The exact time of the beginning of the night session of the Sanhedrin is
not known. It is generally supposed that the arrest took place in the
garden between midnight and one o'clock. The journey to the house of
Annas must have required some little time. Where this house was located
nobody knows. According to one tradition Annas owned a house on the
Mount of Olives close to the booths or bazaars under the "Two Cedars."
Stapfer believes that Jesus was taken to that place. According to
another tradition the house of Annas was located on the "Hill of Evil
Counsel." Barclay believes that this was the place to which Jesus was
conducted. But the tradition which is most generally accepted is that
which places the palace of Annas on Mount Zion near the palace of
Caiaphas. It is believed by many that these two men, who were related,
Annas being the father-in-law of Caiaphas, occupied different apartments
in the same place. But these questions are mere matters of conjecture
and have no real bearing upon the present discussion, except to show, in
a general way, the length of time probably required to conduct Jesus
from Gethsemane to Annas; from Annas to Caiaphas, if the latter was the
one who privately examined Jesus; and thence to the meeting of the
Sanhedrin. It is reasonable to suppose that at least two hours were thus
consumed, which would bring Jesus to the palace of Caiaphas between two
and three o'clock, if the arrest in the garden took place between twelve
and one o'clock. But here, again, a difference of one or two hours would
not affect the merit of the proposition stated in Point IV. For it is
beyond dispute that the first trial before the Sanhedrin was had at
night, which was forbidden by law.
The question has been frequently asked: Why did the Sanhedrin meet at
night in violation of law? The answer to this is referable to the
treachery of Judas, to the fact that he "sought opportunity to betray
him unto them in the absence of the multitude," and to the thought of
the Master: "But this is your hour, and the power of God." Luke tells us
that the members of the Sanhedrin "feared the people."[256] Mark informs
us that they had resolved not to attempt the arrest and execution of
Jesus at the time of the Passover, "lest there be an uproar of the
people."[257]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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