fering for ours, His wounds for our pain, His death
for our sins. If you are fearing the just recompense of your sins,
like a band of arresting soldiers lurking in the dark shadows and
threatening to drag you forth to pay the uttermost farthing, take
heart; Jesus has met, and will meet, them for you. Listen to His
majestic voice, saying, "Take Me, but let this soul, who clings to the
skirts of My robe, go his way." He is arrested, and led away; thou art
free--that in thy freedom thou shouldest give thyself to be His very
slave.

XXV

The Hall of Annas

"They led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to
Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year."--JOHN xviii. 13.

The band that had arrested Jesus led Him back across the Kedron bridge,
up the steep ascent, and through the ancient gateway, which at this
season of the year stood always open, even at night.

The passage of the armed men through the quiet streets must have
aroused from their slumbers many sleepers, who hurried to the windows
to see them pass below in the clear moonlight. But no one guessed who
was being taken into custody, and most of them probably thought that
the soldiers had captured some more of the Barabbas gang, who, at that
season of the year, would make a rare harvest by plundering pilgrims to
the feast.

Their destination, in the first place, was the mansion of Annas, the
head of the reigning priestly family, who was father-in-law of the
actual high priest. He was now an old man; wealthy, aristocratic, and
laden with all the honors his nation could give. For many years he had
worn the high priest's robes, and though he had now nominally retired
from that exalted office, he still kept his hand upon the reins of
government. Caiaphas, at the time of which we speak, had held the
priesthood for seventeen years under his tutelage; and he retained it
for five years after. It is easy therefore to understand why Annas is
described as the high priest. He was still the most powerful living
bearer of that title. The whole family partook of his character, and
was notorious for unwearied plotting. The gliding, deadly, snake-like
smoothness with which Annas and his sons seized their prey is said to
have won them the name of hissing vipers.

Annas and Caiaphas probably shared the same cluster of buildings, which
was presumably the official residence of the high priestly family. In
the East the houses of the great are