Council of the Chief Priests

Chief priests and elders sit in formal council, robed figures gathered before them in a solemn indoor setting. The raised seating, vessels, and palm branch behind the leaders suggest a religious assembly in Jerusalem where authority, accusation, and judgment are being weighed. The composition evokes the Gospel accounts in which the priestly leaders meet together to decide how to oppose Jesus, revealing the tension between human power and the unfolding purpose of God. This artwork is suited for teaching on the Passion narrative, religious opposition to Christ, unjust judgment, and the councils that preceded the crucifixion.