"Granny's Chapters" Part 13

Then appealing to those around him, Caiaphas asked, "What further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?"

There could be no doubt of the answer to such questions. The Priests, and Scribes, and elders were bent upon destroying their victim; and gladly seizing the opportunity now given them by the High Priest, "They answered and said, He is guilty of death,"--that is, He is guilty of a crime which the Law of Moses orders to be punished with death. "And they all condemned him to be guilty of death."

The Priests and elders had now accomplished their work, as far as they were concerned; but its final execution did not rest with them. Judaea was a Roman province, and as such the Jews could put no man to death without the permission of the Roman governor, who was at that time Pontius Pilate. To obtain Pilate's consent was the next step to be taken; and that the Jews determined to set about as soon as possible in the morning. It was now about midnight of the Thursday--the day on which Jesus had eaten the last Supper with His disciples. Some six or seven hours must pa.s.s before Jesus could be taken before Pilate, and this time the Jews occupied in ill using and mocking our innocent and holy Lord.

The Priests and elders having pa.s.sed sentence upon Jesus, now left Him in the hands of the attendants and soldiers, who, as we have said, pa.s.sed the rest of the night in ill treating Him. "And the men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him: and some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands."

To spit upon a person, was the greatest affront and indignity that could be offered by one man to another: it signified the utmost scorn and contempt. Then, in mockery of our blessed Lord's claim to be the Messiah, the Son of G.o.d, He was blindfolded, and then desired to show His divine power, by telling the names of those who struck Him on the face. It is most painful to think of Jesus being so treated: for our sakes He bore meekly and patiently this savage treatment. He might with one word have put an end to it, and struck dead those who thus insulted Him. But these indignities were a part of the cup appointed for Him by the Father, and this cup He was ready to drink to the last drop, for the redemption of man. Should we not love the Lord in heart and in deed, for all that He has done and suffered for us?

"And many other things blasphemously spake they against him." Thus pa.s.sed the hours of this terrible night.

All this time Peter sat in some part of the Palace; "and there cometh one of the maids of the High Priest, the damsel that kept the door, unto Peter: and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked earnestly upon him," as if trying to remember where she had seen him before. Then she said to those around, "This man was also with him"; and, referring to Peter himself to confirm her statement, she asked, "Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?" We may well believe that Peter was horrified at the treatment he had seen inflicted upon his Master; and most probably, in spite of all Jesus had said, Peter was disappointed at His not taking some signal measures to check His persecutors. This for a time weakened his faith, and made him fearful that if he confessed himself to be a disciple, he might bring upon himself similar treatment, to that which Jesus was silently and calmly undergoing. In his perplexity and fear, therefore, he committed a fearful sin; for in answer to the damsel's question, "Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?" "he saith, I am not." But the damsel was not convinced, and presently said, "And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth, of Galilee." One departure from truth is sure to lead to another: and now Peter even pretends not to understand what she can possibly mean by charging him with being one of Christ's disciples: thus "he denied him before them all, saying, Woman, I know him not. I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest."

Perhaps Peter now hoped that he had silenced his accusers, and should be left in peace; but he was shortly undeceived. "The servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the High Priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off," seems, however, to have recognized Peter as the person who did this act, and saith, "Did not I see thee in the garden with him?" What had been denied before was not likely to be confessed now. "Peter then denied again; and he went out into the porch; and immediately the c.o.c.k crew."

These three denials,--first, to the damsel; secondly, to the servants and officers; and thirdly, to the kinsman of Malchus,--which are related in the different Gospels, all took place much at the same time, and are therefore to be looked upon as one act: thus we see how every word spoken by Jesus on the subject of Peter's denial came true.

He said that before it was time for the c.o.c.k to crow at all, Peter would have denied Him three times; and this he had done, and the warning voice of the c.o.c.k had been heard for the first time.

If we resist the Devil, he will flee from us: if we give way to one temptation, we shall be more likely to fall again: so it was with Peter. "When he was gone out into the porch, after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. And another maid saw him, and began to say to them that stood by, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. This is one of them." Peter now added to his sin, "for he denied with an oath, I do not know the man,"--thus calling upon G.o.d as a witness to the truth of what he was saying. This was Peter's second denial of his Lord and Master.

About an hour afterwards, when it was nearly three o'clock in the morning, Peter seems to have been again in the hall, where the soldiers were waiting with Jesus, until it should be time for them to take Him before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Here the third denial took place.

Before we go further, some little explanation is necessary. You know that in different countries, as in France, Spain, China, &c., the people speak different languages; so that without learning one another's language, the natives of different countries cannot talk to each other. But even in different parts of the same country, the people often p.r.o.nounce their words in such a different manner as to make it almost a different language, so that the "dialect," or manner of speaking, in one province, would be hardly understood in another province of the same country. Even in England we have something of the same kind; and if you were to hear the people of Yorkshire or of Somersetshire talking to each other, you would not understand much of their conversation.

Chapter x.x.xVII.--PETER'S THIRD DENIAL.

When Peter had returned into the hall where Jesus still was, another man "confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was him: for he is a Galilean." The Jews, who were natives of Galilee, used a different dialect to that of the inhabitants of Judaea; and this man, having heard Peter speak, at once perceived that he was a Galilean, and doubtless the follower of Jesus. But Peter at once said, "Man, I am not": he would not even now allow that he was a Galilean; but the fact was too plain; for his manner of speaking betrayed or showed that he was certainly a native of Galilee. They that stood by could not therefore be deceived, and said again to Peter, "Surely thou also art one of them, for thou art a Galilean: and thy speech agreeth thereto, for thy speech bewrayeth (or betrayeth) thee." Peter now went still further in his denial, and added to his sin; for getting frightened and angry, he allowed himself to use language sinful in itself. "Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man: I know not this man of whom ye speak. And immediately, while he yet spake, the c.o.c.k crew; the second time the c.o.c.k crew. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter."

What a look must that have been! a look of reproach for Peter's sin; of grief for his sad fall mixed with love for His weak and erring follower. Such as it was, it went straight to Peter's heart; bringing all things to his memory, and making him feel deeply the sin he had committed against One, whom he did truly love; though under temptation, he had acted very contrary to what that love demanded from him. But the Saviour's look awakened all Peter's better feelings: "And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he had said unto him, Before the c.o.c.k crow thou shalt deny me thrice. Before the c.o.c.k crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept; he went out and wept bitterly."

Peter's tears were tears of true repentance: we know this, because in future we find him no longer confident in himself, and boasting of his love, but humble, and looking to G.o.d for strength; whilst he devoted his life to doing his Master's work, never letting the fear of man prevent his declaring the truth, as it is in Jesus.

When we blame Peter for denying the Lord, let us remember that he sinned, _because_ he trusted too much in himself, and did not watch and pray as he ought to have done. This is a warning to us, not to do as he did. But let us also remember, that having sinned, he repented truly; and showed his repentance, by his changed conduct during the rest of his life. Here is an example for us to follow.

This terrible night was over at last. "And straightway in the morning, as soon as it was day" (about four o'clock in the morning of Friday), the Chief Priests seem to have called the whole Council of the Sanhedrim together, to consult what was next to be done to secure their object: "they took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

And they led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us." Jesus had already answered this question before Caiaphas, and knowing their motive in repeating it, "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." Jesus would not, however, allow them to suppose that He denied being the Messiah: and He therefore repeated the words, which they chose to call blasphemy, saying, "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of G.o.d. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of G.o.d? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

And they said, What need we any further witnesses? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth."

"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." Some feelings of sorrow and remorse for having given up an innocent man to be put to death, now led Judas to bring back the "reward of iniquity," and at once to confess his own sin, and bear witness to the innocence of Jesus.

Perhaps he had a hope of thus saving Jesus from the fate which awaited Him: if so, Judas soon learnt, what many have learnt before and since, that it is easy to do wrong, but by no means easy to undo the wrong when done. Many of us, in a moment of pa.s.sion or self-will, commit acts which embitter our whole future lives. Let the young beware, lest they bring upon themselves such life-long misery; they may truly repent and mourn, and G.o.d, for Jesu's sake, may forgive the sin; but the act itself, and its bitter consequences, can never be undone.

The Priests and elders cared not whether Jesus was innocent or guilty, so as they could treat Him as if He _were_ guilty. His holy life, His heavenly teaching, showed them their own sinfulness, and therefore it was _because_ He was good, that they sought to destroy Him. Neither did they care for Judas's sufferings: they had gladly profited by his sin, and given him the reward agreed upon: now that they had got from him all that they wanted, they cared not what became of the miserable sinner. And this is often the case amongst men, who to gain something they want, persuade others to do wrong. Those who have sinned to help them, may afterwards be filled with remorse and misery; but they will meet with neither help nor pity from those who led them into sin. Like the Priests, they will say, What is that to us?

In vain did Judas look for pity from his partners in guilt; the unfeeling answer of the Priests was, "What is that to us? see thou to that." Had Judas repented truly, he would, like Peter, have gone out and wept bitterly, and sought forgiveness of his Lord; but, unable to bear the feeling of remorse which lay heavy upon his heart, he committed a crime for which there is no repentance: "he departed, and went and hanged himself, and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out." What may be the exact meaning of this pa.s.sage, it is difficult to say; but it is certain that Judas perished in some remarkable and dreadful manner.

After Judas had departed from the Council, leaving the money behind, "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 blood."

The Jews considered it unlawful to put into the treasury of the temple, any money which had been got by taking away life. The executioners, whose duty it was to put criminals to death, were not allowed to make any offering to the treasury, because the money that they gained was looked upon as the price of blood. These Priests, who were ready to break a positive commandment by putting an innocent person to death, would not break the Law in a small matter.

The fact is, that by this time the religion of the Jews had become a mere form: they made a great fuss about observing ceremonies and customs, which required no self-denial; but they did not care to obey the Will of G.o.d, when it interfered with their own wishes and inclinations. They had had no scruple in buying the life of an innocent man, but they would not put the price of his blood into the treasury. So "they took counsel," or consulted together, as to what should be done with the silver pieces, "and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in." By "strangers" was probably meant Jews, who came from distant parts of the country, or from some of the nations through which Jews were scattered: these people had, of course, no burial-place of their own in Jerusalem, and therefore this field was bought, in order that any foreign Jews, who died in the city, might be buried there.

The potter's field lay to the S.E. of Jerusalem, on the other side of the brook Gihon. From this time, this field was called "Aceldama," a Hebrew word, meaning the Field of Blood: now the Christians in those parts call it "the holy field."

This buying of the field, was foretold 457 years before, in the time of Ezra. "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."

This prophecy is not, however, to be found in the book which we call by the name of Jeremiah, but in that of Zechariah (xi.), another of the prophets. The Jews had an old custom of dividing the Scriptures of the Old Testament into three parts. The First Part, called "the Law,"

contained the books of Moses and those of Kings and Chronicles: the Psalms formed the Second Part: and the Third Part contained the writings of the prophets. As this Third Part began with the prophecies of Jeremiah, the whole division was often called by his name; and thus any words spoken by another prophet, might be said to be in Jeremy or Jeremiah.

The Priests and the whole Council of the Sanhedrim had condemned Jesus to death, for what they called blasphemy; and the next step was to get Pilate's permission to execute the sentence. "And the whole mult.i.tude of them arose, and bound Jesus, and when they had bound him, they led him away from Caiaphas unto the Hall of Judgment, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor: and it was early," probably about five o'clock in the morning. "And they themselves went not into the Judgment Hall lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Pa.s.sover."

These Jews were _preparing_ to eat the Pa.s.sover, in the evening of that day, Friday; but Jesus and His disciples had eaten it the evening _before_; that is, on Thursday. This difference needs some explanation. We divide our year into 12 months, some of 30 days, and some of 31, whilst, as a general rule, February has only 28. The earth on which we live goes round the sun in 365 days and 6 hours, all but a few minutes. By "the day" we mean 24 hours, or what we call a day and a night. Our 12 months, therefore, contain the 365 days; but the extra hours are unaccounted for. Now in four years the 6 extra hours amount to 24--another day: and therefore every fourth year February has an additional day to provide for them. The year in which February has 29 days is called "Leap Year," because we seem to leap over a day. For instance, suppose Christmas Day to be on Sat.u.r.day one year, it would naturally fall on Sunday the next year: but if it were Leap Year, it would leap over Sunday and fall upon Monday instead. Our year is called a Solar Year, because it is regulated by the course of the earth round the sun, and _Sol_ is the Latin word for the Sun.

The Jews, on the contrary, divided their year according to the course of the Moon, which goes round the Earth in something more than thirty days. Theirs was a Lunar Year, because _Luna_ is Latin for the moon.

The twelve months amongst the Jews had not the same fixed number of days every year, because they reckoned the month to begin when the new moon first appeared. This practice often led to mistakes, so that what ought to have been the 14th day of any month was frequently called the 15th, or the 13th. Something of this kind seems to have taken place at this time: so that whilst Jesus and His disciples ate the Pa.s.sover on the evening of the right day, the 14th of Nisan or Abib (answering to the end of March with us), many of the Jews celebrated the feast on the next day, calling that the 14th, though it was, in reality, the 15th.

Chapter x.x.xVIII.--JESUS SENT BY PILATE TO HEROD.

Whatever might be the cause, it is plain that the Priests and elders were preparing to keep the Pa.s.sover, on the evening _after_ that on which Jesus had eaten it with His disciples: and that lest they should be defiled and rendered unclean according to the Law, they would not enter the Judgment Hall, which was full of Roman soldiers. Any Jew who (in one of the many ways) became unclean, could not partake of the Feast of the Pa.s.sover: and it was even held, that upon occasions of such peculiar holiness, mixing with the Gentiles or heathens, made a Jew unclean; therefore, to avoid all risk, they went not in. They did not consider that all the laws about purity and uncleanness, were only meant to show the necessity of being pure and holy in thought, word, and deed; and that their persecution of an innocent being, rendered them far more unclean in the sight of G.o.d, than any ceremonial defilement could possibly do. But it was ever so; they paid more attention to outward forms than to real holiness and goodness. Let us beware never to fall into the like fatal sin.

As the Jews would not go into the Judgment Hall, "Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?"

Instead of naming any crime of which their prisoner had been guilty, the Jews merely answered, "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." This was not at all what the Jews wanted, and they "therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."

Some writers think that the Jews were _not_ deprived of the power of putting to death criminals found guilty according to their law; but that at the time of this holy feast, it was _not lawful_ for them to put any man to death. In any case, in all this we see the hand of G.o.d; "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 Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king."

In answer to Pilate's desire to know the crime of which they accused Jesus, the Jews said not one word about blasphemy, for which alone the Sanhedrim had condemned Him to be deserving of death: they knew very well that Pilate would take no notice of such a charge as that, for he, being a heathen, would care for none of these things; and therefore, by a very false representation of what Jesus _had_ said, they now tried to make Pilate believe that Jesus claimed to be king of Judaea; and that He endeavoured to pervert or turn the nation from paying any obedience to the Emperor of Rome. Such a charge as this could not be disregarded by a Roman governor; for the Romans would not tolerate anything like revolt or sedition in their conquered provinces. "Then Pilate entered into the Judgment Hall again, and called Jesus, and Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?"

The meaning of this question was, Dost thou ask this question of thyself, from a real wish to know whether I am the Messiah so long expected by the Jews? or have others laid it to my charge as a crime, that I have declared myself to be that Christ their king? "Pilate answered, Am I a Jew?" meaning that as he was not a Jew, he was not likely to know or care whether Jesus was the Messiah or not; and then he called upon Jesus to tell him for what crime He had been delivered up by His own countrymen, who had thus plainly shown that they did not believe Him to be their Messiah. "Thine own nation and the Chief Priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?" Jesus in his answer, showed Pilate, that, declaring Himself to be a king, could be no crime against the Roman Emperor, as He neither claimed nor sought for power upon earth: if He had done so, His followers would have fought for Him. "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?" that is, dost thou really mean that thou art a king? "Jesus answered, and said unto him, 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."

Jesus here states again the nature of His kingdom. It was founded only upon truth. His conquests were to be only over falsehood and sin. He came into the world on purpose by His words to bring men to believe all that G.o.d had said, and to do His Will in all things; such were to be His subjects. He came to win the _hearts_ of men, and rule and govern them. Such a kingdom could in no way interfere with the dominion of Caesar, or any other earthly sovereign. On the contrary, those whose hearts are ruled by Christ, will be the most obedient subjects to the powers that be.

Pilate was evidently convinced by the words of Jesus, that He could in no way be found guilty of stirring up the people to disobey Caesar, but before he told the Jews this, he put to our Lord the question, "What is truth?" that is, what dost thou mean by that truth, which will make every one hear Thy words. Had Pilate asked this important question with a sincere desire to _know_ the truth, it would have been a happy day for him; for the truth which Jesus would have taught him, is the only thing to give real happiness in life or death. But Pilate did not even wait for an answer, for when "he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith unto the Chief Priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man; I find in him no fault at all." Thus did the Roman governor, a heathen, bear witness to the blamelessness of our blessed Lord; but the Jews, determined on the death of their victim, would by no means accept such a sentence. It is plain from all that follows, that though Jesus remained in the Hall, He was so placed as to be able to hear all that was said outside.

"And the Chief Priests accused him of many things: but when he was accused of the Chief Priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing: insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."

Men are in general eager enough to say all they can in their own defence, especially when conscious of their innocence: well, therefore, might Pilate be astonished at the calm and dignified conduct of one accused of so many crimes; and whom even he held to be guiltless. But our Lord's behaviour was thoroughly consistent with His character, and with His work. When He had an opportunity of declaring the great truth that he was the Son of G.o.d, the Messiah, then He spake boldly before the Priests and the Council, as well as to Pilate: but now, when the Jews were saying all manner of evil falsely against Him, He treated their charges with the silent contempt they deserved. But this seems to have increased the rage of His accusers, "and they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place."

It was true that Jesus had taught throughout the whole land of Judaea: but the Jews wished to make Pilate believe that his object was to stir up the people to rebellion against Caesar, and other crimes: whereas all He did was to stir up the people to believe in Him as the Messiah, and to turn to G.o.d with all their hearts, and keep His commandments.

Pilate was greatly perplexed what to do; he could not but see that Jesus was innocent, and he had not strength of mind to do his duty conscientiously, without any fear of what man could do unto him: he was, therefore, too glad of an opportunity of throwing the responsibility of pa.s.sing sentence upon another; and when he heard the Jews thus speaking of Galilee, "he asked whether the man were a Galilean." In Galilee our Lord had dwelt from childhood, and as a resident in that province, He was subject to the authority of Herod Antipas, appointed by the Romans to be king of Galilee. "And as soon as Pilate knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time," in order to keep the Pa.s.sover Feast. Herod being acquainted with the Jewish religion and customs, would be better able to judge between Jesus and His accusers; and thus his opinion might help Pilate in deciding upon the case.