Reasons why the trial of jesus were illegal

Wherever the Jews settled during the time of Roman rule, they had the legal right to execute people under their law. So then what is the statement in John referring to? Consequently there was not a time at which the Roman magistrate would not step in when a charge of treason was made, or a seditious movement began. The Roman government would only intervene in criminal affairs when matters of treason, civil disobedience, incitement to revolution or attacks against Caesar were involved.

Otherwise, local administration was conducted by local officials and the regular courts of the conquered nations. Roman authorities were not involved in every criminal proceeding throughout the vast empire. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him [Jesus] unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. Soon after Judas entered into a pact with the religious leaders, Jesus and His faithful disciples ate their final meal together on Passover evening.

After the arrest, a former high priest named Annas examined Jesus first John Here, numerous false witnesses came before the Sanhedrin to give testimony against Him. Eventually, Christ was condemned to death, apparently on the charge of blasphemy vs.

Notice they did not accuse Christ of blasphemy in front of Pilate. Instead, they charged Him with treason against the Roman Empire. Pilate initially desired to free Jesus vs. Herod was happy to see Jesus, as he heard many things about Him. He desired to see Jesus perform some miracles vs. But Jesus neither performed any miracles nor answered his questions vs.

Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood by and accused Jesus vs. After being mocked, He was quickly sent back to Pilate vs. Keep in mind that this entire process lasted only about nine hours, from after midnight to around in the morning. Jesus was seized, then tried, condemned and crucified—all within a matter of nine hours!

At in the afternoon, Jesus was speared in His side and killed John With this backdrop, we are now ready to examine 12 paramount reasons the arrest, trial and conviction of Jesus Christ were illegal. Recall that Judas was bribed to betray Jesus in the absence of the crowds who favored Him. The plan was to seize Jesus in the dark of night, sentence Him just before sunrise—to make everything appear legal—transport Him to Pilate, stir up a mob of people to condemn Him, and crucify Him in the morning before those who supported Him were aware.

Who constituted the crowd of people who arrested Jesus? Any trial may be dismissed as a mistrial, or illegal, if there is prejudice against the individual being tried on the part of those participating. The accused must be given full recourse of law to be able to sufficiently present his side. Jesus, however, was both arrested and tried by those prejudiced against Him, and was not allowed opportunity to present His case. Further, His judges were the same individuals who bribed Judas!

Surely one cannot say these people were impartial! In addition, Jesus was arrested secretly at night and was not formally charged of any offense. If a false witness rises up purposing to do harm against any man to accuse him of wrongdoing, then both the men who are disagreeing shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days. And the judges shall make careful inquiry.

Deuteronomy - 18, HBFV throughout. Hebrew law provided no lawyers to defend or prosecute during a trial. The judges were the defenders and the witnesses the prosecutors.

Therefore, the court was supposed to seek for evidence only in behalf of the accused, which in this case was Jesus. Both the first and second hearing was completed in the total time of less than five hours. Jewish law states that if a death sentence is pronounced that proceedings cannot conclude until the next day Mishna, Sanhedrin Additionally, there are at least two major reasons why the first meeting was conducted around 2 a. It gave the court the excuse that certain council members who might have been an advocate for Jesus the accused e.

Joseph of Arimathea could not have been notified in time to appear. It also rendered it nearly impossible that any witnesses of the defense could be notified to arrive in time in order to offer their testimony. The judges hated the accused that was brought before them see John and Matthew - 5. Jesus accepted the fact that the right to execute adulteresses and other criminals existed. He told the guiltless to cast the first stone. Paul was stoned in Asia. Not only in Judea, but in other areas of the Roman world, wherever the Jews were settled, it is plain the Jews had the legal right to execute the penalty of their law.

The Romans allowed it. But why did the Jews make the statement that we find recorded in John ? Consequently there was no time at which the Roman magistrate would not step in when a charge of treason was made, or a seditious movement begun. The case against Jesus is one especially in point, for the charge against him [treason] could under no circumstances be tried by any tribunal except that of the governor.

Only when it came to treason, civil disobedience, incitement to revolution or attacks against the majesty, that is, Caesar, did the Roman government decide that it was proper that its governors or representatives should intervene.

Otherwise, all local administration was carried on by the people and the regular, constituted courts of the conquered nations, of the provinces or of the allies of Rome. The opponents of Jesus accused Him of blasphemy. But they did not want to execute Him. So they charged Him with treason before the Romans. What the religious leaders had to do was create charges of treason against Jesus in order to bring it up to Pilate so that they would not be responsible for His death.

After the last supper on Passover, Jesus went out and prayed. Then Judas came with a mob. Accompanying that mob were the high priest, the judges and jury, inciting the mob as they went out to arrest Him. They next took Him to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, before sunrise while it was yet night, where He was informally condemned. After sunrise, the Sanhedrin quickly condemned Him formally to make legal their previous conduct. Then they took Him to Pilate on different charges.

Pilate wanted to wash his hands of the whole affair. Then, at the second time before Pilate, the Roman governor, under pressure, gave sentence—even against his own will. Shortly before sunset, He was carried to the tomb. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.

And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. He would have taken the oil, gone out and sold it, then claimed he gave it to the poor and pocketed the money. That is what he wanted to do, for he was a thief John So he went to the chief priests and the captains, who bribed him to deliver Jesus in the absence of the crowds who listened to Jesus.

The idea was to have Jesus seized privately, so the public, especially the Galileans, would not know until it was over. The plan was to get Jesus at night, try Him at night, sentence Him just after sunrise, to make it look legal, take Him to Pilate, incite a mob to get Pilate to condemn Him, have Him crucified, if possible, in the morning, before those favoring Him would be about. Who made up the mob that arrested Jesus?

We should now examine, point by point, the 12 primary reasons why the arrest, trial and conviction of Jesus were illegal. The principle on which any trial may be considered illegal is that it is prejudicial against the man who is tried—that it does not allow him to have full recourse to law so that he might present his part of the case.

The first point is that Jesus was arrested illegally. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way.

Those who went to have Christ arrested included the priests and elders—His judges! Among them were the very ones who bribed Judas! Jesus was arrested secretly, by night.

He was not arrested on the formal charge of any crime. There was no charge presented here. There was no warrant for His arrest, no statement of what He had done. They just simply took Him.

Contrary to what Mr. Husband said in his book, The Prosecution of Jesus , there was no legal basis on which Jesus was arrested. Nobody had presented testimony or evidence of guilt to the Sanhedrin whereby they could have requested His arrest.

Here is what Jewish law declares. The very fact that Judas took a bribe from the judges was certainly proof that Judas was guilty of a criminal offense.

According to the law, as stated in the Jerusalem Talmud, the Sanhedrin sat from the close of the morning sacrifice to the time of the evening sacrifice. There was no legal basis on which Jesus was arrested. Nobody had presented evidence of guilt…. To begin with, the Sanhedrin should have never held the trial. They had plotted to kill Jesus ahead of time. Consequently they were hardly in a position to render a fair verdict as to his guilt or innocence.

This is especially true of the High Priest Caiaphas. He is the one who said that it was necessary for Jesus to die for the entire nation. The High Priest was the supreme judge in Israel. It was his responsibility to see that a person be given a fair trial. At the very least, he should have not participated in trial in any manner. Yet he was the driving force behind the arrest and trial of Jesus.

Therefore there was no possibility that Jesus could have been given a fair trial. It was illegal to try capital cases at night. By doing so the Sanhedrin broke the law. When a person's life was at stake the trial could only be held during the day. According to Jewish law, a trial starts when witnesses come forward to testify. The Sanhedrin should not have gone out to look for witnesses. The witnesses come first, then the trial. Not only should the Sanhedrin have not looked for witnesses, they certainly should not have looked for false witnesses if Jesus were to be given a fair trial.

The verdict, of course, was never in doubt. Since the Sanhedrin knew the testimony of the witnesses was false, these witnesses, according to Jewish law, should have been punished. The fact that they were not is another illegality. In capital cases, judgment was to be delayed until the next day. The fact that they pronounced judgment immediately is another sign of the illegal nature of the trial. Since the judgment in a capital case could not be rendered until the next day, it was illegal to try someone on the day before the Sabbath or before some holy day.

During the Sabbath day or holy day there could be no legal meeting of the Sanhedrin. Consequently the timing of the trial was also illegal. There is also the problem of Jesus' testimony. When Jesus was put under oath he acknowledged that he was the Messiah - the promised Deliverer.

This admission of Jesus was what caused the Sanhedrin to cry out that he was guilty of death. However, they never stopped to consider the possibility that Jesus was telling the truth.

There was not the slightest interest in attempting to find out whether Jesus may indeed be the promised Messiah. There was no evidence that was allowed to be given on Jesus' behalf and they weighed no evidence before making their judgment. When all the facts are weighed it becomes clear that those who tried Jesus on that night were not interested in giving him a fair trial.

The verdict had been determined ahead of time. They only went through the motions of the appearance of a fair trial. Jesus was illegally and wrongfully tried. There is a question as to whether or not Jesus received a fair trial. Some have argued that the trial of Jesus was legal but not ethical.