Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]

binding or observed at the time? And was it rig
in substance; that is, was it in conformity with
Hebrew or the Roman law, as those laws th
stood?

I shall not undertake to cover all the grou
indicated, and shall confine myself to the Jew
trial.

It appears that the first step in the proced was the arrest. This took place late in the eve ing of Thursday (probably) of the Passover we It has been questioned whether this was itself leg It does not appear to have been so by Jewish 1 unless escape or resistance was apprehended. E dently neither of these was intended, though t enemies of Jesus feared the latter. This mig have justified the arrest if a regular trial was tended. But in such case the proper legal cou of procedure would have been that indicated in t case of the arrest of Peter and John a few wee later-"They put them in ward until the next da because it was now eventide." But it was othe wise here; and thus we note the first indisputab irregularity. The examination of Jesus was at on proceeded with by night. Of this more present)

The examination appears to have been beg before Anuas, who had been deposed from t high-priesthood by Roman authority. Still app ently among the Jews he was regarded as t proper head of the nation. This, however, ma but little difference, as his son-in-law Caiaphas w the legal high-priest, and evidently the two were There is some confusion in t entire sympathy. narratives, but it is clear enough that, according Jewish law and method of procedure, their exar ination was illegal. According to firmly establish usage, it was "the right of the accused to be whol free from all such personal investigation until was brought for trial before his congregated bret ren." It is clear, both from the Mishna and fro the Pentateuch (Deut. 19, 15-18), that a sole wi ness was in no case allowable, and that the "two three witnesses" at whose mouth every word w to be established must appear publicly to testify "Their deposition was the beginning of every pr ceeding, and until it was publicly given against man he was held to be not merely innocent, bu scarcely accused."

There is no doubt that this irregular and illeg procedure of questioning the accused called fort the protest of Jesus, of which the perfect dignit and supreme manliness must have had a powerf effect: "I spake openly to the world; I eve taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whithe the Jews always resort, and in secret have I sai nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them whic heard me." This appeal obviously angered th officer of the court both from its unexpectednes and from its bold truthfulness. One of the "struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying Answerest thou the high-priest so?" Note again quiet and effective dignity of the reply: "If I hav spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well why smitest thou me?" The protest appears t

have been in some sort effectual; for from this time suaded to appear could not give "adequate testiwitnesses were sought to prove the crime.

Now as to the trial by night. There are two questions. Did it take place by night? And, if so, was it legal? There is some want of clearness and harmony in the accounts given by the evangelists; but after throwing out all that would create doubt, it is substantially certain that the personal examination and the introduction of witnesses took place directly after the arrest, and not later than between midnight and dawn. It appears likely that these transactions were not before the whole council, but in the presence of the high-priest and a few members of the Sanhedrin. What had been determined here was apparently reported to a meeting of the council-whether of the whole body or what might answer to a modern quorum is uncertain--and the decisions previously arrived at were confirmed. But even this meeting evidently took place at a wholly irregular hour. It was held "as soon as it was day." The whole proceeding was in controvention of well-known legal usages which had all the sacredness of law. There is a passage in the Mishna which is too long to quote, but which settles the question beyond controversy. It shows the difference between "money trials" and "capital trials." Even the former must begin in the daytime, though they may be concluded after night-fall. "The latter are commenced only in the day-time, and must also be concluded during the day. The foriner may be concluded by acquittal or condemnation on the day on which they have begun; the latter may be concluded on that day if there is a sentence of acquittal, but must be postponed to a second day if there is to be a condemnation. And for this reason capital trials are not held on a day before a Sabbath or a feast day." Now it is scarcely doubtful that this trial took place on Friday, the day before the Sabbath, and a trial at such a time was positively forbidden. But it would have been illegal on any other day to decide on a condemnation without adjournment for twenty-four hours. As we have also seen, it was illegal to meet in the night.

There are other points of interest. We have noted the protest of Jesus against the whole illegal proceeding, and we observe that after this he kept a marvelous silence. But now lest they should too flagrantly outrage the legal proprieties we read that the judges from this time sought for witnesses. Matthew says, they sought "for false witnesses." Conceding for the present that the latter statement admits of another than the obvious interpretation, or even that it is erroneous, it is to be remarked that even the former action was, as the writer in the Contemporary remarks, a scandalous indecorum." For, according to Jewish legal usage, the witnesses were to come forward of their own accord, not at the suggestion or invitation of the judges. The latter were supposed to be rather of the counsel for the accused than on the side of the prosecution.

[ocr errors]

But it appears that such witnesses as were per

mony;" that is, their testimony did not agree. It was not till a late hour that two persons offered depositions which at best only substantially agreed as to the language used by Jesus on a certain occasion, and which yet appears not to have had that complete coincidence which was essential to conviction in Jewish capital cases. Furthermore, it does not appear very obvious that the offensive utterance had any bearing on the criminality of the prisoner. That some such scruples affected the none too scrupulous judges is evident from the fact that in the desperate lack of evidence to make out their case they resort to the unprecedented measure of cross-questioning the accused. But "he held his peace and answered nothing." He was simply standing on his rights. But he knew as he had known from the beginning, that his hour was come and that he was fore-judged and fore-doomed. Then came the final, awful, and still more unlawful adjuration of the high-priest: "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed!" It was the supreme moment-the time to witness the great confession and to present his infinitely lofty claim to the representatives of the divinely chosen nation. With solemn majesty he avows his Messiahship, and declares to his astonished judges that hereafter they "shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Rightly enough the council decided if this was not the Messiah, then were his words the most appalling blasphemy, and he was worthy of death. "But what if he was the Messiah?" And this question, which, after all, was the main thing to be determined, they had not even considered !

"Our conclusion on the question of Hebrew law must be this: that a process begun, continued, and apparently finished, in the course of one night, with witnesses against the accused who were sought for by the judges, but whose evidence was not sustained even by them; commencing with interrogatories which Hebrew law does not sanction, and ending with a demand for confession which its doctrines expressly forbid; all followed, twenty-four hours too soon, by a sentence which described a claim to be the Fulfiller of the hopes of Israel as blasphemy-that such a process had neither the form nor the fairness of a judicial trial."

Book Notices.

Men of Renown. Character Sketches of Men Distinguished as Patriots, Statesmen, Writers, Reformers, Merchants, etc. By Daniel Wise, D.D. Cincinnati: Cranston & Stowe. New York: Phillips & Hunt. The pen of the veteran writer of these "sketches" has been busy for many years, and always used for a good purpose. We commend this book especially to the youths whose characters are still in a formative state. It will be found wholesome and interesting reading; entertaining as a novel, and yet describing glorious realities. Some of our growing boys may be encouraged to try for themselves, to follow where these "men of renown" have led the way.

Methodism of the Peninsula; or, Sketches of Notable Characters and Events in the History of Methodism in the Maryland and Delaware Peninsula. By Rev. Robert W. Todd. Philadelphia: Methodist Episcopal Book Rooms. Whoever has visited the "peninsula," and enjoyed the profuse and hearty hospitality of its people, and had opportunity to study their traits, will be delighted with this book, and even strangers who read it will be sure to be interested. The writer being "to the manner born," draws his portraits from life. His love of humor has led him to depict the ludicrous side of many of his characters, but there is another side of which he gives occasional glimpses. The old peninsula has been the garden of Methodism for over a hundred years, and much good fruit has it borne.

Our Youth. A Paper for Young People and their Teachers Volume I. Dec. 5, 1885, to May 29, 1886. New York: Phillips & Hunt. Cincinnati Cranston & Stowe. This makes an elegant volume of over four hundred pages. Bound in purple cloth, and lettered in Those of our gold, it is an ornament for any parlor.

readers who failed to subscribe at the beginning would do well to give themselves the opportunity of making a perfect file by ordering this volume before the copies are all gone. Price (including postage), $1 50.

Shoppell's Modern Houses. An Illustrated Architectural Quarterly. Vol. I, No. 3. July, 1886. New York: The Co-operative Building Plan Association. With its fifty-five designs for residences, its colored frontispiece, and colored plan by which a child can build a model house out of paper, this is a very attractive number. The engravings, representing various styles of houses, are artistic, and the descriptions are

clearly set forth. Several of these designs so impress us that we should proceed at once to put one of them to a practical test if we only had the lot on which to build and the money to pay the builders! By the way. we are somewhat skeptical in regard to the cost of building here given. The prices seem too low.

The Bishop of Africa; or, the Life of William Tay. lor, D.D. With an Account of the Congo Country and Mission. By Rev. E. Davies. Reading, Mass.: Holiness Book Concern. The writer has compiled from various sources the most prominent events in the life of Bishop Taylor, and here sets them forth for the benefit of the reading public.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Above thy deep and dream-less sleep, The silent stars go by;

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

The hopes and fears of all the years, Are met in thee tonight.

2 For Christ is born of Mary,

And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together

Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.

3 How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given,
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still, The dear Christ enters in.

4 O holy child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray,
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell,
O, come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Emmanuel!-Unknown.

[graphic]
[graphic][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« AnteriorContinuar »