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122 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. of the throne of Isracl, and that he claimed himself to be the Son of God, sent to restore thic courage of Isracl. for hc, the King of Judca, would soon ascend the throne of his lilccsturs.
I do not wish 10 attribute to Jesus the role of revo. lutionist, but it seems to me very probable that Jesus worked upon the people with the view of re-establishing the throne which belonged to him by riglit ol inlicritance. Divincly inspired and at the same time convinced that his pretentions were legitimate, Jesus preached the spiritual union of the people in order that a political union might result.
Alaricd at these rumors, Pilatc called the learned inen and tlic clders of the people together and ordered them to forbid Jesus to preach publicly, and even to condemn him in the temple under the charge of apostacy. This was thic best way of ridding himself of a dangerous mari, of whose royal origin Pilatc kucw and wliose fame was increasing among the people.
We must remark bere that far from persecuting Jesus tlie Israelites rccognizing in hin the decendant of thic illustrious dynasty of David, made him the object of their secret hopes, as is proven by the Scriptures which relate that Jesus preached freely and openly in thic temple in the presence of the cldcrs, who could have forbidden him not only access to the temple, but even more, tlic right to prcach.
By Pilate's order, the Sanhedrim inct and summoned Jesus to appcar bcfore its tribunal. Attlic close of the inquest the members of the Sanhedrim informed Pilate that liis suspicions were groundless, as Jesus made only a religious propaganda and not a political one; that he preached the livine word and that furthermore he claimed to have come went to overthrow, but
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