Cosmic Vindication

Jesus was silent before his Sanhedrin accusers, except for the words recorded in Matthew 26:64. The clear allusion to Daniel 7:13 (and Psalm 110:1) was enough to seal his fate. It was a robe-tearing moment, for the priests the charge of blasphemy was now proven.

But here Jesus was simply sticking to the same story he had been giving all along, that ultimately his heavenly father would testify to who he was (e.g. see John 8:18). His vindication would come from God, and would be on a cosmic scale.

So the taunts from the hot under the collar priests in v68 to 'prophesy' were futile, just like the various requests for a sign Pharisees had made through his ministry. Such 'earthly' signs are nothing compared to what will be seen in the fullness of time.

The story of Jesus only makes full sense once we understand the complete vindication that he will receive, a vindication so 'out of this world' that I will call it cosmic vindication.

The resurrection, of course, tells us that such cosmic vindication was indeed given.