> The high priest's reaction shows that his claim to be the Messiah/Christ/Son
> of the Blessed was rejected, and that a claim to such a sacred office by a
> man
> whom they believe to be demonized (John 8:48) was to be punished with the
> greatest severity.
Since it is rather unlikely that the narrator was present at the inteview, or
had seen a record taken down by someone who was, as a historical matter it
seems to me that all we can speak of is the intentions of the author. This
is
especially so in view of the fact that there I do not believe that there is
much reason to think that in terms of Jewish law such a claim was one that
would be punished.