Pre-Trial Days in Judea Day Three

Pre-Trial Days in Judea

Day Three

The Illegal Trial Of Jesus Christ

Location:

People's Court

Shekinah Fellowship

Room 101

Ms Suzy, Jurist in this court room:

In order that one might more fully appreciate the reasons for the brutal treatment of Jesus, it would be well to set forth a brief sketch of the tumultuous conditions which existed at that time in Judea.

A glance at the political scene will reveal that the Jews had gone through a process of slow successions and were completely dominated by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and finally the Romans. And it was while the Jews were under the domination of the Romans that Herod the Great, a real criminal and murderer, ascended to the throne in Judea. This arch scalawag disgraced his high office until his unwept death occurred in 4 B. C. And then the country was divided into three districts, known as tetrarchies, with each being under the command of a tetrarch. They later became known as procurators. In the year 6 A. D. all Judea became a Roman province, and was then governed by procurators who had been sent out from Rome.

It may well be appreciated that the political situation in Judea, at the time of Christ, was quite complicated and anomalous in many respects, having undergone frequent changes, but retaining through them all certain peculiarities which made the country somewhat unique among the other dependencies of Rome. They were allowed, for a short time only, to maintain a certain degree of semi-independence. Almost always, however, there arose serious disputes as to the limitations which had been imposed, since there does not appear to have been any specific treaty defining the mutual rights and obligations existing between the two powers.

Judea, being a subject state, was subject to the whims and caprices of Rome, and to be sure the Roman authorities not only could, but did, frequently interfere in matters of legislation and administration whenever Roman interests required.

Since the Romans were the conquerors and the Jews were the conquered, there soon developed a total destruction of their religious and political freedoms. Indeed, the Jews soon found that their beliefs and creeds had become completely degenerated into burdensome observances which were strictly imposed by their high priests, scribes and rulers.

Tiberius Caesar, as the Roman Emperor, became the political master of both Herod and Pontius Pilate. And although Caesar was the real procurator, or Governor, of Judea, it will be noted that Pilate served in that capacity during the time of the trial of Jesus, as a political substitute for the Emperor in that particular area. It should be further kept in mind that every word and deed of Pilate was subject to the express approval of Caesar whose displeasure Pilate was always keen to avoid. Then, too, because of the comparative short terms allowed those political appointees, together with the frivolous reasons assigned for their summary dismissal, we can readily account for the cowardice and vacillating attitude of Pilate in time of great need for a show of moral courage and independent action.

One of the loftiest positions to be held by a Jew in Palestine was that of high priest. By reason of his office, he became the presiding judge of the Jewish court, known as the Sanhedrin, which consisted of seventy-one members of the Jewish society. Caiaphas served as high priest when Jesus was tried. And we shall elaborate upon his character and his functions in the future, because of the important role played by him when so many cruelties were inflicted upon the Christ by the Sanhedrin as well as the high preist.

There were two principal religious groups in Judea: The Sadducees and the Pharisees.

The Sadducees were under the complete domination of a man by the name of Annas, the deposed high preist, whose son-in-law was, as stated, the appointed high preist. This group did not believe in the resurrection, nor rewards or punishment in a life beyond the grave. With them, all ended in death. All of their beliefs and teachings, therefore, ran counter to the things which Jesus was teaching and practicing in Judea.

The Pharisees were an arrogant group, filled with hypocracy, who seemed pleased to advise and give free counsel in their "better-than-thou" attitudes of false piety. Tradition and custom was everything with them.

The Sadducees were able to win the confidence, in a measure, of those in power, and thus recieved from the Romans the highest positions within the Sanhedrin, with the result that almost ninety per cent of the membership of the Sanhedrin were made up of Sadducees.

Petty jealousies, suspicions and lust for more power and greater prominence seemed rampant among these two religious groups. Almost everywhere one could observe the grim evidence of selfishness written upon the countenences of even the humblest Jews. Also, it was a well known fact that both the Sadducees and the Pharisees maintained an inward and secret contempt for their Roman rulers. No wonder, then, that there was general confusion, distrust and hatred in the bewildered Judean air!

It was Paul of Tarsus, the great convert, who described the two Jewish religious groups in this manner:

"Being filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debase, deciet, malignity; whisperers, back-biters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable and unmerciful!"

What a stinging and yet truthful indictment against the so-called religious groups and leaders in Judea in the time of Christ! And Paul knew whereof he spoke, for he lived among and preached to them for several years. Yes, Paul had seen the evidence of that with which they stood accused by him.

In the future it will be shown, conclusively, that the bitterest enemies of Jesus were these same two sects; that they were never able to see eye to eye with nor to understand the simple teachings of Christ; and that they never lost an opportunity to give full vent to their hatred of Him, as they sought, ever so often, to humiliate and embarass the Lowly Nazarene- but always to no avail.

Therefore, it was into this highly discordant, wicked and turbulent state of affairs within the Jewish society, in the year A. D. 27, that Jesus of Nazareth, the sinless, humble and meek son of an unknown carpenter, appeared upon the scene- bringing His great messages of forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life to all mankind.

What a wonderful, peacful world this would be today if those early Jewish leaders had only accepted Him, and had followed His great advice to "Love one another as I have loved you!" But, when one's heart is already packed to full capacity with hatred, ill-will, backbiting, prejudices, spleen, and unrighteousness, there hardly is any room left for love, sympathy, kindness, unselfishness or any other worthy attribute! Maybe someday, before He returns, the world will have changed- and men and women will accept Him and His teachings as the true rule and guide for human conduct and human relations; and thus banish all strife and needless misunderstandings in an already troubled world.