fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

142. CHRIST'S TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION.

Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22: 63-71; Jno. 18:

12-14.

57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

59 Now the chief priests, and el- | ders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

1 Ps. 27:12; 35: 11; Acts 6:13. 2 Deut. 19:15.

54. The Scriptures; such as Isa. 53: 7-12, Zech. 13:7, etc.

55. The multitudes; Luke says to the priests and officers, who were doubtless the leaders of the mob. Sat daily; showing how quiet and open had been his conduct, rendering the present violence needless, as well as a gross injustice.

56. Fulfilled. In Luke, "This is your hour, and the power of darkness; " ́i. e. the appointed time in which my enemies are to complete their murderous designs toward me. - Then; having learned from these words that he did not intend to escape. - Fled; smitten with a panic of fear for themselves. Peter and John, however, followed at a safe distance. Jno. 18:15.

SECTION 142.-57. To Caiaphas; first, however, to Annas. Note Jno. 18: 13. Scribes and elders; i. e. the Sanhedrim. Ver. 3, 59. This seems to have been a preliminary meeting held at daybreak (Luke 22 : 66), and not the formal and regular meeting held some time after. Ch. 27: I.

58. Palace; rather, the court where a fire had been kindled.

59. All the council. Probably Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, the friends of Jesus, were not present.

60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came,' yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 2

61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

63 But Jesus held his peace.3 And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God,* that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God.

64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou

60. Found none. By the law of Moses, at least two witnesses must agree in testifying to the fact, in order to conviction. Deut. 17:6. According to Mark, the difficulty consisted in securing this agreement in the evidence.

61. To destroy. A garbled report of Christ's words recorded Jno. 2:20. The criminality of such language would be held to lie in its being blasphemy against the house of God. The testimony, however, availed nothing, for Mark says that even in this point the witnesses did not agree.

62. Answerest thou. The high priest, seeing that the evidence was insufficient, put this question apparently in the hope that he might draw something from his prisoner which would criminate himself. It was because Christ perceived this that he was silent.

63. Adjure thee. The answer to this solemn adjuration was equivalent to an oath. Being thus appealed to in the regular manner, he now replies.

64. Nevertheless; rather, besides. In addition to my words you shall have evidence of the most convincing character. Hereafter; literally, from this time on; the manifestation of my kingly power shall take place immediately. Note ch. 24: 30.

65. Rent his clothes; in token of in

hast said: nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.1

65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

143. PETER'S DENIAL OF CHRIST. Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; Jno. 18: 15-27.

:

69 Now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

70 But he denied before them all,

1 Rom. 14: 10; 1 Thess. 4:16; Rev. 17.

dignation at the crime. 2 Ki. 18: 37.Blasphemy; in calling himself the Son of God, that is, a divine person, and arrogating to himself joint dominion with God. Lev. 24: 16; Deut. 18: 20. 66. Guilty of death; i. e. guilty of an offense the legal punishment of which is death.

67. Did they spit; not the members of the Sanhedrim, but "the men that held Jesus." Luke. Probably the Council broke up after their vote, and left their prisoner in the hands of the soldiers, and others that arrested him.Buffeted; struck him with their fists.

68. Prophesy; first having blindfolded him. Their object was to deride his claim to be the Messiah.

SECTION 143.-69. Without; i. e. outside of the room in which the session of the Council was held. Eastern houses were commonly built around an interior open space or court, into which was a passage from the street called the porch. The entrance into this was by a heavy folding-door, by the side of which was a smaller wicket-gate sufficient for the admission of single persons, kept by a porter, sometimes by a female servant. Acts 12: 13. John relates that he and Peter followed their Master to the palace, and the former, being acquainted there, went in; after which he spoke to the portress at the gate and she admitted Peter. The weather being cold, the servants made a fire in the court, where Peter stood with them and the officers warming themselves while the trial was

71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

72 And again he denied with an oath,' I do not know the man.

73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of

1 Heb. 6:16.

maid. In Luke the word is masculine, implying that it was a male servant. Doubtless there were several, both males and females, present. - Fellow is not in the original; it should be simply this man, or this person, intimating that he was a stranger.

73. A while; Luke, about an hour. — Bewrayeth; i. e. betrayeth; it tells who you are. The pronunciation or accent of the Galileans was provincial, and less pure than was that of the inhabitants of the capital. John says that a relative of Malchus, whose ear Peter had cut off, asked if he had not seen him in the garden. It is apparent that in each of the three instances the accusations were reiterated by different persons in different words, and were met by as many and as varied denials. The cursing was the invoking of maledictions on himself if he was not telling the truth.

74. The cock crew; i. e. the second time. Peter does not seem to have paid any attention to the first crowing.

75. Remembered. Luke says the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, probably through the open door of the hall of the Council. This could not have been far off, so that probably all three denials were overheard by Jesus. Went out; i. e. of the porch; he withdrew from the palace altogether.

PRACTICAL, THOUGHTS.

7. The value of worldly property is very differently estimated by different persons. Love counts the most precious thing well expended for the honor of Christ; selfishness deems all such expenditure a waste.

8. Secret wickedness often feigns a

them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.2

74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

2 Judg. 12:6.

superior concern for virtue. Excessive professions are to be distrusted as too frequently a cloak for conscious dishonesty.

13. Every act of love to Christ is immortal. Even if unknown to the world, it is preserved by him among his treasures, and will not fail in the end to receive his recognition and reward.

21. The treachery of Judas derived its deepest criminality from the fact that he had been one of Christ's chosen followers, sharing his most intimate society, and receiving unceasing tokens of his love. It is thus that the sins of his people are ever most aggravated and most dishonorable to him.

24. Christ's death was in accordance with the eternal purpose of Jehovah, as predicted in the Scriptures, yet this did not lessen the criminality of the human agents by whom it was effected. Divine sovereignty and man's freedom are coordinate facts, therefore harmonious with each other, though that harmony may not be discerned by us in the present state. 33. Undue self-confidence is the nearly certain precursor of a fall.

38. The mysterious sufferings of Jesus in the garden were a part of that atoning work by which redemption was effected for man. That prostrate form, those cries of anguish, and that bloody sweat, appeal to our tenderest sensibilities, and ask us what sacrifices we are making for him.

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed

1 Ps 2:2. 2 Gen. 22:9. 3 Acts 3:13. palliates the failings which it condemns. He knows the weakness of his people, and pities while he reproves.

49. Open hostility to Christ is less odious and less injurious than treacherous friendship. The darkest deed in all the annals of crime was consummated by a kiss!

60. A wicked spirit often vitiates divinely appointed safeguards of truth and justice. The Sanhedrim sought two witnesses according to law, but two who would testify only against Jesus.

75. Repentance, however deep, can not atone for sin, while at the same time it may go far to disarm our condemnation of the offender and reinstate him in our confidence. If Peter's offense was flagrant, his sorrow was equally great, and a whole succeeding life of noble fidelity to his Master, ended by a martyr's death, attested its sincerity. Before we censure the one with undue severity, let us inquire whether we have imitated the other.

CHAPTER XXVII.

SECTION 144. 1. The morning; Friday the 15th of Nisan. This seems to have been a formal session of the Council, convened to ratify the somewhat irregular proceedings which had already taken place, and especially to consider on what grounds they could secure Christ's execution. Having lost the right

him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.* And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

6 And 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. 7 And they took counsel, and 52 Sam. 17:23; Ps. 55:23.

42 Ki. 24:4.

to inflict death of their own authority, they must obtain a decree for that purpose from the Roman procurator or governor. To do this the charge of blasphemy, for which they had condemned him, would be of no avail, it not being an offense of which the Roman law took cognizance. During this session they doubtless agreed upon the outlines of the plan, which they proceeded to carry out as narrated.

2. Bound him. This had been done when he was first arrested. Jno. 18: 12. During his trial the bonds may have been removed wholly or in part. - Led him; probably to the tower of Antonia, a strong fortress adjacent to the temple area on the north, where a cohort of Roman troops was stationed, and where the governor resided while in the city. Pilate. Note Luke 3: 1. His usual residence was at Cæsarea, but during the passover he went up to Jerusalem to preserve order.

SECTION 145. 3. Repented; was seized with remorse. Perhaps he had not expected that matters would go to this extreme, anticipating that his Master would somehow extricate himself from his difficulties, as he had done so. many times before. But now, as he beholds him condemned, bound, and carried in ignominious procession to the governor to be executed, he sees what he has done, and is smitten with horror

bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.1

9 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;

1 Acts 1:19.

and despair at the consequences of his crime.

4. Innocent blood; I have caused the bloody death of an innocent person. Compare Deut. 27:25. See thou; that is your business, not ours.

5. In the temple; i. e. the holy place. Only the priests might enter there; but Judas in his desperation may have disregarded the restriction.-Hanged himself. In Acts 1: 18, it is said that " falling headlong, he burst asunder," etc. The two accounts may be harmonized by supposing that his rope or its fastening gave way. Hackett suggests that he suspended himself on a tree overhanging the deep valley south of the city, where the precipice is still from 25 to 40 feet in hight.

6. Not lawful; reasoning probably by analogy from Deut. 23: 18. - Of blood; the price given for securing the shedding of blood.

7. The potter's field; a place doubtless well known by that name, and needing, therefore, no further designation. It seems to have been a field whence clay was obtained for bricks and earthen ware. In Acts it is said that Judas bought the field, but probably it is only meant that it was bought with his money.

8. Field of blood; in the Hebrew, Acel-dama. Acts 1 19. This day; the date of Matthew's writing. The expression shows that considerable time had elapsed since the occurrence. See Introduction to Matthew.

9. Jeremy. The quotation is found, not in Jeremiah, but in Zechariah II: 12, '13, from which, however, it varies considerably. Robinson regards the word as "an early error of a transcriber, misled by a reminiscence of Jer. 18: 2."

IO And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

144. (Continued.) JESUS BEFORE

PILATE.

II And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.3

21 Tim. 6:13.

SECTION 144 (continued.) - Judas's repentance and suicide are interposed in the regular narrative, which is here resumed. The procession, having arrived at the governor's abode, would not enter for fear of defilement; therefore Pilate came out to receive their complaint. At first, they simply allege that Jesus is a maleíactor, and Pilate bids them go and sentence him according to their own law. But they say they want him put to death, and this they can not do without his sanction. They then add the charge that he had been stirring up sedition against the emperor, and urging the people not to pay their taxes, pretending that he himself was a king. The first part of this charge was absolutely false (ch. 22: 16-22), and the second a willful perversion of his claim to be the Messiah. It was, besides, as hypocritical as it was false; for if Christ had set himself in opposition to Rome, with the remotest prospect of success, there was scarcely a Jew in the land that would not have joined him with acclamations. Compare Jno. 6:15. Fuller accounts of his examination before Pilate are given in Luke and John.

II. Thou sayest; a direct affirmation : he added, however, that his kingdom was not of this world, but was the reign of truth. Jno. 18:36, 37. This answer, with probably some previous general knowledge of him (ver. 18), evidently convinced Pilate that Jesus had committed no offense against the laws, but was at most a harmless religious enthusiast; and he accordingly declared that he found in him no fault. Luke 23: 4.

12. Accused. Not content with their previous allegations, they multiplied their complaints, as if conscious of the weak