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The　tall　form　of　Judas　was　now　seen　pressing　through　the　startled　throng。　His　face　was　pale　and　haggard；　and　great　drops　of　sweat　stood　on　his　forehead。　Rushing　to　the　throne　of　judgment；　he　threw　down

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before　the　high　priest　the　pieces　of　silver　that　had　been　the　price　of　his　Lord's　betrayal。　Eagerly　grasping　the　robe　of　Caiaphas；　he　implored　him　to　release　Jesus；　declaring　that　He　had　done　nothing　worthy　of　death。　Caiaphas　angrily　shook　him　off；　but　was　confused；　and　knew　not　what　to　say。　The　perfidy　of　the　priests　was　revealed。　It　was　evident　that　they　had　bribed　the　disciple　to　betray　his　Master。

〃I　have　sinned；〃　again　cried　Judas；　〃in　that　I　have　betrayed　the　innocent　blood。〃　But　the　high　priest；　regaining　his　self…possession；　answered　with　scorn；　〃What　is　that　to　us？　see　thou　to　that。〃　Matt。　27：4。　The　priests　had　been　willing　to　make　Judas　their　tool；　but　they　despised　his　baseness。　When　he　turned　to　them　with　confession；　they　spurned　him。

Judas　now　cast　himself　at　the　feet　of　Jesus；　acknowledging　Him　to　be　the　Son　of　God；　and　entreating　Him　to　deliver　Himself。　The　Saviour　did　not　reproach　His　betrayer。　He　knew　that　Judas　did　not　repent；　his　confession　was　forced　from　his　guilty　soul　by　an　awful　sense　of　condemnation　and　a　looking　for　of　judgment；　but　he　felt　no　deep；　heartbreaking　grief　that　he　had　betrayed　the　spotless　Son　of　God；　and　denied　the　Holy　One　of　Israel。　Yet　Jesus　spoke　no　word　of　condemnation。　He　looked　pityingly　upon　Judas；　and　said；　For　this　hour　came　I　into　the　world。

A　murmur　of　surprise　ran　through　the　assembly。　With　amazement　they　beheld　the　forbearance　of　Christ　toward　His　betrayer。　Again　there　swept　over　them　the　conviction　that　this　Man　was　more　than　mortal。　But　if　He　was　the　Son　of　God；　they　questioned；　why　did　He　not　free　Himself　from　His　bonds　and　triumph　over　His　accusers？

Judas　saw　that　his　entreaties　were　in　vain；　and　he　rushed　from　the　hall　exclaiming；　It　is　too　late！　It　is　too　late！　He　felt　that　he　could　not　live　to　see　Jesus　crucified；　and　in　despair　went　out　and　hanged　himself。

Later　that　same　day；　on　the　road　from　Pilate's　hall　to　Calvary；　there　came　an　interruption　to　the　shouts　and　jeers　of　the　wicked　throng　who　were　leading　Jesus　to　the　place　of　crucifixion。　As　they　passed　a　retired　spot；　they　saw　at　the　foot　of　a　lifeless　tree；　the　body　of　Judas。　It　was　a　most　revolting　sight。　His　weight　had　broken　the　cord　by　which　he　had　hanged　himself　to　the　tree。　In　falling；　his　body　had　been　horribly　mangled；　and　dogs　were　now　devouring　it。　His　remains　were　immediately　buried　out　of　sight；　but　there　was　less　mockery　among　the　throng；　and　many　a　pale　face　revealed　the　thoughts　within。　Retribution　seemed　already　visiting　those　who　were　guilty　of　the　blood　of　Jesus。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　77

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　Pilate's　Judgment　Hall


In　the　judgment　hall　of　Pilate；　the　Roman　governor；　Christ　stands　bound　as　a　prisoner。　About　Him　are　the　guard　of　soldiers；　and　the　hall　is　fast　filling　with　spectators。　Just　outside　the　entrance　are　the　judges　of　the　Sanhedrin；　priests；　rulers；　elders；　and　the　mob。

After　condemning　Jesus；　the　council　of　the　Sanhedrin　had　come　to　Pilate　to　have　the　sentence　confirmed　and　executed。　But　these　Jewish　officials　would　not　enter　the　Roman　judgment　hall。　According　to　their　ceremonial　law　they　would　be　defiled　thereby；　and　thus　prevented　from　taking　part　in　the　feast　of　the　Passover。　In　their　blindness　they　did　not　see　that　murderous　hatred　had　defiled　their　hearts。　They　did　not　see　that　Christ　was　the　real　Passover　lamb；　and　that；　since　they　had　rejected　Him；　the　great　feast　had　for　them　lost　its　significance。

When　the　Saviour　was　brought　into　the　judgment　hall；　Pilate　looked　upon　Him　with　no　friendly　eyes。　The　Roman　governor　had　been　called　from　his　bedchamber　in　haste；　and　he　determined　to　do　his　work　as　quickly　as　possible。　He　was　prepared　to　deal　with　the　prisoner　with

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magisterial　severity。　Assuming　his　severest　expression；　he　turned　to　see　what　kind　of　man　he　had　to　examine；　that　he　had　been　called　from　his　repose　at　so　early　an　hour。　He　knew　that　it　must　be　someone　whom　the　Jewish　authorities　were　anxious　to　have　tried　and　punished　with　haste。

Pilate　looked　at　the　men　who　had　Jesus　in　charge；　and　then　his　gaze　rested　searchingly　on　Jesus。　He　had　had　to　deal　with　all　kinds　of　criminals；　but　never　before　had　a　man　bearing　marks　of　such　goodness　and　nobility　been　brought　before　him。　On　His　face　he　saw　no　sign　of　guilt；　no　expression　of　fear；　no　boldness　or　defiance。　He　saw　a　man　of　calm　and　dignified　bearing；　whose　countenance　bore　not　the　marks　of　a　criminal；　but　the　signature　of　heaven。

Christ's　appearance　made　a　favorable　impression　upon　Pilate。　His　better　nature　was　roused。　He　had　heard　of　Jesus　and　His　works。　His　wife　had　told　him　something　of　the　wonderful　deeds　performed　by　the　Galilean　prophet；　who　cured　the　sick　and　raised　the　dead。　Now　this　revived　as　a　dream　in　Pilate's　mind。　He　recalled　rumors　that　he　had　heard　from　several　sources。　He　resolved　to　demand　of　the　Jews　their　charges　against　the　prisoner。

Who　is　this　Man；　and　wherefore　have　ye　brought　Him？　he　said。　What　accusation　bring　ye　against　Him？　The　Jews　were　disconcerted。　Knowing　that　they　could　not　substantiate　their　charges　against　Christ；　they　did　not　desire　a　public　examination。　They　answered　that　He　was　a　deceiver　called　Jesus　of　Nazareth。

Again　Pilate　asked；　〃What　accusation　bring　ye　against　this　Man？〃　The　priests　did　not　answer　his　question；　but　in　words　that　showed　their　irritation；　they　said；　〃If　He　were　not　a　malefactor；　we　would　not　have　delivered　Him　up　unto　thee。〃　When　those　composing　the　Sanhedrin；　the　first　men　of　the　nation；　bring　to　you　a　man　they　deem　worthy　of　death；　is　there　need　to　ask　for　an　accusation　against　him？　They　hoped　to　impress　Pilate　with　a　sense　of　their　importance；　and　thus　lead　him　to　accede　to　their　request　without　going　through　many　preliminaries。　They　were　eager　to　have　their　sentence　ratified；　for　they　knew　that　the　people　who　had　witnessed　Christ's　marvelous　works　could　tell　a　story　very　different　from　the　fabrication　they　themselves　were　now　rehearsing。

The　priests　thought　that　with　the　weak　and　vacillating　Pilate　they　could　carry　through　their　plans　without　trouble。　Before　this　he　had　signed　the　death　warrant　hastily；　condemning　to　death　men　they　knew　were　not　worthy　of　death。　In　his　estimation　the　life　of　a　prisoner　was

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of　little　account；　whether　he　were　innocent　or　guilty　was　of　no　special　consequence。　The　priests　hoped　that　Pilate　would　now　inflict　the　death　penalty　on　Jesus　without　giving　Him　a　hearing。　This　they　besought　as　a　favor　on　the　occasion　of　their　great　national　festival。

But　there　was　something　in　the　prisoner　that　held　Pilate　back　from　this。　He　dared　not　do　it。　He　read　the　purposes　of　the　priests。　He　remembered　how；　not　long　before；　Jesus　had　raised　Lazarus；　a　man　that　had　been　dead　four　days；　and　he　determined　to　know；　before　signing　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　pe