Christianity in its cradle by Newman Francis William 1805-1897

Author:Newman, Francis William, 1805-1897
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christianity
Publisher: London, Trübner
Published: 1885-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Two or three days passed, during which Jesus clung to the precincts of Jerusalem. From Matthew we learn that it was resolved now to bring him before Pilate the Roman prefect. He finally ate the Paschal Supper with his disciples in a secret upper room, yet migrated from it to the Mount of Olives and thence to a certain olive yard (Gethsemane) when night came on. A strange scene is then revealed, which none of the narrators was likely to invent. From agitation of mind Jesus could not sleep, but woke his companions and chided them for not staying awake with him. He prayed earnestly against having to drink a certain cup,—no doubt he meant, Roman punishment for his Royal entry. When some proposed to defend him with the sword, he replied (according to Matthew) that by praying to his Father he could obtain twelve legions of angels. Such hope then had buoyed him up, and though his agitation showed that his confidence in miraculous aid was shaken, he still clung to the fond idea. If in his agony his sweat was like great drops of blood, (as Luke says), it denoted a terrible fall from high hope, but an immovable calm, or shall we say? the apathy of exhaustion, succeeded.

Though Jesus had been seen in Jerusalem many times in the few last days, the priests did not know his sleeping place, nor trust the power of constables to identify him in the night: and they had chosen night for his arrest. They therefore paid money to Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who conducted the constables to Gethsemane and indicated him by a kiss of honor. No angel guard defended him. The apostles found no mark of Messianic power and divine aid. Their faith naturally broke down, and they took to flight. He was led before the High Priest, who asked whether he had professed to be able to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days: but Jesus refused to answer. Next, when asked whether he claimed to be Messiah and Son of God. he assented vehemently, in a tone triumphant, perhaps threatening. This the High Priest is said to have called blasphemy: whether he did, or did not, is historically unimportant, for there was no legal issue. The further proceeding against Jesus turned solely on his assumption of an earthly royalty, which might draw after it a war with Borne.

Next morning, when Pilate took his seat in the judgment hall, complaint was made against Jesus of insurrectionary entry and royal pretensions. To all military tumult Pilate was bound to give attention: to neglect the present accusation was impossible. Yet inasmuch as no armed force had been embattled by Jesus, Pilate could not believe that any serious insurrection was planned. He probably regarded the outcry about a son of David and king of Jerusalem as child's play and Jewish non sense, so long as neither sword nor spear was forthcoming. On the other hand there was something formidable in the temperament of this eccentric people.

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