Rome and the East
This scene takes place at night, and at dawn Peter makes his denial, and
a cock crows (:–). Immediately in the morning, having taken coun-
cil, the high priest with the elders and scribes and the whole council bring
Jesus bound before Pilate, who asks him a different question, ‘‘Are you the
king of the Jews?’’ The high priests make further accusations, receiving no
reply (:–). There follows an episode involving the custom of releasing
a prisoner on the occasion of Pesach, the crowd’s demand for the release of
Barabbas, ‘‘imprisoned with his insurgents [stasiastai], who had committed
murder in the uprising [stasis],’’ Pilate’s dialogue with the crowd, its demands
for the crucifixion of Jesus, the release of Barabbas, and the delivery of Jesus
for crucifixion. Jesus, now apparently outside, is taken within the house or
praitōrion(praetorium), abused by the soldiers, and led off (:–). Simon
the Cyrenaican is commandeered en route, the procession reaches Golgotha,
and the crucifixion takes place at the third hour, the cross being inscribed
‘‘The king of the Jews,’’ in what language is not stated (:–).
The whole account, from the arrest to the inscription on the cross, occu-
pies fifty-six verses, or a little over one chapter. It involves two examinations
of Jesus, one at night in the house of the high priest and one in the early
morning in the residence, orpraitōrion, of Pilate; but it represents no formal
trial or verdict. The phrase which Mark uses of deliberations in the morn-
ing,symboulion poiēsantes(:), might indeed be read as meaning ‘‘having
held a council meeting’’; but where he uses it elsewhere it means no more
than ‘‘took counsel’’ or even ‘‘conspired’’ against Jesus (:). Pilate’s order for
crucifixion is prompted by the demands of the crowd.
MatthewMatthew’s account has an almost exactly similar structure, beginning with
a Last Supper for the eating of thepascha(:–). The mob which arrests
Jesus, however, comes from the high priests and elders of the people (laos).
The high priest to whose house Jesus is brought is identified as Caiaphas, and
this time the high priests are omitted from the list of those who assemble
there (who are described as ‘‘the scribes and the elders,’’ :). None the less,
those reported as seeking false testimony against Jesus are then described as
‘‘the high priests and the whole council’’ (:). The reported dialogue is
closely similar, and it is followedagain, at dawn, by the taking of counsel by
the high priests and the elders of the people, who bring Jesus bound before
Pilate (:–). After a complete inserted episode relating to Judas and the
thirty pieces of silver (:–), Jesus appears before Pilate and is again asked,
‘‘Are you the king of the Jews?’’ The episode of Barabbas follows, with the