The chief priests and other dignitaries who held sway in the Jewish syna gogues, were stirred up nearly to mad ness by jealousy of His success, and eagerly accepted the offer of an unwor thy apostle, Judas Iscariot (i. c., appar ently of Kerioth in Judea) to betray hir Lord. A manufactured charge of His blasphemy led to the condemnation of Jesus by His deadly foe, the high priest, but as the power of His life and death rested not with the Jewish authorities, hut with the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, a charge of disaffection to the imperial government was manufac tured, as it was felt that the heathen Roman would not attach any weight to the alleged blasphemy. The procurator had discernment to see clearly that what he was required to do was to sanction a. judicial murder, and for some time re fused to become partner in the Jewish ruler's guilt. But as the cry, "Crucify him," "crucify him," continued to rise from the multitude, he resolved to avoid unpopularity at the expense of moral principle, and gave sentence that it should be as the Jews required. The crucifixion therefore took place (Matt.
xxvii; Mark xv; Luke xxiii; John xix). Friday was the day when the nefarious deed was done, and three days later, or early on Sunday morning, news was brought to the Apostles, and the Church generally by certain women of their company who had visited the sepulcher, that a resurrection had taken place (Matt. xxviii; Mark xvi; Luke xxiv; John xx, xxi). At a subsequent interview with their risen Lord He gave the Apostles and their successors a commission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matt. xxviii, 19, etc.) ; and about 40 days after the crucifixion He led them out as far as Bethany and lifted up His hands and blessed them. "And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven" (Luke xxiv: 50, 51). He had predicted His cruel death, His resurrection on the third day (Matt. xx: 19), and His ascen sion (John xx: 17), and had intimated that at a future period He would again return to the earth in glory (Matt. xxvi: 64, etc.).