3He answered nothing.-He said they would not believe if He did. He wished to bear His humiliations and to suffer.

Pilate. Is surprised at Our Lord's silence, and becomes still more mystified. He cannot make out why a man, so eloquent and mighty as Jesus was, would not silence the whole of them by a single word.

"He answered him not to any word.-This makes Pilate think the more; and hearing the word Galilee, as Luke remarks, xxiii. 5, he sent Our Lord off to Herod, in order to think this strange matter out more leisurely. Whilst He was away, Pilate made up his mind that He was innocent.

18. Sciebat enim quòd per invidiam tradidissent eum.

19. Sedente autem illo pro tribunali, misit ad eum uxor ejus dicens: "Nihil tibi et justo illi: multa enim passa sum hodiè, per visum, propter eum."

18. For he knew that through envy they had delivered him up.

19. And as he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered many things this day in a dream on account of him.

Pilate has tried one means already by which he thought to effect the release of Jesus. Herod, however, sent him back, and the onus falls upon him once more. He remembers then, another Jesus or Joshua, son of Abbas, Bar (son of) Abbas, who was condemned for murder and sedition, and thinks he finds a way of pleasing all parties. His duty was to set Jesus Christ free; but he wished to please the Jews. Now this murderer was the terror of the neighbourhood, and he was sure they would ask Jesus of Nazareth. It was a pitiable thing, and yet a wonderful thing to see the two set for a selection.

Just then a new incident occurred. Pilate's wife had been dreaming, and she sent a message to her husband to have nothing to do with that JUST MAN. In Pilate's state of mind this must have been like a revelation, and some think the dream was from Heaven.

It is a curious thing that only Pilate and his wife tried to save Him. 2ndly. No woman raised a hand to him in his Passion. On the contrary, they cried.

1Was accustomed.-This custom was borrowed from the Romans; but was carried out in their dependencies.

2Barabbas.-Bar is a son in Syriac, and the general opinion is, that the name of this notorious murderer was Jesus also. This may have given Pilate the idea. F. Coleridge thinks Pilate proposed this choice twice and there is a great deal to be said in favour of his opinion.

Whom will you that I release to you ?—The interruption coming here, by a messenger arriving and bringing some private matter to the judge, gave the Jews time to infect the populace, and make them call for the wrong man.

His wife. Her name was Claudia Procula. Tradition records that

she became a convert to Christianity even before her vacillating husband ended his days by suicide in France, after being deposed from his Proconsulate because of his cruelties and exactions.

When the interruption is over and he waits for the verdict of the crowd, he finds that they are determined to save Barabbas' life and let Jesus be put to death in his place. The priests and ancients bring this about. Now, it occurs to the most cursory reader as a strange phenomenon that no friend of Our Lord

seemed to have been there, or, if they were, no one spoke a word in His favour. Where are those who strewed the garments under His feet, and shouted Hosanna four days ago? He is left to tread the winepress of suffering alone, and there is not one to comfort Him.

"What shall I do," cries Pilate, in amazement, "with Jesus who is called the Christ?" "Let Him be crucified." "What evil hath He done?" This is the third time that Pilate fails to see what there is in Him deserving of death. Why has he not the courage to release Him and punish His enemies? They threaten him with the loss of Cæsar's friendship.

1Persuaded the people.—What a dreadful thing it is for those who are looked up to and reverenced by the people, if they lead the poor confiding herd into evil, or what may prove a misfortune!

2Which will you have ?-Pilate was sure they would choose Our Lord. The other was so notoriously bad, and such a cruel wretch. Such is the force of fanaticism. It would have the devil himself rather than one who thought differently.

3They say Barabbas.-Very likely the majority of that morning crowd did not know who Barabbas was.

4Pilate found out that He was called the Christ, which signifies the Messias, or the Anointed.

"They cried out.-No answer is given to this question, except to insist upon having their worst passions satiated.

Pilatus

24. Videns autem quia nihil proficeret, sed magis tumultus fieret, acceptâ aquâ, lavit manus coràm populo, dicens : (6 Innocens ego sum à sanguine justi hujus: vos videritis."

25. Et respondens universus populus, dixit: "Sanguis ejus super nos et super filios nostros!"

26. Tunc dimisit illis Barabbam; JESUM autem flagellatum tradidit eis ut crucifigeretur.

24. And Pilate, seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather 1a tumult was made; having taken water, washed his hands before the people, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man look you to it.

25. And all the people, answering, said: "His blood be upon us, and upon our children.

26. Then he released to them Barabbas; and 'having scourged Jesus, 'delivered him to them to be crucified.

There is one more expedient which occurs to Pilate's mind, whereby he may avoid consigning an innocent man to a shameful death; and, at the same time, satisfy a mob clamouring for His blood.

Temporising, Pilate, has been tried often, and never was found to succeed eventually. Governments have tried it; Churchmen have tried it; individuals have tried it, only to find that the concessions granted merely whetted the appetites of the grantees for more. So it was here.

Pilate resolved to scourge Our Lord, and thought that when His enemies saw Him in such a pitiless plight they would be satisfied. He showed Him after the scourging, saying: "Behold the man," and they cried out the more.

The Evangelists pass by this scourging by mentioning it merely, and do not describe it. It was too horrible.

The curse invoked by the Jews upon their guilty heads has still stuck to them. They are aliens in this world, without a resting place except the grave.

iA tumult.-There was about to be a sort of revolution, so far had fury, at the instigation of the priests, moved the populace.

2Washed his hands.-This was a Roman as well as a Jewish custom. It acknowledged your innocence. Pilate could have saved Him, and why did he not?

3Look you to it.-As much as to say, "I sacrifice an innocent man's life because I do not want to have any more trouble."