the desire of ages-第174章

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ning　the　sentence　of　condemnation；　what　were　the　charges　against　Him；　and　whether　they　could　be　proved。

If　your　judgment　is　sufficient；　he　said；　why　bring　the　prisoner　to　me？　〃Take　ye　Him；　and　judge　Him　according　to　your　law。〃　Thus　pressed；　the　priests　said　that　they　had　already　passed　sentence　upon　Him；　but　that　they　must　have　Pilate's　sentence　to　render　their　condemnation　valid。　What　is　your　sentence？　Pilate　asked。　The　death　sentence；　they　answered；　but　it　is　not　lawful　for　us　to　put　any　man　to　death。　They　asked　Pilate　to　take　their　word　as　to　Christ's　guilt；　and　enforce　their　sentence。　They　would　take　the　responsibility　of　the　result。

Pilate　was　not　a　just　or　a　conscientious　judge；　but　weak　though　he　was　in　moral　power；　he　refused　to　grant　this　request。　He　would　not　condemn　Jesus　until　a　charge　had　been　brought　against　Him。

The　priests　were　in　a　dilemma。　They　saw　that　they　must　cloak　their　hypocrisy　under　the　thickest　concealment。　They　must　not　allow　it　to　appear　that　Christ　had　been　arrested　on　religious　grounds。　Were　this　put　forward　as　a　reason；　their　proceedings　would　have　no　weight　with　Pilate。　They　must　make　it　appear　that　Jesus　was　working　against　the　common　law；　then　He　could　be　punished　as　a　political　offender。　Tumults　and　insurrection　against　the　Roman　government　were　constantly　arising　among　the　Jews。　With　these　revolts　the　Romans　had　dealt　very　rigorously；　and　they　were　constantly　on　the　watch　to　repress　everything　that　could　lead　to　an　outbreak。

Only　a　few　days　before　this　the　Pharisees　had　tried　to　entrap　Christ　with　the　question；　〃Is　it　lawful　for　us　to　give　tribute　unto　Caesar？〃　But　Christ　had　unveiled　their　hypocrisy。　The　Romans　who　were　present　had　seen　the　utter　failure　of　the　plotters；　and　their　discomfiture　at　His　answer；　〃Render　therefore　unto　Caesar　the　things　which　be　Caesar's。〃　Luke　20：22…25。

Now　the　priests　thought　to　make　it　appear　that　on　this　occasion　Christ

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had　taught　what　they　hoped　He　would　teach。　In　their　extremity　they　called　false　witnesses　to　their　aid；　〃and　they　began　to　accuse　Him；　saying；　We　found　this　fellow　perverting　the　nation；　and　forbidding　to　give　tribute　to　Caesar；　saying　that　He　Himself　is　Christ　a　King。〃　Three　charges；　each　without　foundation。　The　priests　knew　this；　but　they　were　willing　to　commit　perjury　could　they　but　secure　their　end。

Pilate　saw　through　their　purpose。　He　did　not　believe　that　the　prisoner　had　plotted　against　the　government。　His　meek　and　humble　appearance　was　altogether　out　of　harmony　with　the　charge。　Pilate　was　convinced　that　a　deep　plot　had　been　laid　to　destroy　an　innocent　man　who　stood　in　the　way　of　the　Jewish　dignitaries。　Turning　to　Jesus　he　asked；　〃Art　Thou　the　King　of　the　Jews？〃　The　Saviour　answered；　〃Thou　sayest　it。〃　And　as　He　spoke；　His　countenance　lighted　up　as　if　a　sunbeam　were　shining　upon　it。

When　they　heard　His　answer；　Caiaphas　and　those　that　were　with　him　called　Pilate　to　witness　that　Jesus　had　admitted　the　crime　with　which　He　was　charged。　With　noisy　cries；　priests；　scribes；　and　rulers　demanded　that　He　be　sentenced　to　death。　The　cries　were　taken　up　by　the　mob；　and　the　uproar　was　deafening。　Pilate　was　confused。　Seeing　that　Jesus　made　no　answer　to　His　accusers；　Pilate　said　to　Him；　〃Answerest　Thou　nothing？　behold　how　many　things　they　witness　against　Thee。　But　Jesus　yet　answered　nothing。〃

Standing　behind　Pilate；　in　view　of　all　in　the　court；　Christ　heard　the　abuse；　but　to　all　the　false　charges　against　Him　He　answered　not　a　word。　His　whole　bearing　gave　evidence　of　conscious　innocence。　He　stood　unmoved　by　the　fury　of　the　waves　that　beat　about　Him。　It　was　as　if　the　heavy　surges　of　wrath；　rising　higher　and　higher；　like　the　waves　of　the　boisterous　ocean；　broke　about　Him；　but　did　not　touch　Him。　He　stood　silent；　but　His　silence　was　eloquence。　It　was　as　a　light　shining　from　the　inner　to　the　outer　man。

Pilate　was　astonished　at　His　bearing。　Does　this　Man　disregard　the　proceedings　because　He　does　not　care　to　save　His　life？　he　asked　himself。　As　he　looked　at　Jesus；　bearing　insult　and　mockery　without　retaliation；　he　felt　that　He　could　not　be　as　unrighteous　and　unjust　as　were　the　clamoring　priests。　Hoping　to　gain　the　truth　from　Him　and　to　escape　the　tumult　of　the　crowd；　Pilate　took　Jesus　aside　with　him；　and　again　questioned；　〃Art　Thou　the　King　of　the　Jews？〃

Jesus　did　not　directly　answer　this　question。　He　knew　that　the　Holy

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Spirit　was　striving　with　Pilate；　and　He　gave　him　opportunity　to　acknowledge　his　conviction。　〃Sayest　thou　this　thing　of　thyself；〃　He　asked；　〃or　did　others　tell　it　thee　of　Me？〃　That　is；　was　it　the　accusations　of　the　priests；　or　a　desire　to　receive　light　from　Christ；　that　prompted　Pilate's　question？　Pilate　understood　Christ's　meaning；　but　pride　arose　in　his　heart。　He　would　not　acknowledge　the　conviction　that　pressed　upon　him。　〃Am　I　a　Jew？〃　he　said。　〃Thine　own　nation　and　the　chief　priests　have　delivered　Thee　unto　me：　what　hast　Thou　done？〃

Pilate's　golden　opportunity　had　passed。　Yet　Jesus　did　not　leave　him　without　further　light。　While　He　did　not　directly　answer　Pilate's　question；　He　plainly　stated　His　own　mission。　He　gave　Pilate　to　understand　that　He　was　not　seeking　an　earthly　throne。

〃My　kingdom　is　not　of　this　world；〃　He　said；　〃if　My　kingdom　were　of　this　world；　then　would　My　servants　fight；　that　I　should　not　be　delivered　to　the　Jews：　but　now　is　My　kingdom　not　from　hence。　Pilate　therefore　said　unto　Him；　Art　Thou　a　king　then？　Jesus　answered；　Thou　sayest　that　I　am　a　king。　To　this　end　was　I　born；　and　for　this　cause　came　I　into　the　world；　that　I　should　bear　witness　unto　the　truth。　Everyone　that　is　of　the　truth　heareth　My　voice。〃

Christ　affirmed　that　His　word　was　in　itself　a　key　which　would　unlock　the　mystery　to　those　who　were　prepared　to　receive　it。　It　had　a　self…commending　power；　and　this　was　the　secret　of　the　spread　of　His　kingdom　of　truth。　He　desired　Pilate　to　understand　that　only　by　receiving　and　appropriating　truth　could　his　ruined　nature　be　reconstructed。

Pilate　had　a　desire　to　know　the　truth。　His　mind　was　confused。　He　eagerly　grasped　the　words　of　the　Saviour；　and　his　heart　was　stirred　with　a　great　longing　to　know　what　it　really　was；　and　how　he　could　obtain　it。　〃What　is　truth？〃　he　inquired。　But　he　did　not　wait　for　an　answer。　The　tumult　outside　recalled　him　to　the　interests　of　the　hour；　for　the　priests　were　clamorous　for　immediate　action。　Going　out　to　the　Jews；　he　declared　emphatically；　〃I　find　in　Him　no　fault　at　all。〃

These　words　from　a　heathen　judge　were　a　scathing　rebuke　to　the　perfidy　and　falsehood　of　the　rulers　of　Israel　who　were　accusing　the　Saviour。　As　the　priests　and　elders　heard　this　from　Pilate；　their　disappointment　and　rage　knew　no　bounds。　They　had　long　plotted　and　waited　for　this　opportunity。　As　they　saw　the　prospect　of　the　release　of　Jesus；　they　seemed　ready　to　tear　Him　in　pieces。　They　loudly　denounced　Pilate；　and　threatened　him　with　the　censure　of　the　Roman　government。　They

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accused　him　of　refusing　to　condemn　Jesus；　who；　they　affirmed；　had　set　Himself　up　against　Caesar。

Angry　voices　were　now　heard；　declaring　that　the　seditious　influence　of　Jesus　was　well　known　throughout　the　country。　The　priests　said；　〃He　stirreth　up　the　people；　teaching　throughout　all　Jewry；　beginning　from　Galilee　to　this　place。〃

Pilate　at　this　time　had　no　thought　of　condemning　Jesus。　He　knew　that　the　Jews　had　accused　Him　through　hatred　and　prejudice。　He　knew　what　his　duty　was。　Justice　demanded　that　Christ　should　be　immediately　released。　But　Pilate　dreaded　the　ill　will　of　the　people。　Should　he　refuse　to　give　Jesus　into　their　hands；　a　tumult　would　be　raised；　and　this　he　feared　to　meet。　When　he　heard　that　Christ　was　from　Galilee；　he　decided　to　send　Him　to　Herod；　the　ruler　of　that　province；　who　was　then　in　Jerusalem。　By　this　course；　Pilate　thought　to　shift　the　responsibility　of　the　trial　from　himself　to　Herod。　He　also　thought　this　a　good　opportunity　to　heal　an　old　quarrel　between　himself　and　Herod。　And　so　it　proved。　The　two　magistrates　made　friends　over　the　trial　of　the　Saviour。

Pilate　delivered　Jesus　again　to　the　soldiers；　and　amid　the　jeers　and　insults　of　the　mob　He　was　hurried　to　the　judgment　hall　of　Herod。　〃When　Herod　saw　Je