other reply was made but "crucify Him, crucify Him!" "When Pilate saw he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, see ye to it!" To this solemn declaration of Pilate, the people, still callous to all mercy, only answered—"His blood be on us and our children!" Never was a depraved wish more fully realised; for His blood is on their wandering and unthinking generations to this day.
What a pitiable state of degradation, in reference to the religious condition of the Jewish Church, is here presented to the mind by the fact of preferring Barabbas—a murderer and a robber, before Jesus, the good and the righteous ONE. The Jewish Church, as appears by both priests and people, was sunk in darkness, self-love, and pride, and hence desired the destruction of Jesus in order to set murder and robbery at large. Jesus, by the doctrines he taught, was the way; by the words of wisdom which flowed from His lips, He was the truth; and by the pure goodness He openly manifested, he was the life to all in all. Yet these divine qualities were, by both priests and people, rejected to cling to the evils of robbery and murder. O! what a humiliating reflection was it on the church of that day, to behold a heathen governor refusing to participate in the crime of destroying Jesus, the truth, in order to save Barabbas.—To wash the hands before a multitude was, by an ancient custom, a solemn declaration of innocence; and Pilate, while thus performing this act, said, "I am innocent of the blood of this Just One, see ye!" Pilate washed his hands before the people to shew that all the powers of his very soul,
