the desire of ages-第177章

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s　punishing　a　man　who　had　been　declared　innocent。　They　knew　that　Pilate　was　trying　to　save　the　life　of　the　prisoner；　and　they　were　determined　that　Jesus　should　not　be　released。　To　please　and　satisfy　us；　Pilate　has　scourged　Him；　they　thought；　and　if　we　press　the　matter　to　a　decided　issue；　we　shall　surely　gain　our　end。

Pilate　now　sent　for　Barabbas　to　be　brought　into　the　court。　He　then　presented　the　two　prisoners　side　by　side；　and　pointing　to　the　Saviour　he　said　in　a　voice　of　solemn　entreaty；　〃Behold　the　Man！〃　〃I　bring　Him　forth　to　you；　that　ye　may　know　that　I　find　no　fault　in　Him。〃

There　stood　the　Son　of　God；　wearing　the　robe　of　mockery　and　the　crown　of　thorns。　Stripped　to　the　waist；　His　back　showed　the　long；　cruel　stripes；　from　which　the　blood　flowed　freely。　His　face　was　stained　with　blood；　and　bore　the　marks　of　exhaustion　and　pain；　but　never　had　it　appeared　more　beautiful　than　now。　The　Saviour's　visage　was　not　marred　before　His　enemies。　Every　feature　expressed　gentleness　and　resignation　and　the　tenderest　pity　for　His　cruel　foes。　In　His　manner　there　was　no　cowardly　weakness；　but　the　strength　and　dignity　of　long…suffering。　In　striking　contrast　was　the　prisoner　at　His　side。　Every　line　of　the　countenance　of　Barabbas　proclaimed　him　the　hardened　ruffian　that　he　was。　The　contrast　spoke　to　every　beholder。　Some　of　the　spectators　were　weeping。　As　they　looked　upon　Jesus；　their　hearts　were　full　of　sympathy。　Even　the　priests　and　rulers　were　convicted　that　He　was　all　that　He　claimed　to　be。

The　Roman　soldiers　that　surrounded　Christ　were　not　all　hardened；　some　were　looking　earnestly　into　His　face　for　one　evidence　that　He　was　a　criminal　or　dangerous　character。　From　time　to　time　they　would　turn　and　cast　a　look　of　contempt　upon　Barabbas。　It　needed　no　deep　insight　to　read　him　through　and　through。　Again　they　would　turn　to　the　One　upon　trial。　They　looked　at　the　divine　sufferer　with　feelings　of　deep　pity。　The　silent　submission　of　Christ　stamped　upon　their　minds

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the　scene；　never　to　be　effaced　until　they　either　acknowledged　Him　as　the　Christ；　or　by　rejecting　Him　decided　their　own　destiny。

Pilate　was　filled　with　amazement　at　the　uncomplaining　patience　of　the　Saviour。　He　did　not　doubt　that　the　sight　of　this　Man；　in　contrast　with　Barabbas；　would　move　the　Jews　to　sympathy。　But　he　did　not　understand　the　fanatical　hatred　of　the　priests　for　Him；　who；　as　the　Light　of　the　world；　had　made　manifest　their　darkness　and　error。　They　had　moved　the　mob　to　a　mad　fury；　and　again　priests；　rulers；　and　people　raised　that　awful　cry；　〃Crucify　Him；　crucify　Him。〃　At　last；　losing　all　patience　with　their　unreasoning　cruelty；　Pilate　cried　out　despairingly；　〃Take　ye　Him；　and　crucify　Him：　for　I　find　no　fault　in　Him。〃

The　Roman　governor；　though　familiar　with　cruel　scenes；　was　moved　with　sympathy　for　the　suffering　prisoner；　who；　condemned　and　scourged；　with　bleeding　brow　and　lacerated　back；　still　had　the　bearing　of　a　king　upon　his　throne。　But　the　priests　declared；　〃We　have　a　law；　and　by　our　law　He　ought　to　die；　because　He　made　Himself　the　Son　of　God。〃

Pilate　was　startled。　He　had　no　correct　idea　of　Christ　and　His　mission；　but　he　had　an　indistinct　faith　in　God　and　in　beings　superior　to　humanity。　A　thought　that　had　once　before　passed　through　his　mind　now　took　more　definite　shape。　He　questioned　whether　it　might　not　be　a　divine　being　that　stood　before　him；　clad　in　the　purple　robe　of　mockery；　and　crowned　with　thorns。

Again　he　went　into　the　judgment　hall；　and　said　to　Jesus；　〃Whence　art　Thou？〃　But　Jesus　gave　him　no　answer。　The　Saviour　had　spoken　freely　to　Pilate；　explaining　His　own　mission　as　a　witness　to　the　truth。　Pilate　had　disregarded　the　light。　He　had　abused　the　high　office　of　judge　by　yielding　his　principles　and　authority　to　the　demands　of　the　mob。　Jesus　had　no　further　light　for　him。　Vexed　at　His　silence；　Pilate　said　haughtily：

〃Speakest　Thou　not　unto　me？　knowest　Thou　not　that　I　have　power　to　crucify　Thee；　and　have　power　to　release　Thee？〃

Jesus　answered；　〃Thou　couldest　have　no　power　at　all　against　Me；　except　it　were　given　thee　from　above：　therefore　he　that　delivered　Me　unto　thee　hath　the　greater　sin。〃

Thus　the　pitying　Saviour；　in　the　midst　of　His　intense　suffering　and　grief；　excused　as　far　as　possible　the　act　of　the　Roman　governor　who　gave　Him　up　to　be　crucified。　What　a　scene　was　this　to　hand　down　to　the　world　for　all　time！　What　a　light　it　sheds　upon　the　character　of　Him　who　is　the　Judge　of　all　the　earth！

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〃He　that　delivered　Me　unto　thee；〃　said　Jesus；　〃hath　the　greater　sin。〃　By　this　Christ　meant　Caiaphas；　who；　as　high　priest；　represented　the　Jewish　nation。　They　knew　the　principles　that　controlled　the　Roman　authorities。　They　had　had　light　in　the　prophecies　that　testified　of　Christ；　and　in　His　own　teachings　and　miracles。　The　Jewish　judges　had　received　unmistakable　evidence　of　the　divinity　of　Him　whom　they　condemned　to　death。　And　according　to　their　light　would　they　be　judged。

The　greatest　guilt　and　heaviest　responsibility　belonged　to　those　who　stood　in　the　highest　places　in　the　nation；　the　depositaries　of　sacred　trusts　that　they　were　basely　betraying。　Pilate；　Herod；　and　the　Roman　soldiers　were　comparatively　ignorant　of　Jesus。　They　thought　to　please　the　priests　and　rulers　by　abusing　Him。　They　had　not　the　light　which　the　Jewish　nation　had　so　abundantly　received。　Had　the　light　been　given　to　the　soldiers；　they　would　not　have　treated　Christ　as　cruelly　as　they　did。

Again　Pilate　proposed　to　release　the　Saviour。　〃But　the　Jews　cried　out；　saying；　If　thou　let　this　man　go；　thou　art　not　Caesar's　friend。〃　Thus　these　hypocrites　pretended　to　be　jealous　for　the　authority　of　Caesar。　Of　all　the　opponents　of　the　Roman　rule；　the　Jews　were　most　bitter。　When　it　was　safe　for　them　to　do　so；　they　were　most　tyrannical　in　enforcing　their　own　national　and　religious　requirements；　but　when　they　desired　to　bring　about　some　purpose　of　cruelty；　they　exalted　the　power　of　Caesar。　To　accomplish　the　destruction　of　Christ；　they　would　profess　loyalty　to　the　foreign　rule　which　they　hated。

〃Whosoever　maketh　himself　a　king；〃　they　continued；　〃speaketh　against　Caesar。〃　This　was　touching　Pilate　in　a　weak　point。　He　was　under　suspicion　by　the　Roman　government；　and　he　knew　that　such　a　report　would　be　ruin　to　him。　He　knew　that　if　the　Jews　were　thwarted；　their　rage　would　be　turned　against　him。　They　would　leave　nothing　undone　to　accomplish　their　revenge。　He　had　before　him　an　example　of　the　persistence　with　which　they　sought　the　life　of　One　whom　they　hated　without　reason。

Pilate　then　took　his　place　on　the　judgment　seat；　and　again　presented　Jesus　to　the　people；　saying；　〃Behold　your　King！〃　Again　the　mad　cry　was　heard；　〃Away　with　Him；　crucify　Him。〃　In　a　voice　that　was　heard　far　and　near；　Pilate　asked；　〃Shall　I　crucify　your　King？〃　But　from　profane；　blasphemous　lips　went　forth　the　words；　〃We　have　no　king　but　Caesar。〃

Thus　by　choosing　a　heathen　ruler；　the　Jewish　nation　had　withdrawn

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from　the　theocracy。　They　had　rejected　God　as　their　king。　Henceforth　they　had　no　deliverer。　They　had　no　king　but　Caesar。　To　this　the　priests　and　teachers　had　led　the　people。　For　this；　with　the　fearful　results　that　followed；　they　were　responsible。　A　nation's　sin　and　a　nation's　ruin　were　due　to　the　religious　leaders。

〃When　Pilate　saw　that　he　could　prevail　nothing；　but　that　rather　a　tumult　was　made；　he　took　water；　and　washed　his　hands　before　the　multitude；　saying；　I　am　innocent　of　the　blood　of　this　just　Person：　see　ye　to　it。〃　In　fear　and　self…condemnation　Pilate　looked　upon　the　Saviour。　In　the　vast　sea　of　upturned　faces；　His　alone　was　peaceful。　About　His　head　a　soft　light　seemed　to　shine。　Pilate　said　in　his　heart；　He　is　a　God。　Turning　to　the　multitude　he　declared；　I　am　clear　of　His　blood。　Take　ye　Him；　and　crucify　Him。　But　mark　ye；　priests　and　rulers；　I　pronounce　Him　a　just　man。　May　He　whom　He　claims　as　His　Father　judge　you　and　not　me　for　this　day's　work。　Then　to　Jesus　he　said；　Forgive　me　for　this　act；　I　cannot　save　You。　And　when　he　had　again　scourged　Jesus；　he　delivered　Him　to　be　crucified。

Pilate　longed　to　deliver　Jesus。　But　he　saw　that　he　could　not　do　this；　and　yet　retain　his　own　position　and　honor。　Rather　than　lose　his　worldly