Thou Art With Me
by John Paul Strain

 Palace of Caiaphas, Jerusalem

            April 6, 32 AD

            When Jesus was led away from the garden of Gethsemane by a great multitude of Roman soldiers and armed men sent by the chief priests and elders of the Jews, he was taken to the palace of Caiaphas.  There in the chief priest’s palace he was put on trial illegally by the scribes, elders and council, as Jewish law forbids trials to be held at .

            The chief priest and leaders conducting the trial sought anyone who would bear false witness against Jesus, but no one spoke.  Finally two came forward to accuse Jesus of committing blasphemy.  Jesus was held that night until the next morning.  At daybreak he was brought before the chief priest, elders and scribes, the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court in the land.  This trial was short, and voted unanimously that Jesus was to be taken to the Roman                      governor Pontius Pilate, as they did not have the authority to order a death sentence.

            John Paul Strain’s Grandfather was a minister of the 1^st Christian Church in Texas, his father also an ordained minister in the Church.  John Paul Strain is thrilled to now have the opportunity to share his talent in a different                  genre and one that is most important to him and carry on his family tradition of faith.