Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1908
Source: From RevoltLib.com
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
And the elders and the scribes gathered at the high priest’s place. And when everyone has gathered, they brought Jesus there, and the high priest asked him what his teaching was about and who were his disciples. Jesus said: “I have always spoken before everyone and hided nothing from anyone. What do you ask me about? Ask those who have heard and understood my teaching, they will tell you.” When Jesus said that, one of the guards struck Jesus on his face and said: “To whom are you talking? Is this the way to respond to the high priest?” Jesus said: “If I said something bad, tell me, what’s wrong with what I said. And if I didn’t say anything wrong, then why did you hit me?” The high priest and the elders tried to accuse Jesus, but did not find enough evidences to prosecute him. Then they found two false witnesses, and those witnesses said about Jesus as if he told that he would destroy the temple and build it again for three days. The high priest asked Jesus: “What do you say to this?” But Jesus said nothing. Then the high priest said to him: “So, tell me, you are the Christ, the son of God?” Jesus said: “Yes, I am the son of God.” Then the high priest shouted: "You blaspheme against God. What other evidences do we need? You have all heard him blaspheme!” And the high priest addressed the Assembly and said: “Now you have heard by yourselves that he blasphemes against God. What do you charge him to?” And they all told: “To death.” And then all the people in there, including guards, jumped on Jesus and began to spit in his face and beat him on his cheeks. They covered his eyes, slapped on his face, and asked: “Come on, the son of God, guess who hit you?” Jesus was silent. (Mark 14, 53, John 18, 19-23; Matthew 26, 59-68)
Questions:
1) What did the high priest ask Jesus about?
2) What did he answer?
3) What did one guard do?
4) What did Jesus tell him?
5) What did the false witnesses tell?
6) What did the high priest ask, and what did Jesus answer?
7) What did the high priest say, and what did they charge Jesus to?
8) How did they harass Jesus?