Romeo V Pefianco
(Editor’s note: The slow march to the cross meant dying a thousand times as noted by the author.)
THE Jewish highest court, the great Sanhedrin, had its own laws. So far as Jesus was concerned the most important was: "A tribe, a false prophet and a high priest are not judged saved by a court of seventyone."
No trial was ever without witnesses because Jewish law was based on the testimony of others than the defendant. The judges performed three roles: "Prosecutor, defense counsel and final court of appeals."
No lawyer in Jewish court
There were no lawyers to plead for or against, other than the judges. No member of the Sanhedrin, no matter how prejudicial, could hear one side of a case without insisting on hearing the other.
In criminal cases the sentences were severe. There were no prisons or asylums. Exile/banishment was a minor sentence.
Easy sentence of death
The usual sentence was death in one of four ways: Stoning, burning, decapitation or strangulation. Of the four the most common was STONING, that was accomplished by gathering a crowd and pushing the condemned from a high place. The crowd looked down and threw stones at him until he was dead.
Roman governor has last say
Before each sentence of death could be carried out it was elevated to the Roman Procurator, who usually affirmed it without question. The Procurator might summon the accused and accusers and hear the case before his own judicial chair.
If he reversed the verdict, the condemned was acquitted and the Sanhedrin was powerless.
If he confirmed it, the Roman Governor often forced the prisoner to undergo the Roman form of execution: Crucifixion.
Tiberius as emperor
During Jesus’ entire ministry Tiberius was the emperor. He was described in many ways as a just though merciless man. His rule in the province was more efficient than at home, and the legate or procurator whom Tiberius caught oppressing subject peoples was subject to the unpleasantness of his anger. He was chronically suspicious and he used informers.
Pilate to Palestine
He appointed Pontius Pilate to the small post of Procurator of Palestine on the endorsement of Pilate’s wife and of Sejanus, a confidant and spy. He once said that he liked to keep procurators in office for long periods on the theory that, once they had fattened on their stealings from the people, they would leave the people alone.
Palestine was seldom a source of worry to the Legate in Syria. It was small and weak and without a native army. At the time of the trouble between Jesus and the high priests Palestine or parts of it had been a protectorate and a province of Rome for 93 years.
Army of Rome
In long-term strategy the Roman Army was superb. The main unit of the army was called a legion consisting of 4,500 men: 3,000 heavy infantry, 1,200 light infantry and 300 horsemen. Each legion was commanded by a tribune.
In Palestine the Twelfth Legion was divided into two brigades. The first, composed of Roman soldiers, served at Caesarea. The second, mostly Syrians, was quartered along the Arabian frontier and garrisoned at Fortress Antonia.
Cross for Jesus and the two thieves
Journalist Jim Bishop describes as "trees" from the Roman soldiers’ supply room the second part of a timber to be used for crucifixion. The cross was actually a crosspiece placed on the right shoulder of the three condemned men. (Jim Bishop wrote a book on the last 24 hours in the life of Christ in the early 1960s.)
The upright part of the cross was always left standing at the place of execution and was used many times. The crosspiece was of cypress, about three inches by five inches and six feet long.
30 pounds of weight
The crosspiece weighed about 30 pounds and was fashioned roughly with an adze by the executioner. Near the bottom of the crosspiece, at the center, was an oblong mortise so that the crosspiece would fit over the upright piece. The sign would be nailed here and the spikes would lock both pieces of the cross together.
Abenadar, the executioner, was worried only about Jesus. The thieves had not been scourged and were strong. Jesus had trouble holding himself erect, without trying to carry a 30-pound timber.
The last few hours
The centurion ordered the start of the march and watched Jesus stagger under his burden, his eyes doggedly on the back of the soldier immediately in front of him.
In a few more hours Jesus would hang from the crosspiece nailed to the upright timber. It was 3 p.m., Friday, April 7, A.D. 30 at Golgotha. (Comments are welcome at rvp@fastmail.ph.inter.net)
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