The disciples of Jesus all ran away. Only one of them, Peter, followed Jesus from afar, and looked to see where they led him.
When Jesus was brought into the High Priest's yard, Peter also entered, to see what would happen. And a woman in the yard saw him, and asked: "Were you also with Jesus of Galilee?" And Peter was frightened; and, so as not to be accused with Jesus, said: "I don't know what you are talking about."
Then, when Jesus was taken into the house, Peter, with the rest of the people, entered the porch. There a fire was burning, and another woman was warming herself at it. When Peter came near the fire, this woman lodced at him and said: "I think this man was with Jesus of Nazareth." And Peter was still more frightened, and began to swear that he had never been with Jesus, and did not know ai^-thing about him.
A little later some other people drew near to Peter
and said: "All the same, one sees that you arc one of the rioters. Your speech shows that you are from Galilee." Then Peter again swore that he had never even seen Jesus. And hardly had he said this, when a cock crowed, and Peter remembered the words of Jesus: "Before the cocks crow to-night you will perhaps have denied me not once, but three times." Peter remembered this, and went out of the yard and wept bitterly.
Matt XXF/, 47-58; John XVHI, 12-14; Matt, XXVI 69-75.
XLVIII.
The Elders and the Scribes collected at the High Priest's house. And when they had all assembled, Jesus was brought in, and the High Priest asked him what he taught, and who his disciples were.
Jesus answered: "I have always spoken openly before everybody, and I never hid anything. Why do you ask me ? Ask those who heard and understood my teaching. They will teU you."
When Jesus said this, one of the High Priest's servants hit him in the face, and said: "Who are you talking to? Does one answer the High Priest in such a way ?"
Jesus said: "If I have answered badly, tell me what was wrong. But if I have not answered badly, why do you strike me?"
The High Priest and the Elders tried to convict Jesus, but could find no evidence that condemned him. At last they hunted up two false witnesses, and these witnesses said that Jesus had declared that he could destroy the Temple and build it up again in three days. The High Priest asked Jesus: "What do you say to this?" But Jesus did not answer. Then the High Priest said to him: "Say, then.
are you the Christ, the Son of God ?" And Jesus answered: "Yes, I am a son of God."
Then the High Priest cried: "You blaspheme against God! What other proofs do we need ? You have all heard how he blasphemes!" And the High Priest addressed the meeting, saying: "Now you have yourselves heard how he blasphemes against God! To what do you condemn him for that?"
And they all answered: "To death!"
Then all the people and the guards set upon Jesus, and began to spit in his face, and to hit him on the cheek. They closed his eyes, struck him, and asked: "Now then, you Son of God! Guess who struck you." But Jesus remained silent. Mark X]V; 53; John XVIIl. 19-23;
Matt. XXVI, 59-68.
XLIX.
After this Jesus was led, bound, to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. When they had brought him before Pilate, the latter came out into the porch and said to those who had brought him: "What do you accuse this man of?" And they answered: "He is an evil-doer; that is why we have brought him."
Pilate answered: "If you consider him an evil-doer, judge him yourselves, by your own laws." But they said: "We have brought him to you, that you should execute him; for we are not allowed to put any one to death."
Then Pilate asked them again, what they accused Jesus of. They said: "He stirs up the people, and forbids them to pay taxes to Cassar, and calls himself the King of the Jews."
Pilate listened to them, and ordered Jesus to be brou|^t to his Court.
When Jesus came before him, Pilate asked:
"Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Are you asking me this of yourself, or are you repeating what others have told you ?"
Pilate replied: "I am not a Jew! Your own people have brought you before me, because you call yourself King."
Jesus said: "Yes, I am a king: but my kingdom is not of earth. If I were an earthly king, my subjects would fight for me, and would not have given me up into the hands of the Jews. But you see what they have done to me! My kingdom is not of earth."
Then Pilate asked :< "You still consider yourself a king?" ,
Jesus said: "I teach the people the truth about the Kingdom of Heaven. And he who lives by the truth, is a king."
Pilate said: "Truth? What is truth?"
And Pilate turned his back to Jesus, and went out to the Jews, and said to them: "I don't think that this man has done anything wrong; nor is there anything to put him to death for."
But the High Priests insisted, saying that he did much evil, and stirred up the people, and had aroused the whole of Judaea.
Then Pilate, in the presence of the High Priests, again questioned Jesus, and said to him: "You sec how they accuse you? Why do you not defend yourself?" But Jesus remained silent, and did not say another word; so that Pilate was surprised at him.
Then Pilate remembered that Galilee was under King Herod, and asked: "Is he not from Galilee ?" They replied that he was. Then Pilate said: "If he is from Galilee, he
THE PATHWAY OF LIFE "297
is in the power of Herod." And to gfet rid of the Jews, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod,
John XVIH, 28-38; Luke XXUl. 2-7; Mark XV. 3-5.
And Jesus was taken to Herod. And Herod had heard much about Jesus, and was glad to see him. Herod had Jesus brought before him, and began questioning him about several things; but Jesus did not reply. And before Herod, the High Priests and the Scribes accused Jesus of many things, as they had done before Pilate, and said that he was a rebel. But Herod considered Jesus to be an empty fellow, and to make him look ridiculous, gave orders to put a red mantle on him; and in this fool's dress, sent him back to Pilate.
When he was brought to Pilate the second time, Pilate again called the rulers of the Jews, and said to them: "You brought this man before me, as one who rouses the people to revolt, and I have examined him before you, and do not find that he has been a rebel. I sent him with you to Herod, and as you see, there too, nothing serious has been found against him. So I think that he should not be executed, but should be flogged and then set free."
But when they heard this, they all shouted: "No 1 Put him to death in the Roman way. . . . Nail him to a cross I"
Pilate heard them, and said: "Very well. But it is an old custom that one criminal should be pardoned at Passover. There is a robber, Barabbas, who has been condemned to death, and there is this man. One of the two can be set free. Who shall it be—Jesus, or Barabbas?"
Pilate wished to save Jesus; but the High Priests persuaded the people, and they all shouted: "Barabbas t Barabbas!"
Then Pilate asked: "And what is to be done with Jesus?" And again they all shouted: 'Crucify him in the Roman way!"
But Pilate still did not wish to execute Jesus, and again began trying to persuade the High Priests to let Jesus go. He said: "Why are you set against him? He has done no evil; and there is no reason to execute him."
But the High Priests and their servants again shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify him in the Roman way! Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Then Pilate said: "If so, then take him and crucify him yourselves, for I find no fault in him."
And the High Priests said: "We demand what is lawful. By the law he should be crucified, for calling himself the 'Son of God.' "
Then Pilate was puzzled, because he did not know what "Son of God" meant.
And he went back into the Court, and again called Jesus and asked him: "Whence are you? Who are you, and where do you come from?" But Jesus did not answer. Pilate said: "Why do you not answer me? Do you know that you are in my power; and that I can crucify you or set you free?"