The Jews accufe him of feditious Practices.

37.

537

Chrift came to bear Witness to the Truth; and a careful Attendance to Sect. 186. his Teftimony will be the best Proof we can give that we love the Truth, and the best Method we can take to make ourselves acquainted with it. John xviii. And of fo great Importance is the Truth, that it furely deferves the attentive Enquiry, and the zealous Patronage of the Greatest and the Bufieft of Mankind. Let us not therefore, when we begin to ask what it is, like Pilate, hurry on to fome other Care, before we can receive a Ver. 38. fatisfactory Answer; but joyfully open our Minds to the first Dawnings of that Celestial Day, till it shine more and more, to irradiate and adorn all our Souls. On the whole, imperfect as the Character of this unhappy Governor was, let us learn from him candidly to confefs the Truth, fo far as we have discovered it; let us learn, more fteadily than he, to vin- Luke xxiii. dicate the Innocent and Worthy, and on no Terms permit ourselves, in 4 any Degree, to do Harm to thofe, in whom, on a strict and impartial Enquiry, we can find no Fault.

SECT. CLXXXVII.

Pilate fends CHRIST to Herod, who having treated him with
great Contempt, fends him back again: Pilate in vain
endeavours to perfuade the Jews to confent to his Release,
who impiously prefer Barabbas, and perfift in their Demands
of a Sentence of Crucifixion against JESUS. Mat. XXVII.
15,---18. 20,---23. Mark XV. 6,---14.
5---23. John XVIII. 39, to the End.

LUKE XXIII. 5.

A ND they were the more fierce, faying, He ftirreth up the People, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this Place.

IT

LUKE XXIII. 5.

Luke XXIII.

Luk.XXIII.

T was observed in the preceding Section, that Sect. 187. when Pilate came out of the Palace, he bore, an open Testimony to the Innocence of Jefus, 5 and declared to the Priests in the Presence of the People, that " he found no Fault at all in him :" But they not only continued ftrongly to urge their Accufation, but were more violent than before, faying, We affuredly know, that he firs up all the People, teaching the most dangerous and feditious Doctrines throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, that factious Country, where. he has been most busy, and from thence making a Progress even to this Place, and gathering up VOL. II. Yyy Fol

Pilate Sends CHRIST to Herod,

538 Sect. 187. Followers every where by the Way, to the apparent Danger and Damage of the State.

Luk. XXIII,

6.

And when Pilate heard them fpeak of Galilee,
be presently enquired, if the Man whom they had
7 brought before him was a Galilean.
And find-

8

ing that he was of that Country, and therefore
that he properly belonged to Herod's Jurifdiction,
who was Tetrarch of Galilee, he willingly em-
braced this Opportunity to clear himself of so
perplexing an Affair, and immediately fent him
away to Herod (a), who being himself a Jew, was
alfo at Jerufalem in thofe Days, having come up

to celebrate the Paffover there.

And when Herod faw Jefus, he rejoiced exceedingly; for he had a long Time been very defirous to fee him, because he had heard much concerning him in Galilee; (compare Luke ix. 7, 9.) and he now hoped, that he should have an Opportunity fo far to fatisfy his Curiofity, as to fee fome Miracle done by him, and might be able alfo to determine, whether he was, as he had once fufpected, John the Baptift risen from the Dead. (Compare Mat. 9 xiv. 2. Vol. i. pag. 474.) And he examined him in many Words, concerning a Variety of Particulars, both as to his Pretenfions, and the Proof of his Miffion, as well as the Tenor of his Doctrine: But as Jefus knew this was not a proper Time and Circumftance to enter into thofe Queftions, of which Herod might long ago have been informed, he made him no Anfwer.

10

6 When Pilate heard of

Galilee, he asked whether

the Man were a Galilean,

7 And as foon as he knew that he belonged unto Hehim to Herod, who himself rod's Jurifdiction, he fent

was also at Jerufalem at that Time.

8 And when Herod faw Jefus, he was exceeding

glad for he was defirous to fee him of a long Seafon,

because he had heard many

Things of him; and he
Miracle done him.

hoped to have seen some

9 Then he queftioned with him in many Words; but he answered him nothing.

10 And the Chief Priefts

mently accufed him.

And the Chief Priests and Scribes, whose Malice had prompted them to attend him thither, and Scribes flood and veheftood in the Prefence of the King, eagerly accufing him of the fame Crimes which they had before charged him with, in their Application to Pilate.

And

(a) He fent him to Herod.] It may not be improper, for the fake of those who are less acquainted with the Jewish Hiftory, to obferve, that this was Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee, by whom John the Baptift had been beheaded, and whom Chrift had juftly reprefented as a Fox. (Luke xiii, 32. pag. 141.) He was Son to Herod the Great, under whom Chrift was born; and Uncle to Herod Agrippa, (by whom James was beheaded, and Peter imprifoned,) who was eaten by Worms; (Acts xii. 2, 3, 23.) and Great Uncle to that Agrippa, who was by Paul's Difcourfe almost perfuaded to become a Christian. (Als xxvi. 28.) Chrift's Arraignment before him, when he was fent back uncondemned, was a great additional Proof of the Falfehood of those Accufations, which the Jews had brought against him as a feditious Perfon.

(b) A

where they array him in a fplendid Robe, and mock him.

II And Herod with his Men of War set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe, and fent him again to Pilate.

12 And the fame Day Pilate and Herod were made Friends together; for before they were at Enmity be

tween themselves.

13 And Pilate, when he had called together the Chief

the People,

have brought this Man unto

Luk.XXIII.

II.

539 And Herod, with thofe of his Soldiers, who Sect. 187. now attended him as his Life-Guard, looked upon Jefus with Difdain, and treated him in a very contemptuous Manner, like a poor inconfiderable Creature, who no way answered the Account they had heard of him, neither faying, nor doing any Thing to gratify their Curiosity; and having derided [him] for, pretending to be a King, (as it was urged by his Accufers he had done,) in publick Contempt of that Claim, whatever it was, Herod clothed him with a fplendid Robe (b), and fent him back to Pilate; thereby intimating, that he left him to do what he pleafed with his Prifoner, but for his own Part, apprehended his Pretenfions to Royalty worthy of Derifion, rather than ferious Refentment.

And whatever Pilate's real Intentions were, the 12

Compliment of fending Jefus to be examined by
him, was fo well taken by Herod; and Herod's
fending him back to the Roman Governor, was, on
the other hand, fuch a publick Inftance of Regard
to him; that the fame Day Pilate and Herod be-
came Friends, and were reconciled to each other:
For before this, they were at Enmity between them-
felves.

And Pilate having received an Account of what 13
Priests, and the Rulers, and had paffed before Herod, called together the Chief
Priefts, and the Rulers, and with them the Body
of the People that waited at the Tribunal;
And faid to them, You have brought me this Man, 14
Jefus of Nazareth, as one that has perverted the
People, and taught Doctrines injurious to your
Religion, and alfo to the Civil Peace and the
Roman Government; and behold, I have examined
[bim,] both in your Prefence, and in private, and
heard all that could be alledged against him; but
I must

14 Said unto them, Ye me, as one that perverteth the People: and behold, I having examined him before you,

(b) A fplendid Robe.] Ela apa does not fo properly fignify (as Le Clerc renders it,) a white Robe; nor was it, as he fuppofes, intended as a Declaration of his Innocence. It was rather fome gorgeous Garment, which belonged to Herod, or fome of his Officers, and was, perhaps, grown old; and they clothed him with it in Derifion of his having pretended to be a King. This Ufage was exceeding infolent: Perhaps the Remorfe of Confcience, which Herod had felt on Account of the Murther of John the Baptift, might render him cautious, how he joined in any Attempt on the Life of Jefus, which we do not find

that he did.

540

Luk.XXIII.

14.

Pilate at his Return proposes to fcourge, and discharge him.

Sect. 187.I must folemnly declare, that I have found no Crime in this Man as to the Things that you have charged him with; nor can I in my Confcience think, that you have made good any of the Ac15 cufations you have brought against him : Nor yet has Herod been able to make any fuch Difcovery; for I fent you to him with the Prifoner, that you might do your utmost to convict him before that Prince, who being a Perfon of your own Religion, and well acquainted with your Laws and Cuftoms, might have known more of the Matter than myself; and yet behold, it appears to have been Herod's Judgment, that nothing worthy of Death has been done by him (c); for instead of fending him back like one who deferves a Capital' Sentence, he has treated him like an Ideot, rather than a Traitor, fo as plainly to fhew, that he thinks him merely the Object of Ridicule, or to deserve at most but fome flight Punishment.. 16 And therefore when I have chaftifed him by fcourg

Mark XV.6.

you, have found no Fault in this Man touching those Things whereof ye accufe him;

15 No, nor yet Herod": for I fent you to him, and lo, nothing worthy of Death. is done unto him.

16 I will therefore chaftife

ing, which will be an Admonition to him for the him, and release him.
future not to use thofe wild enthufiaftical Ex-
preffions, which have given so much Umbrage and'
Sufpicion, I will let [him] go: And I believe you
may depend upon it, that he will give us no far-
ther Trouble; nor would he have Intereft enough
to do it, if he were inclined to the Attempt.

Now it was ufual at the Feast of the Passover,
[and] even was grown by Custom in a manner
neceffary (d), for the Roman Governor to release to
the People any one Prifoner, whom they defired to
be fet at Liberty, whatever Crime it was that he
7 was charged with. And there was then in Pi-
late's Custody a very infamous and noted Prifoner,

whofe

MARK XV. 6. Now at that Feaft [the Governor was wont] [LUK. and of

Neceffity he muft] [releafe
unto the People] one Pri-
foner, whomfoever they de-
fired. [MAT. XXVII. 15-
LUKE XXIII. 17.]
7 And there was [then a

notable

(c) Nothing worthy of Death has been done by him.] Пexpayμevov a must here have this Signification, as the Margin of our Bible renders it; for tho' this is fomething of an unusual Conftruction, yet as Raphelius (Annot. ex Polyb. pag. 259,) has produced many Instances of the like Nature, it would be much harfher to fuppofe, that a Capital Sentence, or any Treatment from Herod, which fhould intimate he thought Jefus deferved it, should be called agiov davals, fomething worthy of Death.

(d) Usual, -and in a manner neceffary.] There was no Law to oblige him to this; but as Acts of Grace are generally popular Things, this feems to have been firft freely fed by the Romans to please their Tributaries, and now by Custom was in a manner established. I find no fubftantial Reafon to believe, there was in the Original of this Custom any Reterence to the Deliverance of Ifrael from the Egyptian Bondage at this Time.

(c) Wom

541

It was ufual at the Feast to releafe a Prifoner to them. whofe Name was Barabbas, that lay bound with Sect. 187.

notable Prisoner] named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made Infurrection with him [LUK. in the City,] who had committed Murther in the Infurrection, [JOH. and was a Robber.] [MAT. XXVII. 16. LUKE XXIII. 19. JOHN XVIII.-40.]

11 But the Chief Priefts

Some other Ruffians, who had made an Infurrection Mark XV.
in the City in Conjunction with him, and who bad 7.
alfo committed Murther in the Infurrection; and
befides the Part he had acted in this feditious
Riot, he was a Fellow of a moft abandoned Cha-
racter, and known to be a Robber, who had in-
fefted the High-ways with his Villany; fo that
it was generally concluded, he would receive Sen-
tence of Death, and would be executed that Day.
And as the Power of reverfing or executing fuch 8
Sentences then lay in the Romans, the People
therefore, when they were gathered together about
the Tribunal, began with a great Noife and Cla-
mour to demand of Pilate, [that he would do] at this
Paffover, as he had always done to them upon the
like Occafions, and would difcharge a Prifoner.

And Pilate hoping that he might preferve the 9
Life of Jefus, whofe Innocence he fo clearly
faw, determined to attempt it by this Method;
and accordingly, that he might induce them to
chufe him, he propofed no other Alternative,
than that fcandalous and outragious Criminal,
whom we have juft now mentioned, and anfwer-
ed them, faying, You have indeed a Cuftom that I
should release to you one at the Passover, and I am
ready now to oblige you in this Affair; Whom
will you therefore chufe, that I release unto you?
Barabbas, that feditious and murtherous Robber?
or this Jefus, who is called Chrift, whom fome of
you pretend to be, in I know not what strange
Senfe, the King of the Jews, and whom you fee
before you in the fine Robe, in which Herod
has thought fit to array him? For he knew 10.
that the Chief Priefts and Rulers had not delivered
him up into his Hands from a Regard to Justice,
but merely out of Envy at his Popularity; and
therefore he was willing to make the Propofal to
the People in fuch a Form, as might be most
likely to fecure his Life.

.

But the Chief Priefts and Elders, who were II. [and Elders] moved [and exceedingly folicitous to obtain their End, left this Artifice of the Governor fhould defeat all their laboured Scheme, excited the most forward of

the