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What led to the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus?

John: His miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. On learning of it the Jewish council met, and “from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death” ([xi, 47, 53]).

This is more difficult to believe than the miracle itself. It is the most improbable statement ever penned—the one that does most violence to human reason. The crudest savages on earth would not have slain nor even harmed a man who had proved himself the Conqueror and King of Death.