Jesus' Trial

The Trial

With Holy Week now upon us it is not unusual for conversation among members of Christian communities to turn towards those events which are recorded as having taken place during this last week of Jesus' life. So it was not especially out of left field when I asked a legal friend of mine what he made of Jesus' trial.

"Jesus' trial? You mean trials, don't you?"

So I started again: "Say, what do you think about Jesus' trials?"

 "Trials, lynch parties, kangaroo courts, court reporters, prophecy historicised. It all very confusing to me too."

"Thanks, that clears it all up for me. So what are you main problems?" I am always interested in a discussion. "You mentioned there were a number of trials. Let's start there."

"Well, if you take the Gospel accounts at face value, and not go into a number of problems which biblical scholars see in them, there are at least three trials. If "trial" is the right word."

"Three?"

"Yes, three! Looking at Mark's Gospel we read that Jesus was first taken to the high priest's place where, during the night, the chief priests, elders and teachers came together with the Sanhedrin and held what I consider a kangaroo court. Next morning the decision was reached that the death penalty should be imposed. That I see as the first trial. Then he was taken to Pilate's place where the second trial took place."

"Yes, I can see that can be regarded as two trials; but what about the third?"

"We need to go to Luke's Gospel for that. It's often forgotten when looking at Passion week. Here Luke tells us that Pilate, when he realised that Jesus was a Galilean, sent him to Herod who happened to be in Jerusalem at that time. Herod Antipas was the tetrarch ruling the Galilee region. As described by Luke, this trial was also somewhat of a sham. But it is seen as a trial."

"OK, that's three. Any more?"

"No, they are the three and when you think about it, they are interesting in themselves. You have the three seats of authority against which Jesus was campaigning - the Romans, the religious leaders and the Herodian civic ruler. So each of these three points of authority have a hand in Jesus fate. By the way, have you ever read the Gospel of Peter?"

"The Gospel of Peter? I've read the two letters of Peter, but no Gospel."

"The Gospel of Peter is not in the New Testament canon. It was mentioned early in the history of the church but sections believed to belong to this book were only rediscovered in Egypt in the nineteenth century."

"Why do you mention that?"

"Well, in this account there is mention of Jesus being questioned before all three of these rulers, Herod, Pilate and the Jewish leaders."

"You say the same three leaders, all together? Would that make four trials?"

"So your question what I make of Jesus' trial (or trials) is not so easily answered."

"OK, I give up. But what about the verdict?"

"Don't get me started there! Let's leave it at he was crucified, and the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, was the head man in Judea at the time.

Jesus was arrested and taken to Caiaphas, the high Priest, for his first trial. A relief on a wall at the site of Caiaphas's palace.