I Appeal To Caesar!

Caiaphas admits to himself, however, that he is handsomely compensated. Annas has invented amazing methods to suck money out of the populace and Temple, bringing a handsome return to both Annas and himself: one ingenious way, for instance, is to skim off a nice percentage of the money changers’ returns and the sale of sacrificial animals! “Healthy sheep need to have their wool sheared off!” The two High Priests laugh in agreement as they talk taxes, but not many would join their merriment. * * * * * Family matters are less significant in light of the growing, influential menace of the dead carpenter-preacher, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus’ crucifixion happened two years previously; however, his body is still missing and remains the key piece of an unfinished puzzle! Meanwhile, the followers of Jesus maintain Jesus’ resurrection from the dead did occur and that He has ascended to the throne of God! Caiaphas rants at times about the followers of Jesus: “a kind-of rag-tag army of Galilean peasants—being led by a dozen uneducated commoners (such as five, grubby fishermen and a tax collector!). These people go everywhere proclaiming that Jesus is actually still alive. . . and that those who believe in Him now enter His heavenly Kingdom and possess a heavenly home. Preposterous!” “Jesus of Nazareth—a dead man—still remains ‘the fly in my ointment’!”