Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-10-14
JESUS TO BE CRUCIFIED.
DR.. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

four evangeliStS each give the details OF that
dreadful morning on which Christ was cruci-
fed, in his own way, not closely repeating
one another. So it occurs that some things
are recorded by one, not by Others. This is
natural and as it would be in our own life.
We can put their narratives together and see
how Plate sent Jesus to Herod as piece Of
polite policy, and Jesus was silent before him,
how Pilates wife warned her husband Matt.
xvii, 19, and how the Jews pressed the
point that to let off one who set himself up as
rival to Caesar would put PLATE in bad
light before Cesar This was their strong
point These are three lines of study we may
take as we see Jesus in the hands of sinful
men, PLATE being for the time prominent.
PLATE is, first, trying a compromise; this
fails and he is frightened, and in the third
stage he yields.
l. The compromise admitting that
Jesus has done anything worthy of death, he
will practically own that he may have broken
Jewish law, and may be SO far punished; so
he took Jesus and scourged him." possibly
thinking that this would satisfy their rage.
Ap offender about to be scourged was bound
by the hands to post, or something fixed,
and beaten with cords made sharp and heavy
with bone or lead fastened on them, to the
torture, and loss of mnch blood, flesh, and
tim. The doing of this by the approval at
least of the governor, who was the highest
authority there, emboldened the soldiers,
who, it is probable, resented the idea of any
King but Caesar. They proceeded, as the
cruel are apt to do, from bad to worse, till
che climax is reached with blows. Begin
ming with mock crown of the prickly shrub
nubk which is found around Jerusalem still
they proceed TO robe him in a garment in
imitation of that worn by king or gen.
eral; then they make mock salutes by bend
ing their bodies before Him and calling out,
@Hail, King of the Jewsl" Then, as if they
were bringing Him gifts in their hands, they
strike Him blowsl Plate tries on the prose-
ecutors the effect of this. He brings Jesus
out, in obvious suffering and indescribable
humiliation, with the crown and purple robe
on Him, and says in effect "Seel l have
brought Him out thus to you. You deem
Him guilty. Well, if so He is punished
enough, and 1 want you to know that 1 find
no reason for putting Him to death" Even
bis language seems to imply an appeal to
their pity-"Behold the mani" He is not
quite disregarding their wishes; but he sees
no reason for a sentence of death.
He thought he knew much, but he did not
understand all the case, nor the depth of wild
fury to which wounded PRIDE revenge and
fanaticism can carry those whom they
possess" Whatever feeling the common
people had, the "chief priests and officers"
made them cry out ". O. for his crucifixion
They have gone farther than in refusing his
release EVIL men wax worse" He is
partly indignant and PARTLY scornful: "Take
him yourselves and cruelty him." It is not a
sentence on Jesus; it is an angry mockery of
their rage and their impotence. 1t is not
uttered by him as judge (see V. 99) He
adds, Il find no fault in him" Then why let
him be scourged and cruelty mocked'
Y. Z. The Jews now bring in another ele-
ment: "He made himself the Son of God"
Gee Lev. xiv, 16. Even bad men can be
superstitious, and their fears can be PLAYED
upon. The idea of something unusual in
Christ must have been raised already in Pi-
late's mind. The idea of Hson of God"
would not be foreign to Roman. If he had
received his wife's warning now, he must
have felt the solemn mystery about the mat
ter yet more. He was more perplexed and
alarmed. He went again into the Judgment
hall and set about questioning Christ;
but in vain ". 81, for O Plate would not
understand, and u he had already done or
allowed great and cruel wrong, and his aim
now was not to do what was right, but what
would be safe for himself. He had not the
single eye.
V. 10. He demonstrates against this silence,
alleging that it was the interest of Jesus to
speak to him who had power to release or
cruelty. But Jesus had already spoken. The
case was no stronger against Him now than
at first. If PLATE found no fault in Him,
was not that enoughs Cruelty after that
avowal! Silence was dignifed, just, a proper
protest against the weak and cruel conces-
IF 1ata 70 fha of fbo
V. II. Jesus now sets him right, and again
las John xviii $40 puts the fault where it lay:
"Thou couldst have No power" etc. He
means, as he often said elsewhere, if it were
his Fathers will to save him he could haveno
power. 1t was the Fathers will that he
should drink of this cup; but that did not lift
responsibility from the parties. PLATE would
be guilty; those who prosecuted still more so,
for they knew more than Plate did. They
were nominal worshipers of the God of
Israel, readers Of the Scriptures, approached
by conclusive evidences, having the light and
yet loving the darkness.
Ieeper still is the impression now made on
Pilates mind, and he would fain ". ~ re-
leEse him; but a new argument is now ut
tfJed by the prosecutors: "If thou let" etc
This was plausible. 1t appealed to Pilates
fears. At this stage of the Roman empire
corruption was very bad A rival or an as
pirant for Pilates place could easily make use
of report like this to his ruin. He was him
self conscious Of many charge that could be
brought against him. Some, in fact, had
been brought. The phrase Caesars friend"
had become honorary, and was given to sue
cessful Roman governors He probably
hoped for it. Old Roman simplicity had now
vanished. Pride, show, plunder power and
IL itc
This new aspect of the case PLATE recog
nized. He knew the hostility of Jews and
Samaritans to him He saw the passionate
fury of the prosecutors of Jesus. His diplo
macy had failed. He sees nothing for it but
sentence of death. He had "sought"-re-
peatedly sought the word imples-to get the
approval of the people to his design of spar
ing him and in vain. He yields.
V. 49, He brought Jesus forth. A tesselat
ed pavement we learn from authorities out
side of Scripture, was always deemed proper
for Judgment seat. This is one of number
of interesting unimportant side points merely
mentioned by the evangelists, but exactly
harmonizing with what we know of Roman
usages, so confirming the truth of the his
tory. This place was called "the Pavement"
in Greek, in Hebrew or Arramaic Gabbatha,
a hill or high spot of ground.
Ihe time Is nOUeu IN v. II, anu mas Dtel GHe
occasion of much discussion, as it seems to
contradict the reports of the evangelists to
the effect that the Passover was the night be-
fore. The word Passover" seems to have
lost its exact meaning, and to have been used
generally for the stay at Jerusalem. A host
of critics take "the Passover" to mean the
whole paschal week, and the preparation"
here named the preparation for the coming
Sabbath. tSee Haley's "Alleged Discrepan-
cies of the Bible'D 1t was about the sixth
hour, according to the method of reckoning
time in this Gospel-about O'Clock.
". 15) Pilates conscience was i'll at ease,
but his political interests were the main thing
in his mind. Angry with himself, he is
angry with them too, and his anger and scorn
find vent against the Jews. He says to them:
"Behold your Kingl" He means to mock and
insult them. Their reply is a renewal of their
clamor for His crucifixion, and when he says
in scorn again: "Shall cruelty your KingP
the very lowest depths to which, as the repre-
sentatives of nation, they could descend is
reached by them. Once owned as the people