APPROACH TO PROBLEM 3: Examine trial in light of understood practices Trial of Socrates: ---History of tolerance of Socrates up to age 70 ---Humorous references to religion in plays (e.g., rain is Zeus urinating through a sieve, Zeus as promiscuous, Zeus as henpecked, etc.) ---Socrates was bi-sexual and slept with some of his male students Trial of Jesus: ---High tension surrounded Passovers (e.g, the fart in 50 AD that killed thousands; the Caligula statue incident in 41 AD) ---Anger over "dual purpose" use of Temple ---Crucifixion was a Roman punishment, stoning was the form of capital punishment practiced by Jews ---Pilate could have removed Jesus to Caesaria for trial ---Pilate removed as prefect in 36 AD for brutality and had little concern for Jewish sensibilities (e.g., effigies of Caesar in Jerusalem) ---No record of ever offering people choice to release one of two prisoners during Passover or at any other time |