When Jesus is on the point of going in, rabbi Gamaliel arrives at the same time, and the guards give the Prisoner a strong pull, so that He may give way to the rabbi of Israel. But the latter, as stiff as a statue, with a stately attitude slackens his pace and, hardly moving his lips, without looking at anyone, he asks: «Who are You? Tell me.» And Jesus kindly replies: «Read the prophets and you will have the answer. They contain the first sign. The other one will come.»
Gamaliel gathers his mantle and goes in. Jesus enters behind him. While
Gamaliel goes to one of the seats, Jesus is dragged to the middle of the hall, in front of the Pontiff: the true figure of a criminal. And they wait until all the members of the Sanhedrin arrive.
Then the session begins. But Caiaphas notices that two or three seats are vacant and he asks: «Where is Eleazar? And where is John?»
A young man, a scribe I think, stands up, he bows and says: «They refused to come. Here is their letter. »
«Keep it and make a note of it. They will answer for that. What have the holy members of this Council to say with regard to this man?»
«I will tell you. He infringed the Sabbath in my house. God bears witness that I am not lying. Ishmael ben Fabi never lies.»
«Is it true, defendant?
Jesus is silent.
«I have seen him live with well-known prostitutes. Feigning He was a prophet, He turned His haunt into a brothel, and with heathen women of all people. Sadoc, Callascebona and Nahum Annas' trustee, were with me. Am I telling the truth, Sadoc and Callascebona? Give me the lie, if I deserve it.»
«It is true. Quite true.»
« What do You say?»
Jesus is silent.
«He missed no opportunity to deride us and have us ridiculed, Common people no longer love us through His fault. »
«Do You hear them? You have profaned the holy members. »
Jesus is silent.
«This man is possessed. After He returned from Egypt He has practised black magic. »
«How can you prove it?»
«On my faith and on the tables of the Law.»
«A grave charge. Prove Your innocence.
Jesus is silent.
«Your ministry is illegal, You know that. And liable to death. Speak up.»
«This session of ours is illegal. Stand up, Simeon, and let us go» says Gamaliel.
«Rabbi, have you gone mad?»
«
I respect formulae. It is not lawful to proceed as we are doing. And I will make a public charge against it.» And rabbi Gamaliel goes out, as stiff as a statue, followed by a man about thirty- five years old, who looks like him.
There is a little turmoil and Nicodemus and Joseph take advantage of it to speak in favour of the Martyr.
«
Gamaliel is right. The time and the place are illicit, and the charges are not consistent. Can anybody accuse Him of having notoriously despised the Law? I am a friend of His and I swear that I have always found Him to be respectful of the Law» says Nicodemus.
«
And I, too. And in order not to assent to a crime, I cover my head, not for Him, but for us, and I go out.» And Joseph is about to come down from his seat and go out.
But Caiaphas shouts: «Ah! Is that what you say? Then let the sworn witnesses come. And listen to them. Then you will go away.»
Then two jail-bird figures come in. Elusive looks, cruel sneers, sly ways.
«Speak up.»
«
It is not lawful to listen to both at the same time shouts Joseph.
«I am the High Priest. I give orders. Be silent! »
Joseph strikes the table with his fist and says: «May the fire of Heaven fall upon you! As from this moment be aware that Joseph the Elder is an enemy of the Sanhedrin and a friend of the Christ. And I am going at once to inform the Praetor that a man is being sentenced to death here without the approval of Rome! » and he rushes out giving a violent push to a young thin scribe who would like to hold him back.
Nicodemus goes out more calmly without saying a word. And when going out he passes in front of Jesus and looks at Him. . . (
The Poem of the Man-God: Vol. V, ch. 600, pp. 280-281)
