meant when they informed Pontius Pilate that they had a law, and by that law the Messiah must die: The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he [Yeshua] ought to die because he made himself out to be the Son of God" (John 19:7). The Bible records that Pilate washed his hands of the entire affair because he knew the Messiah was innocent of any charge. He then handed the matter over to the religious leaders and stated: "See to it yourselves" (Matthew 27:24). Their response indicates they understood Pilate's action as a statement made according to Jewish law -- absolving him from any responsibility for this action (Deuteronomy 21:1-9). In this fashion Yeshua the Messiah fulfilled prophecy according to Jewish law -- not Roman law (Matthew 5:17; 26:54). In an interesting aside Melito, the well-known Bishop of Sardis during the second century A.D., referred to the TREE as the instrument of crucifixion: "Just as from a TREE came sin, so also from a TREE comes salvation." It is apparent that the early Christians were well aware of the fact that the Messiah was crucified on a literal, living TREE. Also, it is a matter of historical record that before 326 A.D., the cross did not even exist as a Christian symbol, but was derived from paganism. For a fascinating discussion of the origin and history of the cross, read Babylon Mystery Religion by Ralph Woodrow. The Two Trees The fact that the evidence in