connection of tlie former and latter parts of the verse is hy no means clear. The precise object of " therefore," and the reason why God's overruling providence made the Jews more guilty than the Gentiles, are things which it is not easy to explain. But I must think that the latent idea of our Lord was to remind Pilate how ignorantly he was acting, and how little he knew what he was about compared to the Jews.
That the possession of superior knowledge increases the sin- fulness of a sinner's sin, seems taught by implication in this verse. It was more sinful in the Jews, with all their knowl- edge of the law and the prophets, to deliver up Christ to be crucified, than it was in Pilate, an ignorant heathen, to condemn llim and put Him to death.
The word " he " is differently interpreted. Some think that it must refer to Caiaphas, as the high priest and chief actor in the whole affair of our Lord's murder. Some even think it re- fers to Judas Iscariot. Tlie more probable idea is that it refers to the whole Jewish people, personified by " he," and repre senied by their high priest.
One thing, at any rate, is very certain. This was the last word that Jesus spoke during His trial. Henceforth He was "like a lamb before his shearers, dumb."
Hengstenberg remarks, that in apportioning the comparative guilt of Pilate and of the Jews, our Lord shows Himself even at this crisis the true Judge of mankind.
Lampe remarks, " The sin of the Jews was heavier than that of Pilate. Pilate was a Gentile, ignorant alike of the Messiah and His distinguishing marks : the Jews liad read the prophe- cies about Him. Pilate could only have heard sometbing about our Lord's great miracles by rumor and report : they were all done under the very eyes of the Jews. Pilate injured Jesus unwillingly, and from cowardice : they injured Him from hatred and envy. Finally, Pilate was only the instrument : the Jews were the impelling cause. Thus our Lord pronounces His opinion concerning His judges, an opinion according to which He will one day judge them."
The expression " therefore," or literally " on account of this,'* is rather a difficult one. Markland says it means, "Because he has not this power from above, which thou hast, the Jew has the greater sin." Pearce takes much the same view.
Rollock observes, speaking of the inquisition in Spain, " The Papists, when they have caught a Christian who confesseth Jesus Christ, after trying him, put him in the hands of the Emperor or King of Spain. Then they wash their hands, as clean of His blood ; and who took his life but tlie King of Spain ? But the wrath of God persecutes them, and the blood of the innocent lies on them, because they delivered them into their hands to be tormented."