the desire of ages-第123章

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ure　to　excite　their　indignation。　Here　Romans　and　Jews；　Pharisees　and　Sadducees；　could　meet；　for　all　held　the　temple　in　great　veneration。　On　this　point　two　witnesses　were　found　whose　testimony　was　not　so　contradictory　as　that　of　the　others　had　been。　One　of　them；　who　had　been　bribed　to　accuse　Jesus；　declared；　〃This　fellow　said；　I　am　able　to　destroy　the　temple　of　God；　and　to　build　it　in　three　days。〃　Thus　Christ's　words　were　misstated。　If　they　had　been　reported　exactly　as　He　spoke　them；　they　would　not　have　secured　His　condemnation　even　by　the　Sanhedrin。　Had　Jesus　been　a　mere　man；　as　the　Jews　claimed；　His　declaration　would　only　have　indicated　an　unreasonable；　boastful　spirit；　but　could　not　have　been　construed　into　blasphemy。　Even　as　misrepresented　by　the　false　witnesses；　His　words　contained　nothing　which　would　be　regarded　by　the　Romans　as　a　crime　worthy　of　death。

Patiently　Jesus　listened　to　the　conflicting　testimonies。　No　word　did　He　utter　in　self…defense。　At　last　His　accusers　were　entangled；　confused；　and　maddened。　The　trial　was　making　no　headway；　it　seemed　that　their　plottings　were　to　fail。　Caiaphas　was　desperate。　One　last　resort　remained；　Christ　must　be　forced　to　condemn　Himself。　The　high　priest　started　from　the　judgment　seat；　his　face　contorted　with　passion；　his　voice　and　demeanor　plainly　indicating　that　were　it　in　his　power　he　would　strike　down　the　prisoner　before　him。　〃Answerest　Thou　nothing？〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　is　it　which　these　witness　against　Thee？〃

Jesus　held　His　peace。　〃He　was　oppressed；　and　He　was　afflicted；　yet　He　opened　not　His　mouth：　He　is　brought　as　a　lamb　to　the　slaughter；　and　as　a　sheep　before　her　shearers　is　dumb；　so　He　openeth　not　His　mouth。〃　Isaiah　53：7。

At　last；　Caiaphas；　raising　his　right　hand　toward　heaven；　addressed　Jesus　in　the　form　of　a　solemn　oath：　〃I　adjure　Thee　by　the　living　God；　that　Thou　tell　us　whether　Thou　be　the　Christ；　the　Son　of　God。〃

To　this　appeal　Christ　could　not　remain　silent。　There　was　a　time　to　be　silent；　and　a　time　to　speak。　He　had　not　spoken　until　directly　questioned。　He　knew　that　to　answer　now　would　make　His　death　certain。　But　the　appeal　was　made　by　the　highest　acknowledged　authority　of　the　nation；　and　in　the　name　of　the　Most　High。　Christ　would　not　fail　to　show　proper　respect　for　the　law。　More　than　this；　His　own　relation　to　the　Father　was　called　in　question。　He　must　plainly　declare　His　character　and　mission。

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Jesus　had　said　to　His　disciples；　〃Whosoever　therefore　shall　confess　Me　before　men；　him　will　I　confess　also　before　My　Father　which　is　in　heaven。〃　Matt。　10：32。　Now　by　His　own　example　He　repeated　the　lesson。

Every　ear　was　bent　to　listen；　and　every　eye　was　fixed　on　His　face　as　He　answered；　〃Thou　hast　said。〃　A　heavenly　light　seemed　to　illuminate　His　pale　countenance　as　He　added；　〃Nevertheless　I　say　unto　you；　Hereafter　shall　ye　see　the　Son　of　man　sitting　on　the　right　hand　of　power；　and　coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven。〃

For　a　moment　the　divinity　of　Christ　flashed　through　His　guise　of　humanity。　The　high　priest　quailed　before　the　penetrating　eyes　of　the　Saviour。　That　look　seemed　to　read　his　hidden　thoughts；　and　burn　into　his　heart。　Never　in　afterlife　did　he　forget　that　searching　glance　of　the　persecuted　Son　of　God。

〃Hereafter；〃　said　Jesus；　〃shall　ye　see　the　Son　of　man　sitting　on　the

708

right　hand　of　power；　and　coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven。〃　In　these　words　Christ　presented　the　reverse　of　the　scene　then　taking　place。　He；　the　Lord　of　life　and　glory；　would　be　seated　at　God's　right　hand。　He　would　be　the　judge　of　all　the　earth；　and　from　His　decision　there　could　be　no　appeal。　Then　every　secret　thing　would　be　set　in　the　light　of　God's　countenance；　and　judgment　be　passed　upon　every　man　according　to　his　deeds。

The　words　of　Christ　startled　the　high　priest。　The　thought　that　there　was　to　be　a　resurrection　of　the　dead；　when　all　would　stand　at　the　bar　of　God；　to　be　rewarded　according　to　their　works；　was　a　thought　of　terror　to　Caiaphas。　He　did　not　wish　to　believe　that　in　future　he　would　receive　sentence　according　to　his　works。　There　rushed　before　his　mind　as　a　panorama　the　scenes　of　the　final　judgment。　For　a　moment　he　saw　the　fearful　spectacle　of　the　graves　giving　up　their　dead；　with　the　secrets　he　had　hoped　were　forever　hidden。　For　a　moment　he　felt　as　if　standing　before　the　eternal　Judge；　whose　eye；　which　sees　all　things；　was　reading　his　soul；　bringing　to　light　mysteries　supposed　to　be　hidden　with　the　dead。

The　scene　passed　from　the　priest's　vision。　Christ's　words　cut　him；　the　Sadducee；　to　the　quick。　Caiaphas　had　denied　the　doctrine　of　the　resurrection；　the　judgment；　and　a　future　life。　Now　he　was　maddened　by　satanic　fury。　Was　this　man；　a　prisoner　before　him；　to　assail　his　most　cherished　theories？　Rending　his　robe；　that　the　people　might　see　his　pretended　horror；　he　demanded　that　without　further　preliminaries　the　prisoner　be　condemned　for　blasphemy。　〃What　further　need　have　we　of　witnesses？〃　he　said；　〃behold；　now　ye　have　heard　His　blasphemy。　What　think　ye？〃　And　they　all　condemned　Him。

Conviction　mingled　with　passion　led　Caiaphas　to　do　as　he　did。　He　was　furious　with　himself　for　believing　Christ's　words；　and　instead　of　rending　his　heart　under　a　deep　sense　of　truth；　and　confessing　that　Jesus　was　the　Messiah；　he　rent　his　priestly　robes　in　determined　resistance。　This　act　was　deeply　significant。　Little　did　Caiaphas　realize　its　meaning。　In　this　act；　done　to　influence　the　judges　and　secure　Christ's　condemnation；　the　high　priest　had　condemned　himself。　By　the　law　of　God　he　was　disqualified　for　the　priesthood。　He　had　pronounced　upon　himself　the　death　sentence。

A　high　priest　was　not　to　rend　his　garments。　By　the　Levitical　law；　this　was　prohibited　under　sentence　of　death。　Under　no　circumstances；　on　no　occasion；　was　the　priest　to　rend　his　robe。　It　was　the　custom　among　the　Jews　for　the　garments　to　be　rent　at　the　death　of　friends；　but　this

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custom　the　priests　were　not　to　observe。　Express　command　had　been　given　by　Christ　to　Moses　concerning　this。　Lev。　10：6。

Everything　worn　by　the　priest　was　to　be　whole　and　without　blemish。　By　those　beautiful　official　garments　was　represented　the　character　of　the　great　antitype；　Jesus　Christ。　Nothing　but　perfection；　in　dress　and　attitude；　in　word　and　spirit；　could　be　acceptable　to　God。　He　is　holy；　and　His　glory　and　perfection　must　be　represented　by　the　earthly　service。　Nothing　but　perfection　could　properly　represent　the　sacredness　of　the　heavenly　service。　Finite　man　might　rend　his　own　heart　by　showing　a　contrite　and　humble　spirit。　This　God　would　discern。　But　no　rent　must　be　made　in　the　priestly　robes；　for　this　would　mar　the　representation　of　heavenly　things。　The　high　priest　who　dared　to　appear　in　holy　office；　and　engage　in　the　service　of　the　sanctuary；　with　a　rent　robe；　was　looked　upon　as　having　severed　himself　from　God。　By　rending　his　garment　he　cut　himself　off　from　being　a　representative　character。　He　was　no　longer　accepted　by　God　as　an　officiating　priest。　This　course　of　action；　as　exhibited　by　Caiaphas；　showed　human　passion；　human　imperfection。

By　rending　his　garments；　Caiaphas　made　of　no　effect　the　law　of　God；　to　follow　the　tradition　of　men。　A　man…made　law　provided　that　in　case　of　blasphemy　a　priest　might　rend　his　garments　in　horror　at　the　sin；　and　be　guiltless。　Thus　the　law　of　God　was　made　void　by　the　laws　of　men。

Each　action　of　the　high　priest　was　watched　with　interest　by　the　people；　and　Caiaphas　thought　for　effect　to　display　his　piety。　But　in　this　act；　designed　as　an　accusation　against　Christ；　he　was　reviling　the　One　of　whom　God　had　said；　〃My　name　is　in　Him。〃　Ex。　23：21。　He　himself　was　committing　blasphemy。　Standing　under　the　condemnation　of　God；　he　pronounced　sentence　upon　Christ　as　a　blasphemer。

When　Caiaphas　rent　his　garment；　his　act　was　significant　of　the　place　that　the　Jewish　nation　as　a　nation　would　thereafter　occupy　toward　God。　The　once　favored　people　of　God　were　separating　themselves　from　Him；　and　were　fast　becoming　a　people　disowned　by　Jehovah。　When　Christ　upon　the　cross　cried　out；　〃It　is　finished〃　（John　19：30）；　and　the　veil　of　the　temple　was　rent　in　twain；　the　Holy　Watcher　declared　that　the　Jewish　people　had　rejected　Him　who　was　the　antitype　of　all　their　types；　the　substance　of　all　their　shadows。　Israel　was　divorced　from　God。　Well　might　Caiaphas　then　rend　his　official　robes；　which　signified　that　he　claimed　to　be　a　representative　of　the　great　High　Priest；　for　no　longer　had　they　any　meaning　for　him　or　for　the　people。　Well　might　the　high　priest　rend　his　robes　in　horror　for　himself　and　for　the　nation。

710


The　Sanhedrin　had　pronounced　Jesus　worthy　of　death；　but　it　was　contrary　to　the　Jewish　law　to　try　a　prisoner　by　night。　In　legal　condemnation　nothing　could　be　done　except　in　the　light　of　day　and　before　a　full　session　of　the　council。　Notwithstanding　this；　the　Saviour　was　now　treated　as　a　condemned　criminal；　and　given　up　to　be　abused　by　the　lowest　and　vilest　of　humankind。　The　palace　of　the　high　priest　surrounded　an　open　court　in　which　the　soldiers　and　the　multitude　had　gathered。　Through　this　court；　Jesus　was　taken　to　the　guardroom；　on　every　side　meeting　with　mockery　of　His　claim　to　be　the　Son　of　God。　His　own　words；　〃sitting　on　the　right　hand　of　power；〃　and；　〃coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven；〃　were　jeeringly　repeated。　While　in　the　guardroom；　awaiting　His　legal　trial；　He　was　not　protected。　The　ignorant　rabble　had　seen　the　cruelty　with　which　He　was　treated　before　the　council；　and　from　this　they　took　license　to　manifest　all　the　satanic　elements　of　their　nature。　Christ's　very　nobility　and　godlike　bearing　goaded　them　to　madness。　His　meekness；　His　innocence；　His　majestic　patience；　filled　them　with　hatred　born　of　Satan。　Mercy　and　justice　were　trampled　upon。　Never　was　criminal　treated　in　so　inhuman　a　manner　as　was　the　Son　of　God。

But　a　keener　anguish　rent　the　heart　of　Jesus；　the　blow　that　inflicted　the　deepest　pain　no　enemy's　hand　could　have　dealt。　While　He　was　undergoing　the　mockery　of　an　examination　before　Caiaphas；　Christ　had　been　denied　by　one　of　His　own　disciples。

After　deserting　their　Master　in　the　garden；　two　of　the　disciples　had　ventured　to　follow；　at　a　distance；　the　mob　that　had　Jesus　in　charge。　These　disciples　were　Peter　and　John。　The　priests　recognized　John　as　a　well…known　disciple　of　Jesus；　and　admitted　him　to　the　hall；　hoping　that　as　he　witnessed　the　humiliation　of　his　Leader；　he　would　scorn　the　idea　of　such　a　one　being　the　Son　of　God。　John　spoke　in　favor　of　Peter；　and　gained　an　entrance　for　him　also。

In　the　court　a　fire　had　been　kindled；　for　it　was　the　coldest　hour　of　the　night；　being　just　before　the　dawn。　A　company　drew　about　the　fire；　and　Peter　presumptuously　took　his　place　with　them。　He　did　not　wish　to　be　recognized　as　a　disciple　of　Jesus。　By　mingling　carelessly　with　the　crowd；　he　hoped　to　be　taken　for　one　of　those　who　had　brought　Jesus　to　the　hall。

But　as　the　light　flashed　upon　Peter's　face；　the　woman　who　kept　the　door　cast　a　searching　glance　upon　him。　She　had　noticed　that　he　came　in　with　John；　she　marked　the　look　of　dejection　on　his　face；　and　thought

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that　he　might　be　a　disciple　of　Jesus。　Sh