distinct from other Gospel writers, Mark presents Jesus as the powerful Son of God, (v. 61). In Matthew 3:17 and 17:5, God Himself refers to Jesus as His Beloved Son. In Matthew 8:28-30, demons recognize Him as the Son of God. In Matthew 27:54, a Roman centurion who was present at the crucifixion remarked Jesus as the Son of God. Even before His incarnation (Daniel 7:13-14), King Belshazzar of Babylon saw in a night vision, the Messiah receiving power, authority, and royal honour from the Ancient of Days. King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:24-26), saw Messiah Jesus, the fourth man in the fire, and was quickened in the spirit to recognize Him as the Son of God. Even Christ’s usual designation of Himself as the Son of Man has overtones of the divine Son of man figure described in Daniel 3:24-25).
However, as a pointer to His Messianic assignment and divine earth-bound mission, Jesus continually insisted that the Son of Man must first suffer, die, and rise again. This continual and unwavering assertion by Jesus served as a way of linking Himself with the suffering servant of Isaiah 53:4-9, 12.
Mark calls all believers to perpetually confess Jesus as the Christ, and Son of God, just as Apostle Peter did in Matthew 16:16: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
Reflections
- Is Jesus not Joseph, the carpenter’s son? How come He calls Himself Son of God?
Prayer
- Lord Jesus, I believe in you. Grant me the grace to make heaven with you.
Further Reading: 2 Samuel 23:8-23; Jeremiah 38:1-13, James 4:1-12
ESOCS Devotional 4 May 2026
