Legal Trials of Jesus Christ
Violations of the Law
1. Criminal cases must be tried and completed during daylight hours.
2. Criminal cases could not be tried during the Passover season.
3. Only a verdict of “NOT GUILTY” could cause a case to be finished on the day it was begun. One night must elapse before the pronouncement of a verdict so that “feelings of mercy might have time to arise.”
4. Verdicts of the Sanhedrin were valid only if they met in the “Hall of Hewn Stones in the Temple precinct.
5. All evidence had to be guaranteed by at least two witnesses.
6. These witnesses must be examined separately and had not had contact with each other.
7. In all trials the process began by the laying out before the court of all evidence for the innocence of the accused.
Other Concerns
1. This was the Passover week which required the High Priest (which changed each year) and the priests to remain ceremonially clean. Once they enter into Pilate and Herod’s presence they all become unclean and thus rendered unfit to perform the Temple and Passover duties. It would take a full week to become ceremonially clean again.
2. Neither Pilate nor Herod convicted Jesus of any crime whatsoever.
The Trials
1. Matthew 26:57-67
2. Matthew 27:1-2
3. Matthew 27:11-26
4. Jesus sent by Pilate to Herod (Luke 23:6-11)
5. Jesus sent back to Pilate by Herod (Luke 23:11-25).
The Sanhedrin
1. It was the Supreme Court of Israel.
2. In had 71 members.
3. It was led by the High Priest bringing it’s total membership to 72.
4. They possessed full judicial powers up to but not including death.
5. Membership was drawn from scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and elders of the people.
