AT THE HIGH-PRIEST'S HOUSE. 479 It was a mere matter of form, or compliment to Annas, who had formerly been high-priest during seven years. Caiaphas was young, scarcely thirty years of age, and was doubtless subject to the advice of his father, Annas. But it being well known to Annas that Caiaphas had already committed himself to the destruction of Jesus, the former might well trust his precious son-in-law with the execution of his openly avowed and unjust policy. This was to put Jesus to death at all odds, innocent or guilty.-John 11: 51 and 18: 14. "So Annas sent Him bound" (as He came) "to Caiaphas, the high-priest." Probably both occupied the same square of buildings. "As far as can be inferred from the various narratives, the palace in Jerusalem, conjointly occupied by Annas the real and Caiaphas the titular high-priest, seems to have been built round a square court, entered by an arched passage (called porch in the gospels), and on the farther side, up a short flight of steps, was the hall in which the council had met."-Farrar. It was built on the hill-side, hence the court was said to be beneath," rather below, where Peter sat to watch the trial.— Mark 14: 66, “beneath.” John's expression that Jesus was led "first to Annas," implies the second leading to his son-in-law, Caiaphas. There was no trial, nor could there be, before Annas. Thence He was "led" to Caiaphas. Luke tells us that they led Jesus into the high-priest's house; Matthew more explicitly says to Caiaphas;" Mark says "to the high-priest, and there came together all the chief priests, elders, and scribes," which constituted the court of the Sanhedrin. They were not a lawful court, however, in capital cases. "Forty years before the temple was destroyed, judgment in capital cases was taken away from Israel, . . . which themselves often confessed" (Lightfoot). Contra, see Josephus' Antiquities, 14: 9, 3. In the next place it was not lawful to hold court in the night-time (Ellicott). It was an informal and unlawful proceeding throughout. 480 PETER AT THE FIRE. Within an apartment opening upon the court below, this mock tribunal convened to try the prisoner without a charge. "In imitation of the Sanhedrin, while it existed, these judges, before whom Jesus stood, sat, turbaned, on cushions in true oriental fashion, with unshod feet, in a semi-circle. Caiaphas as high-priest sat in the centre, . . . and a scribe at each end of the semi-circle to write down the evidence for or against the prisoner" (Abbott; Geikie). These faced the court without, and Jesus, standing facing them, was back to the court, where stood the officer and Peter-Malchus was an officer (John 18: 10 and 18). In order to see Peter "Jesus turned about."-Luke 22: 53-61. This court was formed on three sides by the buildings, the fourth being bound by a wall, with a large gateway, in which was a wicker-gate for foot-passengers (Robinson). This was attended by one or more "damsels "-"maids of the highpriest." From the gate, a short way in, was a vestibule called "the porch."-Matt. 26: 71; Mark 14: 68. When Jesus was led into the court, a disciple, either John or Judas, following close, also gained admission; but Peter, being far behind, was left out, where he stood shivering in the chilly night air. The other disciple, being known to the gatekeeper, returned and got Peter admitted. On the pavement of the court the servants had kindled a fire of charcoal, "for the night was cold" (John 18: 18). Peter made bold to go straight toward the fire, where the impertinent but sharp-eyed damsel detained him to inquire of him: "Are you one of this man's disciples?" "No, I am not," Peter shamelessly replied. Then he went and sat down amid the servants and soldiers at the fire.* *The difference in the reading of the A. V. and R. V., Mark 14: 54. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high-priest, and he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. And Peter had followed him afar off, even within, into the court of the highpriest, and he was sitting with the offi cers and warming himself in the light of the fire. About this time the trial commenced; and while "Peter warmed himself" he could watch the progress of the trial above, for, said he, "I want to see how the matter will end." -Matt. The trial opened by Caiaphas asking Jesus: "Who are your disciples, what their number, and what is the object and character of your teachings?" Carefully avoiding any allusion to His disciples, "lest it be brought up against them in the future," Jesus replied to the high-priest by arraigning him for asking of the prisoner, the accused, questions which belonged to the court to answer by its witnesses: "I have taught in your synagogues, I have spoken openly before the world, I have proclaimed in the temple before all the Jews: in secret have I said nothing: why then ask me what I have taught? Ask these who have heard me." Caiaphas, thus reminded of his open neglect of duty, was very angry at the prisoner, seeing which the petty officer standing by the bound and helpless accused, struck Him a blow, saying: "Answerest thou the high-priest thus boldly?" This dastardly act only delighted the noble high-priest, who offered no reprimand to the officer who committed it. Jesus, however, said to him with calm dignity: "If I have spoken evil, be a witness against me; if well, why do you smite me?" At this juncture is inserted the "false witnesses," sought for by the chief priests and council, as recorded by Matthew and Mark. These witnesses, two in number, disagreed in their statements, hence the desired point-that Jesus would destroy the temple—was not sustained. Caiaphas was brought to his "wits-end." During a year and a half had the rulers been trying, through spies and other questionable means, to obtain evidence against "The designation (in the latter) is employed to explain the circumstance that Peter was recognized in the light of the fire" (Lange). "The spring nights at Jerusalem, which is 2,610 feet above the level of the sea, are often chilly." 482 EFFORTS TO CONVICT. Jesus whereby they might carry into execution their secret design of putting Him to death. In vain had they sought for a pretext to "kill Him," and now, even when one of His own disciples had betrayed Him into their hands, and they had hastily summoned an unlawful council, at an unlawful hour, they could bring no direct charge against Him, nor find a witness by whom they might make out a charge worthy to be offered and sustained before Pilate, who only could order Christ's execution. Caiaphas was about to be beaten in every attempt, when he bethought himself of one more trick. Rising in his official wrath, he demanded of the silent prisoner: "Answerest thou nothing to these witnesses or for thy self?" Still Jesus remained silent. To speak before such a mock tribunal was useless, and "He kept a dignified silence." The hours were passing; soon it would be “first cockcrowing," that is, three o'clock, and at this time of year, an hour later would be daylight, when, for aught Caiaphas knew, ten thousand Galileans and other disciples of Jesus might rally to the rescue. Something desperate must be done in order to get Jesus before Pilate with a reasonable hope of obtaining his consent to the death of Jesus, before it was too late. Again the high-priest arose to the attack, and bending upon Jesus his severest look, he said in Aramaic : "I adjure you, by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." The exact words were, "Art thou the Malcha, Meschicha," the king, Messiah, "the Son of the Blessed?"—Mark. And Jesus answered: "I AM; and you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven." -Mark. Then the demon of passion got control of the late calm, dignified high-priest of Israel, and he clawed his long, bony fingers as into his heart at such "blasphemy;" he tore his |