522 CHRIST is examined in the Houfe of Caiaphas. Sect. 184. would not be found to trifle with GOD, when we pray that he would not lead us into Temptation, but would deliver us from Evil. John XVIII. 19. CHRIST is examined at the High-Prief's Hall, and after- 19, -23. 28. JOHN XVIII. 19. Sect. 185; Chrift, the Thread of the Story having 20 Jefus anfwered him and faid, What I have taught has been delivered in the most publick Manner, and I have spoke it openly and freely to the World; 1 have always, as I had proper Opportunity, taught in the Synagogue, and in the Temple, whither the Jeres continually refort in the greatest Numbers; and have faid nothing in Secret, even to my most intimate Friends, but what has been perfectly agreeable to the Tenor of my 21 Publick Difcourfes. Why doft thou therefore afk me, whose Teftimony in my own Caufe will not, to be fure, be much regarded in fuch a Circumstance as this, when I am standing as on a Trial for my Life? Afk thofe that heard [me,] what I have spoken to them in the whole Series of my Ministry; for behold, they know it, and I am willing to appeal to any impartial Perfon among them, as to the Innocence, Propriety, and Ufefulness of what I have faid. 22 Such was the calm and rational Reply, which when Falfe Witneffes are fought, to put him to Death. spoken, one of the Officers which stood by, ftruck. Jefus faying, Anfwereft thou the High-Prieft fo? with the Palm of his Hand, 23 Jefus answered him, If I have spoken Evil, bear Witness of the Evil: but if well, why fmiteft thou me? MAT. XXVI. 59. Now the Chief Priefts and Elders, and all the Council, fought [for] false Witness against Jefus to put him to Death; [MARK XIV. 55.1 60- But found none : [for] 523 And Jefus with his ufual Mildness answered 23 Now the Chief Priests, and the Elders of the Mat. XXVI. that (a) Gave Jefus a Blow.] As the Word paroua is fuppofed by many Etymologists to be derived from pados, a Staff or Stick, Beza would therefore render it, he fmote him with a Staff: But the Word is apparently used for any Blow; and to limit it, as our Tranflators do, to what we commonly call a Slap on the Face, does not feem reasonable; tho' Suidas explains it fo, and Mat. v. 39. intimates it may have that Sense. (b) If I have spoken Evil, either of GOD or Man, in the Course of my Preaching, &c.] The pious and ingenious Mr. Bonnel, (whofe exemplary Life deferves frequent reading, and whole Harmony is in the main very judicious,) is the only Writer I have met with, who feems to give the true Senfe of this Claufe. He urges the Ufe of the Word enda for Chrift's Teaching, (ver. 20, 21.) and obferves, that bearing Witness, could not refer to the Answer he had juft made to the High-Prieft; but might properly be used as to the Courfe of his Preaching, which the High-Prieft had not heard. He alfo fuppofes, that in Chrift's Appeal to his Hearers, the Perfon who fmote Chrift was fingled out by his Eye, among others, as one who had been his Auditor; and that the Language of the Blow was in effect, as if he had faid, "That is what I think your Preaching deferves," But as he himself feems to affign another Reafon for this Blow, even the pretended Rudeness of the Answer Chrift had made to the High-Prieft, I have not followed Mr. Bonnel in my Paraphrafe on the preceding Verse. See Bonnel's Harmony, pag. 362. Uuu 2 (c) Sought 60 Mat. XXVI. 60. 524 Sect. 185.that fully answered their Purpose (c); for tho' Imany falfe Witnelles came, [and] falfely teftified against him, yet they found none fufficient; [for] the Teftimonies they gave did not fo far agree toge ther, as that a Capital Sentence could be paffed upon him on that Evidence; fince fuch a Cafe required, at least, the concurrent Oath of Two Perfons. (See Deut. xvii. 6. xix. 15.) They could find none, whofe Teftimony was fufficient. At laft there came Two falfe Witneffes, [who] maliciously wresting fome Words he had formerly fpoken, relating to his own Death and Refurrec tion, rofe up, and falfely teftified against him, 61 Saying upon their Oaths, This [Fellow] faid in our Hearing, I am able to deftroy the Temple of GOD, and to build it up again in Three Days: And would any one talk of destroying it, unless he was an Enemy to that Holy Place, or think. of building it again fo foon, unless he was in. Mark XIV. League with Beelzebub ? [Yea,] one of them; 58. defigning to aggravate the Matter, confidently affirmed (d), We beard him fay, I will deftroy this Temple that is made with Hands, and in Three Days Time I will build up another, which fhall be made without the Help of Hands, at my Com59 mand, Yet neither thus did their Teftimony exactly agree, nor was fufficient to convict him; as evidently appears from comparing the different Words in which it was expreffed: And as this Difference was obferved in Court, they could not for Shame proceed upon the Evidence, fo as to condemn Jefus to Death for Words, which no Two Perfons [for] tho' many falfe Wit nefes came, [and bare false Witness against him,] yet found they none; [for their Witness agreed not toge ther.] [MARK XIV. 56.). -60 At the laft [there] came two falfe Witneffes, [who arofe, and bare false Witness against him,] [MARK XIV. 57.] 61. And faid, This Fellow: faid, I am able to destroy MARK XIV: 58. We heard him fay, I will deftroy with Hands, and within three Days I will build another made without Hands. this Temple that is made 59. But neither fo did! their Witnefs agree together. (c) Sought for falfe Evidence, but found none.] As this was a great Proof of Chriff's Innocence, (for other wife his Confederates might have been glad to purchase their own Secu rity by impeaching him ;) fo it is a fingular Inftance of the Power of GOD over Men's Minds, that for all the Rewards thefe great Men could offer, no Two confiftent Witnesses could be procured to charge him with any grofs Crime. Poffibly the Exertion of his miraculous Power in Ariking to the Ground thofe that were most forward to feize him, might intimidate the Spirits of fome, who might otherwife have been prevailed upon. (d) Defigning to aggravate the Matter, &c.] This is one Inftance, among many others, in which the Bow of Malice has been broke by over-ftraining it, and Innocence cleared up by the very Extravagance of thofe Charges which have been advanced against it.It is obfervable, that the Words, which they thus mifreprefented, were spoken by Chrift at leaft three Years before. (Compare John ii. 19. Vol. i. pag. 142.) Their going back fo far to find Matter for the Charge, was a glorious, tho' filent, Atteftation of the unexceptionable Manner, in which our Lord had behaved himself during all the Courfe of his publick Mimistry. He is led away from thence before the Sanhedrim, EUKE XXII. 66. And as foon as it was Day, the Elders of the People, and the Chief Priefts, and the Scribes came together, and led [Jefus from Caiaphas] into their Council. [JOHN XVIII. 28.-] MARK XIV. 60. And the High-Prieft stood up in the Midft, and asked Jefus, faying, Anfwerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? [MAT. XXVI. 62.] 525 Perfons could pretend to ascertain; nor would Sect. 185. they indeed have amounted to a Capital Crime, if they had jointly been charged upon him.. However, they refolved to try him in full Luke XXII. Council, even on this flender Evidence, hoping 66. that fome farther Discovery would arife in the Process of the Examination. And accordingly, as foon as it was Day, the Elders of the People, and the Chief Priefts, and the Scribes, who made up the Sanhedrim, affembled together; and they led Jefus away from the House of] Caiaphas the High-Prieft to their Council, or to that magnificent Chamber where their Court used to fit for the 60. Difpatch of publick Business. And producing Mark XIV. what imperfect: Evidence they had, to give fome Pretence to their Accufations, the High-Prieft food up in the Midst of the Council, and asked Jefus, faying, Anfwereft thou nothing? What is it that thefe Men testify against thee? Is it true, or falfe? But Jefus, knowing how vain it would 61 Peace, and answered no- be to plead for himself in fo unrighteous a Court, thing. [MAT.XXVI.63.—] 61-But [Jefus] held his LUKE XXII. 67, [And they faid,] Art thou the Chrift? tell us. And he faid unto them, If I tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will not anfwer me, nor let me go. MAT. XXVI.-63. And [again] the High-Prieft anfwered and faid unto him, I adjure whofe Members came determined to condemn And they faid to him, Why art thou fo much Luke XXII.). upon the Referve? Doft thou give up the Pre- 67. tenfions thou haft made, or doft thou maintain them? If thou art indeed the Meffiah, tell us plainly, and it will bring Matters to a fhort Iffue (e). And be faid to them, If I tell you ever fo plainly, I know that you will not believe: And if I also ask [you] wherefore it is that you 68! perfift in this unreasonable Infidelity, you will only overbear me with renewed Violence, and will neither anfwer, nor difmifs me. And again the High-Prieft answered and faid to Mat. XXVI. bim, Think not that fuch Evafions will fuffice, in 63. an Affair of fuch Importance as this: Thou knoweft I have a Way of coming at the certain Truth, and therefore I adjure thee in the most folemn Manner, (e) If thou art the Meffiab, tell us.] Probably thefe Wretches hoped to gain a great Advantage againft Chrift either Way: If he confeffed it, they would condemn him on that Confeffion; and if he denied it, they would expofe him on that Denial, as afraid to maintain the Pretenfions he had made. (f) To Mat. XXVI. 526 Sect. 185. Manner, by the Name and Authority of the liv. ing GOD, whofe High-Prieft I am, and to whom he has committed the Power of adminiftring this Oath (f), that thou tell us directly in the plaineft Terms, whether thou be the Meffiab, the Son of the Ever-bleed GOD, or not? He is adjured to tell whether he be the CHRIST, and owns it. 63. 64 Luke XXII. 70. Mat. XXVI. 65. And Jefus boldly faid to him, Thou haft faid [right,] and haft mentioned me by a juft Title (g); for I am indeed the Meffiah, nor will I ever recede from that Claim: And moreover, tho' you may now condemn me to Death for afferting it, yet I folemnly declare to you all, that hereafter the Day will come, when ye shall fee the Son of Man, who now ftands in this defpifed and lowly Form at your Tribunal, exalted to all the Dignity and Glory which that high Title imports, fitting at the Right Hand of the Power and Majefty of GOD, and coming with irrefiftible Strength in the Clouds of Heaven, to take Vengeance on the proudeft of his Enemies (b). And upon this, as they were willing to make fure of fo important a Confeffion, they preffed him with the Question again, and all faid, as in Amazement, Art thou then really the Son of GOD, who is promised under the Character of the Melfiah? and wilt thou actually abide and stand by this Profeffion, that thou art? And he said to them, I will never retract it; Ye fay right, and may be affured that I am. I adjure thee by the living GOD, that thou tell us, whether thou be the Chrift, the Son of [the Bleffed] GOD? [MARK XIV. -61.] 64 [And] Jefus faith unto him, Thou haft faid: [I am:] LUKE XXII. 70. Then the Son of GOD? And he faid they all, Art thou then faid unto them, Ye fay that I am. MAT. XXVI. 65. Then Clothes, Then the High-Priest, with all the hypocritical Claim, (f) To whom he has committed the Power of adminiftring this Oath.] That the Jewish High-Priefts had indeed fuch a Power, may appear from comparing Exod. xxii. 11. Lev. v. I. and Prov. xxix. 24. xxx. 9. (g) Thou haft faid right.] See Note (k) on Mat. xxvi. 25. pag. 435. (b) Ye fhall fee the Son of Man, &c.] There feems a plain Reference here to the View in which the Son of Man is reprefented Dan. vii. 13, 14. where he is faid to come with the Clouds of Heaven to receive a Dominion, &c. or to appear, as GOD did on Mount Sinai in a Chariot of Clouds attended by Angelic Hofts. Our Lord looked very unlike that Person now; but nothing could be more awful, majeftic, and becoming, than fuch an Admonition in thefe Circumftances.-Dr. Whitby excellently proves, in his Note on Mat. xxvi. 64. that the Right Hand of Power is a Phrafe equivalent to the Right Hand of GOD. (i) Rent his Clothes.] Tho' the High-Prieft was forbidden to rent bis Clothes in fome Cafes, when others were allowed to do it, (Lev. xxi. ro.) yet in Cafe of Blasphemy, or any |