Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

Christ before the Council.

275

with Jesus of Nazareth. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And about the space of one hour after, one of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilæan. And he said to Peter, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, Man, I know not what thou sayest. I know not this man of whom ye speak. And immediately, while he yet spake, the second time the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he went out, and wept bitterly 9.

Christ stands before Caiaphas, and before the whole Jewish Council. He confesses himself to be the Christ, and is pronounced guilty of Death. The Fate of Judas.

AND as soon as it was day, the elders of

Matt. xxvi. 69-75. Mark xiv. 66-72. xxii. 56-62. John xviii. 17. 25-27.

Luke

276

Christ before the Council.

the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: and if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

And the whole multitude of them arose, and when they had bound Jesus, they led him away from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor and it was early.

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of

Christ is led to Pilate.

277

blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter's field,. as the Lord appointed me ".

Christ is led to Pilate.

AND they themselves went not into the judgment hall, 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, signifying what death he should die. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King

9 Matt. xxvii. 1-10. Mark xv. 1. Luke xxii. 66-xxiii. 1. John xviii. 28.

278

Pilate sends Christ to Herod.

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 at all'.

Pilate sends Christ to Herod.

AND they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answering said 1 John xviii. 28-38.

Christ is mocked by Herod.

279

unto him, Thou sayest it. And the chief priests and elders accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered him to never a word; insomuch that Pilate marvelled greatly. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that 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

« ÎnapoiContinuă »