Evening journal., 1911-03-10

his garments In accusing Christ Of
hlasphemy. Now an ordinary Israelite
might rend his garments as sign OF
horror. but 10 the High Priest Il was
forbidden, as his vestments vsr,
sacred.
The Hebrew law required the Judges
in a capital case 10 vote singly. begin
ming with the youngest. in order tina
he might not be influenced by the vote
Of the older. Now ST. Mark tells u
that the High Priest said eye hav
heard this hlssphemy. What thin
yef" And they all condemned Hir
10 be guilty Of death. IL is npparen
from this they voted simultaneously 4
violation Of the law, and. furthermor,
the high priest violated the spirit o
the law by expressing his Judgment Il
advance Of the others.
POINT XT.--The members Of thi
Great Sanhedrin were legally disqusli
fed to try Jesus.
The Hebrew law was most specific
in defining the qualifications Of the
members Of the sanhedrln. They
must be free from all blemish, as nearly
perfect morally and physicslly as pos
sible. They must be elected by the
people. But the records show that nj
the time Of Jesus many Of the priests
were nothing but corrupt creatures Of
the Roman conquerors ard were de-
nounced and execratcd by al true pa
triots desiring the independence oi
Israel.
POINT XIr.-The condemnation oi
Jesus was illegal because the merits
Of the defense we're not considered.
The Hebrew law went TO even great
er lengths than the modern American
in safeguarding the rights Of an &C
cused The primary object Of th'
Hebrew judicial system was 70 rendei
tho conviction Of an innocent person
says Benny in The Grim
inal Code Of the Jews
Every authority lays It down that
the judges shall give more attention
20 the merits Of the defense than tc
the accusation. In violation Of this
rule the ganhedrin Immediately con.
demned Jesus upon his uncorroborated
confession that He was tho Messiah
They did not 60 into tho merits Of the
defense At all.
This concludes the appeal against
the condemnation by the Sanhedrin.
The proceedings before Herod and
Pontius PLATE present a simpler prob.
lem, but furnish additional evidence
Of the illegslity Of the action Of the
sanhedrin. The next step after the
condemnation Of Jesus was to take
him before Pontius PLATE, the Roman
lProcurator. or Governor Of Judea- The
Romans permitted the Jews TO IT.
cases In accordance with their owr
laws, but required the Roman Governor
TO revise the proceedings and pass sen
ltence.
Pilates first act, evidently to avoi'
responsibility. was to send Jesus be
fore Herod, a degenerate descendan
Of the Hebrew princes, who had beeI
appointed Tetrarch, OF Prince Of Gal
lice by the Romans. Herod was a mai
of the vilcst character, and lived onl.
for self-indulgence. Herod asked Jesu
IlO DtIloIm hoiur VI LIS nNil4 Authu-ft
for the amusement Of himself and hi
companions, but the Saviour refuse'
to answer. Herod Knocked Him an'
arrayed Him in a robe, but sent Hin
lawny without condemning Him.
II then became necessary for Pilat'
TO act.
He examined Jesus at some length
and declared: II have found no taul'
in this mnn." and further, Il have
found no cnuse Of death In Him ; i
will. therefore, chastise him and let
him CO."
death. and PLATE, 70 avoid further
trouble, gave sentence as they insisted
should be done.
Throughout the work. the marvel