Conspiracy of the Sanhedrin

CHAPTER 86

The Sanhedrin begin their conspiracy tactics. However Joseph of Aramathea rebukes his fellow Sanhedrin.

  1 After Yeshua resurrected Lazarus from the dead his fame spread even more throughout Judea and Galilee. 

  2 Hearing of this mighty miracle, the Sanhedrin, being mostly Sadducees, gathered together with the Pharisees to discuss again what they should do regarding Yeshua.

  3 “This is an untenable situation,” spoke one. “We must make a decision quickly as to how we are going to react to this Yeshua of Nazareth.  Do we honor him as so many people now do because of his numerous and great miracles?  Or do we declare him a fraud, a blasphemer, a false prophet, and seek to have him killed?

  4 “I for one do not think we can leave him to continue as he has.” interjected another, “Lest all the children of Israel soon believes that he is an emissary of God and we draw the fury of the Romans upon our special positions and our nation.”

  5 “Of course he cannot be allowed to live.” The High Priest Caiaphas stated emphatically.

  6 “I have spoken to my father Hanana and he said that tomorrow is not too soon for this blasphemer to disappear from the Earth. 

  7 Yeshua of Nazareth is a blasphemer; he is a false prophet; he is a false Messiah; and even now the zealots are preparing to follow him into a revolution that cannot succeed. 

  8 If we do not soon find a way to see him gone for good, then it is we and our people that shall suffer and be torn asunder because of the wrath of the Romans.

  9 I know a few of you have sympathies for him, but it is better that one man should die than a whole nation be upturned and destroyed.”

  10 “But how shall we accomplish it?” asked one of the Pharisees. “Only the Romans are allowed to put people to death.  They will not care about our religious issues; and how can we prove the seditious affairs to them?”

  11 “It will not be difficult,” offered one of the Sadducees. “He is frequently surrounded by people known to be zealots among our people. 

  12 Deliver Yeshua as a prisoner to the Romans along with some other zealots, with the promise to the zealots that we will ask Pilate to let them go with only a little of the lash if they will testify against Yeshua.”

  13 “But they are zealots!” exclaimed one of the Sanhedrin. “They will not bear witness against their leader, even if it means their death.”

  14 “They only wish he was their leader,” interjected another Sanhedrin. “In fact, our spies have told us that Yeshua has rebuffed their overtures.”

  15 “Quiet!” Caiaphas ordered. “Do not complicate a simple matter with useless speculation.

  16 We will have another meeting with Yeshua.  All of the greater Sanhedrin should be present.  It is merely a formality.  We already have decided that he is a Blasphemer.  His followers think of him as God come to Earth, so he also induces sacrilege.  For the sake of our religion which we are sworn to uphold, he must die.

  17 But as was said, death comes only at the hands of the Romans.  Bring witnesses to them that he has been called the King of our people, and others to testify that the zealots see him as the Messiah come to trample upon Rome.

  18 Remember we have our positions only because the Romans have appointed the highest among us.  The governor trusts us because he knows we are in his power and without him we are on the street like beggars. 

  19 If we assure him that this man Yeshua is a destroyer of our religion and plots to overthrow Rome in Judea, he will heed our advice and put him to death before the new moon.  I know with a certainty this is true.”

  20 Most of those present nodded their heads in agreement with the words of Caiaphas, and from that moment on they began to counsel together to quickly find a way to put Yeshua to death.

  21 But before they could depart their separate ways, Joseph of Aramathea spoke, saying, “Can I believe what my ears are hearing?  How can you so easily dismiss Yeshua of Nazareth and plot to send him to his death?

  22 Who in the annals of our people has ever done the many miracles we know he has done?

  23 More than this, in our presence he stopped the sun!  He stopped the sun my brethren.  Who but God can stop the sun?  Nor would God stop the sun upon the word of anyone but his highest and greatest prophet.

  24 If he came among us without evidence of his authority, saying the things he has, he would be the sinner you have called him to be.  But he has come among us with power such as we have never seen, the likes of which has seldom been recorded in the scriptures.

  25 Just this last week he raised from the dead a man that had been decaying in the tomb for days and restored him to life with a fullness and health of the body.  Think of that my brethren.  Let it sift deep into your heart and mind. 

  26 Who has there ever been in Israel that can bring the dead back to life?  And it is rumored that this man was not the first.  Only the greatest prophet of God could do this.

  27 And knowing that he has raised a man from the dead, what hope do you have to kill him?  If he can bring another back, do you think that he will simply lay quietly in the grave? 

  28 Or will he return to take vengeance on all those who saw not his pure light and sought to stymie his calling from the Almighty to do good in the world?

  29 Consider these things with honest deliberation my brethren; for the actions you have committed to, will, I believe, come back to destroy you.”

  30 “How can you be one of us Joseph, and say such misguided, terrible things?” asked Caiaphas.  “We are only doing our duty to uphold the law.  This is our calling, and we are faithful to our people.  It is you who should consider your errant words before they condemn you as surely as the man you have just defended.”

  31 Then the meeting of the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees was over and each went his way.  But Joseph of Arimathea did not return to his home; he instead went to seek out Yeshua that he might warn him of the plot of the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees.

(a) Former High Priest.