Christ, the Son of the Blessed. And what is more,

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Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." This was all they could have wished, a voluntary confession of his divine origin, which, in their view of his character and conduct, amounted to blasphemy. They at once, therefore, adjudged him to be guilty of death. As soon, then, as it was day (for all that had hitherto occurred passed in the night), they took him before Pilate the Governor, to obtain a ratification of their sentence. Now the punishment of blasphemy, according to the law of Moses, was stoning the criminal to death. The offence and the penalty were both strictly

Jewish. But Jesus had foretold that he should not

die by the hands of his countrymen. It is, therefore, particularly observable, that although they had adjudged him in their own court to be guilty of death for blasphemy, they changed the nature of the accusation against him when they presented him to Pilate. The Roman Governor, they well knew, cared nothing about their Law. He was not likely to order a popular man for execution, to please the Rulers, for a crime which he neither understood nor acknowledged, and his conduct will very soon show, how averse he was to the whole of their proceedings. The discussion which took place is extremely interesting, and merits our closest attention. Pilate demands of them, "What accusation bring ye against this man?" The Jewish leaders make no specific charge. They knew not well what to say. They,

therefore, reply generally, "If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee." This would not do for a Roman judge. It was too vague a mode of accusing. They, then, put forth a charge against him, the charge of sedition and treason," saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying, that he himself is Christ a King."

Now, in order to understand the nature and object of this accusation, it is necessary to remark, that there was at this time a considerable sect among the Jews, who held that it was unlawful for God's people to pay tribute to the Roman Emperor, or to submit to his government. The founder of this sect was a Galilean of the name of Judas Gaulonites, who raised a civil commotion against the Roman power, and produced great disturbances. He is thus noticed in the Acts, "After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed." But though the party was scattered their principles were still cherished by numbers of adherents, who were spread over Galilee, and were distinguished by the name of Galileans.

Our blessed Saviour and his disciples coming from that part of the country, were all along suspected of favouring the cause of this disaffected sect. This shows the reason of that insidious question which was once proposed to him by the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not?" It

explains, too, the jealousy of the collectors of the tribute money respecting our Lord's principles, when they said to Peter, "Doth not your Master pay tribute?" It furnishes a complete key to the motive of the Chief Priests and Scribes, when they charged him to Pilate, with "forbidding to give tribute, saying, that he himself is Christ a King;" for by this accusation, they insinuated, that he belonged to the rebellious sect of Judas of Galilee. And it gave a strong colouring to the truth of their charge, when they farther added, "He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee unto this place." Pilate, hearing that he was a Galilean, and finding that he stood accused of treasonable practices, was obliged to notice the matter in a more serious way. He, therefore, took Jesus into the judgment-hall, and questioned him concerning his regal title and office. Jesus soon convinced him that "his kingdom was not of this world;" that if it had been of this world, his servants would have fought in his defence, and prevented him being delivered into the hands of the Jews; but that his views of dominion were of a far higher cast. Pilate, then, satisfied of the groundless nature of the accusation, and knowing that the Jews were actuated by envy against him, made an effort to release him by giving them their choice between an infamous character then in prison, and Jesus. But the scheme failed. Having, therefore, scourged Jesus, as was customary with criminals before execution, he delivered him to the soldiers, as a victim they would have to

crucify. Here the several particulars of his prophecy, which related to the treatment he should experience from the Gentiles, were accurately fulfilled. We have just seen him scourged by the order of Pilate. The soldiers having platted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and having put on him a purple robe, mocked him, saying, Hail King of the Jews, and they smote him with their hands and with a reed, and spitted upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. Thus crowned and thus clad, bleeding and beaten, loaded with insult and derision, Pilate again addresses his accusers, leading him forth to them, and hoping, perhaps, to excite in their breasts, some commiseration for the wretched sufferer. But the sight of him seems to have produced the very opposite effect, inflaming them to the highest degree of malice, and causing them to cry out with infuriated violence, "Crucify him, crucify him." Pilate, growing more and more averse to so unjust a proceeding, bade them take him and crucify him themselves. This they could not do, not merely from the want of power in cases of life and death, for the Roman Governor appears to grant them the privilege in this instance if they will avail themselves of it, but because crucifixion was not a Jewish but a Roman punishment. If Jesus died upon the cross, it must be for a criminal action, by the civil authority of the state, which authority was now in the hands of the Romans. His offence against the Jews, blasphemy, was not cognizable by the Roman law, and stoning, not crucifixion, was, as we have already

noticed, the punishment for that offence. But the Jews, to urge his death with more awful sanctions and a greater solemnity, declared that he ought to die, even according to their own Law, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate heard this he was the more afraid, and the more anxious to procure his release, being satisfied of the innocence of Jesus, and struck with awe at the title he assumed. "From thenceforth," says the Evangelist St. John, "he sought to release him." The Jews saw this inclination towards Jesus, and felt alarmed at it. There was one resource left, and that they immediately adopted, which was, to work upon Pilate's fears by threatening to accuse him to the Emperor. "If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend: whosoever maketh him a king, speaketh against Cæsar." Pilate felt the full force of this insinuation. He well knew the jealous temper of Tiberius Cæsar, ever accusations against his Deputies. personal safety was endangered. a report to the Emperor would his government, and, therefore, declaring the innocence of his hapless victim, and washing his hands of his blood, he gave sentence that it should be as they required. Then the soldiers took Jesus, and led him out, and crucified him.-Thus was the celebrated prophecy of Christ to his disciples literally accomplished in all its parts, and the respective shares, which both Jews and Gentiles were to bear in it, were contributed with as much regularity and

ready to receive

He saw his own He was aware that probably be fatal to