A Retrial of Christ's Trial

Abstract

Sanhedrin was the-supreme organ of the Hebrew people, which led the people in political, legal and all other kinds of social activities and which gave judgement on various questions. After the downfall of the Kingdom Sanhedrin became the machinery to rule the Hebrews. Thus the Iranian king, King Alexander and his successors all admitted that it had the supreme power to judge all disputes among the Hebrews. Now, in order to understand its position-and, therefore, to what degree the Hebrews were allowed autonomy-, after the whole Judea became the Roman territory, the trial of Christ provides valuable materials. When we examine the proceedings and others in this trial, upon the Scriptures which is our main source, we come to the conclusion that the trial proceebings in the Sanhedrin were in complete disregard of the rules of procedure and that the Sanhedrin there was not much more than a conference to give shape to the will of the Hebrews to prosecute Christ to the Roman tribunal. Therefore we can see that autonomy in the sense that the Hebrews were allowed to enjoy laws of their own through the activities of Sanhedrin had ceased to be allowed to them. But we must admit that Pilate carried out the trial of Christ lawfully as regards form.