11 THE ARREST OF ENQUIRY 41 



his appeal to the nation. According to the story, 

 his daring in clearing the holy temple of money- 

 changers and traders led to his appearance before 

 the Sanhedrin, the highest judicial council his 

 plainness of speech raised the fury of the sects ; 

 and when, dreaming of a purer faith, he spoke 

 ominous words about the destruction of the temple, 

 the charge of blasphemy was laid against him. His 

 guilt was made clear to his judges when, answering a 

 question of the high priest, he declared himself to be 

 the Messiah. This, involving claim to kingship over 

 the Jews, and therefore rebellion against the Empire, 

 was made the plea of haling him before the Roman 

 governor, Pontius Pilate, for trial. Pilate, looking 

 upon the whole affair as a local emeute, was disin- 

 clined to severity, but nothing short of the death of 

 Jesus as a blasphemer (although his chief offence, in 

 the eyes of the Jews, appears to have been his dis- 

 claimer of earthly sovereignty) would satisfy the angry 

 mob. Amidst their taunts and jeers he was taken to 

 a place named Calvary, and there put to death by the 

 torturing process of crucifixion, or, the particular 

 mode not being clear, of transfixion on a stake. 



The tragic event, on which, as is still widely 

 held, hang the destinies of mankind to the end of 

 time, attracted no attention outside Judaea. In the 

 Roman eye, cold, contemptuous, and practical, it was 

 but the execution of a troublesome fanatic who had 

 embroiled himself with his fellow-countrymen, and 

 added the crime of sedition to the folly of blasphemy. 

 Pilate himself passed on, without more ado, to the 

 next duty. ' Tradition, anxious to prove that retri- 

 bution followed his criminal act, as it was judged in 



