wrong day in a room
which belonged to them, they proved from ancient documents that from
time immemorial the Galileans had been allowed to eat the Pasch a day
earlier than the rest of the Jews. They added that every other part of
the ceremony had been performed according to the directions given in
the law, and that persons belonging to the Temple were present at the
supper. This quite puzzled the witnesses, and Nicodemus increased the
rage of the enemies of Jesus by pointing out the passages in the
archives which proved the right of the Galileans, and gave the reason
for which this privilege was granted. The reason was this: the
sacrifices would not have been finished by the Sabbath if the immense
multitudes who congregated together for that purpose had all been
obliged to perform the ceremony on the same day; and although the
Galileans had not always profited by this right, yet its existence was
incontestably proved by Nicodemus; and the anger of the Pharisees was
heightened by his remarking that the members of the Council had cause
to be greatly offended at the gross contradictions in the statements of
the witnesses, and that the extraordinary and hurried manner in which
the whole affair had been conducted showed that malice and envy were
the sole motives which induced the accusers, and made them bring the
case forward at a moment when all were busied in the preparations for
the most solemn feast of the year. They looked at Nicodemus furiously,
and could not reply, but continued to question the witnesses in a still
more precipitate and imprudent manner. Two witnesses at last came
forward, who said, 'This man said, "I will destroy this Temple made with
hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands;"'
however, even these witnesses did not agree in their statements, for
one said that the accused wished to build a new Temple, and that he had
eaten the Pasch in an unusual place, because he desired the destruction
of the ancient Temple; but the other said, 'Not so: the edifice where he
ate the Pasch was built by human hands, therefore he could not have
referred to that.'

The wrath of Caiphas was indescribable; for the cruel treatment
which Jesus had suffered, his Divine patience, and the contradiction of
the witnesses, were beginning to make a great impression on many
persons present, a few hisses were heard, and the hearts of some were
so touched that they could not silence the voice of their consc