Jews. And Pilate did not think it worth his attention to take any notice of that, seeing him in such mean circumstances, without one follower, and brought before him as a criminal by the Jews themselves. Nevertheless it seems as if Pilate was divinely overruled in what he said, and had words put into his mouth, as Caiaphas had. Christ's owning himself as a king was crime enough, and what one would imagine Pilate in virtue of his office must necessarily have condemned him for, as high treason against Cæsar. 5. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. He did indeed stir them up; as he does us, to repentance, faith, and newness of life. They meant to sedition; but Pilate saw it to be false. 6. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. 7. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. Pilate seems to have made a convenience of Christ to pay a compliment to Herod. At so small a price did he set the liberty of the Saviour of the world.-Edit. 8. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Herod had heard of many to no purpose, and Christ knew that his seeing one would not change his heart. We are in Herod's case. We hear, but see not. And if we do not believe from what we hear, seeing would do us no good, whatever we may think to the contrary. 9. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. That is, he answered him nothing to clear himself. And yet though the chief priests clamoured so vehemently against him, and he pleaded not a word in his own defence, Herod would not condemn him. What could be a stronger proof of his innocence ? 10. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. They set Him at nought in whom all the wisdom and power of the Godhead resided. Vile man cannot bear contempt. Let us, as Christians, learn to bear it. Behold, here is the pattern. Let us take this yoke upon us, and our souls shall be at rest. SECTION LXXVIII. Chap. xxiii. ver. 12-26. BARABBAS PREFERRED TO JESUS. 12. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves. 13. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14. Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15. No, nor yet Herod: For I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. Herod and Pilate, though they themselves were wicked men, both despised and vilified Christ, and we may suppose would have been forward to condemn him, if they had found the least cause for it, yet were restrained by a secret providence from joining with their accusers. As it was necessary that he should not suffer under the imputation of any real crime, so the Evangelists are particularly careful to free him from it; and nothing could do this more effectually than the testimony and opinion of two such judges. “ And, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him,"-Nothing that amounts to a condemnation of him; or, nothing has been done by him (TеTрayμévov dvr) that deserves death, that is, in the judgment of Herod. 16. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. Chastise him, to give some satisfaction to the Jews: release him, to satisfy his own conscience. 17. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 18. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas : 19. (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20. Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. The will of God for our salvation was in that cry, though their sin was not the less. here of his bringing good out of evil! What an instance is 22. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. Pilate asked the question thrice, "What evil hath he done?" to give all possible assurance of his innocence, and he seems to have condemned him at last with the greatest reluctance. 23. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. He condemned himself; and stands upon record for ever as an unjust judge, giving sentence against his own conscience. 25. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. 26. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. O most merciful Lord God Almighty! what do we here see? Jesus so faint and weary that he could not bear his cross any longer himself! SECTION LXXIX. Chap. xxiii. ver. 27–38. THE COMPASSION OF JESUS. 27. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. So great were the calamities which were soon to come on the Jews for their wickedness. And yet they were only the miseries of this world. 30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. As we are told the wicked will do, but with ten thousand times greater terror and amazement, at the day of judgment. Rev. vi. 16. 31. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? Some, who abound in the fruits of righteousness, and suffer only for the sins of others, what shall then the end be of all those, who, as dry trees, are fit for nothing but to be burned? 32. And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. The place was loathsome and unsightly, on account of the skulls and bones which were there. They crucified him also amid malefactors, as if his shameful death was not abasement enough, unless every possible circumstance of disgrace was added to it. See, O man, what thy sin did; and take heed that it be not found upon thee at the last. 34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. The meaning is not, forgive them without repentance; but, give them space for it. And Christ's prayer prevails for this, otherwise they must have been given up to their doom without delay. Perhaps we owe every day's respite of our lives to Christ's intercession for us, that we may not die without repentance, and complete forgiveness. Let us improve the mercy of every day that is given us, lest he beg no more for us, and we be either taken out of the world, or given up to the hardness of our hearts. 34. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. This very thing which they thought could never happen to Christ, proved him to be so, Every one is as blind who sets up his own reason and self-will against Christ, and tells him as plainly what he should, or should not do. |