I Appeal To Caesar!

the Sanhedrin and also by decree of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. That is now past history.

“Now, we face an aftermath of that judgment. Jesus’ body, as you know, was placed in a tomb both sealed and guarded. Somehow, the body of Jesus was stolen and as yet has not been found. His followers, however, are claiming He was resurrected and has now ascended to the right hand of God’s heavenly throne. None of our Jewish leaders have seen this so-called, ‘resurrected’ Jesus, and we all conclude with certainty that this teaching is an absolute fabrication!” Some Sanhedrin members present affirm these statements by standing, shaking their fists, and making strong statements: “This should not be!” “The Jesus People cannot prove what they proclaim!” “These teachings are heretical and blasphemous!” Playing the role of the calm adjudicator, Caiaphas with feigned care and humble gentility, calms his audience, agreeing with the noisy outburst while motioning for them to be seated. “My esteemed friends and defenders of the faith,” his words ooze with false humility, “we are all deeply concerned about our situation, so I have asked you to come tonight to hear first-hand from some of our colleagues who personally challenged Jesus about his teaching, and were rebuked and chastised for their efforts! Caiaphas stands and gestures graciously to those seated on the special chairs to the right and left. “These six men,” he says,” are only representative of the many bold