What does Matthew 26:61 mean?

To condemn someone to death under Jewish law (Matthew 26:57–59), two witnesses were required to verify the accusation. In this case, Jesus' enemies are looking for an act of blasphemy or sacrilege to show Jesus deserved to die. Unfortunately for them, Jesus has neither sinned nor committed a crime (John 8:46), so those who say otherwise wind up contradicting one another (Mark 14:56–59). Of course, all of this is so illegal that Jesus' accusers ought to be put to death, themselves (Deuteronomy 19:18), but they will press on.

Finally, two men came forward together to accuse Jesus of saying something the council can twist into a blasphemy charge. According to them, Jesus said He could rip down the physical temple in Jerusalem and then rebuild it in three days. That could be construed as a blasphemy against the temple—a thin charge for a death sentence, but better than nothing.

However, their quote is false. The witnesses had not only taken Jesus out of context, they've changed His words: "'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up'…But he was speaking about the temple of his body" (John 2:19–21). It was this prediction that brought Jesus' followers greater faith after the resurrection: "When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken" (John 2:22). He has subtly declared He will be raised to life three days after being destroyed.

This accusation, itself, won't be needed. Jesus will be condemned by the Jewish religious leaders for words He will speak directly to them, in response to the high priest's challenge over this misquoted statement (Matthew 26:62).