to the accusation in Luke xxiii. 2, that Jesus called himself Christ, a king; which, to Pilate's mind, would convey no idea but that of political assumption. - Thou sayest, i. e. I am. 1 Tim. vi. 13. But Jesus explains, John xix. 36, 37, that his kingdom was a spiritual and not a temporal one, and that, therefore, the Romans had nothing to fear from him. This satisfied Pilate, and he goes out to the Jews and tells them, Luke xxiii. 4, John xviii. 38, that he found the prisoner entirely innocent; a memorable declaration, from which he did not recede, though at last he inconsistently sentenced him to be crucified.

12-14. Upon this it appears that his accusers became more urgent, fearing probably that he might escape their malice. They related how he had agitated the people through the whole country, from Galilee to Jerusalem. Luke xxiii. 5. When the ear of Pilate caught the word Galilee, he instantly bethought himself of sending the perplexing case to Herod, who held jurisdiction over Galilee, and was then, fortunately, in the city. Luke xxiii. 7-12. Pilate was evidently glad to shift off his responsibility upon another person, but the plan wholly failed in the end. To never a word. Not even a single word; he answered nothing. Having declared himself to Pilate, he would not wrangle with those, who, in their rage, were incapable of ap

preciating any defence or explanation he might offer. Silence, under such circumstances, was the manly course, and testified to his innocence more powerfully than words. This was such unusual conduct on the part of a prisoner, and such was, no doubt, the calm majesty of Jesus, that Pilate was struck with wonder.

15. Herod was gratified with the opportunity he had long desired, of seeing Jesus, but, after questioning him in vain, he treated the whole affair with ridicule, rather than as deserving any serious thought. Arraying Jesus in mock dignity, he remanded him to Pilate, with whom, from that time, he became reconciled. Luke xxiii. 7-12. - At that feast, i. e. the passover. The gov ernor was wont to release, &c. Had been accustomed to release. This was, perhaps, partly done to conciliate and soothe the Jews in their subjection. Similar customs have prevailed, both in ancient and modern nations. Days of festivity and national joy have been celebrated, by the pardon of crimes and the release of prisoners. Pilate seemed resolved to use every expedient to release Jesus without giving popular offence.

16. A notable prisoner, i. e. notorious or infamous. For, according to Mark and Luke, he had been imprisoned for sedition and murder in a late insurrection. - Barabbas. The most ancient authorities are said to

have contained the reading, Jesus, the son of Abbas, both in this and the following verse. Jesus, or Joshua, was a very common name among the Jews. The omission of this part of Barabbas' name is supposed to be made in honor of Christ.

17. When they were gathered together, i. e. at their return from Herod. How appalling to Pilate must it have been to behold the ferocious crowds swarming back to his palace, more eager than ever for blood! -Whom will ye that I release unto you? He put this question, desiring that they might choose to have the innocent rather than the guilty released, but their sense of justice, as well as of mercy, was swallowed up in one burning passion of hate against Jesus.

18, 19. According to Campbell, these two verses would more properly be included in a parenthesis, as they are a digression from the narrative. For envy. Or, malice. Pilate understood their motives. They envied, or, rather, hated Jesus, for his power of working miracles, and speaking as man had never spoken. They hated him, especially, for his severe censures of their wickedness, and for his popularity with the people, which conflicted with their own insatiate love of domination. -Delivered. Should be delivered up. As it here stands, it means freed, the very opposite to the true sense. When he was set down on the judgment seat. The tribunal was a high seat or throne, placed in the open court, in front of the Prætorium up

on a pavement of Mosaic. John xix. 13. Since the Jews, through a hypocritical scrupulousness, could not enter the Prætorium, or Roman judgment hall, Pilate went forth to them, from time to time, to make or receive communications. John xviii. 29, 33, 38, xix. 4, 9, 13.Have thou nothing to do with that just man, i. e. by way of injury. Pilate's wife was Claudia Procula. Testimonies to the innocence of Jesus came from the most unsuspicious quarters: from Judas the betrayer, from Pilate the heathen, and Herod the Jewish ruler, from Pilate's wife, and from the Roman centurion, who superintended the execution. It was customary, at this period, for the Roman officers to be accompanied by their wives in their circuits.-Suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. She was acquainted with the emergency in which her husband was placed, and the agitation of her mind naturally caused her to dream upon the exciting subject. Common rumor had spread the intelligence of Jesus' wonderful character and goodness, which now painfully mingles with her imaginations in sleep, and excites her apprehension, lest her husband would be forced to condemn him against his better judgment. The dream was, no doubt, natural. We are to recollect, that it was now early in the day, and that this might occur during her morning slumbers, when, according to general belief, dreams are most veracious.

Then answered all the peo

to be acquitted, or an innocent one to be condemned." But "Pilate thought, as many politicians do, that the safety of the state was to be preferred to a single act of injustice, and that he had better condemn an innocent person to death, than run the hazard to the state of a public commotion?" See ye to it. Let the blame rest with you.

25. 1 Kings ii. 37. His blood be ar us, fc. A fearful imprecation, tearfully fulfilled! Not that the Jews, as a nation, brought down all the after woes upon themselves, merely by a handful of men saying these words in a mob at Jerusalem, but their stiff-neckedness and hardheartedness were the real causes, under the government of God, of their succeeding unparalleled calamities. The same fell spirit of unbelief and wickedness, which broke out so furiously against Jesus, continued to wax stronger, and, at last, occasioned their final, decisive overthrow, in their terrible conflict with the Romans. It is a remarkable instance of the retributions of Divine Providence, that, in forty years from the time the Jews cried, Crucify him, Crucify him, before Pilate's Prætorium, Titus, the Roman general, besieging Jerusalem, crucified thousands, probably, including some of the enemies of Jesus, around the walls of the city, so that there was not room enough for the crosses, nor crosses enough for the men.

26. At this point of the tragedy, Carpenter gives the following, as the probable order of events: PiÏate, after washing his hands, yields to the Jews, releases Barabbas to them, and, in their presence, has

Then the soldiers

Jesus scourged for crucifixion. Jesus is then taken within the fortress, and mocked by the Roman soldiers. Pilate brings him forth to the Jews, and afterwards has another conference with him within the Prætorium. He then brings him forth, formally condemns him, and delivers him up to be crucified." According to this view, there was but one scourging, and that was inflicted as preparatory to crucifixion, but yet was employed, as mentioned in the note on verse 24 of this chapter, in order to soften the Jews, that they might be moved to spare the life of Jesus. -Scourged Jesus. The cruelty of this infliction may be conceived of, when it is remembered, that the thongs were usually filled with pieces of lead, iron, or bone, to cause a greater laceration of the flesh, and that the poor sufferer was obliged to receive the blows upon the naked back in a stooping posture. The ancient scourging appears to have very much resembled the modern knout of Russia. The law of Moses forbade more than forty stripes, but the Romans were subject to no such merciful restriction. The punishment sometimes occasioned death, and appears to have weakened Jesus, in conjunction with other causes, so that, he was unable to carry his cross, and so that, he died in a few hours after he was put upon the fatal tree. Scourging always preceded crucifixion, as well as other executions, and added greatly to its pains, on account of the pressure of the torn and bleeding back agains the frame of the cross, and the general inflammation of the system. Delivered him to be crucified. Deliv