Volume 11 · Chapter 73

THE HEARING AND THE CONDEMNATION OF JESUS THE march walked now over the Kidron through the same gate through which My entrance took place. The temple guards brought Me first to Hannas who was the brother in law of the high priest Caiaphas. Hannas was the first to whom I was taken because he was the representative of Caiaphas and had always been very active in this matter and therefore the news was brought to him first that it succeeded to capture Me.

[GGJ.11_73,2] Nota bene: It is absolutely not the intention to repeat here everything that is already stated in detail in the gospel of John because this writing must not make the gospel of John unnecessary. However, the following historic events will only fill in the gaps of what seems to be lacking.

[GGJ.11_73,3] The manner in which Hannas received Me and also the fall of Peter can be read there.

[GGJ.11_73,4] Hannas sent Me bound to Caiaphas.

[GGJ.11_73,5] Judas, who realized now that everything seemed to happen differently than he expected, saw how I was led away, and being perplexed and full of fear for the success of his intention he followed the march. He also wanted to walk through with Me to the high priest but the entrance was denied to him.

[GGJ.11_73,6] At Caiaphas’ place the whole High Council was gathered, and they were already waiting for a long time for My appearance, looking for revenge. Now accusations were formally brought against Me, and witnesses arose against Me who had to testify that I committed high treason, and especially the entrance [GGJ.11_into Jerusalem] was used against Me, and also that I had dared to walk on the holy place by which I attributed priestly power to Myself which I did not possess. After that, it was accurately proven that I wanted to stir up the people against the Roman emperor in order to make Myself king. But when it came to it to find witnesses for this who could under oath confirm My intent by My words, they did not find anyone.

[GGJ.11_73,7] Finally the witnesses came forward who stated that I had said: ‘Break this temple down and I will rebuild it in 3 days.’

[GGJ.11_73,8] Caiaphas said now that this was an insult against the temple itself, for in order to accomplish this, divine authority was needed which can only possess the Anointed of the Lord who will once come in great power. But I had said that I was Christ, the Anointed One, and therefore he adjured Me to say whether I really was Christ, the Son of God.

[GGJ.11_73,9] On this I answered: “You have said it. But I say to you all: from now on it will happen that the Son of man will sit at the right side of the Power and will go in the clouds of Heaven to the Father who lives in Him.”

[GGJ.11_73,10] Then the high priest tore his clothes and said: “He has blasphemed God! What other witnesses do we need? You have heard His blasphemies!”

[GGJ.11_73,11] Of course, the others agreed immediately, for in the Council only those were gathered whom Caiaphas knew that they were dedicated to him and compliant. But those who were in one way or another friendly disposed towards Me – which became already apparent during the last meetings – the purpose was to capture Me and to keep the betrayal of Judas hidden. Therefore, the death sentence was soon ready and it was only a matter of receiving the approval of Pontius Pilate.

[GGJ.11_73,12] Very early in the morning I was taken there and the case was presented to the governor. I was a rebel and a blasphemer and as such I was guilty to be put to death.

[GGJ.11_73,13] Pontius Pilate who knew everything about My entry and could not find any rebellious act in it, tried to save Me, because he as a Roman was inclined to see in Me some kind of demigod with exceptional powers. Now he spoke to Me as one can read in the gospel of John, and he said to the temple servants, who were standing before the courthouse, that he did not find Me guilty.

[GGJ.11_73,14] Then one of the high priests came forward and he explained to him once more that I had traveled through the country, preaching against the temple and its servants who surely were the highest authority in the country and representatives of God. On this occasion it was said that I was from Galilee.

[GGJ.11_73,15] Pilate was glad to hear this statement because he saw an escape to put the whole matter off his back. Galilee stood under the supreme authority of Herod, and therefore he was the one who could make a judgment in this. So he quickly closed the hearing and ordered to send Me to Herod to speak out justice on one of his citizens.

[GGJ.11_73,16] Herod was very pleased when I was brought to him because now his wish to personally see Me was fulfilled and now he wanted to convince himself as to what was true of the many rumors about My miraculous power. He had Me immediately brought before him and ordered those around him to leave. We stayed alone. He expressed his amazement that a Man as I, who possessed exceptional powers, had let himself be captured, and he wanted to know how this could have happened. But I did not give him an answer so that he became embarrassed and he explicitly wanted an answer from Me. Since I remained silent he became more and more irritated and became enraged about this so that he rushed to Me and threatened to torture Me. I only calmly looked at him and immediately the old sinner trembled so much in his heart by that glance that he fearfully called out to his men. I became extremely terrifying to him, and to hide his fear he mocked Me now in the presence of his servants of the court who obviously supported at once the mockery words of their ruler.

[GGJ.11_73,17] Herod saw now that he was misled in his hope to achieve something by supernatural power, and now he wanted at least to take as much as possible advantage of the whole situation. Therefore he commanded to take Me back to Pilate while he indicated in polite words that he gladly wanted to be submissive to the sovereignty of Rome and renounced his right to judge one of his citizens who, according to the statement of the temple, also tried to resist the sovereignty of Rome. With a white robe that Herod ordered to give to Me as a sign of submission, I returned to Pilate again who was not exactly pleased about My return, but rather about Herod’s way of acting which later on achieved also a complete reconciliation between the two rulers.

[GGJ.11_73,18] Meanwhile, Pilate had been warned by his wife who saw in a dream how the good and the bad ones were separated by the Son – and he tried to set Me free. Therefore he came upon the idea to suggest to the people to release Me, since it was the custom at the time of Passover to free a criminal whom the people could choose.

[GGJ.11_73,19] However, the priests and temple servants incited all their adherers who were standing in front of the courthouse, and they did not allow anyone of the other people to be with them so that the intimidated crowd who adhered to Me were not standing close by but rather the clan of the temple who tried with all might to reach their goal, namely to get rid of Me. Since Barabbas had a good reputation with the temple, as already mentioned before, on the question of the governor which prisoner he had to release they immediately shouted ‘Barabbas!’, this according to what they had agreed, and they demanded that I should be crucified by which it was always emphasized that I was a rebel and was against the emperor.

[GGJ.11_73,20] Pilate did not know what to do anymore because even if enough accusations were brought against Me he personally could not agree with them. Now he thought that only a flogging would impose a sufficient punishment upon Me and so he gave command to it. Consequently I was flogged.

[GGJ.11_73,21] After this punishment the helpers brought Me out in a very miserable condition in a purple cloak and crowned with a crown of thorns, because Pilate hoped that this sight would bring the Jews to have pity so that he could set Me free.

[GGJ.11_73,22] But the heart of the Jews was harder than stone, and again they shouted: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

[GGJ.11_73,23] Pilate repeated that he found no guilt in Me that was worthy of death and that I had been punished enough.

[GGJ.11_73,24] Then those who stood in front and most embittered Pharisaic priests shouted: “He has to die, for He was blasphemed God! He claimed to be God’s Son, and according to our law the one who blasphemes God must die!”

[GGJ.11_73,25] When he heard that, Pilate was frightened even more, because his Roman idea that I could be a demigod received now new nourishment. Therefore, he entered the house again and the helpers brought Me back in again. And he asked Me where I came from, that means My ancestry and from which country I was, because he wanted to believe Me, not My accusers.

[GGJ.11_73,26] But I did not answer him – and this out of exhaustion. Pilate asked again, as it is written in John chapter 19, verse 10. Also the further events happened according to verses 11, 12 and 13.

[GGJ.11_73,27] Now Pilate, who was frightened because he knew the temple and knew that they would do anything when they wanted to persist, wanted to make an end to the case and sat down on the judgment seat, a ceremonial custom with the Romans when an indisputable sentence had to be spoken out. He presented Me again to the people and asked whom he had to release.

[GGJ.11_73,28] The adherers shouted again: “Barabbas!”

[GGJ.11_73,29] Now someone was sent to him to give him his freedom. Then Pilate pointed at Me and said: “See, here is your king! What must happen to Him?”

[GGJ.11_73,30] Again the gang shouted: “Crucify Him!”

[GGJ.11_73,31] Pilate said mockingly: “Must I crucify your king?”

[GGJ.11_73,32] Now one of the high priests came forward and said very emphatically: “We have no other king except for the emperor, but this One here is against the emperor and has made Himself king. The guilt is on Him.”

[GGJ.11_73,33] Pilate said very seriously: “And what if nevertheless innocent blood will be spilled?”

[GGJ.11_73,34] “Then His blood will come over us and our children!” shouted the high priest loudly. And the adherers loudly exclaimed their agreement on this and repeated it many times.

[GGJ.11_73,35] Then Pilate saw that he could not help Me without bringing himself into serious trouble. He also feared that the Roman reputation could suffer by it if he would show too much weakness.

[GGJ.11_73,36] As an outer sign that he felt free of the responsibility, he washed his hands in the presence of all the people and said (Pilate): “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person, for according to our law He has done nothing wrong. It can be different according to your law, as you say, and therefore I hand Him now over to your law.”

[GGJ.11_73,37] Then he handed Me over to the temple guards who were ready, and they took Me immediately into custody, this at the same time when Barabbas was set free and loudly hailed by the people.