1. |
Pilatus then sent for the High King Josephus |
2. |
Whereby both men agreed that Jesus |
3. |
Was deliberately seeking to commit suicide |
4. |
By being killed somehow by the priests |
5. |
To start a civil uprising |
6. |
Pilatus reminded the High King |
7. |
That he could not allow |
8. |
such Rebellion to occur |
9. |
But equally he was powerless to stop a person |
10. |
If they so wished to die |
11. |
Both men then came up with a plan |
12. |
By which to save Jesus |
13. |
And his wish to be martyred |
14. |
Pilatus sent word to the priests |
15. |
That he could not take action on Jesus |
16. |
As they had not conducted a proper trial |
17. |
Sensing an opportunity |
18. |
whereby the Romans might execute Jesus |
19. |
the Sadducee High Priests hurriedly arranged |
20. |
a Meeting of the Great Sanhedrin to try Jesus |
21. |
High King Joseph excused himself on account |
22. |
the matter concerning his son |
23. |
And of the over seventy priests and officials |
24. |
But one spoke in defense of Jesus |
25. |
his name was John bar Zechariah |
26. |
known as John the Baptist |
27. |
So by midday the Sanhedrin |
28. |
had convicted Jesus of severe blasphemy |
29. |
And returned him to Pilatus saying he should be put to death |
30. |
Pilatus then asked if the shame of such a conviction |
31. |
and exile was not sufficient |
32. |
The Priests were insistent that so grave a slur |
33. |
Nothing but death would do |
34. |
In one final gesture, Pilatus put it to the crowd |
35. |
If they wished Jesus released or a rebel prisoner |
36. |
To which the crowd of mostly Pharisee and Sadducee |
37. |
supporters shouted death |
38. |
In the end Pilatus relented |
39. |
That as Jesus had refused his rights as Roman |
40. |
He would be treated as a Jew |
41. |
And as a Jew he had been convicted by the Sanhedrin |
42. |
And so would be crucified within the grounds of Bethany |
43. |
To minimize the risk of a full scale riot |
44. |
The priests asked why the Prefect chose crucifixion |
45. |
not beheading as was custom for Roman citizens |
46. |
Pilatus replied that if Jesus be treated as a Roman |
47. |
then he would have been set free the night before |
48. |
But by the laws of the Priests he was a condemned man |
49. |
Pilatus then did hand Jesus to Centurion Cornelius |
50. |
and the personal guard of Pilatus |
51. |
who took Jesus to his fathers house |
52. |
and crucified Jesus upon a tree within the compound |
53. |
his arms bound and nails through his palms |
54. |
his feet tied to a step |
55. |
with individual nails through each foot |
56. |
a highly irregular method |
57. |
Only the most senior priests and pharisees |
58. |
did observe the crucifixion in the presence |
59. |
of the family of Jesus |
60. |
towards the end of the day |
61. |
Jesus called out from thirst |
62. |
and one of the attendants |
63. |
raised a special sponge with water |
64. |
to his lips, |
65. |
whereupon Jesus ceased to move a short time later |
66. |
The High Priests left and went to Pilatus |
67. |
They pleaded that he brake the legs of Jesus |
68. |
as was custom to hasten death |
69. |
As Passover was approaching |
70. |
Pilatus called Cornelius to return to Bethany |
71. |
and see if Jesus was dead |
72. |
to spear him |
73. |
Cornelius returned and speared Jesus in the thigh |
74. |
He returned with Joseph to Pilatus and said Jesus was dead |
75. |
Joseph distraught pleaded with Pilatus |
76. |
That as was custom he might take Jesus down |
77. |
And prepare him for burial |
78. |
Pilatus agreed and Joseph and his household |
79. |
Took Jesus down and to a private tomb |
80. |
Wrapping his wounds in natural herbs |
81. |
The sealed the tomb |
82. |
Pilatus also put guards on the tomb |
83. |
That night, Cornelius and the person guard of Pilatus |
84. |
Took Jesus from the tomb |
85. |
And spirited him back to the Prefects palace |
86. |
At Caesaria Maritama |
87. |
The following morning |
88. |
When the disciples came to check on the tomb |
89. |
They found the body of Jesus gone |
90. |
News quickly spread |
91. |
That Jesus had miraculously risen from the dead |