ll certain that
Jesus was the King of the Jews, yet he called him so, partly because
his Roman pride made him take delight in humbling the Jews by calling
such a despicable-looking person their king; and partly because he felt
a kind of inward belief that Jesus might really be that miraculous
king, that Messiah who had been promised. He saw plainly that the
priests were incited by envy alone in their accusations against Jesus;
this made him most anxious to disappoint them; and the desire was
increased by that glimmering of the truth which partly enlightened his
mind. There was some hesitation among the crowd when Pilate asked this
question, and a few voices answered, 'Barabbas.' A servant sent by Pilate's
wife asked for him at this moment; he left the platform, and the
messenger presented the pledge which he had given her, saying at the
same time: 'Claudia Procles begs you to remember your promise this
morning.' The Pharisees and the priests walked anxiously and hastily
about among the crowd, threatening some and ordering others, although,
in fact, little was required to incite the already infuriated multitude.

Mary, with Magdalen, John, and the holy women, stood in a corner of
the forum, trembling and weeping; for although the Mother of Jesus was
fully aware that the redemption of man could not be brought about by
any other means than the death of her Son, yet she was filled with the
anguish of a mother, and with a longing desire to save him from those
tortures and from that death which he was about to suffer. She prayed
God not to allow such a fearful crime to be perpetrated; she repeated
the words of Jesus in the Garden of Olives: 'If it is possible, let this
chalice pass away.' She still felt a glimmering of hope, because there
was a report current that Pilate wished to acquit Jesus. Groups of
persons, mostly inhabitants of Capharnaum, where Jesus had taught, and
among whom he had wrought so many miraculous cures, were congregated in
her vicinity; they pretended not to remember either her or her weeping
companions; they simply cast a glance now and then, as if by chance, at
their closely-veiled figures. Many thought, as did her companions
likewise, that these persons at least would reject Barabbas, and beg
for the life of their Saviour and Benefactor; but these hopes were,
alas, fallacious.

Pilate sent back the pledge to his wife, as an assurance of his
intention to keep his promise. He again came forward on the