the desire of ages-第157节

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hinking　that　the　people　had　not　understood　his　question；　Pilate　asked；　〃Will　ye　that　I　release　unto　you　the　King　of　the　Jews？〃　But　they　cried　out　again；　〃Away　with　this　Man；　and　release　unto　us　Barabbas〃！　〃What　shall　I　do　then　with　Jesus　which　is　called　Christ？〃　Pilate　asked。　Again　the　surging　multitude　roared　like　demons。　Demons　themselves；　in　human　form；　were　in　the　crowd；　and　what　could　be　expected　but　the　answer；　〃Let　Him　be　crucified〃？

Pilate　was　troubled。　He　had　not　thought　it　would　come　to　that。　He　shrank　from　delivering　an　innocent　man　to　the　most　ignominious　and　cruel　death　that　could　be　inflicted。　After　the　roar　of　voices　had　ceased；　he　turned　to　the　people；　saying；　〃Why；　what　evil　hath　He　done？〃　But　the　case　had　gone　too　far　for　argument。　It　was　not　evidence　of　Christ's　innocence　that　they　wanted；　but　His　condemnation。

Still　Pilate　endeavored　to　save　Him。　〃He　said　unto　them　the　third　time；　Why；　what　evil　hath　He　done？　I　have　found　no　cause　of　death

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in　Him：　I　will　therefore　chastise　Him；　and　let　Him　go。〃　But　the　very　mention　of　His　release　stirred　the　people　to　a　tenfold　frenzy。　〃Crucify　Him；　crucify　Him；〃　they　cried。　Louder　and　louder　swelled　the　storm　that　Pilate's　indecision　had　called　forth。

Jesus　was　taken；　faint　with　weariness　and　covered　with　wounds；　and　scourged　in　the　sight　of　the　multitude。　〃And　the　soldiers　led　Him　away　into　the　hall；　called　Praetorium；　and　they　call　together　the　whole　band。　And　they　clothed　Him　with　purple；　and　platted　a　crown　of　thorns；　and　put　it　about　His　head；　and　began　to　salute　Him；　Hail；　King　of　the　Jews！　And　they　。　。　。　did　spit　upon　Him；　and　bowing　their　knees　worshiped　Him。〃　Occasionally　some　wicked　hand　snatched　the　reed　that　had　been　placed　in　His　hand；　and　struck　the　crown　upon　His　brow；　forcing　the　thorns　into　His　temples；　and　sending　the　blood　trickling　down　His　face　and　beard。

Wonder；　O　heavens！　and　be　astonished；　O　earth！　Behold　the　oppressor　and　the　oppressed。　A　maddened　throng　enclose　the　Saviour　of　the　world。　Mocking　and　jeering　are　mingled　with　the　coarse　oaths　of　blasphemy。　His　lowly　birth　and　humble　life　are　commented　upon　by　the　unfeeling　mob。　His　claim　to　be　the　Son　of　God　is　ridiculed；　and　the　vulgar　jest　and　insulting　sneer　are　passed　from　lip　to　lip。

Satan　led　the　cruel　mob　in　its　abuse　of　the　Saviour。　It　was　his　purpose　to　provoke　Him　to　retaliation　if　possible；　or　to　drive　Him　to　perform　a　miracle　to　release　Himself；　and　thus　break　up　the　plan　of　salvation。　One　stain　upon　His　human　life；　one　failure　of　His　humanity　to　endure　the　terrible　test；　and　the　Lamb　of　God　would　have　been　an　imperfect　offering；　and　the　redemption　of　man　a　failure。　But　He　who　by　a　command　could　bring　the　heavenly　host　to　His　aidHe　who　could　have　driven　that　mob　in　terror　from　His　sight　by　the　flashing　forth　of　His　divine　majestysubmitted　with　perfect　calmness　to　the　coarsest　insult　and　outrage。

Christ's　enemies　had　demanded　a　miracle　as　evidence　of　His　divinity。　They　had　evidence　far　greater　than　any　they　had　sought。　As　their　cruelty　degraded　His　torturers　below　humanity　into　the　likeness　of　Satan；　so　did　His　meekness　and　patience　exalt　Jesus　above　humanity；　and　prove　His　kinship　to　God。　His　abasement　was　the　pledge　of　His　exaltation。　The　blood　drops　of　agony　that　from　His　wounded　temples　flowed　down　His　face　and　beard　were　the　pledge　of　His　anointing　with　〃the　oil　of　gladness〃　（Heb。　1：9。）　as　our　great　high　priest。

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Satan's　rage　was　great　as　he　saw　that　all　the　abuse　inflicted　upon　the　Saviour　had　not　forced　the　least　murmur　from　His　lips。　Although　He　had　taken　upon　Him　the　nature　of　man；　He　was　sustained　by　a　godlike　fortitude；　and　departed　in　no　particular　from　the　will　of　His　Father。

When　Pilate　gave　Jesus　up　to　be　scourged　and　mocked；　he　thought　to　excite　the　pity　of　the　multitude。　He　hoped　they　would　decide　that　this　was　sufficient　punishment。　Even　the　malice　of　the　priests；　he　thought；　would　now　be　satisfied。　But　with　keen　perception　the　Jews　saw　the　weakness　of　thus　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；　Her