King of the Jews | Page 4

standing on the right hand of Caiaphas, said:
"Is it allowed; O, fathers, to say a word?"
All answered: "Yes, speak! speak!"
Then said Nathanael: "Marvel not, O fathers, that you should be called
together at so late an hour for the transaction of business. It must be
only too well known to you what we have with shame been compelled
to see today with our own eyes. You have seen the triumphal progress
of the Galilean through the Holy City. You have heard the Hosannas of
the befooled populace. You have perceived how this ambitious man
arrogates to himself the office of the high priest. What now lacks for
the destruction of all civil and ecclesiastical order? Only a few steps
further, and the law of Moses is upset by the innovations of this
misleader. The sayings of our forefathers are despised, the fasts and
purifications abolished, the Sabbath desecrated, the priests of God
deprived of their office, and the holy sacrifices are at an end."
As Nathanael concluded, all the fathers of the council exclaimed with
one voice: "True--most true." As he had been speaking they had been
interchanging notes of appreciative and sympathetic comment. But it
was not until Caiaphas spoke that the Sanhedrin was roused to the
highest pitch of excitement. Caiaphas, who spoke with great fire and
fervor, thus addressed the rulers of Israel: "And more than all this.
Encouraged by the success of his efforts, he will proclaim himself King
of Israel (murmurs of alarm and indignation), then the land will be
distracted with civil war and revolt, and the Romans will come with
their armies and bring destruction upon our land and our people. Woe
is me for the children of Israel, for the Holy City, and for the temple of
the Lord, if no barrier is opposed to the evil while there is yet time! It is
indeed high time. We must be the saviors of Israel. Today must a
resolution be passed, and whatever is resolved upon must be carried out
without regard to any other consideration. Do we all agree to this?"

And all the Sanhedrin as one man cried out: "We do."
Up sprang a priest to emphasize his vote:
"A stop must be put to the course of this misleader."
Caiaphas then said: "Give your opinion without reserve as to what
should be done."
And then a rabbi arose and said: "If I may be permitted to declare my
opinion unreservedly, I must assert that we ourselves are to blame that
things have come to such a pass. Against this onrushing ruin much too
mild measures have been employed. Of what avail have been our
disputations with him, or what has it profited that we have by our
questionings, put him in a dilemma; that we have pointed, out the errors
in his teaching and his violations of the law? Nay, of what use has been
even the excommunication pronounced on all who acknowledged him
as the Messiah? All this was labor in vain. Men turn their backs on us,
and all the world runs after him. To restore peace to Israel, that must be
done which ought to have been done long ago--we must arrest him and
throw him into prison. That is the only way to put an end to his evil
influence."
The suggestion was hailed with enthusiasm, and springing to their feet
they cried: "Yea, that must be done!"
Then a third priest stood up and said: "Once he is in prison, the
credulous people will no longer be attracted by the fascination of his
manner or the charm of his discourse. When they have no more
miracles to gape at; he will soon be forgotten."
And a fourth priest exulted as he added: "In the darkness of his
dungeon let him make his light shine and proclaim his Messiahship to
the walls of the jail."
Then it was the turn of the Pharisees. The first said: "He has been
allowed long enough to lead the people astray and to denounce as
hypocrisy the strict virtue of the Holy Order of the Pharisees. Let him

suffer in fetters for his contempt."
A second Pharisee added complacently: "The enthusiasm of his
hangers-on will soon cool down when he who has promised them
freedom is himself in chains."
By this time it was evident all the council was of one mind. Then
Annas, the venerable high priest, arose and addressed the Sanhedrin
with much emotion: "Now, venerable priests, a ray of confidence and
joy penetrates to my breast when I see your unanimous resolution. Alas!
an unspeakable grief has weighed down my soul at the sight of the
onward progress of the false teachings of this Galilean. It seemed as if I
had lived to old age but