CHAPTER 166.
Jesus before the Sanhedrim. Nicodemus pleads for justice; he shows the incompetency of the witnesses. The council fail to declare Jesus guilty, but Caiaphas, the presiding judge, declares him guilty. The mob maltreat Jesus. He is taken to Pilate’s court.
When Jesus would not speak, Caiaphas stood before the Jewish mob and said,
2 Bind fast the prisoner, for he must go before the great Sanhedrim of the Jews to answer for his life.
3 We cannot execute a criminal until our findings have been verified by this, the highest council of the Jews.
4 As soon as it was day the highest council of the people met; the Lord and his accusers stood before the bar.
5 Caiaphas was the chief; he rose and said, Let the accusers of this man from Galilee bring forth their charges and their evidence.
6 Caiaphas’ scribe stood forth and read the charges and the names of those who had accused the man from Galilee.
7 And all the witnesses were made to stand and testify before the council of the Jews.
8 And then the lawyers weighed the evidence, and Nicodemus stood among the men who plead.