human
Don't trouble yourself, Judas, about the speech of this zealot; let him go and be a follower of the false prophet. Thou dost thy duty as a disciple of Moses in serving the rightful authorities.
gpt
Come, Judas, said he,
human
You can rely upon my word.
gpt
But, said the priests,
human
Even now the fairest opportunity offers itself. This very night he shall be in your hands. Give me an armed band so that he can be duly surrounded and every road of escape cut off.
gpt
Let us send with him the Temple Watch.
human
Yes, yes, cried all the priests,
gpt
It would also be advisable to send some members of the Holy Sanhedrin with them.
human
We are ready.
gpt
If the choice is left to me I appoint Nathan, Josaphat, Solomon and Ptolomaus.
human
But, Judas, how will the band be able to distinguish the Master in the darkness?
gpt
They must come with torches and lanterns and I will give them a sign.
human
Excellent, Judas,
gpt
Now, said Judas,
human
I will hasten away to spy out everything. Then I will come back to fetch the armed men.
gpt
I will go with you, Judas, said Dathan,
human
At the gate of Bethpage I will meet your people,
gpt
All goes admirably, venerable fathers, but now we are called to look the great question frankly in the face. What shall we do with this man when God has delivered him into our hands?
human
Let us throw him into the deepest and darkest of dungeons and keep him well watched and laden down with chains. Let him be buried while still alive.
gpt
Which of you would guarantee that his friends would not raise a tumult and free him, or that the guard might not be corrupted, or could he not break his fetters with his abhorred magic arts? The priests were silent. Caiaphas replied in tones of the deepest conviction:
human
I see that ye neither know nor understand. Then listen to the high priest. It is better that one man should die and the whole nation perish not. He must die! And as the fatal words fell from the lips of Caiaphas the whole Sanhedrin was moved. Caiaphas continued:
gpt
Until he is dead there is no peace in Israel, no security for the law of Moses, and no quiet hours for us.
human
God has spoken through our high priest! Only by the death of Jesus of Nazareth can and must the people of Israel be delivered!
gpt
Long has the word lain upon my tongue! Now is it uttered. Let him die, the foe of our fathers! Then sprang all the priests from their seats and with uplifted hands and eager voices exclaimed:
human
Yes, he must die; in his death is our salvation! When they sat down, Annas, the aged high priest arose, and speaking with intense bitterness, declared:
gpt
By my gray hairs let it be sworn, I will never rest until our shame is washed out in the blood of this deceiver.
human
O, fathers, is it allowed to say one word? And all cried:
gpt
Yes, yes, speak, speak! Then said Nicodemus:
human
Is the sentence already pronounced upon this man before there has been an examination or hearing of the witnesses? Is this a proceeding worthy of the fathers of the people of God? Nathanael said:
gpt
What! Wilt thou accuse the council of injustice? Zadok exclaimed:
human
Dost thou know the holy law? Compare---- Nicodemus replied:
gpt
I know the law; therefore also I know that the judge may not pass sentence before witnesses are heard.
human
What need we any further witnesses? cried Josue.
gpt
We ourselves have often enough been witnesses to his speech and his actions, by which he blasphemously outraged the law. Nicodemus answered, unmoved by the clamor of the assembly:
human
Then you yourselves are at once the accusers, the witnesses and the judges. I have listened to his sublime teachings; I have seen his mighty deeds. They call for belief and admiration; not for contempt and punishment.
gpt
What, exclaimed Caiaphas indignantly,
human
Out with thee from our assembly, if thou persist in this way of speaking!
gpt
I must also agree with Nicodemus. No one has imputed any deed to Jesus which makes him worthy of death; he has done nothing but good.
human
Dost thou also speak in this wise? Is it not known everywhere how he desecrated the Sabbath; how he has misled the people by his seditious speeches? Hath he not also as a deceiver worked his pretended miracles by the aid of Beelzebub? Has he not given himself out as a God, when he is nothing but a man?
gpt
You hear that? cried the priests to Joseph. He remained standing and continued saying:
human
Envy and malice have misrepresented his words and imputed evil motives to the noblest acts. That he is a man come from God his God-like acts testify.
gpt
Ha, cried Nathanael, with a laugh of scorn,
human
So, then, we have in our very midst traitors to our holy law, and even here has the deceiver cast his net.
gpt
What do ye here, apostates? cried Caiaphas.
human
Be off to your prophet, to see him once more, before the hour strikes when he must die, for that is irrevocably determined.
gpt
Yes, cried all the priests.
human
Yes! die he must; that is our resolve.
gpt
I curse this resolution; I will neither have part nor lot in this shameful condemnation.
human
And I also, said Joseph of Arimathea,
gpt
At last we are rid of these traitors. Now we can speak out freely. Caiaphas, however, profiting by the protests of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, said to the assembly:
human
It will certainly be necessary that we should sit formally in judgment upon this man, to try him and to bring forth witnesses against him, otherwise the people will believe that we have only persecuted him from envy and hatred.
gpt
Two witnesses at least the law requires, and Samuel answered:
human
These shall not be lacking; I will provide them myself.
gpt
Our decision stands firm, but in order not to offend the weak it would be well to observe the usual forms of justice.
human
And, added Ezekiel complacently,
gpt
A little more or less guilty matters little, since once for all the public weal demands that he should be removed.
human
In securing the execution of our sentences it would be safest if we could so contrive that the sentence of death should be pronounced by the governor; then we should be clear of all responsibility.
gpt
We can try, said Nathanael.
human
If it miscarries, it is still always open to us to have our sentence carried out by our trusty friends in the commotion of a great tumult, without ourselves being openly responsible for anything.
gpt
And then, said the rabbi,
human
Circumstances will teach us what should be done. Now let us break up. But hold yourselves ready at any hour of the night to be called together. There is no time to be lost. Our resolution is, he must die.
gpt
Let him die! Let him die! The enemy of our holy land!