The stoning of Stephen as a blasphemer by the Jews has been explained as an irregular outbreak of fanatical priests, a sort of mob violence. It has also been contended that the case of Stephen was one of the rare instances in which Roman procurators permitted the Jews to execute the death sentence. In any event it was an exceptional proceeding. At the time of the crucifixion of Jesus and of the martyrdom of Stephen the Jews had lost the right of enforcing the death penalty. Judea was a subject province of the Roman empire. The Jews were permitted by the Romans to try capital cases. If an acquittal was the result, the Romans did not interfere. If a verdict of guilty was found, the Jews were compelled to lead the prisoner away to the Roman governor, who reviewed or retried the case as he saw fit. Accordingly, having condemned Him to death themselves, the Jews were compelled to lead Jesus away to the palace of Herod on the hill of Zion in which Pilate was stopping on the occasion of the Paschal Feast, to see what he had to say about the matter, whether he would reverse or affirm the sentence which they had pronounced. The Roman trial of Jesus will be treated in the second volume of this work. END OF VOL. I FOOTNOTES: [1] "Testimony of the Evangelists," pp. 7-11. [2] "Testimony of the Evangelists," pp. 25, 26. [3] I "Starkie on Evidence," pp. 480-545. [4] John x. 30: "I and my Father are one." [5] Matt. ix. 9. [6] Col. iv. 14: "Luke, the beloved physician." [7] Matt. xxvi. 70-72. [8] Matt. xxvi. 46-50. [9] Matt. xxvi. 56. [10] Matt. xiv. 28-31. [11] Mark x. 35-42; Matt. xx. 20-25. [12] Matt. xi. 2, 3. [13] Mark iii. 21. [14] Luke iv. 28, 29. [15] Mark xiv. 51, 52. [16] "Intro. Vie de Jesus." [17] Luke i. 2, 3. [18] "Die synoptischen Evangelien," pp. 412-14. [19] Marcus Dods, "The Bible, Its Origin and Nature," p. 184. [20] An opposite doctrine seems to be taught in Luke xii. 11, 12; xxiv. 48, 49. [21] "Evidences of Christianity," p. 319. [22] Matt. xiv. 12-20; Mark vi. 34-43; Luke ix. 12-17; John vi. 5-13. [23] Luke xxii. 64. [24] Luke xxii. 51. [25] Campbell's "Philosophy of Rhetoric," c. v. b. 1, Part III, p. 125. [26] "Intro. Vie de Jesus," p. 62. [27] D. L. Moody, "Sermon on the Resurrection of Jesus." [28] See also I "Starkie on Evidence," pp. 496-99. [29] "Ant.," XVIII. 3, I. [30] See authorities cited in "The Brief." [31] "De iis qui sero puniuntur," p. 554. [32] P. 1080, edit. 45. [33] P. 1247, edit. 24, Huds. [34] P. 1327, edit. 43. [35] "Productique omnes, virgisque cæsi, ac securi percussi," Lib. XI. c. 5. [36] Domit. Cap. X. "Patremfamilias--canibus objecit, cum hoc _titulo_, Impie locutus, parmularius." [37] Book LIV. [38] "Aur. Vict. Ces.," Cap. XLI. "Eo pius, ut etiam vetus veterrimumque supplicium, patibulum, et cruribus suffringendis, primus removerit." Also see Paley's "Evidences of Christianity," pp. 266-68. [39] Luke xxii. 44. [40] Tissot, "Traité des Nerfs," pp. 279, 280.