King of the Jews

Pilate's j

full of pas

mand Messi

made them m

s kindled i

uch a fie

which no m

s flame most f

is devour

ificed unt

o sacred,

to its

hose whom pa

d bound int

late. Jesus was led forth in front of them by Balbus and Malchus as before, Selpha being in command of the band of soldiers. As they

a. But Jesus being weary w

o carry thee in our arms? Go on! Thou hast not far to go, only

e's house. Then said Caiaphas to the soldiers, "Be stil

, "Go to the d

e out, saying, "What does th

to announce them at once, and the rabbi turning to the members of the San

the tranquility of the whole land, then consider well this moment. It decides between us and that deceiver. If you are men in whom f

ur fathers forever; death

phas, "until he is blotted out

e will not rest, we dema

Jesus and said, "Hearest tho

ence listed. Then Caiaphas stepped forward in front of the crowd, and, bowing low, thus began, "Governor and representative of the great Caesar, health and blessing to thee." Then Caiaphas

Pilate so that he stood on the right hand of the balcony. Pilate having l

have you to bring

malefactor we would not have delivered him over to thee, but have d

deeds has he been gu

many ways grievously offended

ake him away and judge h

en judged by the Sanhedrin and has

aloud, "For according to ou

ntence of death upon any one; therefore we bring the application f

n, "How can I deliver a man over to death unless I know the crime, and before

and grounded upon a careful investigation into his crimes. It seems therefore unnecessary

of Caesar, that I should be a blind instrument for the execution of your ord

wered and said, "We have a law and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God," while all the people shouted, "We al

magination, a Roman can find no one guilty of death. Who knows also," he added, with a glance at Jesus, "whether this man may n

o against Caesar himself has this man been guilty of serious offenc

harisees together tumultuously,

sedition stirred up by him. Were anything of that kind to happen I should have heard of it before you, who am appointed for the maintenance of peace

er multitudes by thousands around him and he has quite recently, sur

ously, "but nothing took place on that

n which they did not care to conceal, and Caiaphas asked angrily, "

Where have you

himself out as the Messiah, the king of Israel.

I admire your suddenly awakened

, he asked him, saying, "Hearest thou what serious accusations the

"He cannot deny it. His silence

stretching out their hands tow

time enough for that. I will take

rvants he said, "Lead him into the court." And turning to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, he said, "Go! my guard shall take charge of him, but do you examine the justice o

the liveliest manifestations of disgust. Josue said, "Everything has been well considered and examined a

blesome delay,"

saying, "Do not lose heart, vi

. Give me an answer thereto. Thou hast, they say, called thyself a Son of God. Whence art thou?" But Jesus made no answer. Then Pilate sai

at all against me except it were given unto thee from above.

de. Then, speaking to Jesus he sai

s thing of thyself, or only beca

sts have delivered thee unto me. They accuse thee that thou hast

kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, so that I should not

ate, "Art tho

rn and for this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witn

d this he said,

red hastily from the door behind. "Lord, thy servant Claudius i

nto the hall." The attendants having led Jesus out, Claudius ent

d for hers, that thou wouldst have nothing to do with this just man who has been accused before the ju

elf. I will have nothing to do with the proposals of the Jews, but do

nothing to do with this business! What do you think,

are only inspired by envy and jealousy. The most pass

authority of Caesar at heart, whereas the matter concerns only their own au

e seemed much more to be a very wise man, perhaps only too wise for these gloomy fanatics to be able to bear the light of his countenance. And then the dream which troubled my wife on his account! If he were really of higher origin? No," said Pilate de

efore Pilate to receive his decision. Then Pilate spoke unto them as follows: "Here you have your pri

r law shall be upheld. How can he be without gu

ouncil, saying, "He

he not punishable by Caesar when he maliciously i

ng to your law, in so far as you are authorized so to do. I cannot pronounce the death sentence upon him,

displeasure, but Caiaphas replied, "If any one proclaims himself as king, i

is not sufficient to condemn him. For it is openly taught among the Romans that every wise man

e are stirred up; that he fills the whole of Judea with his teaching, beginning fr

surprise, "Has he c

n," and the rabbi added, "His home is in N

r the feast; he can now judge his own subject. Take him away and bring him unto his own king. He s

erod, who professeth the faith of our fathers, w

s were to oppose themselves, the crimina

palace of Herod, "One hour sooner or later, what ma

d, and holding a golden scepter in his hand. On either side were his courtiers. He said unto them

n, "I saw him and recognize

with whose wondrous works the whole land rings, to whom, as if by

hereas they relate deeds done by this man which in

an opportunity of seeing him, I am impat

s, "to oblige you in that respect in or

elf, to Zabulon: "Tell the priesthoo

ts against this man," said Manasses, "a

before Pilate-here I have nothing

ve met with a refusal from the gove

pious quarrels. I will see him for mysel

nging Jesus with them led by the soldiers of Herod. Caiaphas bowed before King Herod, saying "Mos

fore thee here from the Sanhedrin, that thou

th;" and Annas added, "May it please the ki

udge in a foreign territory? Go to y

ent him hither, because being

ongeth to my juris

said, "Jesus

d, 'Go to King Herod; let him prono

ning to his courtiers he remarked, "Pilate sends him

ems as if he wished to mak

accept it as a proof of

ch of thee by common report and have longed to see the

aid the rabbi; "an en

ll mysteries and achieve feats which set at defiance the laws of nature. Let us have an exampl

let him lead thee astray, for

aid, "I had last night a wonderful dream. If thou canst tell me what I

battlements of my palace at Herodium and saw the sun go down. There stood suddenly a man who stretched out his hand and pointed to the setting sun and said, 'See there, there is Hesperia in thy bedchamber.' Hardly had he

ching the ground, or convert the roll on which thy death sentence is written into a snake. Thou wilt not, or thou canst not? Any of these things ought to be easy to thee; they relate much more wondro

before the foolish mob; it is another thin

play your wisdom here? Why should your power vanish

is a conceited fellow whom the applause of the people hath made crazy.

rafty rogue. Indeed, he only makes himself out to be a

peace of the kingdom also stand in danger, fo

ble. As such he deserves to receive homage, therefore will I give him as a p

s aloud, "Not this; h

ur holy law, remember thy duty to punis

"What have you re

ed the Sabbath,

ded, "He is

"And as such the law decl

Temple, which thy father so gloriously rebuilt; he has declar

, "Now that proves indeed t

nsultingly of thee. He has presumed to

inly claim himself," replied Herod. "Clothe him-wrapped in th

s of Jesus, and after Jesus had been robed, Zabulon said to him, "Now for

cried, "He

a king; rather lead him forth before the people in this his pro

sus, "Come, thou miraculous king,

he side of so illustrious a lord!" And so saying, they led a

leged great works were nothing but lies and deceit, whereby

onounce the sentence of death

of the crime of which you accuse him. If he has perchance done or spo

phas, "take care tha

wilt repent if thou allowe

eat as a fool. He has already suffered by his follies and wil

s all over with our law, our re

n myself further about this affair. Pilate may decide according to

d said, "This time the result has not corresponded to our expectations. I expected to find a great wonder-work

exaggerates that which, when more clos

to put him out of the way, now that I have seen him for myself. Pilate would not have sent him to me if he had been found guilty of any serious crime against the state. To revenge oneself