lid looks and
upright spears. The Accused would have to ascend the platform, too;
and over against Him stood His accusers, with Caiaphas at their head.

What a spectacle was that! The heads of the Jewish nation leading
their own Messiah in chains to deliver Him up to a Gentile governor,
with the petition that He should be put to death! Shades of the heroes
and the prophets, who loved this nation and boasted of it and foretold
its glorious fate, the hour of destiny has come, and this is the result!

It was an act of national suicide. But was it not more? Was it not
the frustration of the purpose and the promise of God? So it certainly
appeared to be. Yet He is not mocked. Even through human sin His
purpose holds on its way. The Jews brought the Son of God to Pilate's
judgment-seat, that both Jew and Gentile might unite in condemning Him;
for it was part of the work of the Redeemer to expose human sin, and
here was to be exhibited the _ne plus ultra_ of wickedness, as the hand
of humanity was lifted up against its Maker. And yet that death was to
be the life of humanity; and Jesus, standing between Jew and Gentile,
was to unite them in the fellowship of a common salvation. "Oh the
depth both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are
His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"

II.

Pilate at once demanded what was the accusation which they brought
against the Prisoner.

The reply was a characteristic one, "If He were not a malefactor, we
would not have delivered Him up unto thee." This was as broad a hint
as they could give that they desired the governor to waive his right to
re-try the case, accepting their trial of it as sufficient, and content
himself with the other half of his prerogative--the passing and the
execution of the sentence. Sometimes provincial governors did so,
either through indolence or out of compliment to the native
authorities; and especially in a religious cause, which a foreigner
could not be expected to understand, such a compliment might seem a
boon which it was not unreasonable to ask.

But Pilate was not in a yielding mood, and retorted, "Take ye Him and
judge Him according to your law." This was as much as to say: If I am
not to hear the case, then I will neither pass the sentence nor inflict
the punishment; if you insist on this being a case for yourselves as
ecclesiastics, then keep it to yourselves; but, if you do, you must be
content with such a pu