The trials of Christ (Matt 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-72, 15:1-15) - JSS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note

There were basically two separate trials of Jesus – The Jewish trial and the Roman trial. After Judas had betrayed Jesus Christ, he was arrested and taken to Caiaphas, the high priest where the members of Sanhedrin– The highest Jewish council- gathered. At the trial, false accusations were made against him. They said he had said that he would destroy the Temple and build another, not made with hands, in three days. Jesus did not answer the charges because they were false. The high priest then asked Jesus whether he was the son of God and when he agreed, he said Jesus was to die because of that. The people spat on him and hit him with their fists. They covered his eyes and asked him to identify who it was that struck him.

 Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard watching the trial of Jesus. One of the maids of the high priest accused Peter twice that he was with Jesus, but he denied both. After a while, the bystanders also accused Peter for the third time that he was one of the disciples of Jesus; for he was a Galilean. Immediately Peter denied Jesus for the third time, the cock crowed the second time. Jesus looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the words of Jesus that before the cock crowed twice he would deny him three times. Peter felt sorry for having disappointed Jesus by denying him. He went out and wept bitterly.

In the morning, the council met and decided to take Jesus to be tried. The punishment for the offense by Jewish law is the death penalty, but being a colony of the Roman Empire, they did not have the power to pass the death sentence. They had to take Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman representative he was tried the second time and found guilty, although he was innocent.