The Jewish trial of Christ in the gospels reveals the determination of the Jewish leaders to convict Jesus. Requirements of Jewish trial procedures were violated, and the outcome was predetermined. But claiming to be the Messiah was not a crime, nor was predicting the destruction of the Temple. A conviction warranting the death penalty would not have been possible without Jesus' last statement. After being silent during most of the trial, why did Jesus finally speak and what was so shocking about his statement that the High Priest tore his robes and pronounced Christ guilty of blasphemy?