he everlasting victory more sweet.

It is worthy of notice, incidentally, that where an indolent judge, in
order to avoid trouble, gives a just sentence to-day, he may, from the
same motive, give an unjust sentence to-morrow. He who taught this
lesson, knowing all that should befall himself, and hastening forward to
his final suffering, knew well that deepest sorrow may spring from the
selfishness of an unjust judge which happened for that time to bring
deliverance to the widow. Pilate was precisely such a magistrate.
Neither fear of God nor regard for man was the ultimate reason that
determined his decision: the love of his own ease and safety was the
hinge on which his judgment turned. He was disposed to do justly rather
than unjustly in the case, when the Jewish rulers dragged Jesus to his
bar. He would have pronounced a righteous judgment if that course had
seemed to promise greater or equal advantage to himself. But the priests
and people were, like this widow, very importunate and persevering.
"Crucify him, crucify him," they cried. "Why, what evil hath he done?"
"Crucify him, crucify him," rose again in a sound like the voice of many
waters from the heaving throng. "Shall I release Jesus?" interposed the
irresolute Pilate; "Away with this man, and give us Barabbas," was the
instant reply. "Shall I crucify your king?" said Pilate, making yet
another effort to escape the toils that were closing round him; but this
fence laid him open to the heaviest blow of all: "If thou let this man
go, thou art not Caesar's friend." He gave way at last: by their
continual coming they wearied him, and he abandoned the innocent to
their will.

Thus the unjust as well as the just judgment seat has two sides. Jesus
gave the safe side to the poor widow, and accepted the other for
himself. He became poor that we might be rich: he was condemned that we
might be set free.

XXIX.

THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.

"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that
they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the
temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that
I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even
as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all
that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift
up so much as his