Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin to answer the charge of Sabbathbreaking. Had the Jews at this time been an independent nation, such a charge would have served their purpose for putting Him to death. This their subjection to the Romans prevented. The Jews had not the power to inflict capital punishment, and the accusations brought against 205 Christ would have no weight in a Roman court. There were other objects, however, which they hoped to secure. Notwithstanding their efforts to counteract His work, Christ was gaining, even in Jerusalem, an influence over the people greater than their own. Multitudes who were not interested in the harangues of the rabbis were attracted by His teaching. They could understand His words, and their hearts were warmed and comforted. He spoke of God, not as an avenging judge, but as a tender father, and He revealed the image of God as mirrored in Himself. His words were like balm to the wounded spirit. Both by His words and by His works of mercy He was breaking the oppressive power of the old traditions and man-made commandments, and presenting the love of God in its exhaustless fullness. In one of the earliest prophecies of Christ it is written, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." Gen. 49:10. The people were gathering to Christ. The sympathetic hearts of the multitude accepted lessons of love and benevolence in preference to the rigid ceremonies required by the priests. If the priests and rabbis had not interposed, His teaching would have wrought such a reformation as this world has never witnessed. But in order to maintain their own power, these leaders determined to break down the influence of Jesus. His arraignment before the Sanhedrin, and an open condemnation of His teachings, would aid in effecting this; for the people still had great reverence for their religious leaders. Whoever dared to condemn the rabbinical requirements, or attempt to lighten the burdens they had brought upon the people, was regarded as guilty, not only of blasphemy, but of treason. On this ground the rabbis hoped to excite suspicion of Christ. They represented Him as trying to overthrow the established customs, thus causing division among the people, and preparing the way for complete subjugation by the Romans.

Jesus blev ført frem for Sanhedrin for at besvare anklagen for sabbatsbrud. Hvis jøderne på dette tidspunkt havde været et uafhængigt folk, ville en sådan anklage have kunnet bruges til at få ham henrettet. Men dette blev hindret af deres afhængighed af romerne. Jøderne havde ikke magt til at idømme dødsstraf, og de beskyldninger, som de fremførte mod Kristus, ville ikke have megen vægt over for en romersk domstol. Men der var imidlertid andre ting, som de håbede at opnå. På trods af deres bestræbelser for at modarbejde hans gerning var Kristus, selv i Jerusalem, ved at vinde en indflydelse over folket, som var større end deres egen. Mange mennesker, som ikke interesserede sig for de skriftkloges ordgyderi, følte sig tiltrukket af hans lære. De kunne forstå hans ord, og deres hjerter fik hjælp og trøst. Han talte ikke om Gud som en hævnende dommer, men som en kærlig fader, og han åbenbarede dem Guds billede, som det afspejlede sig i ham selv. Hans ord var som balsam for det sårede sind. Både ved sit ord og sine barmhjertighedsgerninger nedbrød han de gamle overleveringers og de menneskeskabte buds knugende magt og forkyndte Guds kærlighed i dens uudtømmelige rigdom.