t on
higher principles than the current prudential maxims, when we hold our
allegiance to Christ in abeyance to our fear of our associates, when we
find no way of showing that Christ is our Lord and that we delight in
opportunities of confessing Him. The confessing of Christ is a duty
explicitly imposed on all those who expect that He will acknowledge them
as His. It is a duty to which we might suppose every manly and generous
instinct in us would eagerly respond, and yet we are often more ashamed
of our connection with the loftiest and holiest of beings than of our
own pitiful and sin-infected selves, and as little practically
stimulated and actuated by a true gratitude to Him as if His death were
the commonest boon and as if we were expecting and needing no help from
Him in the time that is yet to come.[23]

FOOTNOTES:

[22] There is a difficulty in tracing the movements of Jesus at this
point. John tells us He was led to Annas first, and at ver. 24 he says
that Annas sent Him to Caiaphas. We should naturally conclude,
therefore, that the preceding examination was conducted by Annas. But
Caiaphas has been expressly indicated as chief priest, and it is by the
chief priest and in the chief priest's palace the examination is
conducted. The name "chief priest" was not confined to the one actually
in office, but was applied to all who had held the office, and might
therefore be applied to Annas. Possibly the examination recorded vv.
19-23 was before him, and probably he was living with his son-in-law in
the palace of the chief priest.

[23] Some of the ideas in this chapter were suggested by a sermon of
Bishop Temple's.

XIX.

_JESUS BEFORE PILATE._

"They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the palace: and it was
early; and they themselves entered not into the palace, that they
might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Pilate therefore
went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring ye against this
man? They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an
evil-doer, we should not have delivered Him up unto thee. Pilate
therefore said unto them, Take Him yourselves, and judge Him
according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for
us to put any man to death: that the word of Jesus might be
fulfilled, which He spake, signifying by what manner of death He
should die. Pilate therefore entered again into the palace, and
calle