the desire of ages-第155节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


id；　〃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

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　727

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

728

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　Jesus；　he　was　exceeding　glad。〃　He　had　never　before　met　the　Saviour；　but　〃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。〃　This　Herod　was　he　whose　hands　were　stained　with　the　blood　of　John　the　Baptist。　When　Herod　first　heard　of　Jesus；　he　was　terror…stricken；　and　said；　〃It　is　John；　whom　I　beheaded：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　729

he　is　risen　from　the　dead；〃　〃therefore　mighty　works　do　show　forth　themselves　in　him。〃　Mark　6：16；　Matt。　14：2。　Yet　Herod　desired　to　see　Jesus。　Now　there　was　opportunity　to　save　the　life　of　this　prophet；　and　the　king　hoped　to　banish　forever　from　his　mind　the　memory　of　that　bloody　head　brought　to　him　in　a　charger。　He　also　desired　to　have　his　curiosity　gratified；　and　thought　that　if　Christ　were　given　any　prospect　of　release；　He　would　do　anything　that　was　asked　of　Him。

A　large　company　of　the　priests　and　elders　had　accompanied　Christ　to　Herod。　And　when　the　Saviour　was　brought　in；　these　dignitaries；　all　speaking　excitedly；　urged　their　accusations　against　Him。　But　Herod　paid　little　regard　to　their　charges。　He　commanded　silence；　desiring　an　opportunity　to　question　Christ。　He　ordered　that　the　fetters　of　Christ　should　be　unloosed；　at　the　same　time　charging　His　enemies　with　roughly　treating　Him。　Looking　with　compassion　into　the　serene　face　of　the　world's　Redeemer；　he　read　in　it　only　wisdom　and　purity。　He　as　well　as　Pilate　was　satisfied　that　Christ　had　been　accused　through　malice　and　envy。

Herod　questioned　Christ　in　many　words；　but　throughout　the　Saviour　maintained　a　profound　silence。　At　the　command　of　the　king；　the　decrepit　and　maimed　were　then　called　in；　and　Christ　was　ordered　to　prove　His　claims　by　working　a　miracle。　Men　say　that　Thou　canst　heal　the　sick；　said　Herod。　I　am　anxious　to　see　that　Thy　widespread　fame　has　not　been　belied。　Jesus　did　not　respond；　and　Herod　still　continued　to　urge：　If　Thou　canst　work　miracles　for　others；　work　them　now　for　Thine　own　good；　and　it　will　serve　Thee　a　good　purpose。　Again　he　commanded；　Show　us　a　sign　that　Thou　hast　the　power　with　which　rumor　hath　accredited　Thee。　But　Christ　was　as　one　who　heard　and　saw　not。　The　Son　of　God　had　taken　upon　Himself　man's　nature。　He　must　do　as　man　must　do　in　like　circumstances。　Therefore　He　would　not　work　a　miracle　to　save　Himself　the　pain　and　humiliation　that　man　must　endure　when　placed　in　a　similar　position。

Herod　promised　that　if　Christ　would　perform　some　miracle　in　his　presence；　He　should　be　released。　Christ's　accusers　had　seen　with　their　own　eyes　the　mighty　works　wrought　by　His　power。　They　had　heard　Him　command　the　grave　to　give　up　its　dead。　They　had　seen　the　dead　come　forth　obedient　to　His　voice。　Fear　seized　them　lest　He　should　now　work　a　miracle。　Of　all　things　they　most　dreaded　an　exhibition　of　His　power。　Such　a　manifestation　would　prove　a　deathblow　to　their

730

plans；　and　would　perhaps　cost　them　their　lives。　Again　the　priests　and　rulers；　in　great　anxiety；　urged　their　accusations　against