BOOK 6. THE DEATH.
CHAPTER 2.
6.2.1. Of Christ's indictment, and Judas' fearful end.
Of Christ's indictment, and Judas' fearful end.
About six in the morning, Jesus was brought unto Pilate's house: "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment, and it was early, John xviii. 28. -- When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas which had betrayed him hanged himself," Matt, xxvii. 1, 2, 8, 4, 5. O the readiness of our nature to evil! when the Israelites would sacrifice to the golden calf, "They rose up early in the morning," Exod. xxxii. 6. If God leave us to ourselves, we are as ready to practise mischief, as the fire is to burn without all delay. But on this circumstance I shall not stay; the transactions of this hour I shall consider in these two passages, Christ's indictment and Judas' fearful end.
In Christ's indictment we may observe; His accusation; His examination.
His accusation.
In his accusation we may observe, 1. Who are his accusers. 2. Where he was accused. 3. What was the matter of which they do accuse him.
1. His accusers were "the chief priests and elders of the people," Matt, xxvii. 12. The very same that before had judged him guilty of death, are now his accusers before the temporal judge: but why must our Saviour be twice judged? Was not the Sanhedrim or ecclesiastical court sufficient to condemn him? I answer, -- he is twice judged,
(a).That his innocency might more appear, true gold often tried in the fire, is not consumed, but rather perfected: so Christ's integrity, though examined again and again by diverse judges wholly corrupt, yet thereby it was not hurt, but made rather more illustrious.
(b). Because his former judgment was in the night, and a sentence pronounced then, was not reputed valid: it is said of Moses, that "he judged the people from the morning unto the evening," Exod. xviii. 13. for until night no judgment was protracted.
(c). Because, said the Jews, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," John xviii. 31. These words had need of exposition; we know Moses' law prescribed death to the adulterers, idolaters, blasphemers, man-slayers, sabbath-breakers; but now the Romans (say some) had come and restrained the Jews from the execution of their laws; others are of another mind, and therefore the meaning of these words, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," may be understood (say they) in a double sense.
(i). That it was not lawful for them to put any man to such a death, as the death of the cross; Moses' law was ignorant of such a death; and the following seem to favour this interpretation, "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake, signifying what death he should die," John xviii. 32. We read only of four sorts of deaths that were used amongst the Jews, as strangling, stoning, burning, and killing with the sword; crucifying was the invention of the Romans, and not of Jews.
(ii). That it was not lawful for them to put any man to death at such a time; on this day was celebrated the Jews passover, which was in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt; so that now they had a custom to deliver some from death (the case of Barrabas) but they could not now condemn any one to death; hence it was, that after Herod the Jew had killed James, he proceeded further to take Peter also; yet, during the days of unleavened bread, he delivers him to be kept in prison, "intending (saith the text) after Easter, to bring him forth to the people," Acts xii. 4. Pilate a Gentile was not tied to these laws; and therefore they led Jesus from "Caiaphas, unto the hall of Judgment, or unto Pilate's house."
2. The place of the accusation was at the door of the house; "They would not go in to the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover," John xviii. 28. See what a piece of superstition and gross hypocrisy is here! they are curious of a ceremony, but make no strain to shed innocent blood; they are precise about small matters, but for the weightier matters of the law, as mercy, judgment, fidelity, and the love of God, they let them pass; they honour the figurative passover, but the true passover they seize upon with bloody and sacrilegious hands.
3. The matter of which they accuse him.
(a). That he seduced the people.
(a). That he forbad to pay tribute to Caesar.
(c). That he said he was a king.
How great, but withal, how false were these their accusations? For the first, Christ was so far from stirring up seditions, that he strove and endeavoured to gather the people into one. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as an hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Matt, xxiii. 37. For the second, instead of denying to pay tribute to Caesar, he paid it in his own person, "Take twenty pence out of the fish's mouth," (said he to Peter) "and give it unto them for me and thee," Matt. xvii. 27. And "give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's," (said he to the people) "and to God the things that are God's," Luke xx. 25. For the third, instead of making himself a king, he professeth that "his kingdom is not of this world," John xviii. 36. And when they would have made him king, instead of flattering them, he flieth from them, and that into the wilderness; or, "into a mountain himself alone," John vi. 15. -- Thus much of the accusation.
His examination.
For his examination, Pilate was nothing moved with any of the accusations, save only the third; and therefore letting all the rest pass, he asked him only, "Art thou the king of the Jews?" To whom Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world," etc. John xviii. 33, 36. He saith not my kingdom is not "in this world," but "my kingdom is not of this world," by which Pilate knew well that Christ was no enemy unto Caesar; Christ's kingdom is spiritual, his government is in the very hearts and consciences of men; and what is this to Caesar? Hence Pilate useth a policy to save Jesus Christ, they tell him that Christ was of Galilee, and therefore he takes occasion to send him to Herod, who was governor of Galilee. But of that anon.
Use. How many lessons may we learn from hence?
1. Christ was accused, who can be free? The chief priests and elders of the Jews accused Christ, no wonder if those that are chief and great amongst us accuse poor Christians: Oh! there is a perpetual enmity between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent, there is an everlasting, irreconcilable, implacable enmity and antipathy between grace and profaneness, light and darkness, Christ and Belial; as it is reported of tigers, that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of spices, so it is with the wicked, who rage at the spiritual graces of them that are sincere for God.
2. Christ's accusers would not go into the judgment-hall, lest they should be defiled; the very profane can learn to be superstitious in lesser matters; how many amongst us, will make conscience of outward ceremonies (as of eating meats, observing days) but as for the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy, they leave them undone?
3. Christ is most falsely accused of sedition, seduction and usurpation: it were indeed to be wished, that they who take upon them the name of Christianity were guiltless of such crimes; but let them look to it who are such: this I am sure was Christ's rule and practice, "Be subject to every constitution and authority of man, for the Lord's sake," 1 Pet. ii. 13. If any dare to resist the power that is of God, "They shall receive to themselves damnation," Rom. xiii. 2. Nor can we excuse ourselves, because our governors are not godly; for all the governors to whom Christ and his apostles submitted themselves, and to whom all those strict precepts of duty and obedience related in the New Testament, were no better (for aught I know) than tyrants, persecutors, idolaters, and heathen princes.
4. Christ is examined only of his usurpation, "Art thou the king of the Jews?" John. xviii. 33. The men of this world mind only worldly things; the apostle so describes them, "Who mind earthly things." Phil. iii. 19. Pilate regards not Christ's doctrine, but he is afraid, lest he should aspire to the kingdom; and concerning this our Saviour puts him out of doubt, "My kingdom is not of this world." As Pilate and Christ, so worldlings and Christians are of different principles; "they mind earthly things, but our conversation (saith the apostle) is in heaven," verse 20. our conversation, (i.e.) the aim and scope of our hearts in every action, is only for heaven, whatsoever we do, it should, some way or other fit us for heaven; we should still be laying in heaven against the time, that we shall come and live there: we should have our thoughts and hearts set upon heaven; so it is said of holy Mr Ward, That being in the midst of a dinner, very contemplative; and the people wondering what he was musing about, he presently breaks out, "For ever, for ever, for ever;" and though they endeavoured to still him, yet he still cried out, "for ever, for ever, for ever; oh eternity! to be forever in heaven with God and Christ, how shall this swallow up all other thoughts and aims? and especially all worldly, careful, sinful thoughts, aims or ends?"
Judas' fearful end.
Pilate having dismissed Jesus, this hour is concluded with a sad disaster of wicked Judas; "Then Judas which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself" etc. Matt, xxvii. 3. Now his conscience thaws, and grows somewhat tender, but it is like the tenderness of a boil, which is nothing else but a new disease: there is a repentance that comes too late; Esau wept bitterly and repented him, when the blessing was gone; the five foolish virgins lift up their voices aloud when the gates were shut; and in hell men shall repent to all eternity; and such a repentance was this of Judas; about midnight he had received his money in the house of Annas, and now betimes in the morning, he repents his bargain, and throws his money back again; the end of this tragedy was, That Judas died a miserable death; he perished by the most infamous hands in the world (i.e.) by his own hands: "He went and hanged himself," Matt, xxvii. 5. And as Luke, "he fell headlong, and burst asunder in the midst, and all Ins bowels gushed out," in every passage of his death, we may take notice of God's justice, and be afraid of sin: it was just that he should hang in the air, who for his sin was hated both of heaven and earth, and that he should fall down headlong, who was fallen from such an height of honour; and that the halter should strangle that throat through which the voice of treason had sounded: and that his bowels should be lost, who had lost the bowels of all pity, piety, and compassion; and that his ghost should have its passage out of his midst, (he burst asunder in the midst) and not out of his lips, because with a kiss of his lips he had betrayed his Lord, our blessed Jesus.
Use. Here is a warning piece to all the world; who, would die such a death for the pleasure of a little sin? Or, who would now suffer for millions of gold, that which Judas suffered, and yet suffers in hell for thirty pieces of silver? Now the Lord keep our souls from betraying Christ, and from despairing in God's mercy through Christ. Amen, Amen.
I see one sand is run, and I must turn the glass; now was the seventh hour, and what were the passages of that hour, I shall next relate.