Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a blasphemer he was to be put to death; and supposing Christ to be merely human if this be not blasphemy I do not know where you will find it.
“He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father.”
That is downright blasphemy if Christ be not divine. If Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any other mortal had said, “You must honour me as you honor God;” and had put himself on a level with God, it would have been downright blasphemy.
The Jews put Christ to death because they said that He was not what He claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was put under oath.
The high priest said: “I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63).
And when the Jews came round Him and said, “How long dost Thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ tell us plainly.” Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (John 10:24–33).
They said they did not want to hear more, for that was blasphemy. It was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God that He was condemned and put to death. (Matthew 26:63–66).
Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did right, according to their law, in putting Him to death. In Leviticus 24:16, we read:
“And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.”