This answer of Jesus is very remarkable; it became the foundation of his religion, and the pledge of its universality, because it detached it from the interests of all governments. It rests not merely in assertion, in doctrine; it was given in justification, in defence against the accusation of intending to make himself King of the Jews. Indeed, if Jesus had affected a temporal royal authority, if there had been the least attempt, on his part, to usurp the power of Casar, he would have been guilty of treason in the eyes of the magistrate. But, by answering twice, my kingdom is not of this world, my kingdom is not from hence, his justification was complete.

Pilate, however, persisted and said to him: "Art thou a king then?" Jesus replied, 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. John xviii. 37.

Pilate then said to him: What is the truth?

This question proves, that Pilate had not a very clear idea of what Jesus called the truth. He perceived nothing in it but ideology; and, satisfied with having said (less in the manner of a question than of an exclamation) "What is the truth," he went out to the Jews (who remained

outside) and said to

him no fault at all."

Here, then, we see

them, "I find in John xviii. 38.

Jesus absolved from

the accusation by the declaration of the Roman judge himself.

But the accusers, persisting still farther, added" He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place." Luke xxiii. 5.

"He stirreth up the people"! This is

a charge of sedition; and for Pilate.

But

observe, it was by the doctrine which he teaches; these words comprehend the real

complaint of the Jews. To them it was equivalent to saying — He teaches the people, he instructs them, he enlightens them; he preaches new doctrines which are not ours. "He stirs up the people "! This, in their mouths signified the people hear him willingly; the people follow and become attached to him; for he preaches a doctrine that is friendly and consolatory to the people; he unmasks our pride, our avarice, our insatiable spirit of domination!

Pilate, however, does not appear to have attached much importance to this new turn given to the accusation; but he here betrays a weakness. He heard the word Galilee; and he makes that the occasion of shifting off the responsibility upon another public officer, and seizes the occa

sion with avidity. He says to Jesus-you are a Galilean then? and, upon the answer being in the affirmative, considering Jesus as belonging to the jurisdiction of Herod-Antipas, who, by the good pleasure of Cæsar, was then tetrarch of Galilee, he sent him to Herod. Luke xxiii. 6, 7.

But Herod, who, as St. Luke says, had been long desirous of seeing Jesus and had hoped to see some miracle done by him, after satisfying an idle curiosity and putting several questions to him, which Jesus did not deign to answer, Herod, notwithstanding the presence of the priests, (who had not yet gone off, but stood there with their scribes,) and notwithstanding the pertinacity with which they continued to accuse Jesus, perceiving nothing but what was merely chimerical in the accusation of being a king, made a mockery of the affair, and sent Jesus back to Pilate, after having arrayed him in a gorgeous

robe, in order to show that he thought this pretended royalty was a subject of ridicule rather than of apprehensions.

8, &c., and De Sacy. Ib.

Luke xxiii.

SECTION X.

THE LAST EFFORTS BEFORE PILATE.

No person, then was willing to condemn Jesus; neither Herod, who only made the case a subject of mockery, nor Pilate, who had openly declared that he found nothing criminal in him.

But the hatred of the priests was not disarmed; so far from it, that the chief priests, with a numerous train of their partisans, returned to Pilate with a determination to force him to a decision.

The unfortunate Pilate, reviewing his