The True Story of Jesus — Page 49
Chapter Eight—Trial of Jesus 49 soldiers mocked Jesus as and treated him with contempt; then they put a fine robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 1 Pontius Pilate was convinced beyond any doubt that Jesus as was innocent; therefore, he tried to set him free but the Jews pro- tested violently. Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people and said to them, ‘You brought this man to me and said that he was misleading the people. Now, I have examined him here in your presence, and I have not found him guilty of any of the crimes you accuse him of. Nor did Herod find him guilty for he sent him back to us. There is nothing this man has done to deserve death. So I will have him whipped and let him go’. 2 However, the Jews insisted that he was a traitor and, therefore, should be hanged. The governor looked at the multitudes of the Jews standing around and when he saw many of the Jews weeping, he said, ‘Not all the multitude wishes him to die. ’ But the elders of the Jews said, ‘For this purpose has the whole multitude of us come, that he should die. ’3 They put so much pressure on Pilate that he could not set Jesus as free though he was still anxious to save his life. During the trial, Pilate’s wife, who had seen a vision concerning the innocence of Jesus as, sent a message to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, because in a dream last night I suffered much on account of him. ’4 At this Pilate made a further attempt to per- suade the Jews to agree that Jesus as should be released. He gave the 1. Luke 23:4–7 and 9–11 2. Luke 23:13–16 3. Gospel of Nicodemus; Acts of Pilate, p. 510 by Felix Schcidwcilcr 4. Matthew 27:19