The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 578

hoing rlivinely guided to eee in the preeent They therefore stated unblushingly that transaction a fulfilment of an obscure an- Jesus bad said that be wae himself Christ a nouncement and prefiguration in olden clays. King (Luke xxiii. 2). At tbis point St. Thoro are mo.ny other solutions proposed, Matthew's account steps in. Art thou (<Ta with whioh wo need not concern ourselves; •I) the Xing of the Jews l This examination tho ono last eto.ted is reasonable, o.nd mo.y took place within the Prmtorium, where be 1vlopted e11.foly by those eimple Cbristi11.ns Christ was detained in the custody of some who believe that the writere of the Bible guards. The accusation of the Jews had were eupornaturnlly preserved from ,,rrore, been ma.de outside, as they bad scruples not only in doctrine and precept and fact, a.bout entering the building. Jesus had but also in chronology, grammar, geography, never actually (eo far as recorder!) called citation, eto. The whole difficulty is of little himself King, though the appellation had importance, and too mnoh hae beeu made of been applied to him by Natha.noel (John what, after all, may be simply an en-atum i. 49), and the boso.nna.hs of the multitudes perpetuated from an ancient copy. They bad virtually so greeted b im. His accusers took ((11.a/Jov, which might mean, "I took," had added the charge that he perverted ae in Zachariah). In the prophecy it is the the nation, and forbade to give tribute to despised Shepherd who casts the money to Ca!sar. There is acorn and eurprisA, mingled the potter; but "gave" in the next clause is with some awe, in Pilate's iut<:rr,,gation, plural. The prioe of him that was valued "Thou-such a one as thou-art the King (priced), whom they of the ohildren of l1rael of the Jews?" Thou sayest. What thou did value (price) (&11 h1µ,fua11.-o Airb vliov sayest is true. A strong affirmation. Christ 'Iupa~,._), The Authorized Version supplies accepts in its fullest eenee tbot wbich the o/ before Airll v/uiv 'lupa~,._, The Revised governor puts as a question (comp. eh. :u:vi Version supplies,,.,.,.,, "whom certain of the 25, 64). St. Paul alludes to this scene io. children of Israel did price." The words are 1 Tim. vi 13, "Obrist Jesus, who before ironic11.l, answering to the prophet's expres- Pilate witnessed the good confeseion." sion, "the goodly price that I was prised Ver. 12.-When Pilate went forth again at of them " I The preposition Airll may be to the door of the judgment-ha.ll, he was rendered " on the part of; " so the evangelist met by a storm of accusations from the chief moans that the priests offered this mean priests and elders, who, seeing the impres- price for the Shepherd at the instigation of, ~n produced on him by Christ's bearing, at the instance of, the children of Israel, vied with ea.eh other in vociferating charges who thus shared in and authorized the against the meek Prisoner. He answered iniquitous transa.otion. nothing. With Divine patience be bore Ver. 10.-Gave them for the potter's field. it a.II; be would noi defend himself before This part of the citation is borrowed from people who cared nothing for truth and Jeremiah's purchase of the field of Hana.me! justice, and wanted only to secure con- (eh. um.). The Christian writer intro- demnation and death. As for Pila.le, he duces a second fulfilment of the ancient had told him expressly that his kingdom word. As the Lord appointed me. This was spiritual and not of this world, and must be the equivalent of Zccbariah's " the therefore his olaims did not interfere with Lord said unto me" (xi. 13). The destina- the sovereignty of Rome. To him and to tion of these w11.ges of iniquity wae fore- the rest there was nothing more to b,:, said. ordo.iued. They could not be used by the Ver. 13.-Hearest thou not how many Shepherd, nor stored in the temple treasury, things (1r6ua, quanta, what great things) nor kept by Judas or the priests ; they were they witness against thee 1 Amoug the to be employed for another purpose. oha.rgee was one that Jesus stirred up the Vere. 11-14.---Jesus eza'mined by Pt"late. people to revolt, both in Galilee and J nua)n.. The mention of Galilee offered to Pilutc a (Mo.rk xv. 2-5; Luke uiii. 2--5; John chance of escaping lhe responsibility of the xviii. 29-38.) trial, and led to his sendiug Christ to Ver. 11.-Jesns stood before the governor. Herod,~as St. Luke relates (xxiii. 6-12). St. l\Ia.tthew omits here many details wbioh It was on the return from Herod thRt the tl1e other evangelists, and especially St. finnl scene took place. Pilo.te evideu Uy John, supply. Pila.to from the first had did not believe thElt this dignifieJ, meek, shown much reluctance to proceed, not being inoffensive Man was guilty of sedition, and satisfied with the vague aoousation that he desired to beo.r bis defence, which he Jesu, was a ma.lefaotor, and proposing that was willing to receive favourably (A.cts iii. the Sanhedriets should try him aooording to 13). Jewish Law, as if the question was merely a Ver. 14.-To never a word (irpl>< ovS, ..,.. religious oue. This treatment forced the ~fip.a., not even lo one icord). He mndo no pl"iests to formulate 11, churge of which the reply to a. siugle ono of the accutio.tions Romll.Il authorities must take cognizance. mnde against him. He h.au determiuod to 584 TllE GOSPET, ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW [olt, nm. 1-66,