At the time in question, the "high priest" was a roman appointee. Caiaphas was despised. ---Herod was almost as despised. All of the people called "tax collectors" were alsoCaiaphas was the high priest and leader of the Sanhedrin. How was he not a Jewish leader? The Sanhedrin were the ones who arrested and tried Jesus. It was Sanhedrin guards who came to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus. The Sanhedrin would have executed Jesus but they did not have the authority to impose capital punishment in his case.
Roman appointees. The people called "money changers" had
their positions under the protection of Rome. Without knowing
the facts of the history of the era-----the NT is a mystery. Did you notice that Jesus was criticized for hanging around with no-good-niks like "tax collectors"? Did your catechism person tell you why? why not? Executing Jesus would not have been a problem
for the Sanhedrin if it found him guilty of a capital crime----like
murder. Sedition against Rome is not a capital crime in jewish law. In fact a person claiming to be a "messiah" is not a capital crime
either-----it is evidence of INSANITY. Barabbas was also guilty of
SEDITION AGAINST ROME----not "theft" as is taught in jelly-bean
school. Theft is not a capital crime in jewish law. Jesus was guilty
of ATTACKING ROMAN APPOINTEES----to wit---the 'money changers' His action amounted to SEDITION AGAINST ROME