{Because he made himself the Son of God} (hoti huion theou
heauton epoi(8873)en). Here at last the Sanhedrin give the real
ground for their hostility to Jesus, one of long standing for
probably three years ( Joh 5:18 ) and the one on which the
Sanhedrin voted the condemnation of Jesus ( Mr 14:61-64  Mt
27:23-66 ), but even now they do not mention their own decision
to Pilate, for they had no legal right to vote Christ's death
before Pilate's consent which they now have secured.