The Sanhedrin

"Rabbi, rabbi...come quickly the man you spoke about, the man you said to keep an eye on; he is in the village speaking with people.  Crowds have gathered around him, people are bringing him their sick, their lame; he is healing them. Rabbi come quickly!"  As the man hurries his last sentence he runs and disappears into the crowd.  The rabbi pushes his way through the crowd that he may have a front row seat for the spectacle.  He is not the only one watching with distain.  He looks past the crowd, there on the outskirts, stands a man he recognized from the Temple, a member of the Sadducees.  His face riddled with disgust; unimpressed, he leaves the scene.  The man for whom the crowd has gathered continues to be surrounded with people in need of healing.  He lays his hands upon them and they walk away as if no aliment existed.  Several more ‘healings’ and the rabbi departs.

The sun rises high in the sky, the land warm and those exposed to the elements grow tired and hungry.  It is time for nourishment and people begin to gather that they may eat to strengthen their bodies and continue their work.  Women ceremoniously prepare the meal, cognizant of the dietary laws as found in the Torah.  The man for whom all gathered in the village to heal their sick is invited to partake in a meal.  He accepts the offer and sits among the many in attendance for such a great meal.  He speaks as the food is prepared, he speaks about one’s heart and how the heart speaks of the truth of man.  Confused they question him further, “You say that man is of the heart, so it is our heart which makes us pure?”  Some genuinely interested, others baiting his response.  “I tell you, what man consumes cannot make him unclean.  Man is not defiled by his choice of food; rather, man is made unclean by what comes out of him.  In other words, man defiles himself by his evil thoughts, his arrogance, his folly and not his choice of nourishment.  Pharisees, too, had gathered for this meal and upon hearing this man’s words, one man attempts to further catch this man directly speaking against the Torah when he questions, “Why, sir, are your men eating with unclean hands, are you and your men above our laws?”  With a heavy heart the man replies, “My men and I follow the laws of God, which you have seem to put aside for the laws of men.  We must not let laws created by man to stand in our way of our worship of the Father.”  This statement angered the Pharisee who quickly departed from the feast. 

Many gathered to speak of the workings of this stranger, this charismatic man to whom people flock.  They speak of his hearings, his sitings with those deemed unclean or a threat to the Jewish way of life and they seek to discredit him.  

“Sir,” says a man dressed in fine robes adorned with an ephod, “you speak as if there were a resurrection when we know no such occurrence will happen, what say you of this?  I mean should a man marry and die before she, and his brother marry the woman; when they all die whose wife will she be?”  “Fool, you know not of what you speak!  Your understanding of Scripture falls short but your understanding of the power of God even shorter.  With dead comes life but not life of the physical nature; rather, life of wrapped in a spiritual entity, an entity of love, of peace.  No wife will she be, rather a spirit of sorts living is unconditional peace with the Father.”  Sheepishly the Sadducees retreats.

Daylight broken and more chatter of this man many are calling the Messiah fills the air and several grow angered.  A threat to their livelihood, to their undisputed way of life strikes a never and a meeting of the Sanhedrin is called.  As the midmorning  bells toll, men file into the house of the nasi.  As the Sadducees and Pharisees file in, the air is tense yet their common interest, hatred and fear, brings them together.  “We must rid this town of this man they call the Messiah.  No man has rallied the people as he does, no man has healed as he does, no man has ever attacked our way of life as this man dares attack!”  

“Settle, Cephis.  Yes, this man posses a threat to both our groups; but the people love him, many worship him, adore him.  We must plan our attack.  We must be cautious so as not to anger the crowds.  We must turn the tides and let the people see him for who and what he is, a fraud who practices trickery that he may form his own laws and head our people. No, this man is cunning; he knows exactly what he does, each move is calculated.  We, too, must be calculated in our every move.”  

“But sir, he has spoken ill of both our groups, he has told people to disregard our actions for they are not in accordance with the law.   Nasi, I implore you, let us kill this man!”

“I know what this man has said.  You have all reported your hearings to me for some time now.  True, he has spoken ill of us and our practices; desecrating our temple when he overturned the tables; attacking our understanding of the Torah condoning unclean practices; he has go so far as to eat with sinners…”

Interrupting the Nasi, a man speaks out of turn, “Don’t forget that he speaks highly of the Samaritans even says that we should act as they do; disrespectful, ignorant of our laws and we, to act as them!  Blasphemy!”

The nasi continues, “My friends, I know of his blasphemous teachings.  Like I have said, you have been reporting to me for a long while now, we must have patiences.  When the time is right, the opportunity will present itself.  As for now, we must continue to watch; watch his actions, his interactions and be ready at a moments notice.  Let us go, depart secretly that people not become suspicious of our meetings, of our alliance.  Make haste and go.  Tell those you know and trust the time is coming when we may need their help.  Now go.”

With that, the Pharisees and Sadducees alike depart keeping their distance from one another.  The listened, they kept watch of this man, the man who, in their eyes threatened their very existence.  

As the men left, the nasi implored his devious plan as he left making his way to the house of Pilate.  Walking in through the doors as if he owned the place, he says, “Fetch me your master.  I will wait for him but pray you that he does not take long.  I have important business with him.  Should you return without him, I will make your life miserable.”  The servant left and several moments later the nasi was greeted by Pilate himself.  “

What do you want and at such an early hour?" 

"Early?  It is noon."  The sun cast its rays upon the face Pilate almost blinding him, he bowed his head to escape the sun though it looked as though he was bowing to the nasi. 

The Nasi spoke with authority, ”Listen, you and I both know that you are not well liked among my people.  You have antagonized their hatred for your with your effigies and golden shields, mocking our laws and religious views."

"Is this what you came here to tell me?  You waste my time, be gone."  Pilate motions with his hand and his servant opens the door expecting the nasi to exit.

"No, I have come here for much more a pressing matter.  I was merely stating the fact that you do not draw favor from the likes of my people but I could help you change that", he says with a smirk and a twinkle of evil in his eye.  

"I really don't care what your people think of me.  I will do as I wish, when I wish and how I wish.  Why must I sit here and listen to your rubbish?"

"Don't care say you?  Then why was it when Tiberius sent word, you removed the golden shields and the effigies, too, removed?  Sir, I know you care just listen to my proposal”, again evilness exudes from his very being.  "Sir, we have a rebel rouser in our midst and I assure you if he rallies enough people, they will take their concerns to Tiberius and then what say you?  Too many complaints and will he not think better of the man in position here?  Will you not then care?"

"You come to my home and threaten me?  I could have your thrown into prison for such actions!"

"Surely that was not I my intent, sir.  I just seek to rid our community of someone who threatens both our livelihoods.  I will leave you to your thoughts..."

With that the nasi left the Pilate alone, knowing his weakness and positive of his future ally.

As he leaves Pilate’s palace a man approached him, his name, Judas.  “Sir, I am told you are who I must see”, he said nervously.

“Me?” he said with a villainous grin, “Why, my dear man, what so ever would you need with me?  I have seen you will the man they call the Messiah.  Can’t he answer any of your questions?”

“Sir, I fear he has let the chatter go to his head.  I fear their are people who wish to kill him and those who follow him.  I do not wish to die, sir.  Please, sir, I can give this man to you, I know you will treat him justly; you being a man of the law.”

He places his hand on Judas’ shoulder, “Yes, my friend, I will see that justice is shown to him.  What can you tell me of him?”

“Tonight, we will gather, our group in prayer, in celebration of the Passover.  We will then go to the garden of Gethsemane to pray, there will be no crowds, no one to resist his arrest.”

“And how will I know which one is him?”

“I will kiss my friend on the cheek, then you will know which man you must take.”

“And for your efforts my friend, forty pieces of silver, here, take half now and half tonight.  You have done well, my friend, you have saved the faith.  Go, be with your friend for the night comes quickly.”

Both men parted, the nasi gathered his men and told them of his meeting with Judas Iscariot.  The men prepared for the events of the night as they readied their weapons and gathered their friends.

The night came quickly as the cool air kissed the cheeks of the Pharisees and Sadducees gathered in the square.  The walked silently as the clouds covered the sky making for the ceremonial walk to Gethsemane ominous.  They waited in the distance as the man they called the Messiah and his men gathered in the garden.  “Let us go in, bind his hands and kill him!”

“Again I say patience.  This man called Judas will hand the ‘Messiah’ over to us.  We need only be the innocent helpers here, patiences, the man will come to us before the night is over.”

Time passed and the dark of the night mixed with the cool air make for an anxious wait.  Finally, the men exit the garden.  Judas, seeing the nasi, makes his way to Jesus and kisses him on the cheek.  A bag of twenty piece of silver is thrown to Judas and the angry crowd attempt to bind the hands of Jesus.  Simon Peter draws his sword cutting the ear of one of the soldiers there to arrest Jesus.  Jesus picks up the ear and reattaches it.

“Still with the trickery.  This last act will not free you, you will pay and pay dearly for your actions”, the nasi laughs as he motions for the guards to take Jesus by force.  

Knowing of their meetings and their intentions, the group goes immediately to Pilate for their intention is death and death they have no authority to incur such a penalty.  The mob makes their way to Pilate.  Some question why they walk toward the palace for none know of the secret meeting of Pilate and the nasi.  

They enter the courtyard and immediately people call for this man’s death while others attempt to flatter Pilate…”This is Pilate’s reign, this is his providence, his jurisdiction, only he knows best; he is to be the judge of this devious character…”

Their attention is directed toward Pilate, himself, "Pilate, this man refuses to pay taxes, he has been seen kibitzing with local tax collectors, what is to become of your laws if this man is permitted to act as he does?"

"Not only that, sir, but he claims to be a king, the king.  This, I need not tell you, is a threat against Roman, itself.  He lays claim to being a king, what say you about this?"  The crowd pushes and shoves that they may hear the response of Pilate.  

"People...friends...you come here tonight to tell me of this wrongs of this man, let me hear it from the man himself... Man, what say you?  People speak against you, speak for yourself, are these stories true, do you wish to so brazenly go against Roman law?"  The crowd pushes the accused forward that Pilate may speak directly to him.

"See, sir, he mocks you with silence.  He cannot speak for he knows he speech would be lies."  Someone from the crowd hits the accused.

The nasi hears nothing for all he can do is smile.  The people rioting, yelling and the accused flogged.  As blood pours forth from the innocent man, the nasi looks back to the crowd still cheering, ensued with anger and fury; and all his doing.  The crowd now chanting, “Crucify him, crucify him!” and again, the nasi smiles.  He knows the weakness of Pilate, he knows death will befall this innocent man; he knows that his power is no longer threaten for he as accomplished the impossible…three likely enemies working as one, manipulated really, but working to execute any threat to their livelihood.  

The accused, bloodied and beaten is lead into the prison cell where he will await the final verdict in the morning.  The nasi leaves for home and the mob still chants, still riots.  He walks into his home, washes for the night and falls fast asleep.  The morning comes quickly as the night filled with anxious excitement for the nasi knows what is to become of Jesus.  He dresses and heads to the court yard, the bells toll.  The crowds await, they are already chanting, “Crucify him, crucify him!” and the nasi chuckles, his patiences now paying off.  There is a short discourse about Barabas and Jesus but ultimately the crowd wins and Jesus is led to his death.  The nasi follows, filled with pride he need not keep his distance and even finds himself cheering and mocking Jesus as he walks through the streets.  At one point, he so close to Jesus that, with the whip from the guard, blood splattered all over his ephod.  His only response was laughter.  He followed the procession of death to the top of the hill, to Golgotha.  In the final moments of Jesus, he shouted, “Where is your God now?  You the Messiah, saves yourself!”  Mockingly he walks away from the scene with pride in his heart and hatred his banner.  When he returned home that night, he removed the ephod from his chest and admired the spatterings of blood; his trophy.  This was the last day he wore this ephod for it now hung from his wall, his prize, a man’s death.  No weight did this lay upon his shoulders only pride, for power his poison, power his kryptonite.  Patiences he practiced for his moves cunning, his moves calculated, his moves prideful for should he have listened with his heart he would have acted differently.  Fallen to the mind, he acted as one with no faith, one with no understanding of God.  As he lay his head to rest, slumber comes over him quickly as ever.  He rests while others wail.  

The morning sun falls upon his cheeks, he rises, the day anew, the air fresh, he walks to the marketplace and he hears…”Rabbi, come quickly, people gather and they speak of the man crucified, they speak as he spoke.  What should we do, rabbi, are you listening?”  With that, the man turned and walked away for he now knew the power he sought was unattainable, the power he sought was a fictitious illusion…His mind silenced, he torn his tunic and walked into the sun never to be called teacher again.