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And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee?

133. Jesus is taken before Pilate.

Place.

The Judg

ment-hall of Pilate.

WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: and when they had bound him, they led him away from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. And they themselves went not into the judgmenthall, lest they should be defiled ; but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake,

Lest by touching any of the Gentiles, whom they accounted unclean, they should be unfit to eat the paschal Sacrifice.

The Romans had conquered the Jews, and deprived them of the power of executing any criminal, though they might try and condemn him. The sceptre, or power of civil government being thus departed from Judah, (Gen. xlix. 10.) this was the time for Shiloh, or Messiah, to come.

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signifying what death he should die. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king. Then Pilate entered into the judgment-hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, "Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?" Pilate answered, Am I a Jew ? thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world: "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. Every one that is "of the truth heareth my voice." Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault

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* He had signified (John iii. 14. xii. 32.) that he should die upon a cross.

On the contrary, Christ commanded to render to Cesar whatever was his due. Matt. xxii. 21.

Not being a Jew, I do not concern myself about such questions.

d. In the sense in which I have explained the nature of my kingdom, I acknowledge I am a king.

• Pilate suddenly breaks off, as if afraid to pursue his inquiry.

at all. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

134. Pilate sends Jesus to Herod.

: WHEN Pilate heard of Galilee, he Place. asked whether the man were a Ga- Herod's palilean. And as soon as he knew that lace. he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for 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. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

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a With his soldiers.

135. Herod sends Jesus again to Pilate. Pilate seeks to release him.

AND Pilate, when he had called Place. together the chief priests, and the The Judgrulers, and the people, said unto ment-hall of them, Ye have brought this man

Pilate.

unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him." I will therefore chastise him," and release him.

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered them, saying, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgmentseat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should

He has done nothing that deserves death.
I will therefore scourge him.

ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

136. Pilate, having scourged Jesus, and repeated his attempts to release him, delivers him to the clamours of the Jews. The soldiers insult Jesus, and lead him away to crucify him.

THEN Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head. Pilate

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Ask to release Barabbas.

Hoping that the Jews might be satisfied with this punishment, and require no more.

him.

Dressed him up as a mock king, to make sport with

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