The Trial before the Jewish Authorities & Pilate (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note
Exam code: 8062
Jesus before the Council
53 They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled.
57 Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 But even on this point their testimony did not agree. 60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” 61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 Jesus said, “I am; and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 64 You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death. 65 Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him over and beat him.
(Mark 14:53, 57–65)
Jewish leaders and the trial of Jesus
The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem had a special arrangement with the Romans who ruled the country. The arrangement meant that:
They did not have to worship the emperor as other citizens did
They were allowed to follow their own religion
The Sanhedrin was the supreme council of Jews
It was based in Jerusalem and consisted of 71 of the most influential Jewish leaders in the nation
As St Mark’s Gospel states: “the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes”
These people controlled religious and civil law for Jews
The Jewish leaders were unhappy with Jesus’s teachings, which had appeared to challenge the existing authorities
Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin and accused of blasphemy
The trial was unlawful because:
It took place in the High Priest’s house
It was held at night, which was against the rules
The evidence was biased against Jesus: Some people provided false testimony against him to ensure he was convicted
Jesus was asked directly by the High Priest in charge of the Sanhedrin: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Such a direct question was against the rules of the court because a person could not be condemned through their own words
Under oath, Jesus answered by saying, “I am”
This answer is significant in two ways:
Jesus was admitting to being the Messiah
The phrase “I am” is the phrase God used of himself when speaking to Moses in the Old Testament — the word “I am” in Hebrew is “YHWH” (Yahweh)
Jesus went further and explained his identity in his own words, saying, “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven”
Jesus used the title Son of Man, which the Sanhedrin would have interpreted as a Messianic phrase
He also made a claim that he would be seated at the side of the Power — or God
Coming on the “clouds of heaven” was a phrase associated with the Old Testament vision of Daniel (Daniel 7:13)
All of this would have made the Sanhedrin angry
Mark reports that the High Priest tore his clothes in rage
This evidence was enough for them to convict Jesus of blasphemy and agree that he should be punished by being put to death
However, they did not have the authority to pass a death sentence
Instead, they attacked Jesus, spitting, punching and mocking him
15 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” 3 Then the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
6 Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. 7 Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8 So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 9 Then he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he realised that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 14 Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. (Mark 15:1–15)
The trial of Jesus before Pilate
After the trial before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate, the governor of the Roman province of Judea, in which Jerusalem was located
It was Pilate’s job to decide what should happen to Jesus
He held a trial the next day
The role of Pilate
Pilate was the Roman ruler; therefore, he had to decide what to do with Jesus
He had the power to condemn Jesus to death
Yet, he seemed to think Jesus was not guilty of any crime — as a Roman governor, Pilate did not care about any of Jesus’s claims to be God or a Messiah
Pilate was faced with a dilemma:
He had to uphold justice in his region
The Jews would be angry if he allowed Jesus to go free
He, therefore, faced a possible riot if he did not listen to their wishes
However, if he gave in to them, he would be condemning an innocent man to death
Mark’s Gospel reports that Pilate asked Jesus directly: “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered simply, “You have said so”
In failing to defend himself, Jesus was showing that he submitted to God’s plan for what would happen to him
The conviction of Jesus
Pilate realised that Jesus was not a threat, so he followed an old Passover tradition of releasing a prisoner
Pilate had two prisoners: Jesus and Barabbas, who was a rebel and a murderer
He asked the crowd which one they wanted released
The crowd called for Barabbas to be released, with the chief priests encouraging them to do so
When Pilate asked what should be done with Jesus, the crowd shouted, “Crucify him”
Pilate had no choice: He handed Jesus over to be flogged and crucified
Flogging was a cruel punishment involving lashes with a whip
It often caused a person’s death before they were crucified
Crucifixion was a Roman method of executing someone by fixing them to a cross
Worked Example
When Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”, how did Jesus respond?
[1 mark]
A. “I am.”
B. “You have said so.”
C. “It is not for you to know.”
D. “My kingdom is not of this world.”
Answer:
B. “You have said so.”
These are the words Jesus used in reply to Pilate. A: “I am” is what Jesus said to the High Priest in the trial before the Sanhedrin, and D: “My kingdom is not of this world” is from the account of these events in John’s gospel.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The story of Jesus’s trial and crucifixion is one of the most famous stories in the world, so when you revise this section of the course, make sure you stick only to the words and events recorded in Mark’s Gospel. Do not include facts that you have learned from other gospels or seen in movies or TV adaptations.
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