"He has spoken blasphemy!"

Theologically blasphemy is the crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God.

It is also an act of cursing or reviling God.

I was reading the book of Daniel in the Old Covenant today and came across a dream that deeply troubled him.  Daniel said the visions that passed through his mind disturbed him.  But, through his writings, and the writings of Matthew (a disciple of Jesus) in the New Covenant,  I saw why the Chief Priests and Elders of Jesus' day accused Jesus of blasphemy.

Daniel wrote about 550 years before Jesus birth.  Daniel recorded, "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He (the Son of Man) was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."

This prophecy was well known by the teachers of the law and elders of Jesus day.  It was a hopeful promise of the coming Messiah!  A Messiah that would rule and reign - there would be glory and all peoples would be celebrating this Messiah!  His Kingdom would have no end.  Surely these were good and glorious promises to hold.  But they were to be administered only by The Messiah.  Anyone else claiming to be able to minister these promises would be called a blasphemer.

Fast forward about 550 years and we have Jesus standing before the High Priest named Caiaphas.  Jesus is being questioned about what he teaches people.  And the opponents to his teaching  were 'looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.  But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward."

The high priest was wanting Jesus to respond to the false witnesses, yet Jesus remained silent.  So Caiphas said to him, " I charge you under oath by the living God; TELL US IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST [Messiah], THE SON OF GOD."

Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say. But I say to all of you; in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One [aka; Ancient of Days] and coming on the clouds of heaven."

And that was the great connection in my mind.  Jesus claimed to be that Messiah who had all authority, reign and glory.  It was a maddening proclamation to the deeply religious folk who looked upon Jesus as just a pathetic pain in the...  But, for me it was His statement of Who He Was, and Is.  It was written and recorded just as Daniel's words were...and the reader has a choice to either agree or disagree.  The high priest chose to disagree.

In response to Jesus testimony,  "the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoke blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"

"He is worthy of death," they [the chief priests and the teachers of the law and the elders] answered. 

You see I don't think Jesus spoke blasphemous words.  I think He spoke the Truth.  As the high priest asked his elders, I ask you, what do you think?

"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father - to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.  LOOK, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.  So shall it be! Amen."  Revelation 1:5-7

other references: Daniel 7:13-14,  Matthew 26:57-66