drim, that they were destitute even of a pretext for putting him to death: they could allege no crime against him, excepting that of his confessing himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God. (See John xix. 7.)

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Mat. xxvi. 59. Now, the chief priests and ' elders, and all the council, sought false witness

against Jesus to put him to death, but found 'none: yea, though many false witnesses came, ' yet found they none. At the last came two 'false witnesses, and said, This (fellow) said, I ' am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And 'the high priest answered and said unto him, I 'adjure thee, by the living God, that thou tell

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us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of • God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: 'nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand ' of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further 'need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of 'death. '

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Matth. xxvii. • When the morning was

come, all the chief priests and elders of the 'people took counsel against Jesus, to put him ' to death: and when they had bound him, they 'led him away, and delivered him to Pontius

Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, which had

betrayed him, when he saw that he was con'demned, repented himself, and brought again

the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I ' have betrayed the innocent blood. And they 'said, What is that to us? See thou to it.

And he cast down the pieces of silver in the

temple, and departed, and went and hanged ' himself. '

• And Jesus stood before the governor; and governor asked him, saying, Art thou the

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king of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, 'Thou sayest. And when he was accused of

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the chief priests and elders, he answered no

thing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest 'thou not how many how many things they witness

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against thee? And he answered him to never a word, insomuch that the governor marvelled

greatly. Now, at the feast, the governor was

wont to release unto the people a prisoner, 'whom they would. And they had then a ' notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore, ' when they were gathered together, Pilate said ' unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus, which is called

Christ? For he knew that for envy they had ' delivered him. When he was sat down on the

'judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying,

Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a 'dream because of him. But the chief priests ' and the elders persuaded the multitude that

they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

The governor answered and said unto them,

'Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith

' unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus,

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which is called Christ?

him, Let him be crucified.

They all say unto

And the governor

said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they 'cried out the more, saying, Let him be cru

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cified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail

nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before 'the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the 'blood of this just person; see ye to it. Then ' answered all the people, and said, His blood be

on us, and on our children. Then released he

'Barabbas unto them; and when he had

scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be cruci'fied.'

My purpose, in giving the preceding quotations, is to show, that of the three parties concerned in the murder of Jesus, viz. Judas, his betrayer; the chief priests, his accusers; and Pilate, his judge; the first and the last pronounced him completely innocent; and the se

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cond had no charge whatever to prefer against him, but that one already mentioned, viz. that he professed himself to be the Messiah. This is evident from the proceedings of the Sanhedrim ; for, though they sought false witness against 'him, they found none;' and it was not till he confessed himself to be the Son of God, that the high priest rent his cloaths, saying, He hath ⚫ spoken blasphemy; what further need have we ' of witnesses?' The same thing is evident from John xix. 6, 7, · Pilate saith unto them,

Take ye him, and crucify him, for I find no 'fault in him. The Jews answered him, We 'have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.'

Now, it is quite obvious, that, in order to prove that Jesus was guilty of falsehood and blasphemy, in confessing himself to be the Messiah, it was necessary that the Sanhedrim' should have convicted him either of leading the people away from the worship of God, (see Deut. xiii. 1-5.) or of uttering false predictions. (Deut. xviii. 20-22.) But the pro

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