f the strange majesty in the wonderful Sufferer,
whose presence raised such extraordinary passion and ferment? So he
took Jesus apart, and said to Him, "Whence art Thou?" "Art Thou of
human birth, or more?" But Jesus gave him no answer. This is the
fifth time that He had answered nothing; but we can detect the reason.
It would have been useless to explain all to Pilate then. It would not
have arrested his action, for he had lost control, but would have
increased His condemnation. Yet His silence was itself an answer; for
if He had been only of earth, He could never have allowed Pilate to
entertain the faintest suspicion that He might be of heaven.

Pilate's pride was touched by that silence. It was at least possible
to assert a power over this defenceless Prisoner, which had been defied
by those vindictive Jews. "Speakest Thou not unto _me_? Knowest Thou
not that I have power to release or to crucify Thee?" And Jesus
answered, "Thou wouldst have no power against Me, except it were given
thee from above; therefore, he that delivered Me unto thee hath the
greater sin." In these words our Lord seems to refer to the mystery of
evil, and specially the power of the prince of this world, who was now
venting on Him all his malice. At this moment the serpent was bruising
the heel of the Son of Man, who shortly would bruise His head. It
would appear as though our Lord were addressing kind and compassionate
words to Pilate. "Great as your sin is, in abusing your prerogative,
given to you from above, it is less than the sin of that Evil Spirit
who has cast Me into your power, and is urging you to extreme measures
against Me. The devil sinneth from the beginning." Even in His sore
travail, the Lord was tender and pitiful to this weak and craven soul,
and spoke to it as though Pilate and not He were arraigned at the bar.

Pilate was now more than ever set on His deliverance. "He sought to
release Him." And then the Jews brought out their last crushing and
conclusive argument, "If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar's
friend; every one that maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar."
Pilate knew what that meant, and that if he did not let them have their
way, they would lodge an accusation against him for complicity with
treason before his imperial master. Already strong representations had
been made in the same quarter against his maladministration of his
province, and he positively dare not risk anothe