The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

For 1. If he denied it, or would not confess it, that would much ease and advantage them in putting him to Death, because they had found something of that point against him. 2. If he should confess it, that he is Christ the Messiah, they were resolved to make that the crime for which they would condemn him.

Mark relateth only the bare question, art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed? Matthew relates the question more fervent, for if this device had failed, they had no appearance of a cause to condemn him. Therefore to make sure work, the high Priest saith, I adjure by the living God, answer plainly, and categorically to this question, art thou Christ, or Messiah the Son of the living God? where

Mark relateth only the bare question, art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed? Mathew relates the question more fervent, for if this device had failed, they had no appearance of a cause to condemn him. Therefore to make sure work, the high Priest saith, I adjure by the living God, answer plainly, and catagorically to this question, art thou Christ, or Messiah the Son of the living God? where

1. See what the Jews saith then was, touching the Messiah, whom they then looked for, viz. that he was to be such a man, as also is the Son of God. God and man in one person, which is the same Faith that now the Gentile Churches believe according to the Scriptures, and the same point is manifest by Peters answer unto Christ, according to the Faith of the Church of the Jews, Math. 16.16. in that famous Confession of Peter. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God.