in the preparations for the most solemn feast of the year.  They looked at Nicodemus furiously, and could not reply, but continued to question the witnesses in a still more precipitate and imprudent manner.  Two witnesses at last came forward, who said, ’This man said, “I will destroy this Temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands;"’ however, even these witnesses did not agree in their statements, for one said that the accused wished to build a new Temple, and that he had eaten the Pasch in an unusual place, because he desired the destruction of the ancient Temple; but the other said, ’Not so:  the edifice where he ate the Pasch was built by human hands, therefore he could not have referred to that.’

The wrath of Caiphas was indescribable; for the cruel treatment which Jesus had suffered, his Divine patience, and the contradiction of the witnesses, were beginning to make a great impression on many persons present, a few hisses were heard, and the hearts of some were so touched that they could not silence the voice of their consciences.  Ten soldiers left the court under pretext of indisposition, but in reality overcome by their feelings.  As they passed by the place where Peter and John were standing, they exclaimed, ’The silence of Jesus of Nazareth, in the midst of such cruel treatment, is superhuman:  it would melt a heart of iron:  the wonder is, that the earth does not open and swallow such reprobates as his accusers must be.  But tell us, where must we go?’ The two Apostles either mistrusted the soldiers, and thought they were only seeking to betray them, or they were fearful of being recognised by those around and denounced as disciples of Jesus, for they only made answer in a melancholy tone:  ’If truth calls you, follow it, and all will come right of itself.’  The soldiers instantly went out of the room, and left Jerusalem soon after.  They met persons on the outskirts of the town, who directed them to the caverns which lay to the south of Jerusalem, on the other side of Mount Sion, where many of the Apostles had taken refuge.  These latter were at first alarmed at seeing strangers enter their hiding-place; but the soldiers soon dispelled all fear, and gave them an account of the sufferings of Jesus.

The temper of Caiphas, which was already perturbed, became quite infuriated by the contradictory statements of the two last witnesses, and rising from his seat he approached Jesus, and said:  ’Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee?’

Jesus neither raised his head nor looked at the High Priest, which increased the anger of the latter to the greatest degree; and the archers perceiving this seized our Lord by the hair, pulled his head back, and gave him blows under the chin; but he still kept his eyes cast down.  Caiphas raised his hands, and exclaimed in an enraged tone:  ’I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us if thou be Christ the Messiah, the son of the living God?’