Truth About The Crucifixion — Page 89
salem, Jewish leadership was striving in diverse ways to destroy him. For instance, on one occasion they contrived that some agents of the Roman Administration should be in attendance, posing as sympathisers of Jesus, when the Jews questioned him:. They asked him: Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to. Caesar, or not? But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them: Show me a coin. Whose likeness and inscription has it? They said: Caesar's. He said to them: Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him by what he said, but marvelling at his answer, they were silent. (Luke 20: 21-26). Under the influence of his teachings large numbers of people became inclined to believe in him, which seriously upset the Jewish priesthood and they conspired to arrest this tendency by sending their officers to seize Jesus as is written:. The Pharisees heard the crowd thus muttering about him, and the chief priest and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. (John, 7: 32). But they were so affected by hearing Jesus that none of them dared to make a move against him. . A few days before the festival of Passover the Jewish priests came together in the house of the Chief Priest Caiaphas and began to cast about for means to seize Jesus by some trick and put an end to him. At last they contrived to win over Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, one of the disciples of. Jesus, through bribery, who sold himself into their hands in return for a few pieces of silver. Matthew states that he went one day to the priests and asked them:. What will you give me if I deliver him to you?. And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew, 26: 14-16). The Passover arrived and Jesus directed his disciples to arrange for the supper on that day. In the evening the twelve disciples sat with Jesus at table and ate with him. On that occasion Jesus prophesied: 92