They were gathered at midnight, the time best suited- to their hellish pur- pose. Their evil deed would not stand the light and there was, with them, as there ever is in wieked deeds, a fear of the people. This council has resolved upon the death of Jesus; the trial is to be a mere formality (Matt. 26:15). The Jewish canons prescribed that capital causes should be tried in the day and be punished in the day. Jewish law demanded that there should be two or three witnesses whose testimony should agree (Deut. 17:6). For such witnesses they had been seek- ing. Many were ready to testify,' but there was no agreement in their testi- mony. " F a l se witnesses did rjse uti; they laid to my charge things that I knew n o t " (Ps. .27:12). There was no time to coach the wit- nesses as do our modern lawyers.- The old saying was verified, ' 1'he legs of the lame were not equal." There was an old tradition among the lews that It was blasphemy to predict the destruc- tion of the temple. When Jeremiah pro- pnesied against the city, ' 1 This man is worthy to die for he hath prophesied against the c i t y " (Jer. 26:11). aiOw two men were found who testi- fied that He said He was able to destroy the temple and to build it in three days —words which John tells us He spoke concerning the temple of His body (Tno. 2:19). Mark tells us that these two witnesses, even, did not agree (Mark 14:59). The High Priest is a c r a f ty Jew. He knows that the testimony of the witnesses is not sufficient, so he seeks the prisoner to in- criminate Himself. ' ' Answerest thou n o t h i n g ?" Jesus maintains the same attitude that He did before Pilate. " H e answered him never a wo r d ." Prophecy is again fulfilled': " H e was oppressed; He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mo u t h ." As a'sheep before her. shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. He was reviled, yet He reviled not again; He suffered, yet He threatened not; He committed (3) THE SILENT PRISONER. " H e held His peace."
Himself to Him that judgeth righteous- l y " (Isa. 53; 7, 1 Pet. 2:23). The best answer to make to slander is to say nothing. He had taught that they were not to resist evil; to love their enemies; to bless those who cursed them; to do good to those who hated them. He is not here to uefend His own cause. He could have eomamhded angels to defend Him (Matt. 26:53), but He is in the hands of His Father. He held His peace, (4) THE SACRIIiIOrlOUS COURT. " I adjure thee by the living God." The High Priest is stung to the quick. The silence of Jesus nettles him. The witnesses had failed; Jesus would not be entrapped. He has another card to play. He adjures Him in the name of Jehovah. Here is the highest tribunal of the Jewish people, presided over by the High Priest who, officially, is sup- osed to represent God among men and to appear before God for men. This council has determined beforehand that the prisoner must die; they have bar- tered with one of H s own followers for His betrayal; they havfe gathered false witnesses; they have convened to" carry out the .plot and now the judge uses strategy to compel the prisoner to tes- t i fy against Himself. Jesus was a teacher of the truth, claiming to be from God. He will compel Him in the name of Jehovah to testify. Jesus had always claimed to be the Son of God: He had openly taught this great truth. Now He manifests a proper re- gard, not for the man, but for the of- fice. The office is filled by a low, mur- derous demagogue, but if he nuts Him under oath to testify, He will tell the truth. He acknowledges that He is the Son of God. I am the Christ, and the day will -come when you, the high Priest, will see Me, the real High Priest, taking up my official position as Tudge and you will then stand before Me. He defends His claim. He has already proved His title by the finger of God in the many mighty miracles which He had wrought. The question was not asKed in the interest of truth, but the answer is the whole truth and is given without regard to the eonse-
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