nterfere
they will kill you. You will conquer not with the sword, but with the
word. But you, O people of Jerusalem; you treat Me as shamefully as if
I were a murderer. And only five days ago you led Me into the city
with palms and psalms. What have I done since then? I sat in the
Temple among you. Why did you not take Me then?"

They mocked at Him. "Isn't to-day soon enough for you? Can't you wait
any longer for your ladder to heaven? Patience, it is set up already."

When the disciples heard such allusions, and saw the Master calmly
surrendering Himself, they drew back. The sticks and spears clashed
together, the crowd jogged along, the torches flickered, and so the
procession went up to the city.

Judas stood behind the trunk of a tree, looking through the branches at
the dread procession, and his eyes started from his head in terror.

CHAPTER XXXIII

The judges were awakened at midnight; the Jewish High Priests that they
might accuse Him, the heathen judges that they might condemn Him. The
High Priest Caiaphas left his couch right gladly; he was delighted that
they had caught Him at last, but he thought that the High Priest Annas
should frame the accusation; he was younger, better acquainted with the
Roman laws, and would carry through the ticklish business most
effectively. He, Caiaphas, would hold himself ready for bearing
testimony or sealing documents at any minute. Annas, too, was
delighted that the Galilean, who had insulted the Pharisees in the
Temple in so unheard-of a fashion, was caught at last. He would settle
the matter this very night, before the people, on whom no reliance was
to be placed, could interfere. With respect to the accusation, the
whole high priesthood of Jerusalem must meet in order to take counsel
over this knotty case. As a matter of fact there was nothing they
could legally bring against the fellow. His speeches to the people.
His proceedings in the Temple were, unfortunately, not sufficient.
Some crime--a political one if possible--must be proved against Him, if
that heathen, the Roman governor, was to condemn Him.

So they met at the house of Caiaphas to take counsel. They carried
innumerable scrolls under their arms, in which were written all manner
of things that had occurred since the first appearance of the Nazarene.
The Galilean Rabbis especially had sent volumes in order to discredit
and expose Him. Yet all this would not be sufficient for the gove