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CHAPTER XXVII.

The continuation of the history of the passion of Christ. His

death and burial.

1. Mane autem facto, consilium inierunt omnes principes sacerdotum et seniores populi adversùs JESUM, ut eum morti traderent.

adduxerunt

2. Et vinctum eum, et tradiderunt PontioPilato præsidi.

1. And when 1morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people held a council against Jesus, to put him to death.

2. And they brought him bound, and delivered him to "Pontius Pilate the governor.

Hitherto we have had none but Jews meddling in the accusations against Our Lord. The whole proceedings are about to be transferred. A full Council is summoned, at break of day, to decide, not upon the guilt or innocence of Jesus Christ, but as to how to put Him to death. He was adjudged guilty of death, or deserving death, in the small assembly convoked during the night. The full assembly sat in the morning to arrange amongst themselves how the world was to be freed of this man.

They had several reasons for handing Him over to Pilate. Pilate was the secular governor, and had the power of life or death in his hands. They wanted to shirk the odium of his death on other shoulders. They wished the people to understand that it was not for envy, but for the public good He suffered. They wished Him to suffer with thieves and robbers so as to make Him infamous. They thought that thus they could blot out His name from the land of the living; and thus it was, they wrote in undying letters in the hearts of millions.

1Morning was come.-It was against the Jewish law to adjudicate at night, and the Jews were in a hurry, because they must have Our Lord executed before the Sabbath, which began that evening. True, the great feast had begun, but this they kept religiously, inasmuch as they

would not enter Pilate's house.

2To put him to death. This was simply to carry out the decision come

to over-night. S. Luke gives a second examination, in which Our Lord asserts His Divinity again, and in which they confirm their decision, without any rending of garments.

3Brought him bound.-When they had a malefactor whom they had judged fit to die, they brought him bound to the governor. He was supposed to say all right, and let him go to execution. In Our Lord's case he acts differently.

4Pontius Pilate. He was the nominee of Cæsar, and the representative of Rome.

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2nd. By the Gentiles, and suffering. brought to death.

3rd. By both.

Pharisaism of the Jews.

Ist. They judge by day. 2nd. They judge according to law.

3rd. They will keep the feast, whilst committing murder.

3rd. Led like a lamb to the slaughter.

The Jews represent:

Ist. Catholics who bring priests to Court.

2nd. Priests who bring bishops.

3rd. All who get weak men to assent and give sanction to their bad deeds.

3. Tunc videns Judas, qui eum tradidit, quòd damnatus esset, pœnitentiâ ductus, retulit triginta argenteos principibus sacerdotum et senioribus.

4. Dicens: "Peccavi tradens sanguinem justum." At illi dixerunt: "Quid ad nos? tu videris."

3. Then Judas, who betrayed him, 'seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the ancients,

4. Saying I have sinned in betraying 'innocent blood. But they said: "What is that to us? look thou to it.

5. Et, projectis argenteis in templo, recessit, et abiens laqueo se suspendit.

6. Principes autem sacerdotum, acceptis argenteis, dixerunt: "Non licet eos mittere in corbonam, quia pretium sanguinis est."

7. Consilio autem inito, emerunt ex illis agrum figuli in sepulturam peregrinorum.

8. Propter hoc vocatus est ager ille Haceldama, hoc est Ager sanguinis, usquè in hodiernum diem.

9. Tunc impletum est quod dictum est per Jeremiam prophetam, dicentem: Et acceperunt triginta argenteos, pretium appretiati quem appretiaverunt à filiis Israel,

10. Et dederunt eos in agrum figuli, sicut constituit constituit mihi Dominus.

5. And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and went and hanged himself with a halter.

6. But the chief priests, having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into the "corbona, because it is the price of blood.

7. And having consulted together, they bought with them 'the potter's field, to be a burying-place for strangers.

8. Wherefore that field was called "Haceldama, that is, The field of blood, even to this day.

9. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they prized of the children of Israel.

10. And they gave them unto the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me.

The model of traitors ends his life in a manner worthy of his uncalled-for sin. The devil entered him and told him he could punish Our Lord for knowing his private peculations, and not being ignorant of his hatred to Him. When the matter goes further than he expected, the devil shows Judas the blackness of his crime. He thought Our Lord would escape, as He often did before, after a few indignities; and now he hears He is condemned to death. Oh, Judas! you have done this. An innocent man, a good man, a kind master to me! What have I done!

There was some good feeling-evidently acquired during his training as an Apostle-in the unfortunate man. He rushes off, pitches down the money, takes a rope and hangs himself. He burst in the middle of the hanging, and went thus into eternity.

The tree he hung himself on is a sort of gnarled fig, somewhat like hazel. It is called the Judas tree. There are three specimens in England; one curious one at Mr. Blount's in Mapledurham, Oxfordshire.

1 Seeing that he was condemned.-Judas did not expect this, evidently; although some think he foresaw it in his saying innocent blood. This means a life.

2The thirty pieces.-He gave back every penny, and the first thing in the way of reparation. Evidently it was not for avarice alone he gave Our Lord up.

3Innocent.-Even Judas bears testimony to His holiness of life.

What is that to us ?-We do not care about you, we only want the man in order to kill him.

In the temple.-The priests separated immediately after their council. If Judas threw the silver on the floor in one of the priests' houses, the servants would pick it up. He goes straightway to the Temple, and throws it down there. Sad end for an Apostle.

Corbona.-These priests had scruples.

"The potter's field.-Either owned by a potter, or having the clay used up for crockery. It must have been a barren, poor field.

Haceldama.-Some think this word has crept in from the Acts.

Jeremias.-There is great work amongst commentators about this. Jeremias's present prophecies have not the words, and Zachary has something like them. Some say they were in one of the lost books of Jeremias, which Matthew saw; and some say that the Evangelist gave no nameas was his custom-but that some copyist, either wilfully or by mistake, put in Jeremias instead of Zacharias. The mistake would be easily enough made in Greek.

Judas:

Ist. Was made an Apostle. 2nd. Was ordained a priest.

3rd. Was in an office of trust, and for betraying his master, he dies by his own hand.

Traitors always detested, because:

Ist. They gain confidence. 2nd. They tell secrets.

3rd. For a poor consideration, and not a noble or generous motive.

11. JESUS autem stetit ante præsidem, et interrogavit eum præses, dicens: "Tu es Rex Judæorum ?" Dicit illi JESUS: "Tu dicis."

12. Et cùm accusaretur à principibus sacerdotum et senioribus, nihil respondit.

13. Tunc dicit illi Pilatus: "Non audis quanta adversùm te dicunt testimonia?”

14. Et non respondit ei ad ullum verbum, ità ut miraretur præses vehementer.

II. And 'Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it.

12. And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, she answered nothing.

13. Then 'Pilate saith to him: Dost not thou hear how great testimonies they allege against thee?

14. And he answered him not to any word: so that the governor wondered exceedingly.

Pilate's conduct is a perfect model of diplomacy. He wishes to keep well with all parties and offend none. His friends in Rome expect that, and he does not want to be bored by the fanatical quibbles of these Jews. When, therefore, He is brought to the governor's house, He is taken inside the court. The Jews will not enter for fear of legal defilement. Pilate hears their charges outside. First they give nothing but "If He were not a malefactor.” He does not mind this, and asks for something definite. They then tell him about sedition, refusing tribute, and calling Himself a king. Pilate knew that the Jews expected their great king about this time and had heard rumours of his arrival. The only question worth talking about, then, was this, and he said to Our Lord: "Art thou the King of the Jews?" Our Lord answers in the affirmative.

S. Luke gives a long talk between Pilate and Our Lord, and when Pilate finds that His kingdom is not of this world (like a man of business), he has no more concern with Him. He wished to deliver Him from them from that time. He then feels a mysterious reverence for Jesus, and this is increased by His grand and dignified appearance, His dead silence, His calm patience, and His extraordinary history.

1Jesus stood before the governor.-He was handcuffed, or bound in some other equivalent manner, and stood for examination before a Pagan.

2Art thou the King of the Jews ?—Jesus told him He was, but that His kingdom was not of this world.

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