A turning point has been reached. Jesus now questions His questioners—to free not ensnare them. The last words are His. Three staccato schemes to entrap Him are countered with a crown. The question of authority (21:23) is answered by identity (22:44). Jesus is claiming His crown. The series of attacks against Jesus were based fundamentally on the refusal of Israel’s leaders to acknowledge Him as Messiah. But mere association of identity will not do. Their views were impoverished. Jesus was not the sort of Messiah that Israel was looking for because their idea of Messiah was inadequate and corrupted. So Jesus poses the Christ question to open their eyes to the glorious yet mysterious nature of Messiah. It raises a mighty watershed that has decisively divided Judaism and Christianity. Blasphemy hangs in the balance. All turns on the Messiah mystery.
