the desire of ages-第149节

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peace　and　a　creator　of　insurrection。

Christ　read　the　priest's　purpose　as　an　open　book。　As　if　reading　the　inmost　soul　of　His　questioner；　He　denied　that　there　was　between　Him　and　His　followers　any　secret　bond　of　union；　or　that　He　gathered　them　secretly　and　in　the　darkness　to　conceal　His　designs。　He　had　no　secrets　in　regard　to　His　purposes　or　doctrines。　〃I　spake　openly　to　the　world；〃　He　answered；　〃I　ever　taught　in　the　synagogue；　and　in　the　temple；　whither　the　Jews　always　resort；　and　in　secret　have　I　said　nothing。〃

The　Saviour　contrasted　His　own　manner　of　work　with　the　methods　of　His　accusers。　For　months　they　had　hunted　Him；　striving　to　entrap　Him　and　bring　Him　before　a　secret　tribunal；　where　they　might　obtain　by　perjury　what　it　was　impossible　to　gain　by　fair　means。　Now　they　were　carrying　out　their　purpose。　The　midnight　seizure　by　a　mob；　the　mockery　and　abuse　before　He　was　condemned；　or　even　accused；　was　their　manner　of　work；　not　His。　Their　action　was　in　violation　of　the　law。　Their　own　rules　declared　that　every　man　should　be　treated　as　innocent　until　proved　guilty。　By　their　own　rules　the　priests　stood　condemned。

Turning　upon　His　questioner；　Jesus　said；　〃Why　askest　thou　Me？〃　Had　not　the　priests　and　rulers　sent　spies　to　watch　His　movements；　and　report　His　every　word？　Had　not　these　been　present　at　every　gathering

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of　the　people；　and　carried　to　the　priests　information　of　all　His　sayings　and　doings？　〃Ask　them　which　heard　Me；　what　I　have　said　unto　them；〃　replied　Jesus；　〃behold；　they　know　what　I　said。〃

Annas　was　silenced　by　the　decision　of　the　answer。　Fearing　that　Christ　would　say　something　regarding　his　course　of　action　that　he　would　prefer　to　keep　covered　up；　he　said　nothing　more　to　Him　at　this　time。　One　of　his　officers；　filled　with　wrath　as　he　saw　Annas　silenced；　struck　Jesus　on　the　face；　saying；　〃Answerest　Thou　the　high　priest　so？〃

Christ　calmly　replied；　〃If　I　have　spoken　evil；　bear　witness　of　the　evil：　but　if　well；　why　smitest　thou　Me？〃　He　spoke　no　burning　words　of　retaliation。　His　calm　answer　came　from　a　heart　sinless；　patient；　and　gentle；　that　would　not　be　provoked。

Christ　suffered　keenly　under　abuse　and　insult。　At　the　hands　of　the　beings　whom　He　had　created；　and　for　whom　He　was　making　an　infinite　sacrifice；　He　received　every　indignity。　And　He　suffered　in　proportion　to　the　perfection　of　His　holiness　and　His　hatred　of　sin。　His　trial　by　men　who　acted　as　fiends　was　to　Him　a　perpetual　sacrifice。　To　be　surrounded　by　human　beings　under　the　control　of　Satan　was　revolting　to　Him。　And　He　knew　that　in　a　moment；　by　the　flashing　forth　of　His　divine　power；　He　could　lay　His　cruel　tormentors　in　the　dust。　This　made　the　trial　the　harder　to　bear。

The　Jews　were　looking　for　a　Messiah　to　be　revealed　in　outward　show。　They　expected　Him；　by　one　flash　of　overmastering　will；　to　change　the　current　of　men's　thoughts；　and　force　from　them　an　acknowledgment　of　His　supremacy。　Thus；　they　believed；　He　was　to　secure　His　own　exaltation；　and　gratify　their　ambitious　hopes。　Thus　when　Christ　was　treated　with　contempt；　there　came　to　Him　a　strong　temptation　to　manifest　His　divine　character。　By　a　word；　by　a　look；　He　could　compel　His　persecutors　to　confess　that　He　was　Lord　above　kings　and　rulers；　priests　and　temple。　But　it　was　His　difficult　task　to　keep　to　the　position　He　had　chosen　as　one　with　humanity。

The　angels　of　heaven　witnessed　every　movement　made　against　their　loved　Commander。　They　longed　to　deliver　Christ。　Under　God　the　angels　are　all…powerful。　On　one　occasion；　in　obedience　to　the　command　of　Christ；　they　slew　of　the　Assyrian　army　in　one　night　one　hundred　and　eighty…five　thousand　men。　How　easily　could　the　angels；　beholding　the　shameful　scene　of　the　trial　of　Christ；　have　testified　their　indignation　by　consuming　the　adversaries　of　God！　But　they　were　not　commanded　to　do　this。　He　who　could　have　doomed　His　enemies　to　death　bore　with

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their　cruelty。　His　love　for　His　Father；　and　His　pledge；　made　from　the　foundation　of　the　world；　to　become　the　Sin　Bearer；　led　Him　to　endure　uncomplainingly　the　coarse　treatment　of　those　He　came　to　save。　It　was　a　part　of　His　mission　to　bear；　in　His　humanity；　all　the　taunts　and　abuse　that　men　could　heap　upon　Him。　The　only　hope　of　humanity　was　in　this　submission　of　Christ　to　all　that　He　could　endure　from　the　hands　and　hearts　of　men。

Christ　had　said　nothing　that　could　give　His　accusers　an　advantage；　yet　He　was　bound；　to　signify　that　He　was　condemned。　There　must；　however；　be　a　pretense　of　justice。　It　was　necessary　that　there　should　be　the　form　of　a　legal　trial。　This　the　authorities　were　determined　to　hasten。　They　knew　the　regard　in　which　Jesus　was　held　by　the　people；　and　feared　that　if　the　arrest　were　noised　abroad；　a　rescue　would　be　attempted。　Again；　if　the　trial　and　execution　were　not　brought　about　at　once；　there　would　be　a　week's　delay　on　account　of　the　celebration　of　the　Passover。　This　might　defeat　their　plans。　In　securing　the　condemnation　of　Jesus　they　depended　largely　upon　the　clamor　of　the　mob；　many　of　them　the　rabble　of　Jerusalem。　Should　there　be　a　week's　delay；　the　excitement　would　abate；　and　a　reaction　would　be　likely　to　set　in。　The　better　part　of　the　people　would　be　aroused　in　Christ's　favor；　many　would　come　forward　with　testimony　in　His　vindication；　bringing　to　light　the　mighty　works　He　had　done。　This　would　excite　popular　indignation　against　the　Sanhedrin。　Their　proceedings　would　be　condemned；　and　Jesus　would　be　set　free；　to　receive　new　homage　from　the　multitudes。　The　priests　and　rulers　therefore　determined　that　before　their　purpose　could　become　known；　Jesus　should　be　delivered　into　the　hands　of　the　Romans。

But　first　of　all；　an　accusation　was　to　be　found。　They　had　gained　nothing　as　yet。　Annas　ordered　Jesus　to　be　taken　to　Caiaphas。　Caiaphas　belonged　to　the　Sadducees；　some　of　whom　were　now　the　most　desperate　enemies　of　Jesus。　He　himself；　though　wanting　in　force　of　character；　was　fully　as　severe；　heartless；　and　unscrupulous　as　was　Annas。　He　would　leave　no　means　untried　to　destroy　Jesus。　It　was　now　early　morning；　and　very　dark；　by　the　light　of　torches　and　lanterns　the　armed　band　with　their　prisoner　proceeded　to　the　high　priest's　palace。　Here；　while　the　members　of　the　Sanhedrin　were　coming　together；　Annas　and　Caiaphas　again　questioned　Jesus；　but　without　success。

When　the　council　had　assembled　in　the　judgment　hall；　Caiaphas　took　his　seat　as　presiding　officer。　On　either　side　were　the　judges；　and　those　specially　interested　in　the　trial。　The　Roman　soldiers　were　stationed　on

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the　platform　below　the　throne。　At　the　foot　of　the　throne　stood　Jesus。　Upon　Him　the　gaze　of　the　whole　multitude　was　fixed。　The　excitement　was　intense。　Of　all　the　throng　He　alone　was　calm　and　serene。　The　very　atmosphere　surrounding　Him　seemed　pervaded　by　a　holy　influence。

Caiaphas　had　regarded　Jesus　as　his　rival。　The　eagerness　of　the　people　to　hear　the　Saviour；　and　their　apparent　readiness　to　accept　His　teachings；　had　aroused　the　bitter　jealousy　of　the　high　priest。　But　as　Caiaphas　now　looked　upon　the　prisoner；　he　was　struck　with　admiration　for　His　noble　and　dignified　bearing。　A　conviction　came　over　him　that　this　Man　was　akin　to　God。　The　next　instant　he　scornfully　banished　the　thought。　Immediately

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his　voice　was　heard　in　sneering；　haughty　tones　demanding　that　Jesus　work　one　of　His　mighty　miracles　before　them。　But　his　words　fell　upon　the　Saviour's　ears　as　though　He　heard　them　not。　The　people　compared　the　excited　and　malignant　deportment　of　Annas　and　Caiaphas　with　the　calm；　majestic　bearing　of　Jesus。　Even　in　the　minds　of　that　hardened　multitude　arose　the　question；　Is　this　man　of　godlike　presence　to　be　condemned　as　a　criminal？

Caiaphas；　perceiving　the　influence　that　was　obtaining；　hastened　the　trial。　The　enemies　of　Jesus　were　in　great　perplexity。　They　were　bent　on　securing　His　condemnation；　but　how　to　accomplish　this　they　knew　not。　The　members　of　the　council　were　divided　between　the　Pharisees　and　the　Sadducees。　There　was　bitter　animosity　and　controversy　between　them；　certain　disputed　points　they　dared　not　approach　for　fear　of　a　quarrel。　With　a　few　words　Jesus　could　have　excited　their　prejudices　against　each　other；　and　thus　have　averted　their　wrath　from　Himself。　Caiaphas　knew　this；　and　he　wished　to　avoid　stirring　up　a　contention。　There　were　plenty　of　witnesses　to　prove　that　Christ　had　denounced　the　priests　and　scribes；　that　He　had　called　them　hypocrites　and　murderers；　but　this　testimony　it　was　not　expedient　to　bring　forward。　The　Sadducees　in　their　sharp　contentions　with　the　Pharisees　had　used　to　them　similar　language。　And　such　testimony　would　have　no　weight　with　the　Romans；　who　were　themselves　disgusted　with　the　pretensions　of　the　Pharisees。　There　was　abundant　evidence　that　Jesus　had　disregarded　the　traditions　of　the　Jews；　and　had　spoken　irreverently　of　many　of　their　ordinances；　but　in　regard　to　tradition　the　Pharisees　and　Sadducees　were　at　swords'　points；　and　this　evidence　also　would　have　no　weight　with　the　Romans。　Christ's　enemies　dared　not　accuse　Him　of　Sabbathbreaking；　lest　an　examination　should　reveal　the　character　of　His　work。　If　His　miracles　of　healing　were　brought　to　light；