of sucli miracles as our Lord, brought to his bar, frightened him. But now when he heard that He laid claim to divinity, he was " more afraid." We must never forget that Pilate, as Roman Governor of Judaa, charged with the management of a most turbulent and troublesome province, was doubtless in- formed by spies, as well as by the officers of his army, of every- thing that went on in J udsea. Can we doubt for a moment that he must have heard many accounts of our Lord's ministry, and specially of His miracles and astonishing power over the sick and the dead ? Can we doubt that he heard of the raising of Lazarus at Bethany, within a walk of Jerusalem ? Remember- ing all this, we may well suppose that lie regarded the whole case brought before him by the Jews with much anxiety from the very first, and we can well understand that when he heard that Jesus was " the Son of God," he was more than ever alarmed. Unprincipled rulers have an uneasy position.
Bishop Hall thinks that tlie cause of Pilate's fear was only the increased rage and excitement of the people. He was afraid of a riot and tumult !
9. — \And went again.. .judgment hall.] This means, that, on hear- ing this fresh charge of blasphemy, Pilate retired again from the outside of the palace into the inner part, where he had be- fore conversed with our Lord, once more leaving the Jews out- side. This new charge was so serious that he did not care to enter into it publicly, and preferred examining our Lord about it privately.
[And saitJi... Whence art T7iou?] This qaestion I think can admit of only one meaning. It meant, — " Who art Thou ? What art Thou ? Art Thou from heaven ? Art Thoa one of the gods come down to earth, of whom I have heard the priests talk ? What is Thy real nature and history ? If Thou art some superior being, more than a common man, tell me plainly, that I may know how to deal with Thy case. Tell me privately, while these Jews are not present, tliat I may know what line to take up with Thine enemies." — We may well believe that Pilate caught at the secret hope that Jesus might tell him something about Himself, which would enable Him to make a firm stand and deliver Him from the Jews. In this hope, again, the Ro- man Governor was destined to be disappointed.
[But Jesus gave him no answer.'] Our Lord's silence, when this appeal was made to him by Pilate, is very striking. Hith- erto He had spoken freely and replied to questions ; now He re- fused to speak any more. The reason of our Lord's silence must be sought in the state of Pilate's soul. He deserved no answer, and therefore got none. He had forfeited his title to any further revelation about his Prisoner. He had been told plainly the nature of our Lord's ki7igdom, and the purpose of our Lord's coming into the world, and been obliged to confess publicly his innocence. And yet, with all this light and knowledge, he had