the desire of ages-第156节

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plans；　and　would　perhaps　cost　them　their　lives。　Again　the　priests　and　rulers；　in　great　anxiety；　urged　their　accusations　against　Him。　Raising　their　voices；　they　declared；　He　is　a　traitor；　a　blasphemer。　He　works　His　miracles　through　the　power　given　Him　by　Beelzebub；　the　prince　of　the　devils。　The　hall　became　a　scene　of　confusion；　some　crying　one　thing　and　some　another。

Herod's　conscience　was　now　far　less　sensitive　than　when　he　had　trembled　with　horror　at　the　request　of　Herodias　for　the　head　of　John　the　Baptist。　For　a　time　he　had　felt　the　keen　stings　of　remorse　for　his　terrible　act；　but　his　moral　perceptions　had　become　more　and　more　degraded　by　his　licentious　life。　Now　his　heart　had　become　so　hardened　that　he　could　even　boast　of　the　punishment　he　had　inflicted　upon　John　for　daring　to　reprove　him。　And　he　now　threatened　Jesus；　declaring　repeatedly　that　he　had　power　to　release　or　to　condemn　Him。　But　no　sign　from　Jesus　gave　evidence　that　He　heard　a　word。

Herod　was　irritated　by　this　silence。　It　seemed　to　indicate　utter　indifference　to　his　authority。　To　the　vain　and　pompous　king；　open　rebuke　would　have　been　less　offensive　than　to　be　thus　ignored。　Again　he　angrily　threatened　Jesus；　who　still　remained　unmoved　and　silent。

The　mission　of　Christ　in　this　world　was　not　to　gratify　idle　curiosity。　He　came　to　heal　the　brokenhearted。　Could　He　have　spoken　any　word　to　heal　the　bruises　of　sin…sick　souls；　He　would　not　have　kept　silent。　But　He　had　no　words　for　those　who　would　but　trample　the　truth　under　their　unholy　feet。

Christ　might　have　spoken　words　to　Herod　that　would　have　pierced　the　ears　of　the　hardened　king。　He　might　have　stricken　him　with　fear　and　trembling　by　laying　before　him　the　full　iniquity　of　his　life；　and　the　horror　of　his　approaching　doom。　But　Christ's　silence　was　the　severest　rebuke　that　He　could　have　given。　Herod　had　rejected　the　truth　spoken　to　him　by　the　greatest　of　the　prophets；　and　no　other　message　was　he　to　receive。　Not　a　word　had　the　Majesty　of　heaven　for　him。　That　ear　that　had　ever　been　open　to　human　woe；　had　no　room　for　Herod's　commands。　Those　eyes　that　had　ever　rested　upon　the　penitent　sinner　in　pitying；　forgiving　love　had　no　look　to　bestow　upon　Herod。　Those　lips　that　had　uttered　the　most　impressive　truth；　that　in　tones　of　tenderest　entreaty　had　pleaded　with　the　most　sinful　and　the　most　degraded；　were　closed　to　the　haughty　king　who　felt　no　need　of　a　Saviour。

Herod's　face　grew　dark　with　passion。　Turning　to　the　multitude；　he

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angrily　denounced　Jesus　as　an　impostor。　Then　to　Christ　he　said；　If　You　will　give　no　evidence　of　Your　claim；　I　will　deliver　You　up　to　the　soldiers　and　the　people。　They　may　succeed　in　making　You　speak。　If　You　are　an　impostor；　death　at　their　hands　is　only　what　You　merit；　if　You　are　the　Son　of　God；　save　Yourself　by　working　a　miracle。

No　sooner　were　these　words　spoken　than　a　rush　was　made　for　Christ。　Like　wild　beasts；　the　crowd　darted　upon　their　prey。　Jesus　was　dragged　this　way　and　that；　Herod　joining　the　mob　in　seeking　to　humiliate　the　Son　of　God。　Had　not　the　Roman　soldiers　interposed；　and　forced　back　the　maddened　throng；　the　Saviour　would　have　been　torn　in　pieces。

〃Herod　with　his　men　of　war　set　Him　at　nought；　and　mocked　Him；　and　arrayed　Him　in　a　gorgeous　robe。〃　The　Roman　soldiers　joined　in　this　abuse。　All　that　these　wicked；　corrupt　soldiers；　helped　on　by　Herod　and　the　Jewish　dignitaries；　could　instigate　was　heaped　upon　the　Saviour。　Yet　His　divine　patience　failed　not。

Christ's　persecutors　had　tried　to　measure　His　character　by　their　own；　they　had　represented　Him　as　vile　as　themselves。　But　back　of　all　the　present　appearance　another　scene　intruded　itself；a　scene　which　they　will　one　day　see　in　all　its　glory。　There　were　some　who　trembled　in　Christ's　presence。　While　the　rude　throng　were　bowing　in　mockery　before　Him；　some　who　came　forward　for　that　purpose　turned　back；　afraid　and　silenced。　Herod　was　convicted。　The　last　rays　of　merciful　light　were　shining　upon　his　sin…hardened　heart。　He　felt　that　this　was　no　common　man；　for　divinity　had　flashed　through　humanity。　At　the　very　time　when　Christ　was　encompassed　by　mockers；　adulterers；　and　murderers；　Herod　felt　that　he　was　beholding　a　God　upon　His　throne。

Hardened　as　he　was；　Herod　dared　not　ratify　the　condemnation　of　Christ。　He　wished　to　relieve　himself　of　the　terrible　responsibility；　and　he　sent　Jesus　back　to　the　Roman　judgment　hall。

Pilate　was　disappointed　and　much　displeased。　When　the　Jews　returned　with　their　prisoner；　he　asked　impatiently　what　they　would　have　him　do。　He　reminded　them　that　he　had　already　examined　Jesus；　and　found　no　fault　in　Him；　he　told　them　that　they　had　brought　complaints　against　Him；　but　they　had　not　been　able　to　prove　a　single　charge。　He　had　sent　Jesus　to　Herod；　the　tetrarch　of　Galilee；　and　one　of　their　own　nation；　but　he　also　had　found　in　Him　nothing　worthy　of　death。　〃I　will　therefore　chastise　Him；〃　Pilate　said；　〃and　release　Him。〃

Here　Pilate　showed　his　weakness。　He　had　declared　that　Jesus　was

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innocent；　yet　he　was　willing　for　Him　to　be　scourged　to　pacify　His　accusers。　He　would　sacrifice　justice　and　principle　in　order　to　compromise　with　the　mob。　This　placed　him　at　a　disadvantage。　The　crowd　presumed　upon　his　indecision；　and　clamored　the　more　for　the　life　of　the　prisoner。　If　at　the　first　Pilate　had　stood　firm；　refusing　to　condemn　a　man　whom　he　found　guiltless；　he　would　have　broken　the　fatal　chain　that　was　to　bind　him　in　remorse　and　guilt　as　long　as　he　lived。　Had　he　carried　out　his　convictions　of　right；　the　Jews　would　not　have　presumed　to　dictate　to　him。　Christ　would　have　been　put　to　death；　but　the　guilt　would　not　have　rested　upon　Pilate。　But　Pilate　had　taken　step　after　step　in　the　violation　of　his　conscience。　He　had　excused　himself　from　judging　with　justice　and　equity；　and　he　now　found　himself　almost　helpless　in　the　hands　of　the　priests　and　rulers。　His　wavering　and　indecision　proved　his　ruin。

Even　now　Pilate　was　not　left　to　act　blindly。　A　message　from　God　warned　him　from　the　deed　he　was　about　to　commit。　In　answer　to　Christ's　prayer；　the　wife　of　Pilate　had　been　visited　by　an　angel　from　heaven；　and　in　a　dream　she　had　beheld　the　Saviour　and　conversed　with　Him。　Pilate's　wife　was　not　a　Jew；　but　as　she　looked　upon　Jesus　in　her　dream；　she　had　no　doubt　of　His　character　or　mission。　She　knew　Him　to　be　the　Prince　of　God。　She　saw　Him　on　trial　in　the　judgment　hall。　She　saw　the　hands　tightly　bound　as　the　hands　of　a　criminal。　She　saw　Herod　and　his　soldiers　doing　their　dreadful　work。　She　heard　the　priests　and　rulers；　filled　with　envy　and　malice；　madly　accusing。　She　heard　the　words；　〃We　have　a　law；　and　by　our　law　He　ought　to　die。〃　She　saw　Pilate　give　Jesus　to　the　scourging；　after　he　had　declared；　〃I　find　no　fault　in　Him。〃　She　heard　the　condemnation　pronounced　by　Pilate；　and　saw　him　give　Christ　up　to　His　murderers。　She　saw　the　cross　uplifted　on　Calvary。　She　saw　the　earth　wrapped　in　darkness；　and　heard　the　mysterious　cry；　〃It　is　finished。〃　Still　another　scene　met　her　gaze。　She　saw　Christ　seated　upon　the　great　white　cloud；　while　the　earth　reeled　in　space；　and　His　murderers　fled　from　the　presence　of　His　glory。　With　a　cry　of　horror　she　awoke；　and　at　once　wrote　to　Pilate　words　of　warning。

While　Pilate　was　hesitating　as　to　what　he　should　do；　a　messenger　pressed　through　the　crowd；　and　handed　him　the　letter　from　his　wife；　which　read：

〃Have　thou　nothing　to　do　with　that　just　Man：　for　I　have　suffered　many　things　this　day　in　a　dream　because　of　Him。〃

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Pilate's　face　grew　pale。　He　was　confused　by　his　own　conflicting　emotions。　But　while　he　had　been　delaying　to　act；　the　priests　and　rulers　were　still　further　inflaming　the　minds　of　the　people。　Pilate　was　forced　to　action。　He　now　bethought　himself　of　a　custom　which　might　serve　to　secure　Christ's　release。　It　was　customary　at　this　feast　to　release　some　one　prisoner　whom　the　people　might　choose。　This　custom　was　of　pagan　invention；　there　was　not　a　shadow　of　justice　in　it；　but　it　was　greatly　prized　by　the　Jews。　The　Roman　authorities　at　this　time　held　a　prisoner　named　Barabbas；　who　was　under　sentence　of　death。　This　man　had　claimed　to　be　the　Messiah。　He　claimed　authority　to　establish　a　different　order　of　things；　to　set　the　world　right。　Under　satanic　delusion　he　claimed　that　whatever　he　could　obtain　by　theft　and　robbery　was　his　own。　He　had　done　wonderful　things　through　satanic　agencies；　he　had　gained　a　following　among　the　people；　and　had　excited　sedition　against　the　Roman　government。　Under　cover　of　religious　enthusiasm　he　was　a　hardened　and　desperate　villain；　bent　on　rebellion　and　cruelty。　By　giving　the　people　a　choice　between　this　man　and　the　innocent　Saviour；　Pilate　thought　to　arouse　them　to　a　sense　of　justice。　He　hoped　to　gain　their　sympathy　for　Jesus　in　opposition　to　the　priests　and　rulers。　So；　turning　to　the　crowd；　he　said　with　great　earnestness；　〃Whom　will　ye　that　I　release　unto　you？　Barabbas；　or　Jesus　which　is　called　Christ？〃

Like　the　bellowing　of　wild　beasts　came　the　answer　of　the　mob；　〃Release　unto　us　Barabbas！〃　Louder　and　louder　swelled　the　cry；　Barabbas！　Barabbas！　Thinking　that　the　people　had　not　understood　his　question；　Pilate