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Christ's character and alleged crime, not only to have ascertained that he was "a good and just man," but that he was a very marvellous and mysterious character. He evidently wished to save his life; and, when he at length yielded to the wishes of the chief priests, he performed a ceremony which, whether it be considered Jewish or heathen, symbolically expressed his being no party to the transaction. The question he put to Christ too," Art thou a king?" connected with the inscription on the cross, and his appeal to the Jews whether they would crucify their king, all really indicate some information obtained by Pilate respecting the Jewish hope of a Messiah; and not only obtained, but perhaps credited. That he should make some inquiry, the lowest view of the administration of justice seems to imply; and that from the accusers themselves he should receive much information, if only by way of explaining what could have induced the criminal to pretend to be a king, is almost certain. If added to this knowledge, his own less prejudiced mind should have led him to suspect that the Jews had failed to recognize their Messiah; how greatly would this feeling be increased by the presence of

the Lord Jesus-his dignified composure-his firmness in asserting his kingdom—and his unaccountable resignation to death, as if death itself could not interfere with its establishment, "Knowest thou not," said the astonished Roman, "that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" There was enough in short about the prisoner's case to have awakened a candid mind to further investigation: there would have been enough furnished by that investigation, to have made one, possessed of the candour to inquire, a disciple; and Pilate might have become the apostle instead of the murderer of the Saviour. But there was in his case the same or a similar blindness with that which darkened the view of the Jews; and which still, under infinite varieties, darkens the view of every man, until he submits a docile and humble mind to the inquiry about the truth. If he believed, even like Judas, that a prophetic king of all the earth stood before him; still it was easier for him to put the question to the test, by delivering him to the Jews for them to attempt to crucify him, and providing a salve for himself, by an indolent effort to save him, and

John xix. 10.

a formal washing of his hands; than by patient and humble inquiry, in the face of opposition and calumny, to expose himself to the charge of being no friend to Cæsar, and endanger his fortune and his very life. life. But that he had some doubts at least whether the Jews would be able to accomplish the desired crucifixion, even after his permission was given for it to take place, seems to be implied in his expression of surprise when told that Jesus was dead. When Joseph of Arimathæa came to demand of him the body, (of course implying that the body was lifeless,) he was astonished, "he marvelled if he were already dead;" nor would he believe, until he had called the centurion on duty, and questioned him whether he was surely dead-whether it had taken place so long as to leave no doubt of it. Did he at that moment call to mind our Lord's hint, given at the time when his mind was painfully wavering, as it would seem, between truth and error, "My kingdom is not of this world; were my kingdom of this world, then would my servants fight for me?" When we read these words, bearing in mind all that is besides related of John xviii. 36.

b

* Εἰ πάλαι ἀπέθανεν.

the part Pilate took in the transaction, it does really look as if the Lord perceived the thoughts of his heart, and had stretched out his arm to save him, but had been rejected. Pilate was not sure that Christ was the king expected, and he wanted those qualities which would have enabled him to make himself sure. But still he inscribed on his cross the title "the King of the Jews;" which could not have been from joining in the insults of the Jews, for they disliked it, and he refused to erase it when they requested him. He appealed to them too in behalf of Jesus, by calling him their king; which he would hardly have done, if he had desired to save his life merely on the ground of his being a deluded but innocent man. But wavering, and irresolute, and desirous only of escaping risk, when these efforts proved unavailing, he formally washed his hands of the guilt, if guilt it should prove; and having thus, as he supposed, steered the prudent course, he waited the result. So much doubt however remained, it would seem, on his mind, as to make him refuse credence to any but the centurion, that the crucified man was dead.

The death of Jesus was a result, which, no doubt,

'eft him satisfied (as it did the major part of the Jewish nation) that his surmises respecting his claim to be the promised king of the Jews were unfounded; and he was even less likely than before to pay any attention to the preaching of Christ's followers, or to the account of the resurrection. His test had been applied, and his mind was probably henceforth made up. He did not indeed continue very much longer procurator of Judæa, but died a few years after, by his own hand, at Vienne in Gaul, whither he had been banished by the emperor for his mal-administration.

ACCOMPLISHMENT OF PROPHECY AT THE CRUCI

FIXION.

The prophetic marks of the Messiah given in the ancient Scriptures are of a character which precluded the attempt to fulfil them all in any but the Messiah himself. They admit of being divided into two classes, to both of which this remark is applicable; and there are but few, if any, which may not be assigned to one or the other of these classes.

First are those points, the fulfilment of which, supposed not one but a series of miracles, as, for

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