Christ a King; as also from what St. John relates, chap. xix. 13," the Jews cried, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a King, speaketh against Cæsar;" as likewise, because this was the thing which Pilate seems more especially to have informed himself about. For he asked him, " art thou the king of the Jews?" John xviii. 33. Where we have the answer that Jesus returned him to ver. 38. Pilate perceiving there was nothing criminal in this pretension of Jesus, went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, “I find in him no fault at all." There being no crime in this, he was fully satisfied of his innocence.

Perhaps, it will be objected against this, that the title set upon the cross, of "Jesus of Nazareth king of the Jews," is a proof the crime he was condemned for by Pilate, was that of sedition, or high treason. But I think, this is no proof of any such thing. For Pilate judging, that our Saviour was really innocent, [since it was the Roman custom to put some title,] might write what he pleased. And our Lord had satisfied Pilate, there was nothing seditious in the claim he made under that character, forasmuch as his kingdom was not of this world. But I contend not about this. It is not at all material, what was the pretended crime for which Pilate at last condemned Jesus.

Blasphemy was the only crime, of which Jesus was supposed to be convicted before the council; and yet these Jewish high priests and elders carried him to the governor; and it appears from the sequel, that Pilate was the supreme judge in this cause, and the master of the event. For he gives the case a fresh hearing, asks the Jews what accusation they brought, examined Jesus: and when he had done so, told them, he found in him no fault at all. This his conduct is a full proof, that he was the judge, and that they were only prosecutors and accusers.

Pilate, indeed, proposes to them, which he should release to them, Barabbas or Jesus. But certainly he does not appeal to them as judges. This is evident from the persons to whom he addressed himself with this proposal, namely, the people, the multitude; which never had among the Jews, a legal power of life and death. Matt. xxviii. 15. "At that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. Ver. 17. Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? ver. 20. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus." See Mark xv. 8-15. This ap

peal to the people seems to have been only to discern, how far he might act in this matter consistent with the peace of the province, which depended upon the disposition of the people.

Moreover, Pilate at length pronounced the sentence. John xix. 19, He wrote the title upon the cross, and would not alter what he had written, though desired by the high priests. When the sentence was pronounced, the (Matt. xxvii. 27, 28,) "soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common-hall, and gathered unto them the whole band of soldiers, and they stripped him, ver. 31, and put on him a scarlet robe, and led him away to crucify him." Ver. 54. The crucifixion was performed by these soldiers, under the command of a centurion.-Ver. 58. "Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. The chief priests and pharisees came to Pilate, desiring that he would command, that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch, go your way, make it as sure as you can. Ver. 66, So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch."

These soldiers were entirely accountable to Pilate. For when (Matt. xxviii. 11-14) "some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept: and if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you.

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Beside the light we receive into this matter, from the proceedings relating to our Saviour himself, we learn that Pilate had in his custody divers prisoners which were of the Jewish nation for it could be such only, that it can be supposed, they should desire to have released to them. And it seems, it had been an usual custom with him, during his government, to release to them some prisoner at that feast; "and the multitude crying aloud, began to desire him to do, as he had ever done unto them." Mark xv. 8. Matt. xxvii. 15.

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When Pilate said unto them, John xviii. 31, " Take ye him, and judge him according to your law; the Jews said unto him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death."

As they here affirm expressly, that they had not the power of life and death, so Pilate told our Saviour that He had. John xix. 10. "Then Pilate said unto him, Knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?"

So that the whole course of the proceedings in this transaction, and these express declarations of these two parties, the high priests and elders on the one hand, and Pilate on the other, assure us, that the Jewish nation had not, at this time, within themselves, the power of life and death upon any occasion.

VI. But yet there are some expressions of the evangelists, relating to this matter, that may require consideration.

1. There is a prediction of our Lord, concerning the manner of his death, related by John, with the evangelist's own reflection: ch. xii. 32. “ And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." Again, ch. xviii. 31, 33. "Then Pilate said 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."

Possibly, some may hence conclude, that the Jews had the power of putting men to death; and therefore the evangelist observes that the fulfilment of this prediction was remarkable; since, though they had the power, yet they disclaimed, and would not exercise it upon this occasion.

But without this supposition, the accomplishment of this prediction was remarkable on two accounts: first, in that he did not die a natural death: and secondly, that he was not put to death in a tumult; but his death was the result of a legal process, according to the form of government which then obtained in that country. No man, without a prophetic spirit, could foresee certainly, that he should not die a natural death; and yet, perhaps, it was more extraordinary to foresee, that he should escape all the sudden attempts upon his life. We have many of these recorded in the evangelists; but, notwithstanding, he suffered as a criminal by the sentence of the government.

And the meaning of the evangelists in the last mentioned place, I think, is this: the Jews said, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death; and hereby, that is, by their not having the power of inflicting capital punishments, it came to pass that the words of Jesus were fulfilled, in which he had predicted, that he should be crucified; that being a Roman, and not an ordinary Jewish punishment.

2. Perhaps some may think, their departing willingly at this time from their right, is implied in the phrase, “delivering up to the Gentiles;" which our Lord made use of sometimes when he spoke of his death. Mark x. 33. See Luke

xviii. 32. "Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:" and after the council had condemned Jesus, Matt. xxvii. 2, it is said, "when they had bound him they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governor."

Hereby some may be pleased to understand, that for some reasons, the Jews voluntarily surrendered him to Pilate; though, if they had thought fit, they might have put him to death themselves.

But this is not the meaning of this word in the New Testament, as is evident from the first text here quoted, Mark x. 33. Judas, of whom that delivery to the chief priests is intended, released no right. The word is often used to express the acts of private persons, who accused, prosecuted, betrayed, or any other way contributed to the bringing another before a court of justice, in order to be condemned and put to death. Matt. x. 17-21. "But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues, and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake: but when they deliver you up, take no thought, how, or what ye shall speak. And the brother shall deliver the brother to death, and the father the child." Mark xiii. 11. "But when they shall lead you and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand." And in the next verse, betraying is used for delivering." Now the brother shall betray the brother, and the father the son."

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3. But still some may suspect, that they might have some particular reasons, for not employing at this time all the authority they were possessed of. For St. Luke says, ch. xxii. 2, " And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him, for they feared the people." And St. Matthew, ch. xxvi. 4, 5, "that they consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be any uproar among the people." Possibly, therefore, suspecting the affections of the people, they might be willing to decline the odium of this action, and throw it upon Pilate.

But whatever apprehensions they might have concerning the people at first, yet when they had seized Jesus without any disturbance, and many had shown their forwardness in coming in to them, and bringing them false accusations against him, these fears might then be pretty well over. And certainly, they could be in no fear of the people, after

the multitude had unanimously demanded with loud voices, that Barabbas might be released, and Jesus crucified. For that offer which Pilate made them, John xix. 6," saying, Take ye him, and crucify him," was plainly after that the people had petitioned for Barabbas. Ch. xviii. 40," Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas." If they could have put any man to death, would not they now have joyfully accepted this offer which Pilate made them? Would they not have been willing now to merit with the people, by putting to death a man whom they disliked as well as themselves, if before they were afraid to kill one, whom they suspected the people were fond of?

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4. And this brings me to another difficulty. For it be said, If the Jews had not the power of life and death, what could Pilate mean by saying, John xviii. 31, "Take ye him, and judge him according to your law?" And again ch. xix. 6, "Take ye him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him?"

I answer, that Pilate's meaning in the first place is very evident, and the answer they make him, shows they had not the power of life and death. The context is thus: "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment." They scrupling to go in, Pilate "went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring you 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, Take ye him and judge him according to your law ;" that is, go then and punish him yourselves. John xviii. 28-31,"The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death;" that is, This is a 'criminal we cannot punish according to his deserts. It is not one of the lesser faults, for which we are wont to scourge men, or to cast out of the synagogue; but he is guilty of blasphemy, which by our law ought to be punished with death, And since we are not permitted to punish any man capitally, we have brought him to your tribunal, where 'alone we can have satisfaction.'

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The other words are thus introduced: Pilate had scourged Jesus, platted a crown of thorns upon him, and offered him other indignities, hoping hereby to pacify the Jewish rage, and save his life: and goes out," and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him:" he is an innocent man, and I cannot punish him as you desire. "When the chief priests therefore," John xix. 1-6, "and officers saw him, they cried out saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto