The Trial and Death of Jesus

Cohn provides fresh insight into the trial of Jesus, approaching it from the perspective of one steeped in Jewish tradition and extremely knowledgeable of the law and legal proceedings. Cohn's work, however, both profits from and suffers from his experience with the legal profession. Lawyers, especially trial lawyers, have trouble writing sober history. They are geared to literary polemic. Almost everything they write is a brief for one position or another. "The Trial of Jesus" is a brief for the proposition that the Sanhedrin's aim was not the punishment, but the salvation of Jesus. By Cohn's lights, the Sanhedrin worked diligently to avert Jesus' trial for the capital offense of treason. Although his argument is ingenious, it fails to carry the day. It suffers from a number of flaws, not the least of which are set forth below: 1. There was no public prosecutor in the days of the Roman Empire. All prosecutions were instituted by private citizens or groups of private citizens. (See The Criminal Law of Ancient Rome, pp. 4-5. Also see Acts 24:1). 2. The Gospels name Jesus' prosecutor before Pilate, and the prosecutor is the Sanhedrin. (See Mark 15:1. The Greek "sunedrion" is translated "council" in most translations [probably because most readers would be unfamiliar with the term "sanhedrin"], but a few versions translate "sunedrion" as "sanhedrin"). 3. The Sanhedrin's best course of action if they didn't want Jesus punished was to decline to prosecute him. Throughout history various people have sought to inculpate selected people or groups and/or exculpate other people or groups for Jesus' crucifixion. The most recently published attempt at exoneration is "The Gospel of Judas," which seeks to prove that Judas was just following orders when he handed Jesus over to the soldiers. Efforts to fix the blame for something that happened almost 2,000 years ago are interesting exercises in academic parsing, but should make little difference here and now. As Ezekiel said, when the parents eat sour grapes, the children's teeth are not to be set on edge.

Haim Cohn was a Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court and this 1963 book is a must addition for any biblical scholar, especially anyone interested in the life of Jesus. Cohn goes through everything we know (or think we know) about the trial and death of Jesus, in excruciating detail, with an expert's knowledge of the Gospels, the Jewish and the Roman laws. Although, at times, the English is less than perfect, and Cohn's overuse of legal terms is annoying, the book reads well and the documentation is exceedingly good.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. Justice Cohn with a sharp legal mind, brings much enlightment and clarification to what may have truly transpired before, during and after Jesus's trial. While always remaining respectful of the religious belief of the various sects involved, he forces the reader to stop, think and analyse logically and legally, sensible points of view. He takes in turn, the position of a prosecutor ... and a defense lawyer ... both having prepared well their case and are now ready to systematically argue the facts, the evidences, the suppositions, the contradictions and to validate each, while explaining the motivation as to why it was so written, said or reported. The story of Jesus's trial slowly unfolding is very revealing on its historical and political base. If only Justice Cohn would now use his detailed and logical approach, to explain and clarify some of the old testament passages that are highly questionable and nonsensical. For instance ... there are events that happened during the course of our lives, that were so drastic, so important, that the memory of them will stay with us until the very last breath of our earthly existence. The pilot of the Enola Gay who dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, will attest to this fact. Who among us doesn't remember exactly where they were and what they were doing at the time when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, or when the twin towers of the World Trade Center were hit? These events are forever so deeply imprinted in our memory, that they can never to be forgotten. Strangely enough, when Moses parted the water walls of the Red Sea, each of the thousands of escaping Jews, witnessed singularly, what would be, not only the irrefutable proof of the existance of God Almighty, but of His ultimate power. A miraculous event so fantastic, that the memory of it would be forever burned in their individual mind. So 'WHY' would they shortly after, ...(while Moses was said to be at the top of Mount Sinai, retrieving God's 10 commandments)... gather and melt all their gold jewelry, erect a golden pagan calf and worship it? What about God?? The Red Sea?? All forgotten?? Really?? Either the story of Moses splitting the Red Sea is unfounded??? ... or the worshipping of the gloden calf is false?? ... but both cannot logically be true jointly. It goes against all common sense and known reasonnable human behavior. Such biblical stories like this one are numerous and invite scrutiny, that a man such as Justive Cohn with his detailed and logical mind and historical knowledge would be welcomed to explain and clarify. I also recommend reading: The Bloodline Of Jesus Christ by author Lawrence Gardner.

At last a refutation of the misconception that the Jewish leaders killed Jesus. Contrary to what the majority of scholars say, the Jewish people had no reason to oppose Jesus. Oppose him for what? Preaching Torah? Healing the sick? Teaching the love of God? Cohn's book details how the Jewish leaders attempted to save Jesus and how no trial took place, rather a hearing that carried out that attempt. Essential reading for all scholars. Its arguments are meticulous and perpiscacious in anticipating and refuting the traditional objections. One of the best books you could own.

The former Israeli judge offers a superlative analysis of the trial and eeath of Jesus, showing step by step what truly must have happened. He explains what the Jews could and could not have done, Jesus' position, and the implications of a trail and sentence on Passover. A must read.