Blasphemy have been defined as speaking reverently
about God or scared things. However, during Jesus lifetime in the world
precisely in Jerusalem. Blasphemy according to the Jewish law is a criminal offense and it is punishable by death. Though there is this saying that “Ignorant of the Law” is
not an excuse but He (Jesus) will not say he is not aware of the law because he
said. “That he didn’t come to destroy
the law but to amend it” which shows that he
had a knowledge of the law.
Furthermore, Jesus demonstrated this act of blasphemy when he said that he was
going to destroy the temple and re-build it in three day. Let not forget that
it was this temple that Solomon had built that took almost century to build and
not only that, the children of Israel were forced to hard labour by King
Solomon in order to see the temple build and Jesus said that he was going to
destroy the temple and no stone will be un-top of each other and that he will
re-build it all alone in three days. When he made the statement, he knew that
Jewish authority was going to come after him so he was not afraid because he
wanted himself to be killed.
Also, He did not stop there, he went ahead to say
things against the authority that was in power and even presented himself as
the “King of the Jews” which was the highest crime to be committed in
Jerusalem. According to Matt 26:36
–75 where the was brought before the high priests and before the crowd, two
men stepped up and said this man said “I
am able to tear down God’s temple and three days later build it up again” then
the high priest stoop up and asked him whether he had no answer to give against
the statement against him. Instead of
answering, Jesus kept quite because he was aware of the consequences of what he
said. Then the high spoke to him again “In the name of the living God I now put
you on oath” tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus answered
him, “So you say, but I tell all of you,
from this time on, you will see the me (son of man) sitting on the right hand
of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of heaven”.
Jesus said this to arose the anger of the high priest
because he knew that the statement will definitely lead to his death so he
want ahead and made the statement. This
statement alone has also proven that Jesus wanted to die.
When the high priest heard this, he tore his cloth and
said “Blasphemy! We don’t need any more
witnesses! You all have heard his
blasphemy! They told him that Jesus was
guilty and must die.