Matthew 26:68

 Matthew 26:68

Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

a. NASB 1995: And said, “Prophesy to us, You [fn]Christ; who is the one who hit You?”  [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: Saying, 'Declare to us, O Christ, who he is that struck thee?'  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Saying, Prophesy to us, You Christ (the Messiah)! Who was it that struck You?  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: Saying, O Christ, prophesy to us; who smote you?  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: Saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?”

a. Saying [Strong: 3004 légō, leg'-o; a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:—ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

b. Prophesy [Strong: 4395 prophēteúō, prof-ate-yoo'-o; from G4396; to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office:—prophesy.]

c. [unto] us [Strong: 2254  hēmîn, hay-meen'; dative case plural of G1473; to (or for, with, by) us:—our, (for) us, we.]

d. [thou] Christ [Strong: 5547 Christós, khris-tos'; from G5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:—Christ.]

e. Who [Strong: 5101 tís, tis; probably emphatic of G5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):—every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

f. is [he] [Strong: 2076 estí, es-tee'; third person singular present indicative of G1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:—are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, × dure for a while, + follow, × have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, × must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

g. that [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

h. smote [Strong: 3817 paíō, pah'-yo; a primary verb; to hit (as if by a single blow and less violently than G5180); specially, to sting (as a scorpion):—smite, strike.]

i. thee [Strong: 4571 sé, seh; accusative case singular of G4771; thee:—thee, thou, × thy house.]

1). It is clear from the first citation in the New Testament, Matthew 22:41-46 that the Jewish understanding of this verse was that it was referring to the Messiah.

 

a). Matthew 22:41-45 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

 

2). It is clear from another citation in the Gospels that Jesus applied it to himself, declaring that He was not only the Messiah, but also God.

a). Mark 14:60-64 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

14:61 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?

14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

14:64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

3). This of course why they called Jesus, “Christ” attempting to mock him.