This may be viewed,
I. As a political expedient —
Pilate, not daring absolutely to refuse the demands of the Jews, yet still bent on effecting the release of Jesus, had recourse to this,
1. To excite their pity —
[He well knew that the most savage heart, however in- sensible to the cries of misery when heard only at a distance, is apt to relent, when the suffering object is presented before the eyes. He therefore set Jesus before them in this state ; hoping thereby, that they would be moved with compassion at the sight of his unmerited distresses. Pilate's address to them was probably to this effect : " Behold the man whose crucifixion vou have demanded : I have already repeatedly told you that I could find in him nothing worthy of death : but, as I take for granted that you have some cause for your complaints, I have examined him by scourging ; yet I am still constrained to renew my testimony, that I can find in him no fault at all. Supposing however that he has in some respect offended against your law, I can assure you he has already suffered severely for it ; and therefore I hope you will be satisfied, without urging me to proceed any further against him. Look, and see what a pitiable object he is : and let your anger give way to the nobler sentiments of pity and compassion."
Well might Pilate adopt this expedient, because Christ him- self is represented as pleading in this very manner with his relentless persecutors3, though, alas! without attaining the object of his desires b.]
2. To shame their enmity —
[The nation had accused Jesus of stirring up rebellion in the land. Now Pilate hoped, that a sight of him in his present deplorable state would convince them, that there was nothing to fear from him on this head : for the meekness with which he had borne all his sufferings shewed clearly, that he was not of a turbulent disposition ; and the circumstance of his not having a single friend or partisan to speak for him, proved, that, what- ever his inclination might be, he had not the power to do harm. " Look at him," we may suppose Pilate to say : " see what a contemptible appearance he makes ! Is this a man of whom the whole nation has cause to be afraid? Is this a man of whose power and influence you need to be so jealous, that vou cannot I'est till he is put to death ? Supposing that he has
■ Lam. i. 12. b Ps. lxix. 20.
1721.] pilate's attempt to save jesus. 169
Lad some influence, what will he have in future ? Only let him alone, and in a little time it will scarce be known that such a poor despised creature exists."
Such were the arguments with which David had repeatedly appeased the murderous wrath of Saul0. And Pilate might reasonably hope that they would have weight, especially when addressed to them by the judge and governor, whose exclusive duty it was to watch over the interests of the state. But, alas ! the chief priests and scribes, who had acted covertly before, now took the lead in clamour and tumult, and bore down all before them. Nothing but the crucifixion of Jesus would satisfy them ; and they gave Pilate to understand, that, if he did not comply with their wishes in this respect, they would denounce him as an enemy to Caesar, and a traitor to his own country4.]
There is yet another view in which we may regard the words of Pilate ; namely,
II. As a prophetic intimation —
It is well known that Caiaphas, when intending nothing himself but to recommend the execution of Jesus as necessary for the good of the state, unwit- tingly uttered a prophecy respecting the saving bene- fits of his death, and that not to the Jews only, but to all the world e. Now the words of Pilate bear much more of a prophetic aspect than those of Caiaphas, since they accord with many acknowledged prophe- cies, not in spirit merely, but almost in the express terms f. Moreover, Pilate's wife had had somewhat of a revelation respecting Jesus that very morning, and had sent word of it to Pilate, whilst he was yet upon the seat of judgments and he himself had invariably, and with great constancy, borne testimony to the innocency of Jesus : so that his words on this occasion might well bear that kind of construction which God himself has taught us to put upon the words of Caiaphas. But, as the Scripture affirms nothing respecting this, so neither do zee: we may however, with great propriety, put these words into