The Second Sitting of the Sanhedrin

II: The Second Sitting of the Sanhedrin

Luke xxii. 63-71, xxiii. 1; Matt. xxvii. 1,2; Mark xv. 1; John xviii. 28.

Handed over to the Sanhedrin-guards, Jesus had to endure still greater indignities.  Saint Luke, who omits the account of that night-session before Caïphas, first depicts the Saviour in the centre of this crowd of lackeys and grooms,1 insulted, beaten, and buffeted.  "They blindfolded His eyes," he says, "and smiting Him on the face challenged Him to prophesy, and they uttered many other taunts and insults against Him."

Jesus remained for more than an hour at the mercy of their pitiless hands, for not until morning and broad daylight did the members of the Sanhedrin summon Him again before them.

Ever since early dawn they had been closeted, advising as to the best means of executing the sentence which they had just pronounced against Jesus.  The first requisite was to obtain the approval of the Procurator, Pontius Pilate; for since the exile of Archelaus and the final subjugation of Judaea the Sanhedrin had no longer any power to punish its prisoners with death.  Rome, tolerant though she always was towards the religion of the vanquished, nevertheless reserved to herself the administration of justice, and charged the pro-consuls to study local customs, in order to make them, if possible, accord with the Roman Code, and so form a body of laws peculiar to each region.  It is true the general control of affairs was left to the ordinary judges of the province; but matters of appeal, any important suits, and especially all cases of capital offence, remained subject to the Governor.  So, however jealous of their authority these Councillors might be, they were obliged to bend beneath the yoke which at present held the world in check; yet in this instance they resigned themselves to necessity more willingly, because the concurrence of Pontius Pilate, by relieving them of all responsibility, would prevent any possible conflict with the people.  For suppose that in a throng like the one which, five days ago, had cheered the Saviour's entry,— suppose that some one of the sick folk, cured by His word, should utter his indignation at the condition to which their hatred had reduced Him; would not this be enough to excite an uprising, in the hope of rescuing Jesus?  This was quite reason enough for their eagerness to have Him put into the safe keeping of Roman power, with a further hope of inducing the Governor to ratify their condemnation.

Their negotiations were destined to meet with considerable difficulties, for Pilate, however ready for bloodshed in moments of confusion and riot, in matters of public business cherished all a Roman’s reverence for juridical forms.  Now everything of the sort had been set at naught in the present procedure.  There were certain prescriptions, wise as they were humane, which ordered that the judges should observe a fast, not pronouncing sentence until after mature consideration, and in cases of capital offence they must even defer a decision until at least one day after the examination.  Furthermore, by the same Rules the Sanhedrin was forbidden to assemble during the night, or to hold any sittings before the early sacrifice, which was offered at sunrise. Caïphas and his colleagues could not have been ignorant either of these statutes or of the contents displayed towards them by such actions as they were now committing.

Anxious above all things to cover up any such irregularities on their part, they thought to accomplish their object by causing Jesus to appear before them again just at daybreak.  The short interval which elapsed between the night-sitting and that of the morning did not alter the fact that the rule which commanded a day's delay was in reality infringed; for the Jewish law counted the day from evening to evening.  Yes to this distinction between night and day gave some slight semblance of legality to their proceedings, and therewith their hatred of the Sanhedrin was fain to rest content.

Accordingly Jesus was hauled before His judges, and Caïphas began by repeatedly enquiring:—

" If you are the Christ, tell us."

"If I tell you," He replied, " you will not believe Me, and if I question you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go."

Thus He reminded these Councillors of State that, only a few hours earlier and in their presence, He had proclaimed Himself the Messiah, and that they had refused to believe Him.  Why, then, should they believe Him now?  Every question which, since His return to Jerusalem, he had addressed to them, whether it concerned John's baptism or had reference to the Christ, was still left unanswered.  They did not intend to answer Him now any more than hitherto they had done; as for releasing Him, that they would never do.  And notwithstanding this, Jesus consented to repeat once again and in the same terms, what He had said during the night just past,— that He was the Son of Man and Son of God.  Vainly had they struck and bruised Him, covering Him with spittle and vile abuse; thereafter, even as before this opprobrium, He revealed to His executioners how, afar off, their Victim was to appear all triumphant in the panoply of celestial Glory, seated at the right hand of the Most-High.

"You, then, are the Son of God?" was ae demand of the Sanhedrin.

"You have said it," reply Jesus; " I am He."

"What further need have we of witnesses?" they cried instantly, "we have heard it for ourselves, from his own mouth."

Storing into their feet at these words, they ordered Jesus to be bound still more closely and hurried him away to the Praetorium forthwith.

Jesus is led away to Pilate. J-J Tissot

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.