They dragged Jesus along with them; and, instead of taking him directly to
the proper magistrate, they carried him before Annas, who had no other
character than that of being _father-in-law to the high priest_. John
xviii. 13. Now, if this was only for the purpose of letting him be seen by
him, such a curiosity was not to be gratified; it was a vexatious
proceeding, an irregularity.
From the house of Annas they led him to that of the high priest; all this
time being _bound_. John xviii. 24. They placed him in the court yard; it
was cold, and they made a fire; it was in the night time, but by the light
of the fire Peter was recognised by the people of the palace.
Now the Jewish law prohibited _all proceedings by night_; here, therefore,
there was another infraction of the law.
Under this state of things, his person being forcibly seized and detained
in a private house, and delivered into the hands of servants, in the midst
of a court, how was Jesus treated? St. Luke says, the men that held Jesus
_mocked_ him and _smote_ him; and when they had blindfolded him, they
struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that
smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.
Luke xxii. 63, 64, 65.
Will it be said, as Mr. Salvador does, that all this took place out of the
presence of the senate? Let us wait, in this instance, till the senate
shall be called up, and we shall see how far they protected the accused
person.