At or before the last supper the devil put it into Judas' heart to betray his Master (John XIII:2, 27). Jesus tells the apostles that one of them shall betray Him (John XIII:21). Peter and John desire to know which one of them He means, and Jesus tells John that it is the one to whom He shall give a sop. He then dips a sop and gives it to Judas, with the remark, "What thou doest, do quickly" (John XIII:22-27). "Now, no man at the table knew for what intent He spoke this unto him" (John XIII:28). John alone says that Judas immediately went out into the night (John XIII:30).
After Jesus had finished His discourse at the supper, and gone into the garden, Judas appears with a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees (John XVIII:1-3). Jesus then "went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas, also which betrayed Him, stood with them" (John XVIII:4, 5). Simon Peter then cuts off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest, and Jesus rebukes him (John XVIII:10, 11). Peter and another disciple, who was known to the high priest, follow Jesus to the palace, and there Peter makes his denial three times before the cock crows (John XVIII:15, 16, 17, 18, 25-27).
The subsequent fate of Judas is not related.[39]
THE TRIAL
Immediately after His arrest, Jesus is taken away to "Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled" (Matt. XXVI:57).[40]
The council seek "false witnesses" against Jesus and at first have some difficulty in finding any. "At the last came two false witnesses, and said: This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days" (Matt. XXVI:59, 60, 61). Interrogated as to this charge, "Jesus held His peace" (Matt. XXVI:62, 63). The high priest then adjures Him to tell them whether He is "the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt. XXVI:63). "Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Matt. XXVI:64). The high priest accepts this as a confession of blasphemy, and, on appeal to the council, they say, "He is guilty of death" (Matt. XXVI:65, 66). They then indulge their spite against Jesus by spitting in His face and striking Him with their hands (Matt. XXVI:67, 68).[41]
In the morning (Friday) the chief priests bind Jesus and bring Him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman "governor" or procurator (Matt. XXVII:1, 2). Pilate asks Him, "Art Thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest" (Matt. XXVII:11).[42] He persists in maintaining His position of silence or non-negation against all the accusations of the chief priests, "insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly" (Matt. XXVII:12-14). Pilate's wife, having been warned in a dream, sends word to him, "Have thou nothing to do with that just man" (Matt. XXVII:19). It being a custom of the feast of the Passover that the governor should release one prisoner to the people, and Pilate, knowing that the chief priests had delivered Jesus to him out of "envy," asks the multitude whom he shall release unto them, Barabbas or Jesus (Matt. XXVII:15, 16, 17, 20, 21). The multitude demands the release of Barabbas, and, on Pilate's asking them what he shall do with Jesus, "they all say unto him, Let Him be crucified" (Matt. XXVII:22). "And the Governor said, Why, what evil hath He done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let Him be crucified" (Matt. XXVII:23). Pilate then washed his hands before the multitude, "saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it. Then answered all the people and said, His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matt. XXVII:24, 25). Thereupon Pilate released Barabbas, and after he had scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified (Matt. XXVII:26).
In Mark the charges before the Sanhedrim are the same as in Matthew with some slight verbal changes (Mark XIV:53-66). To the question, "Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus answers directly, "I am."
The proceedings before Pilate are substantially the same as in Matthew (Mark XV:1-15).
According to Luke, the session of the Sanhedrim was held "as soon as it was day," instead of in the night, immediately after Jesus' arrest (Luke XXII:66). The only charge here is, "Art Thou the Christ?" Jesus, after a few words, recognizing the futility of any defense, says, "Ye say that I am" (Luke XXII:66-71).