Yet all who remained felt that, by doing so, they owned themselves convinced; many indeed were partisans of Caiaphas.
Then, seeing the moment of his victory come, Caiaphas rose and addressed the council: "Men of Israel, Rulers, Chief Priests, Sadducees; I see that ye are ready to quit you like men and not allow this agitator to provoke the people. Is it, then, agreed that an order go forth to capture this wily Man and to bring Him before Pilate for examination?"
Purposely the cunning Caiaphas omitted the word condemnation. To bring the Nazarene before Pontius Pilate did not necessarily mean to condemn Him to death; albeit that Caiaphas knew that the one would lead to the other; but the artful ignoring of the words that would imply the Saviour's sentence carried the day with those he was addressing.
"Yes, we are agreed," they shouted. "Let Him have fair hearing before Pilate." And hastily, lest fresh objections should be raised or conditions made, to give no time for the tide of political assent to turn, Caiaphas descended the steps of the Tribunal and hurried away, leaving Annas to conclude the business of the day.
And that day an order was published throughout Jerusalem and all Judæa, including Galilee, that if any one set eyes on the Nazarene, He should be brought before Pilate.
