Chapter 49 - Before the Sanhedrin Court

CHAPTER 49

BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN COURT

REPRESENTATIVES of Annas had secretly instructed the captain of the Roman soldiers to bring Jesus immediately to the palace of Annas after he had been arrested.

Examination by Annas

Annas entered his spacious audience chamber, seated himself in a large chair, and commanded that Jesus be brought before him.

After a few moments spent in silently surveying the Master, he said:

• "You realize that something must be done about your teaching since you are disturbing the peace and order of our country."

The Master looked full into his eyes but made no reply.

Again Annas spoke:

• "What are the names of your disciples, besides Simon Zelotes, the agitator?"

Again Jesus looked down upon him, but he did not answer.

Annas, disturbed:

• "Do you have no care as to whether I am friendly to you or not? Do you have no regard for the power I have in determining the issues of your coming trial?"

When Jesus heard this, he said:

• "Annas, you know that you could have no power over me unless it were permitted by my Father. Some would destroy the Son of Man because they are ignorant. They know no better. But you, friend, know what you are doing. How can you, therefore, reject the light of God?"

The kindly manner in which Jesus spoke to Annas almost bewildered him:

• "Just what is it you are trying to teach the people? What do you claim to be?"

Jesus answered:

• "You know full well that I have spoken openly to the world. I have taught in the synagogues and many times in the temple, where the Jews and many of the gentiles have heard me. In secret I have spoken nothing. Why then, do you ask me about my teaching? Why do you not summon those who have heard me and inquire of them? Behold, all Jerusalem has heard that which I have spoken even if you have not yourself heard these teachings."

But before Annas could make reply, the chief steward of the palace, who was standing near, struck Jesus in the face with his hand, saying:

• "How dare you answer the high priest with such words?"

Annas spoke no words of rebuke to his steward, but Jesus addressed him, saying:

• "My friend, if I have spoken evil, bear witness against the evil, but if I have spoken the truth, why then should you smite me?"

Although Annas regretted that his steward had struck Jesus, he was too proud to take notice of the matter. In his confusion he went into another room, leaving Jesus alone with the household attendants and the temple guards for almost an hour.

Continuing

When he returned, going up to the Master's side, he said:

• "Do you claim to be the Messiah, the deliverer of Israel?"

Jesus:

• "Annas, you have known me from the times of my youth. You know that I claim to be nothing except that which my Father has appointed, and that I have been sent to all men, gentile as well as Jew."

Annas:

• "I have been told that you have claimed to be the Messiah. Is that true?"

Jesus looked upon Annas but only replied:

• "So you have said."

About this time messengers arrived from the palace of Caiaphas to inquire what time Jesus would be brought before the court of the Sanhedrin. Since it was nearing the break of day, Annas thought best to send Jesus bound and in the custody of the temple guards to Caiaphas. He himself followed after them shortly.

Before the Court of Sanhedrists

Jesus appeared before this court clothed in his usual garments and with his hands bound together behind his back. The entire court was startled and somewhat confused by his majestic appearance. Throughout all this false testimony the Master never said a word.

Although the high priest shouted at Jesus:

• "Do you not answer any of these charges?"

Jesus opened not his mouth. Caiaphas could not longer endure the sight of the Master standing there in perfect composure and unbroken silence. He rushed over to the side of Jesus and shaking his accusing finger in the Master's face, said:

• "I adjure you, in the name of the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Deliverer, the Son of God."

Jesus:

• "I am. Soon I go to the Father, and presently shall the Son of Man be clothed with power and once more reign over the hosts of heaven."

The high priest was exceedingly angry, and rending his outer garments, exclaimed:

• "What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now have you all heard this man's blasphemy. What do you now think should be done with this law-breaker and blasphemer?"

And they all answered in unison:

• "He is worthy of death. Let him be crucified."

Annas desired that the trial proceed further, but he did not succeed in keeping control of the court.

After Jesus had so unexpectedly answered Caiaphas, the high priest stepped forward and smote him in the face with his hand. Annas was truly shocked as the other members of the court, in passing out of the room, spit in Jesus' face, and many of them mockingly slapped him with the palms of their hands. And thus in disorder and with such unheard-of confusion this first session of the Sanhedrist trial of Jesus ended at half past four o'clock.

The Hour of Humiliation

Jesus was left in the audience chamber in the custody of the temple guards, who, with the servants of the high priest, amused themselves by heaping every sort of indignity upon the Son of Man.

Throughout this awful hour Jesus uttered no word.

The Second Meeting of the Court

At five-thirty o'clock the court reassembled, and Jesus was led into the adjoining room, where John was waiting. Here the Roman soldier and the temple guards watched over Jesus while the court began the formulation of the charges which were to be presented to Pilate. Annas made it clear to his associates that the charge of blasphemy would carry no weight with Pilate. Judas was present during this second meeting of the court, but he gave no testimony.

This session of the court lasted only a half hour, and when they adjourned to go before Pilate, they had drawn up the indictment of Jesus, as being worthy of death, under three heads:

1. That he was a perverter of the Jewish nation; he deceived the people and incited them to rebellion.

2. That he taught the people to refuse to pay tribute to Caesar.

3. That, by claiming to be a king and the founder of a new sort of kingdom, he incited treason against the emperor.

This entire procedure was irregular and wholly contrary to the Jewish laws.

At six o'clock that morning Jesus was led forth from the home of Caiaphas to appear before Pilate for confirmation of the sentence of death that this Sanhedrist court had so unjustly and irregularly decreed.