28 Then led they Jesus from Caia- phus unto the hall of judgment : and it was early; and they them- selves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled ; but that they might eat the pass- over.
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said. What accusation bring ye againat this man ?
30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him accord- ing to your law. The Jews there- fore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death :
32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signify- ing what death he should die.
33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews ?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me ?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew ?
Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me ; what hast thou done ?
36 Jesus answered^ My kingdom is not of this world : if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore saith unto him, Art thou a king then ? Jesus an- swered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him. What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover : will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
40 Then cried they all ag£un, saying. Not this man, but Barab- bas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
The verses v^e have now read contain four striking points, which are only found in St. John's narrative of Christ's passion. We need not doubt that there were good reasons why Matthew, Mark, and Luke were not inspired to record them. But they are points of such deep' interest, that we should feel thankful that they have been brought forward by St. John.
The first point that we should notice is the false con- scientiousness of our LordPs wicked enemies. We are told that the Jews who brought Christ before Pilate would not go into " the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled ; but that they might eat the passover." II