(1) According to Mark (14^^), the chief priests and scribes and elders, after Jesus had been brought from Gethsemane, led Him away to the high prie.st, in whose residence thej' all assembled. This was an extraordinary meeting of the Sanhedrin. The Court sought evidence which Avould lead to the death of Jesus, but failed to find any that was reli- able. Such evidence as they had was false and conflicting. Jesus' statement about the Temple was repeated and misconstrued. Then the high priest elicited from Him a declaration that He was the Messiah. This statement was decided to be blasphemy, and as a result He was judged worthy of death (Lv 24'"). After the verdict He was sub- jected to every insult. The death sentence had by law to be confirmed by Pilate before it could be carried out. In their eagerness they lost no time in bringing Him before Pilate's tribunal (15'). The ritiestion was put by Pilate, ' Art thou the king of the Jews?'; to which Jesus answered, 'Thou sayest ' (v.-). The chief priests, being permitted by Pilate to make their charges, brought many against Him ; the accused, on being asked by Pilate if He had anything to say, was silent, and caused His judge to wonder. It happened that the feast of the Passover was at hand, and on such an occasion it was the custom to release a prisoner. The crowd which stood around called for the release of a certain Barabbas, a robber and murderer. Pilate projiosed instead to release Jesus, knowing that hatred had been the motive of the high -priests in handing Him over. Tlie chief priests instigated the crowd to beg for Barabbas. Pilate then asked what they wished to be done Avith ' the king of the JeAvs,' and they said, 'Crucify him.' On being asked by Pilate Avhat evil He had done, their only ansAver Avas to repeat the cry. Pilate, being anxious to please the croAvd, gratified both their requests. Such is Mark's narrative of the trial, baldly stated. It is so very brief that it is not surprising that the other Evangelists have been able to add to it. Mark has nothing further to say about Pilate except to tell that Joseph of Arimatha'a begged and obtained from him the body of Jesus (\5*^).
(2) Matthew makes only tAvo additions of any importance to this narrative. One is the Avarning
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message sent to Pilate, when seated on the tri- bunal, bj- his wife ('iT'"). The character of the incident stamps it as a reliable tradition. The second is Pilate's washing of his hands after he had acquiesced in the decision of the Jews and the wishes of the mob, and his proclamation of his innocence, followed by the Jews" invocation of the curse upon themselves and their chiklren. At a later stage in the narrative, Matthew alone 127*'"^") gives the incident of the deputation to Pilate with the reijuest for permission to seal the tomb, and the granting of that ])ermission.
(3) Ltd:;, at the beginning of the accusation before Pilate, mentions the charge (•23-) : 'We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to C;vsar, and saying that he himself Avas an anointed king.' The hrst part of this charge is directlj- contrary to the truth (^Ik 12^' = Mt 22'-' = Lk 20-^). It is' Lk. also who mentions (23'''^-) that when Pilate learned that Jesus was a Galihvan he sent Him to Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, to whose jurisdiction He belonged. Herod couhl elicit no answer from Jesus, and sent Him back to Pilate. This exchange of courtesy led to a renewal of the friendship between Pilate and Herod, which had been interrupted for some reason or other. On the return of Jesus, Pilate is represented as pro- claiming His innocence and conhrming it by the decision of Herod.
(4) 2'hc Fourth Gospel makes the following con- tribiitions to the story. The informal questioning by Annas (18'*'^) is special to Jn., which gives also ^1333-3$) a much longer conversation between Jesus and Pilate than the others, in which Jesus explains the nature of His Kingdom. It is quite certain that Pilate realized that Jesus' Kingdom Avas not an ordinary kingdom, else his conduct of the case would have been entirtly diti'erent. The section ig-i-is contains a further examination of Jesus, and the terrorizing of Pilate by the Jews. The Johan- nine account, as it is the fullest, is also the best. It explains Avhat is obscure in the others, and brings the Avhole situation before us with startling vivid- ness. John makes Pilate the author of the inscrip- tion on the cross, and mentions his repudiation of the Jewish criticism of its wording.
The situation was for Pilate an extremely diffi- cult one. The JeAvs in authority Avere determined that Jesus should die. Assassination Avas impos- sible, because of the people. Thej- Avere therefore compelled to resoil to the goA-ernor"s poAver. In order to get him to sign the Avarrant, they had to shoAv that Jesus had committed a crime Avorthy of death. Thej' had to select a charge Avhich in their opinion Avould leave Pilate no option. They seized upon that of treason, a charge Avhich brought death upon some of the most influential Roman citizens during that period, as the early books of Tacitus' Annals shoAv. Pilate examined Jesus on this charge, and soon found that this Avas no case of treason. A strong man might have defied the proA-incials, and set Jesus at liberty. In doing so, he Avould have risked all his future prospects, perhaj)s his oA\n life. The procurator Avas in reality only an upper servant of the Emperor, and as such could be dismissed and ruined Avitliout appeal. The JeAvs, Avhen they .saAv that Koman justice might Avin and Jesus l)e released, held over Pilate the threat of a report to the Emijeror on his conduct. Pilate, as Ave liaAC seen, Avas not a strong man. He yielded, though he kneAV the accused was innocent. It must be re- membered that Jesus Avas not a Roman citizen, Avas, in fact, in the eyes of a Roman otiicer, merely a suV>ject, a slave, a chattel. The life of a Roman citizen Avas precious, that of a mere subject Avorth- less. That Pilate had a tender enough conscience or a sound enough idea of justice to try to save this