Did the Sanhedrin have the right to put someone to death?
Caiaphas and the Jewish authorities had no legal right to execute anyone. The Romans held that “right” closely and even some rulers over regions didn’t even have the right to execute people. There were cases when the Jews stoned someone to death for blasphemy and the Roman authorities didn’t pursue any punishments for the people involved. As a matter of fact, several times in the Gospels people pick up stones to kill Jesus, but each time Jesus supernaturally escapes.
So the question is why didn’t Caiaphas and the other Jewish leaders just have Jesus stoned? The answer is probably political. Jesus was very popular, especially among the common people. It was one thing to disagree with Jesus, quite another to kill him for it, so it was politically expedient to have the Romans execute Jesus. That way they would appear to be helpful to the Romans at the same time they got rid of a person who was very critical of the religious authorities in Israel.
I think there is a bigger reason than Caiaphas ever could have imagined in having both the Jewish authorities and the Romans involved in his death. I think the reason it happened that way was so when the question is asked, who killed Jesus, the answer is “we did”. Whether you come from a Jewish heritage (the Jewish leaders) or a gentile heritage (the Roman authorities) our ancestors played a part in Jesus’ death. He died because of us and for us, which is the beauty of the Gospel.
Tom Quaid
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