prophets might be fulfilled. But this is your hour and the power of darkness.

Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him : and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

SECT. XVIII. JESUS BEFORE CAIAPHAS.-THE DENIAL OF PETER.

(MATT xxvi. MARK XIV. LUKE Xxii. JOHN xviii.)

Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, and led him away to Annas first ;* for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. And Annas sent him bound unto Caiaphas. Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. And they that had laid hold on Jesus brought him unto the house of Caiaphas the high priest. And with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest, and so did another disciple;† that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am

* The first thing done with Jesus, as John informs us, was to conduct him to the house of Annas, who was a man of great influence among the Jews, and virtually their ecclesiastical head. The visit to Annas, however, was probably brief, and Jesus was sent to Caiaphas, the acting high priest, before whom the subsequent examination was conducted.

It is the prevalent opinion that "the other disciple " was the Evangelist John himself. Whately, however, is strongly of opinion that it was Judas who alone of the disciples could be known to the high priest. There was probably an examination of an informal but inquisitorial nature before the members of the Sanhedrim were assembled, and it was during this examination that Peter's first denial was made.

N

not. And the servants and officers stood there, who had kindled a fire of coals in the midst of the hall, for it was Jesus before cold and they warmed themselves and Peter stood with Caiaphas. them, and warmed himself, waiting to see the end.

The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world : I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the Jesus before high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

the Sanhe

drim.

And the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none, for their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high priest arose, and stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. Again, the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us. Jesus saith unto him, I am nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.*

* Among the ancients the rending of their garments was considered expressive of great grief and indignation. Caiaphas shows by this action his horror of the supposed blasphemy that had been spoken in so mean a person claiming sovereignty over Israel and a seat at the right hand of God. It was only when solemnly appealed to by the first magistrate of the nation that Jesus replied by a public and candid avowal of his divinity and Messiahship.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And some began to spit on him, and to buffet him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face with the palms of their hands, and asked him, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. And when one of the maids of the high priest beheld him, she earnestly looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied before them all, saying, Woman, I know him not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch, and the cock crew.*

And about the space of one hour after, another of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, confidently affirmed, saying, Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto, and bewrayeth thee. Besides, did not I see thee in the garden with him? Then Peter denied again, and began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man of whom ye speak. And immediately, while he yet spake, the second time the cock crew.

And Peter

And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. remembered the word of the Lord Jesus, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when Peter thought thereon, he went out, and wept bitterly.f

SECT. XIX. JESUS IS MOCKED AND CONDEMNED.
Morning of Friday, the sixth day of the week.

(MATT. xxvi. MARK xiv. LUKE xxii. JOHN xviii.)

6th April, 30 A.D.

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests came together, and led Jesus into their

*It is impossible to determine the exact relations in which the denials of Peter stand in order of time to Christ's examination and trial, and for convenience the last two have here been placed together.

From the scowling judges, lying witnesses, and menial ruffians, Jesus turned on Peter a look of mingled reproach and compassion, and thus brought conviction and repentance to the mind and heart of the erring disciple.

Jesus before
Pilate.

him to death.

council.* And they held a consultation against him, to put And they asked him, 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.

Then said

And when they had bound Jesus, the whole multitude of them arose, and led him from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor :† and it was early; 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. 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. 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. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again,

* Very early on the Friday morning, possibly about 4.30 a.m., Jesus was conveyed to the council chamber of the Sanhedrim; was formally accused; and again, on his own confession, convicted of blasphemy, and adjudged to be deserving of death. But to no Jewish court at this time was the power of inflicting capital punishment entrusted, and accordingly they had to proceed to the residence of the Roman Governor to obtain a confirmation of the sentence they had passed. All the formality of an orderly trial, and all the publicity of a legal execution were thereby stamped upon the closing scenes o Christ's life.

There was properly but one governor of Syria, of which province Judea now formed a part. Pilate was only deputy governor of Judea-imperatoris procurator; but the power of life and death had notwithstanding been entrusted to him.

As the prætor's hall was full of Roman soldiers, and a legal pollution was contracted by the Jews when they mingled with Gentiles on occasions of special purity, like the passover, Christ's accusers did not enter the judgment hall, but remained without.

The confession of the Jewish judges that the sceptre had departed from Judah, and a lawgiver from between his feet, ought to have led them to the remembrance of the ancient prophecy so remarkably verified.

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 at all.

man.

And the chief priests 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 nothing, so that Pilate, the governor, marvelled greatly. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this 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 Galilean. 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 Jesus before he was desirious 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.

* Pilate seems to have been anxious to get rid of his prisoner, and at the same time to pay a compliment to Herod Antipas, who happened to be in Jerusalem at the time. Christ's accusers had heaped up charges against him of a purely political nature; but the sharp-sighted Roman soon perceived that it was wholly a matter of religious difference and religious hate, which Herod was more qualified to decide.

Herod.