“Galilean,”he was told.
“Then take him before Herod Antipas,who is King of Galilee,and let him decide,”Pilate answered,glad to have found an excuse for washing his hands of this affair.
But His Majesty was as little inclined to take the responsibility as was the Roman official.He had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and not to judge people who were to be executed.He had heard a great deal about Jesus and he had always imagined him to be some sort of magician.
He asked Jesus to show him the secret arts of sorcery,and Jesus,of course,refused to give an answer to so absurd a request.At that point,the interview was interrupted.
There was no reason why the faithful should keep away from one of their own compatriots,and the crowd now freely pushed into the court-room.
“He says that he is a King,”they shouted.“He has told us himself that he is above the law.”And all the foolish accusations which by now were shouted through the streets of Jerusalem were repeated with renewed violence.
Herod understood that he would have a riot on his hands unless he acted quickly.Better sacrifice an unpopular subject than run the risk of losing a throne.
“Take this man,”he ordered.“Dress him up like the King he pretends to be,and then send him back to Pilate.”
Somewhere a dirty old cloak was found and it was thrown across the shoulders of Jesus.The guards took him in their midst and back the whole mob went to see Pilate.
A man of courage might have saved Jesus.But Pilate was merely well-intentioned.He had talked the case over with his wife,who had urged him to use clemency.But there was only a small garrison in Jerusalem,and the members of the Council grew more and more threatening.For by this time,the Sadducees had made common cause with the Pharisees.They were politicians,and their interest in religion was only secondary.They feared the practical consequences if Jesus were allowed to go free and decided therefore that he must die for the good of the state.Darkly they hinted to Pilate of certain secret reports which were ready to be sent to Caesar,explaining in detail just what had happened and how his governor had openly taken the side of an enemy of the Empire.
That would mean dismissal without the benefit of pension.
Pilate weakened.
Then he yielded.
The High Priest and his friends could have their victim and do unto him whatever they wanted.
The Council met to debate upon the exact method of execution.
As a rule,criminals were killed by stoning.But the case of Jesus was exceptional.There must be something humiliating in the form of his death.Runaway slaves were nailed upon a cross and were then left hanging until they died of hunger and thirst.It was decided that Jesus should be crucified.
Four Roman soldiers and a captain were told to do the work.
They took Jesus and made him stand up.
Once more the dirty purple robe was pulled across his shoulders.A crown,hastily woven of thorns,was pressed upon his head.A cross,made out of two heavy beams,was laid across his back.
There was a wait until two thieves,condemned to die at the same time,had been brought from their cells.
Late in the afternoon,the dreadful procession began its way to the hill where the gallows stood.It was called Golgotha,from the “gulgalta”or skulls which lay around.
Jesus,weak from lack of food and dizzy with the blows and the flogging which he had received,was hardly able to walk.
The road was lined with people.
They watched him as he dragged himself and his cross up the steep path of the low hill.
The tumult had died down.
The anger of the mob had spent itself.
An innocent man was being killed.
There were cries for mercy.
But it was too late.
The ghastly drama had to be enacted unto the bitter end.
Jesus was nailed to the cross.
Over his head the Roman soldiers fastened a slip of paper,carrying the words “Jesus of Nazareth,King of the Jews.”
They wrote it down in Roman and in Greek and in Hebrew,that all might read it and understand.It was meant as an insult to the Pharisees and Sadducees,who were responsible for this terrible miscarriage of justice.
When the last nail had been driven in,the soldiers sat down to gamble.In a wide circle,the people stood and looked.Some of them were merely curious.Others were former pupils.They had ventured back into the town to be with their Master at the last moment.There were a few women.
It was growing dark rapidly.
On the cross,Jesus was softly murmuring words which few could understand.A kindly Roman soldier had soaked a sponge in vinegar and thrust it to Jesus on the end of a pike.Such a potion would deaden the pain of his lacerated hands and feet,but Jesus refused it.
By a last and supreme effort,he held to his consciousness.And he uttered a prayer.
He asked that his enemies be forgiven for what they had done unto him.
Then he whispered,“It is finished.”
And he died.