[2385] i.e. death, lit. "the action."
[2386] addressed to St. John.
[2387] ta polla
[2388] e xo
[2389] or, "not once, but often," &c.
[2390] stratiotai, mercenaries.
[2391] Ver. 5, 6. "They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I Am. And Judas also which betrayed Him stood with them. As soon then as He had said unto them, I Am, they went backward, and fell to the ground." N.T.
[2392] "Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth." N.T.
[2393] to anepachthes
[2394] more exactly, "perdition."
[2395] Ver. 10. "Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus."
[2396] lit. "tension."
[2397] Ver 11. "Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath; the cup," &c. N.T.
[2398] Ver. 12, 13. "Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him, and led Him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year." N.T.
[2399] or, "made a show of Him in."
[2400] Ver. 15, 16. "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did that other disciple; that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter." N.T.
[2401] al. "retired."
[2402] al. "gave in charge."
[2403] Ver. 17. "Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not," &c. N.T.
[2404] thraseia
[2405] lit. "bent," katakamptomenes
[2406] Ver. 18. "And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; and they warmed themselves; and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself."
[2407] "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing." N.T.
[2408] "which heard Me, what I have said unto them; behold, they know what I said." N.T.
[2409] al. "the disciples as disciples."
[2410] "Of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?" N.T.
[2411] "of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou Me? " N.T.
[2412] Ver. 24. "Annas sent (a pesteilen) Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest." St. C. makes this the order of the narrative, but most commentators refer the words to an earlier period.
[2413] karo
[2414] Part of ver. 25. "They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not."
[2415] Ver. 26. "one of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman," &c., "saith." N.T.
[2416] "in the garden with him?" ver. 27. "Peter then denied again; and immediately the cock crew." N.T.
[2417] al. "had been said."
[2418] eis dakrua kathelkon
[2419] Ver. 28. "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment; and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment-hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover." N.T.
[2420] or, "waiting for His," &c., "on."
[2421] al. "from their."
[2422] al. "but in certain."
[2423] Ben. "not for," &c., "but for."
[2424] "Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto Him." N.T.
[2425] i.e. against heathen law also.
[2426] Ver. 30. "Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself or did others tell it thee of Me?" N.T.
[2427] he petai
[2428] "to the Jews; but now in My kingdom not from hence," N.T.
[2429] Ben. omits "also."
[2430] al. "hide."
[2431] "came I into the world," N.T.
[2432] mimetai
[2433] diesuron
[2434] al. "this is to be laughed at."
[2435] Sav. conj. "shall proclaim."
[2436] "whosoever shall," &c., N.T.
[2437] Sav. conj. "evil speaking."
Homily LXXXIV.
John xviii. 37
"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."
[1.] A marvelous thing is longsuffering; it places the soul as in a quiet harbor, fleeing it from tossings [2438] and evil spirits. And this everywhere Christ hath taught us, but especially now, when He is judged, and dragged, and led about. For when He was brought to Annas, He answered with great gentleness, and, to the servant who smote Him, said what had power to bring down all his insolence; thence having gone to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, and having spent the whole night in these scenes, He all through exhibiteth His own mildness; and when they said that He was a malefactor, and were not able to prove it, He stood silent; but when He was questioned concerning the Kingdom, then He spake to Pilate, instructing him, and leading him in to [2439] higher matters. But why was it that Pilate made the enquiry not in their presence, but apart, having gone into the judgment hall? He suspected something great respecting Him, and wished, without being troubled by the Jews, to learn all accurately. Then when he said, "What hast thou done?" on this point Jesus made no answer; but concerning that of which Pilate most desired to hear, namely, His Kingdom, He answered, saying, "My Kingdom is not of this world." That is, "I am indeed a King, yet not such an one as thou suspectest, but far more glorious," declaring [2440] by these words and those which follow, that no evil had been done by Him. For one who saith, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth," showeth, that no evil hath been done by Him. Then when He saith, "Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice," He draweth him on by these means, and persuadeth him to become a listener to the words. "For if," saith He, "any one is true, and desireth these things, [2441] he will certainly hear Me." And, in fact, He so took him by these short words, that he said,
Ver. 38. "What is truth?"
But for the present he applieth himself to what was pressing, for he knew that this question needed time, and desired to rescue Him from the violence of the Jews. Wherefore he went out, and what said he?
"I find no fault in him." [2442]
Consider how prudently he acted. He said not, "Since he hath sinned, and is deserving of death, forgive him on account of the Feast"; [2443] but having first acquitted Him of all guilt, he asks them over and above, if they were not minded to dismiss Him as innocent, yet as guilty to forgive Him on account of the time. Wherefore he added,
Ver. 39, 40. "Ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passover"; then in a persuasory way, "Will ye therefore that I release the king of the Jews? Then cried they all, Not this man, but Barabbas." [2444]
O accursed decision! They demand those like mannered with themselves, and let the guilty go; but bid him punish the innocent. For this was their custom from old time. But do thou all through observe the lovingkindness of the Lord in these circumstances. Pilate scourged Him [2445] perhaps desiring to exhaust and to soothe the fury of the Jews. For when he had not been able to deliver Him by his former measures, being anxious to stay the evil at this point, he scourged Him, and permitted to be done what was done, the robe and crown to be put on Him, so as to relax their anger. Wherefore also he led Him forth to them crowned ( ver. 5 ), that, seeing the insult which had been done to Him, they might recover a little from their passion, and vomit their venom. "And how would the soldiers have done this, had it not been the command of their ruler?" To gratify the Jews. Since it was not by his command that they at first went in [2446] by night, but to please the Jews; they dared anything for money. But He, when so many and such things were done, yet stood silent, as He had done during the enquiry, and answered nothing. And do thou not merely hear these things, but keep them continually in thy mind, and when thou beholdest the King of the world and of all Angels, mocked of the soldiers, by words and by actions, and bearing all silently, do thou imitate Him by deeds thyself. For when Pilate had called Him the King of the Jews, and they now put about Him the ap parel of mockery, then Pilate having led Him out, said,
Ver. 4, 5. "I find no fault against him. He therefore went forth, wearing the crown." [2447]
But not even so was their rage quenched, but they cried out,
Ver. 6. "Crucify him, crucify him." [2448]
Then Pilate, seeing that all was done in vain, said,
"Take ye him, and crucify him."
Whence it is clear that he had permitted what had been done before, because of their madness.
"For I," he saith, "find no fault in him."
[2.] See in how many ways the judge makes His defense, continually acquitting Him of the charges; but none of these things shamed the dogs from their purpose. For the, "Take ye him and crucify him," is the expression of one clearing himself of the guilt, and thrusting them forward to an action not permitted to them. They therefore had brought Him, in order that the thing might be done by the decision of the governor; but the contrary fell out, that He was rather acquitted than condemned by the governor's decision. Then, because they were ashamed,
Ver. 7. "We have," they said, "a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God."
"How then when the judge said, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law,' did ye reply, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death,' while here ye fly to the law? And consider the charge, He made himself the Son of God.' Tell me, is this a ground of accusation, that He who performed the deeds of the Son of God should call Himself the Son of God?" What then doth Christ? While they held this dialogue one with the other, He held His peace, fulfilling that saying of the Prophet, that "He openeth not his mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken away." ( Isa. liii. 7, 8 , LXX.)
Then Pilate is alarmed [2449] when he hears from them, that He made Himself the Son of God, and dreads lest the assertion may possibly be true, and he should seem to transgress; but these men who had learnt this, both by His deeds and words, did not shudder, but are putting Him to death for the very reasons for which they ought to have worshiped Him. On this account he no more asks Him, "What hast thou done?" but, shaken by fear, he begins the enquiry again, saying, "Art thou the Christ?" But He answered not. For he who had heard, "To this end was I born, and for this came I," and, "My Kingdom is not of this world," he, when he ought to have opposed His enemies and delivered Him, did not so, but seconded the fury of the Jews. Then they being in every way silenced, make their cry issue in a political charge, saying, "He that maketh himself a king, speaketh against Cæsar." ( Ver. 12.) Pilate ought therefore to have accurately enquired, whether He had aimed at sovereignty, and set His hand to expel Cæsar from the kingdom. But he makes not an exact enquiry, and therefore Christ answered him nothing, because He knew that he asked all the questions idly. [2450] Besides, since His works bare witness to Him, He would not prevail by word, nor compose any defense, showing that He came voluntarily to this condition. When He was silent, Pilate saith,
Ver. 10. "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee?" [2451]
Seest thou how he condemned himself beforehand; for, "if the whole rests with thee, why dost not thou let Him go, when thou hast found no fault in Him?" When then Pilate had uttered the sentence against himself, then He saith,
Ver. 11. "He that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin."
Showing that he also was guilty of sin. Then, to pull down his pride and arrogance, He saith,
"Thou wouldst have no power except it were given thee." [2452]
Showing that this did not come to pass merely in the common order of events, [2453] but that it was accomplished mystically. Then lest, when thou hearest, "Except it were given thee," thou shouldest deem that Pilate was exempt from all blame, on this account therefore He said, "Therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin." "And yet if it was given, neither he nor they were liable to any charge." "Thou objectest idly; for the given' in this place means what is allowed'; as though He had said, He hath permitted these things to be, yet not for that are ye clear of the wickedness.'" He awed Pilate by the words, and proffered a clear defense. On which account that person sought to release Him; but they again cried out, saying, [2454]