the desire of ages-第158节

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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；　Herod；　and　the　Roman　soldiers　were　comparatively　ignorant　of　Jesus。　They　thought　to　please　the　priests　and　rulers　by　abusing　Him。　They　had　not　the　light　which　the　Jewish　nation　had　so　abundantly　received。　Had　the　light　been　given　to　the　soldiers；　they　would　not　have　treated　Christ　as　cruelly　as　they　did。

Again　Pilate　proposed　to　release　the　Saviour。　〃But　the　Jews　cried　out；　saying；　If　thou　let　this　man　go；　thou　art　not　Caesar's　friend。〃　Thus　these　hypocrites　pretended　to　be　jealous　for　the　authority　of　Caesar。　Of　all　the　opponents　of　the　Roman　rule；　the　Jews　were　most　bitter。　When　it　was　safe　for　them　to　do　so；　they　were　most　tyrannical　in　enforcing　their　own　national　and　religious　requirements；　but　when　they　desired　to　bring　about　some　purpose　of　cruelty；　they　exalted　the　power　of　Caesar。　To　accomplish　the　destruction　of　Christ；　they　would　profess　loyalty　to　the　foreign　rule　which　they　hated。

〃Whosoever　maketh　himself　a　king；〃　they　continued；　〃speaketh　against　Caesar。〃　This　was　touching　Pilate　in　a　weak　point。　He　was　under　suspicion　by　the　Roman　government；　and　he　knew　that　such　a　report　would　be　ruin　to　him。　He　knew　that　if　the　Jews　were　thwarted；　their　rage　would　be　turned　against　him。　They　would　leave　nothing　undone　to　accomplish　their　revenge。　He　had　before　him　an　example　of　the　persistence　with　which　they　sought　the　life　of　One　whom　they　hated　without　reason。

Pilate　then　took　his　place　on　the　judgment　seat；　and　again　presented　Jesus　to　the　people；　saying；　〃Behold　your　King！〃　Again　the　mad　cry　was　heard；　〃Away　with　Him；　crucify　Him。〃　In　a　voice　that　was　heard　far　and　near；　Pilate　asked；　〃Shall　I　crucify　your　King？〃　But　from　profane；　blasphemous　lips　went　forth　the　words；　〃We　have　no　king　but　Caesar。〃

Thus　by　choosing　a　heathen　ruler；　the　Jewish　nation　had　withdrawn

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from　the　theocracy。　They　had　rejected　God　as　their　king。　Henceforth　they　had　no　deliverer。　They　had　no　king　but　Caesar。　To　this　the　priests　and　teachers　had　led　the　people。　For　this；　with　the　fearful　results　that　followed；　they　were　responsible。　A　nation's　sin　and　a　nation's　ruin　were　due　to　the　religious　leaders。

〃When　Pilate　saw　that　he　could　prevail　nothing；　but　that　rather　a　tumult　was　made；　he　took　water；　and　washed　his　hands　before　the　multitude；　saying；　I　am　innocent　of　the　blood　of　this　just　Person：　see　ye　to　it。〃　In　fear　and　self…condemnation　Pilate　looked　upon　the　Saviour。　In　the　vast　sea　of　upturned　faces；　His　alone　was　peaceful。　About　His　head　a　soft　light　seemed　to　shine。　Pilate　said　in　his　heart；　He　is　a　God。　Turning　to　the　multitude　he　declared；　I　am　clear　of　His　blood。　Take　ye　Him；　and　crucify　Him。　But　mark　ye；　priests　and　rulers；　I　pronounce　Him　a　just　man。　May　He　whom　He　claims　as　His　Father　judge　you　and　not　me　for　this　day's　work。　Then　to　Jesus　he　said；　Forgive　me　for　this　act；　I　cannot　save　You。　And　when　he　had　again　scourged　Jesus；　he　delivered　Him　to　be　crucified。

Pilate　longed　to　deliver　Jesus。　But　he　saw　that　he　could　not　do　this；　and　yet　retain　his　own　position　and　honor。　Rather　than　lose　his　worldly　power；　he　chose　to　sacrifice　an　innocent　life。　How　many；　to　escape　loss　or　suffering；　in　like　manner　sacrifice　principle。　Conscience　and　duty　point　one　way；　and　self…interest　points　another。　The　current　sets　strongly　in　the　wrong　direction；　and　he　who　compromises　with　evil　is　swept　away　into　the　thick　darkness　of　guilt。

Pilate　yielded　to　the　demands　of　the　mob。　Rather　than　risk　losing　his　position；　he　delivered　Jesus　up　to　be　crucified。　But　in　spite　of　his　precautions；　the　very　thing　he　dreaded　afterward　came　upon　him。　His　honors　were　stripped　from　him；　he　was　cast　down　from　his　high　office；　and；　stung　by　remorse　and　wounded　pride；　not　long　after　the　crucifixion　he　ended　his　own　life。　So　all　who　compromise　with　sin　will　gain　only　sorrow　and　ruin。　〃There　is　a　way　which　seemeth　right　unto　a　man；　but　the　end　thereof　are　the　ways　of　death。〃　Prov。　14：12。

When　Pilate　declared　himself　innocent　of　the　blood　of　Christ；　Caiaphas　answered　defiantly；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our　children。〃　The　awful　words　were　taken　up　by　the　priests　and　rulers；　and　echoed　by　the　crowd　in　an　inhuman　roar　of　voices。　The　whole　multitude　answered　and　said；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our　children。〃

The　people　of　Israel　had　made　their　choice。　Pointing　to　Jesus　they

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had　said；　〃Not　this　man；　but　Barabbas。〃　Barabbas；　the　robber　and　murderer；　was　the　representative　of　Satan。　Christ　was　the　representative　of　God。　Christ　had　been　rejected；　Barabbas　had　been　chosen。　Barabbas　they　were　to　have。　In　making　this　choice　they　accepted　him　who　from　the　beginning　was　a　liar　and　a　murderer。　Satan　was　their　leader。　As　a　nation　they　would　act　out　his　dictation。　His　works　they　would　do。　His　rule　they　must　endure。　That　people　who　chose　Barabbas　in　the　place　of　Christ　were　to　feel　the　cruelty　of　Barabbas　as　long　as　time　should　last。

Looking　upon　the　smitten　Lamb　of　God；　the　Jews　had　cried；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our　children。〃　That　awful　cry　ascended　to　the　throne　of　God。　That　sentence；　pronounced　upon　themselves；　was　written　in　heaven。　That　prayer　was　heard。　The　blood　of　the　Son　of　God　was　upon　their　children　and　their　children's　children；　a　perpetual　curse。

Terribly　was　it　realized　in　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem。　Terribly　has　it　been　manifested　in　the　condition　of　the　Jewish　nation　for　eighteen　hundred　years；a　branch　severed　from　the　vine；　a　dead；　fruitless　branch；　to　be　gathered　up　and　burned。　From　land　to　land　throughout　the　world；　from　century　to　century；　dead；　dead　in　trespasses　and　sins！

Terribly　will　that　prayer　be　fulfilled　in　the　great　judgment　day。　When　Christ　shall　come　to　the　earth　again；　not　as　a　prisoner　surrounded　by　a　rabble　will　men　see　Him。　They　will　see　Him　then　as　heaven's　King。　Christ　will　come　in　His　own　glory；　in　the　glory　of　His　Father；　and　the　glory　of　the　holy　angels。　Ten　thousand　times　ten　thousand；　and　thousands　of　thousands　of　angels；　the　beautiful　and　triumphant　sons　of　God；　possessing　surpassing　loveliness　and　glory；　will　escort　Him　on　His　way。　Then　shall　He　sit　upon　the　throne　of　His　glory；　and　before　Him　shall　be　gathered　all　nations。　Then　every　eye　shall　see　Him；　and　they　also　that　pierced　Him。　In　the　place　of　a　crown　of　thorns；　He　will　wear　a　crown　of　glory；a　crown　within　a　crown。　In　place　of　that　old　purple　kingly　robe；　He　will　be　clothed　in　raiment　of　whitest　white；　〃so　as　no　fuller　on　earth　can　white　them。〃　Mark　9：3。　And　on　His　vesture　and　on　His　thigh　a　name　will　be　written；　〃King　of　kings；　and　Lord　of　lords。〃　Rev。　19：16。　Those　who　mocked　and　smote　Him　will　be　there。　The　priests　and　rulers　will　behold　again　the　scene　in　the　judgment　hall。　Every　circumstance　will　appear　before　them；　as　if　written　in　letters　of　fire。　Then　those　who　prayed；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our　children；〃　will　receive　the　answer　to　their　prayer。　Then　the　whole　world　will　know

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and　understand。　They　will　realize　who　and　what　they；　poor；　feeble；　finite　beings；　have　been　warring　against。　In　awful　agony　and　horror　they　will　cry　to　the　mountains　and　rocks；　〃Fall　on　us；　and　hide　us　from　the　face　of　Him　that　sitteth　on　the　throne；　and　from　the　wrath　of　the　Lamb：　for　the　great　day　of　His　wrath　is　come；　and　who　shall　be　able　to　stand？〃　Rev。　6：16；　17。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　78

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Calvary


〃And　when　they　were　come　to　the　place；　which　is　called　Calvary；　there　they　crucified　Him。〃

〃That　He　might　sanctify　the　people　with　His　own　blood；〃　Christ　〃suffered　without　the　gate。〃　Heb。　13：12。　For　transgression　of　the　law　of　God；　Adam　and　Eve　were　banished　from　Eden。　Christ；　our　substitute；　was　to　suffer　without　the　boundaries　of　Jerusalem。　He　died　outside　the　gate；　where　felons　and　murderers　were　executed。　Full　of　significance　are　the　words；　〃Christ　hath　redeemed　us　from　the　curse　of　the　law；　being　made　a　curse　for　us。〃　Gal。　3：13。

A　vast　multitude　followed　Jesus　from　the　judgment　hall　to　Calvary。　The　news　of　His　condemnation　had　spread　throughout　Jerusalem；　and　people　of　all　classes　and　all　ranks　flocked　toward　the　place　of　crucifixion。　The　priests　and　rulers　had　been　bound　by　a　promise　not　to　molest　Christ's　followers　if　He　Himself　were　delivered　to　them；　and　the　disciples　and　believers　from　the　city　and　the　surrounding　region　joined　the　throng　that　followed　the　Saviour。

As　Jesus　passed　the　gate　of　Pilate's　court；　the　cross　which　had　been　prepared　for　Barabbas　was　laid　upon　His　bruised　and　bleeding　shoulders。　Two　companions　of　Barabbas　were　to　suffer　death　at　the　same　time　with　Jesus；　and　upon　them　also　crosses　were　placed。　The　Saviour's　burden

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was　too　heavy　for　Him　in　His　weak　and　suffering　condition。　Since　the　Passover　supper　with　His　disciples；　He　had　taken　neither　food　nor　drink。　He　had　agonized　in　the　garden　of　Gethsemane　in　conflict　with　satanic　agencies。　He　had　endured　the　anguish　of　the　betrayal；　and　had　seen　His　disciples　fo