Chapter 3: What Happened Before Midnight on Thursday Summary and Analysis

An important focus on the arrest and trial of Jesus was the dealings Jewish leaders had with Judas and with Pontius Pilate. First, why did the Jews need Judas? Up to the very last day, Judas appeared to be a loyal follower of Christ - attending a dinner in Jesus' honor at the house of Simon the Leper a few days before. Judas did not appear to be clandestine in his movements. The movements of Jesus were openly public and his arrest could have been accomplished any number of times. One reason that is offered in the Gospel was the fear of the people. In other words, the Jewish High Priests did not want to anger his followers. It was a delicate situation but that was only part of...