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NOTE BY THE ARTIST

Cunningly conceived indeed was that signal of the kiss; for in the very act of betrayal, Judas thus covered his own treachery; and, had the plot failed, it would even have appeared as if, when “all the disciples forsook him and fled” Judas alone had courage, in the hour of danger, to stand by and openly to acknowledge Jesus as his Master.

JESUS EXAMINED BY CAIAPHAS

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death.  But found none:  yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none.  At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.  And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?  But Jesus held his peace.  And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.  Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said:  nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.  What think ye?  They answered and said, He is guilty of death.—­St. Matt, xxvi:  57—­66.

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NOTE BY THE ARTIST

The outward ceremonial of the hastily convoked and Irregular tribunal before which Jesus underwent the mockery of a trial was similar to that of the ancient Sanhedrim.  The members sat on a semi-circular divan, the president in the centre, and a scribe at each extremity, who recorded the evidence and the decisions of the court.  It may be noted, that while laws had been carefully formulated for the conduct of such trials, almost every one of them was flagrantly violated on the present occasion in order to ensure a pre-arranged condemnation.  For example, these rules provided that witnesses should be summoned, and that an advocate should plead on behalf of the accused; and they forbade that criminal trials should be conducted at night, that condemnation should be pronounced on the day of trial or on a holy day; and, if the crime were capital, that execution should follow on the day of sentence.

JESUS IS THRICE DENIED BY PETER