No trial has so challenged the western world or charged our emotions as the trial of Jesus Christ by the Jewish and Roman authorities in Palestine. Other trials were passive and routine compared with the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. No person has been hated more than the totally innocent Jesus. The trials of Jesus Christ had four main features: the arrest, the Jewish trial, the Roman trial, and the crucifixion and execution of the sentence. The arrest occurred very late at night on Passover 31 AD, when a mob guided by Judas and led by the chief priests and captains of the Temple came with swords and clubs to seize Him. The Jewish trial was marked by numerous illegalities, as was the arrest, and the Roman trial was necessary because the Jewish court could not execute and required Roman concurrence for its verdict. The arrest of Jesus was riddled with illegalities. It was conducted at night, which was against the law, achieved through the agency of a traitor, Judas, and lacked a specific and formal accusation of wrongdoing to be presented in court. These errors should have resulted in an immediate acquittal of Jesus. The use of Judas, who was an accomplice and took a bribe, violated Hebrew law, which forbade such testimony. Additionally, there was no formal accusation made by Judas to the authorities before the arrest, rendering the process further illegal. The Jewish trial itself was conducted with blatant disregard for legal standards. It was held at night, on the day before the Sabbath, completed within one 24-hour period, secured a conviction based on the defendant's own confession, and concluded with a unanimous verdict, which was invalid under Hebrew law. The trial began with a private examination before Annas, which was illegal as it was by night, by a single judge, and attempted to compel Jesus to testify against Himself. There was no formal indictment at the start, and much time was wasted trying to find a charge. Eventually, Caiaphas illegally interrogated Jesus under oath, asking if He was the Christ, the Son of God, leading to a conviction for blasphemy. This act violated the rule that the high priest must remain silent and vote last to avoid influencing others. Further illegalities included the trial's timing on a preparation day before a feast, which was forbidden, and the lack of a required delay between hearings in capital cases to allow judges time for reflection. The unanimous vote to condemn Jesus was also against Hebrew law, as it indicated the absence of any defender in court, akin to mob violence. Most critically, there was no defense provided for Jesus, a fundamental right absent in the proceedings, exposing the trial as a manifestation of hatred by the authorities against Him. Had proper legal steps been followed, the trial should have inquired into the truth of Jesus' claims to be the Messiah and the unique Son of God. The Sanhedrin failed to ask for signs or evidence to verify His claims, revealing the trial as a judicial murder rather than a fair inquiry. A defense could have included Old Testament prophecies such as the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, which Jesus fulfilled, being born of a virgin, descending from the house of David through both His mother and adopted father, and having a forerunner like Elijah in John the Baptist. Additionally, Jesus performed prophesied miracles, made a public entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, was betrayed by a close friend for 30 pieces of silver, and was despised and rejected by the leaders, all aligning with scriptural predictions. Regarding His claim to be the unique Son of God, Old Testament references suggest a divine Messiah, called the Mighty God and uniquely begotten of God, supporting Jesus' assertion, which the Sanhedrin refused to consider or investigate.

The trial of Jesus Christ stands as an extraordinary event, unmatched in its impact and implications throughout history. No other trial has so profoundly challenged and charged the emotions of the Western world as this series of proceedings conducted by Jewish and Roman authorities in Palestine. The trials of Jesus Christ unfolded in several distinct stages. Following His arrest late at night on Passover, around 11 or 12 o'clock in AD 31, by a mob guided by Judas and led by chief priests and temple captains wielding swords and clubs, the Jewish trial commenced with three phases. The first was a preliminary hearing before Annas, during which Jesus refused to testify against Himself and was unjustly struck by a court officer for demanding a proper trial under Jewish law. Recognizing His resolute stance and knowledge of the law, Annas sent Him to Caiaphas for the second stage, a predawn informal trial before the Sanhedrin. Here, various witnesses gave conflicting testimony and were dismissed, pushing the trial toward acquittal until Caiaphas illegally intervened, charging Jesus under oath. When Jesus affirmed His divine identity as the Messiah and Son of God, He was immediately convicted of blasphemy by unanimous vote and deemed deserving of death. The third stage occurred at daybreak, where the Sanhedrin formally reiterated the questioning and ratified the condemnation to lend a veneer of legality to the proceedings. The Roman trial followed, necessary because the Jewish court could not execute and required Roman concurrence. This trial also had three parts: an initial appearance before Pilate, who unexpectedly hesitated and attempted to free Jesus; a referral to Herod, who returned Him to Pilate; and ultimately, despite being pronounced innocent, Jesus was handed over for crucifixion. This execution marked the final feature of these events, carrying out the sentence of both courts. Throughout the Jewish trial, numerous illegalities surfaced, driven by a superficial adherence to legal form while underlying motives betrayed justice. Witnesses were hastily gathered in the middle of the night, their testimonies often vain and dismissed as irrelevant. Even when two witnesses accused Jesus of claiming to destroy and rebuild the temple in three days, their evidence was legally overthrown. Frustrated, Caiaphas resorted to a shrewd but illegal tactic, demanding Jesus answer under a solemn oath whether He was the divine Messiah. Jesus' affirmative response led to His conviction for blasphemy, exposing the deep-seated intent to condemn Him despite the stringent protections of Jewish law, renowned as one of the most merciful and careful judicial systems known to man. The trial of Jesus Christ reveals the profound paradox of His nature and purpose. Despite the meticulous safeguards of Hebrew law, designed to protect the accused and seek acquittal, the hearts of those implementing the system orchestrated His condemnation. Jesus, the innocent One, faced a trial under the best legal framework, yet was sentenced to death, demonstrating the capacity for human nature to subvert even the most just systems.

The trial of Jesus Christ of Nazareth stands as history's greatest miscarriage of justice, deemed the Mistrial of the Millennium. Occurring over a mere nine hours, this trial was marked by profound injustice as they condemned the Son of God to death. As the Passover approaches, just two and a half weeks away, it is fitting to review the events and the illegalities that transpired during this critical moment. Setting the stage, Jesus foretold His imminent suffering, speaking with calm resolve to His disciples. He declared He would not eat or drink again until the Kingdom of God, indicating the immediacy of His betrayal and death. Despite the outward calm, His inner turmoil was evident as He prepared them for the hours ahead, showing love and concern even amidst His own agony. During His arrest, the first illegality emerged as a multitude, possibly including hundreds, came without a warrant or formal charge. No evidence was presented beforehand, marking a clear violation of legal norms. Jesus, aware of the power of darkness at work, still showed compassion by healing a man during this unlawful seizure. The second illegality occurred with a private interrogation by Annas, a former high priest, conducted at night, against Jewish law which prohibited night proceedings and secret examinations. Jesus challenged Annas, asserting He had spoken openly and demanding evidence, knowing the proceeding was invalid. The third illegality was a false indictment before the Sanhedrin, where judges sought evidence against Him after His arrest, reversing the legal process which required witnesses to bring charges first. This took place at the high priest's house at night, further violating legal standards. Night trials, the fourth illegality, were explicitly forbidden, with proceedings required to occur between sunrise and sunset. The timing, marked by the cock's crow at sunrise, confirmed the illegality of these nocturnal sessions. The fifth illegality was trying a capital offense on the preparation day for a Sabbath, specifically the Passover, the 14th of Nissan, which was the eve of the first Day of Unleavened Bread, a time when such trials were prohibited. False testimony formed the seventh illegality, as witnesses misrepresented Jesus' words about the temple, claiming He spoke of destroying the physical structure, while He referred to His own body. Their testimonies did not agree, failing the requirement for two or three consistent witnesses. The eighth illegality was forcing self-incrimination, as Jewish law protected against such coercion, akin to modern rights against self-incrimination. Jesus, under oath by Caiaphas, answered indirectly, referencing scriptures without directly blaspheming. The ninth illegality was condemning Him for blasphemy, a charge He did not commit, as He neither cursed God nor uttered the forbidden name, using proper euphemisms in His responses. The tenth illegality was the high priest tearing his clothes, an emotional outburst that prejudiced other judges, violating the requirement for impartiality and controlled conduct during trials. The eleventh illegality was denying Jesus a defense, as the merits of His case were not weighed, contravening the principle that the accused must be allowed to defend Himself. The twelfth illegality was the court's failure to summon potential defenders like Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus, rendering the Sanhedrin incomplete and the trial a kangaroo court with no defense counsel present. The thirteenth illegality was a unanimous guilty verdict, which under Jewish law resulted in an acquittal due to the absence of a defender among the judges, yet they proceeded to condemn Him. The fourteenth illegality was pronouncing the sentence in a forbidden place, initially at Caiaphas' house, with a second trial staged in daylight to feign legality, though still not in the appointed court. The fifteenth illegality was the disqualification of many Sanhedrin members, including Annas and Caiaphas, d