The Bible Story Part 257

Then they shouted, saying, "Crucify him, crucify him." And he said unto them the third time, "Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him."

But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed. And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for.

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A STREET IN JERUSALEM, LEADING TO THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER

From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow, and used by her kind permission

This picture shows the street leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, one of those streets which have steps and are therefore accessible only to foot pa.s.sengers.

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But Jesus he scourged. And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple garment; and they came unto him, and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck him with their hands.

And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, "Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him."

Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And Pilate saith unto them, "Behold, the man!"

When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify him, crucify him."

Pilate saith unto them, "Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I find no crime in him."

The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of G.o.d."

When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid; and he entered into the palace again, and saith unto Jesus, "Whence art thou?"

But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to release thee, and have power to crucify thee?"

Jesus answered him, "Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin."

Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, "If thou release this man, thou art not {280} Caesar's friend: everyone that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar."

When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation of the pa.s.sover: it was about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, "Behold, your King!"

They therefore cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him."

Pilate saith unto them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."

Then therefore he delivered him unto them to be crucified.

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IX

THE CRUCIFIXION

_How the Lord Jesus Died on the Cross_.

They took Jesus then: and he went out, bearing the cross for himself, unto the place called The place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha.

And there followed him a great mult.i.tude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"

And they compelled one pa.s.sing by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.

And there were two thieves led with him to be put to death.

And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments among them, casting lots upon them, what each should take. And it was the third hour, when they crucified him, and they crucified the thieves, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

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And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

And the superscription of his accusation was written over him,--

"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

This t.i.tle therefore read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city; and it was written in Hebrew, and in Latin, and in Greek. The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, "Write not, 'The King of the Jews'; but, that he said, 'I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

And they that pa.s.sed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross."

In like manner also the chief priests mocking him among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe."

And they that were crucified with him reproached him. And one of the thieves railed on him, saying, "Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us."

But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Dost thou not even fear G.o.d, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss."

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THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER, JERUSALEM.

Over the traditional site of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus.

Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.

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And he said, "Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom."

And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."

But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, "Woman, behold, thy son!"