by Gerry Legister

Created on: March 12, 2009   Last Updated: March 24, 2009

When Jesus was handed over unceremoniously to Pilate, it was because of the betraying action of one of his disciple name Judas, whose sad story points to the bitterness of a life in sin, his name is generally taken to mean the son of perdition, the betrayer on Passover night knew where to find Jesus to emphasize the wickedness of the action. The trial of Jesus is set against a hostile political background, where the accused is examined, judged, and sentenced.

The court of justice was the Jewish Council: In Jerusalem, where the trial of Jesus would take place, the Supreme Court and ruling council of the Jews was the Sanhedrin, this background information helps us to better understand the atmosphere which surrounded the passion of Christ.

The Pharisees were a sect of Jewish religious movement that developed an oral interpretation of the Scriptures, in opposition to them, with contrary views; the Sadducees rejected the oral interpretation of Scriptures by the Pharisees, and centered their activities on the High Priest and the Temple.

In the earlier chapter, we learn that Judas which also betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus often resorted there with his disciples, having spent many moments in the wonderful company of Jesus and the other disciples, the location became a place for prayer and discussion, where the last minute instructions were to be given. No legal transactions including a trial of such magnitude could be conducted at night, that's why the arrest was affected through the agency of an informer and traitor.

But Jesus, had known all along everything that was going to happen to him, when the band of soldiers came in the dead of night, he went out and said to them, "Who are you looking for? After that mild enquiry, we hardly hear Jesus saying much again, he was now resigning to his fate. It was illegal for judges to participate in the arrest of the accused. So they would need an accomplice, and that is where Judas had come into the picture.

Matthew 27:3-10

In Gethsemane over the Cedron brook, Judas was familiar with the night schedule, having received his thirty pieces of silver, and a roguish band of men with officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, they came looking for Jesus, like policemen on dawn raids, with lanterns and torches and crude weapons. In the Old Testament story of Solomon sitting in judgment, Cedron was a designated a forbidden border passes for Shimei.

Realizing he had made a stupid mistake, Judas brought back the thirty pieces of

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