to
ask what was ado, and peering towards the Prisoner's face, before they
diverged again towards their own homes.[1] He was conducted to the
residence of the high priest, where His trial ensued.

Jesus had to undergo two trials--the one ecclesiastical, the other
civil; the one before Caiaphas the high priest, the other before
Pontius Pilate the governor.

The reason of this was, that Judaea was at that time under Roman rule,
forming a portion of the Roman province of Syria and administered by a
Roman official, who resided in the splendid new seaport of Caesarea,
fifty miles away from Jerusalem, but had also a palace in Jerusalem,
which he occasionally visited.

It was not the policy of Rome to strip the countries of which she
became mistress of all power. She flattered them by leaving in their
hands at least the insignia of self-government, and she conceded to
them as much home rule as was compatible with the retention of her
paramount authority. She was specially tolerant in matters of
religion. Thus the ancient ecclesiastical tribunal of the Jews, the
Sanhedrim, was still allowed to try all religious questions and punish
offenders. Only, if the sentence chanced to be a capital one, the case
had to be re-tried by the governor, and the carrying out of the
sentence, if it was confirmed, devolved upon him.

It was at the instance of the ecclesiastical authorities that Jesus was
arrested, and they condemned Him to death; but they were not at liberty
to carry out their sentence: they had to take Him before Pilate, who
chanced at the time to be in the city, and he tried the case over
again, they of course being the accusers at his bar.

Not only were there two trials, but in each trial there were three
separate stages or acts. In the first, or ecclesiastical trial, Jesus
had first to appear before Annas, then before Caiaphas and the
Sanhedrim during the night, and again before the same body after
daybreak. And in the second, or civil trial, He appeared first before
Pilate, who refused to confirm the judgment of the Jews; then Pilate
attempted to rid himself of the case by sending the Culprit to Herod of
Galilee, who happened also to be at the time in Jerusalem; but the case
came back to the Roman governor again, and, against his conscience, he
confirmed the capital sentence.

But let me explain more fully what were the three acts in the
ecclesiastical trial.[2]

Jesus, we are informed by St. John, was taken