Thursday of Meatfare

And immediately, forming a plan, in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. He was led not only to Pilate but also to Herod, so that both might mock the Lord. And observe the priests' diligence in evil. All night they stayed awake to commit murder, and they handed over the bound one to Pilate. For they had this custom, that whoever they sentenced to death, they handed over bound to the judge. Nevertheless, it should be noted that they did not bind Him for the first time then, but as soon as He was apprehended in the night in the garden, as John declares, they bound Him and thus brought Him first to Annas.

(in Marc. 4, 44) The Jews had a custom of delivering him whom they had condemned to death, bound to the judge. Wherefore after the condemnation of Christ, the Evangelist adds: And straightway in the morning the Chief Priests held a consultation with the elders and Scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. But it must be observed, that they did not then first bind Him, but they bound Him on first taking Him in the garden by night, as John declares.

For Him it behoved to be made a sacrifice on behalf of all Gentiles, who "was led as a sheep for a victim, and, like a lamb voiceless before his shearer, so opened not His mouth" (for He, when Pilate interrogated Him, spake nothing ); for "in humility His judgment was taken away: His nativity, moreover, who shall declare? "Because no one at all of human beings was conscious of the nativity of Christ at His conception, when as the Virgin Mary was found pregnant by the word of God; and because "His life was to be taken from the land.

The Jews delivered the Lord to the Romans; therefore they themselves were delivered by the Lord into the hands of the Romans. And the words of Scripture were fulfilled: "Woe to the lawless one, for he shall be repaid according to the works of his hands" (Isa. 3:11); and again: "Repay them according to their deeds" (Ps. 28:4); and again: "As you have done, so shall it be done to you" (Obad. 1:15).

They then gave Jesus up to the Romans, but were themselves given up by God into the hands of the Romans, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, which say, Recompense them after the work of their hands. (Ps. 28:5) It goes on: And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

(de Con. Evan. iii. 8) Luke has also laid open the false charges which they brought against Him; for he thus relates it: And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. (Luke 23:2) There follows: And Pilate asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.

Pilate, however, again asked him, saying: Do you not answer anything? See in how many things they accuse you. But Jesus no longer answered anything. Although it is a Gentile who condemns Jesus, he attributes the cause to the Jewish people: See in how many things they accuse you. Jesus, however, did not want to answer, lest, by dispelling the accusation, he would be released by the governor, and the benefit of the cross delayed.

(ubi sup.) He indeed who condemns Jesus is a heathen, but he refers it to the people of the Jew's as the cause.

What great patience this is that he who is adored in heaven is not yet avenged on earth! Let us think of his patience, beloved brothers and sisters, in our persecutions and sufferings. Let us show forth the full obedience that is inspired by our expectation of his coming. Let us not hasten with the impious and shameless haste of a servant to defend ourselves before the Lord. Let us rather persevere and let us labor, and be watchful with all our heart and steadfast even to total resignation. Let us guard the precepts of the Lord, so that when the day of wrath and vengeance comes, we may not be punished with the impious and sinners but may be honored with the just and those who fear God.

A lamb, he is silent—yet he is "word," proclaimed by "the voice of one crying in the wilderness." He is weakened, wounded—yet he cures every disease and every weakness. He is brought up to the tree and nailed to it—yet by the tree of life he restores us.

But when asked a second time, Christ answered nothing and thereby brought Pilate to amazement. For Pilate marveled that He, being learned in the law and eloquent and having the ability to overthrow with a single answer the slanders brought against Him, said nothing, but on the contrary, humbly endured the accusations.

But Pilate wondered, because, though He was a teacher of the law, and eloquent, and able by His answer to destroy their accusations, He did not answer any thing, but rather bore their accusations courageously.

This silence of our Lord Jesus Christ took place more than once. It occurred before the chief priest, and before Herod, and before Pilate himself. So it was not in vain that the prophecy regarding him had preceded: "As the lamb before its shearer was dumb, so he opened not his mouth," especially on those occasions when he did not answer his questioners. Usually he replied to questions addressed to him, but in this case he declined to make any reply. The metaphor of the lamb is used to indicate that his silence does not imply guilt but innocence. When he did not open his mouth as he passed through the process of judgment, it was in the character of a lamb that he did so; that is, not as one with an evil conscience who was convicted of his sins, but as one who in his meekness was sacrificed for the sins of others.

(ubi sup.) There follows: But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. He was unwilling to give an answer, lest He should clear Himself of the charge, and be acquitted by the judge, and so the gain resulting from the Cross should be done away.

He is the One who, although he was silent in his passion, will not be silent finally in the day of reckoning. He is our God, even if unrecognized. He is already known among the faithful and all who believe. When he comes manifesting himself in his second coming, he will not be silent. For although he was formerly hidden in humility, he will come manifested in power.

The Lord became the defender of truth, and came in silence before Pilate, on behalf of truth which had been oppressed. Others gain victory through making defenses, but our Lord gained victory through his silence, because the recompense of his death through divine silence was the victory of true teaching. He spoke in order to teach, but kept silent in the tribunal. He was not silent over that which was exalting us, but he did not struggle against those who were provoking him. The words of his calumniators, like a crown on his head, were a source of redemption. He kept silent so that his silence would make them shout even louder, and so that his crown would be made more beautiful through all this clamor.

(ubi sup.) Pilate furnished many opportunities of releasing Jesus, in the first place contrasting a robber with the Just One. Wherefore it is said, Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

(non occ.) Which indeed he was accustomed to do, to obtain favour with the people, and above all, on the feast day, when the people of the whole province of the Jews flocked to Jerusalem.

Here are two goats; one is the scape goat, that is, one loosed and sent out into the wilderness of hell with the sin of the people; the other is slain, as a lamb, for the sins of those who are forgiven. The Lord's portion is always slain; the devil's part, (for he is the master of those men, which is the meaning of Barabbas,) when freed, is cast headlong into hell.

And that the wickedness of the Jews might appear the greater, the enormity of the sin of the robber, whom they preferred to Christ, is next described. Wherefore there follows: And there was one Barabbas, who lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. In which words their wickedness is shown both from the heinousness of his signal crime, in that he had committed murder, and from the way in which he did it, because he had in doing it raised a sedition and disturbed the city, and also because his crime was notorious, for he was bound with seditious persons. It goes on: And the multitude, when it had come up, began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.

(ubi sup.) No one can feel it a difficulty that Matthew is silent as to their asking some one to be released unto them, which Mark here mentions; for it is a thing of no consequence that one should mention a thing which another leaves out. There follows: But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the Chief Priests had delivered him for envy. Some one may ask, which were the words of which Pilate made use, those which are related by Matthew, or those which Mark relates; for there seems to be a difference between, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? as Matthew has it; and, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (Matt. 27:17) as is here said. But since they gave to kings the name of Christs, he who said this man or that must have asked whether they wished the King of the Jews to be released unto them, that is, Christ. It makes no difference to the sense that Mark has said nothing of Barabbas, wishing only to mention what belonged to the Lord, since by their answer he sufficiently showed whom they wished to have released to them. For there follows, But the Chief Priests moved the people that he should rather release unto them Barabbas.

And "the clouds were commanded not to rain a shower upon the vineyard of Sorek," -the clouds being celestial benefits, which were commanded not to be forthcoming to the house of Israel; for it "had borne thorns"-whereof that house of Israel had wrought a crown for Christ-and not "righteousness, but a clamour,"-the clamour whereby it had extorted His surrender to the cross. And thus, the former gifts of grace being withdrawn, "the law and the prophets were until John," and the fishpool of Bethsaida until the advent of Christ: thereafter it ceased curatively to remove from Israel infirmities of health; since, as the result of their perseverance in their frenzy, the name of the Lord was through them blasphemed, as it is written: "On your account the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles: " for it is from them that the infamy (attached to that name) began, and (was propagated during) the interval from Tiberius to Vespasian.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd that he might rather release Barabbas to them. To the Jews to this day remains their request, which they obtained with such effort. For given the choice, they chose a thief over Jesus, a murderer over the Savior, the taker of life over the giver of life, and deservedly lost both salvation and life, and submitted themselves so much to robbery and sedition that they lost both their country and kingdom, which they loved more than Christ, and have not yet deserved to regain that liberty of either soul or body which they sold.

(ubi sup.) This demand which the Jews made with such toil to themselves still sticks to them. Because, when the choice was given to them, they chose a robber instead of Christ, a murderer instead of the Saviour, they deservedly lost their salvation and their life, and they subjected themselves to such a degree to robbery and sedition, that they lost their country and their kingdom which they preferred to Christ, and never regained their liberty, body or soul. Then Pilate gives another opportunity of releasing the Saviour, when there follows, And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I should do unto the King of the Jews?

Those who cried out that he should be crucified were the Lord's real crucifiers, rather than those who simply discharged their service to their chief according to their duty. .

(ubi sup.) It now is clear enough that Mark means by King of the Jews what Matthew means by the word Christ; for no kings but those of the Jews were called Christs. For in this place according to Matthew it is said, What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ? There follows, And they cried out again, Crucify him. (Matt. 27:22)

But Pilate again, answering, said to them: What then do you want me to do with the king of the Jews? But they again shouted: Crucify him. However, Pilate was saying to them: What evil has he done? Pilate gave many opportunities to free the Savior: first, comparing him to the thief, then saying: What then do you want me to do with the king of the Jews? And when they answered, "Crucify him," he did not immediately comply, but, according to the suggestion of his wife who had sent word to him, as Matthew writes: Have nothing to do with that just man (Matthew 27), he himself also seriously responding: What, he said, has he done wrong? By saying this, Pilate absolved Jesus.

Notice then the bloodthirstiness of the Jews and the moderation of Pilate (although he too is worthy of condemnation, because he did not firmly stand up for the righteous man). For they cried out, "Crucify Him," while he, though feebly, nevertheless attempted to free Jesus from condemnation. Therefore he asked again, "What shall I do with Jesus?" — trying to give them the opportunity to release the Lord as innocent, which is why he delayed and put it off.

Now see the wickedness of the Jews, and the moderation of Pilate, though he too was worthy of condemnation for not resisting the people. For they cried out, Crucify; he faintly tries to save Jesus from their determined sentence, and again puts a question to them. Wherefore there follows, Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? For he wished in this way to find an opportunity for releasing Christ, who was innocent.

Mark, who studies brevity more than any of the Evangelists, has given a concise indication of Pilate's desire and of his efforts to save the Lord's life. For, after giving us the statement, "And they cried again, 'Crucify him' " (which makes it clear that they had cried out before for Barabbas to be released), he has appended these words: "Then Pilate continued to say to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" Thus by one short sentence he has given us an idea of matters which took a long time for their transaction.

But even now all is not lost. There is still an appeal to the People—the poor and simple whom He had blessed, whom He had healed and fed and taught, to whom He himself belongs. But they have become over-night (it is nothing unusual) a murderous rabble shouting for His blood.

Plato in his Republic is arguing that righteousness is often praised for the rewards it brings—honour, popularity, and the like—but that to see it in its true nature we must separate it from all these, strip it naked. He asks us therefore to imagine a perfectly righteous man treated by all around him as a monster of wickedness. We must picture him, still perfect, while he is bound, scourged, and finally impaled (the Persian equivalent of crucifixion). At this passage a Christian reader starts and rubs his eyes. What is happening? Yet another of these lucky coincidences? But presently he sees that there is something here which cannot be called luck at all.

...Plato is talking, and knows he is talking, about the fate of goodness in a wicked and misunderstanding world. But that is not something simply other than the Passion of Christ. It is the very same thing of which that Passion is the supreme illustration. If Plato was in some measure moved to write of it by the recent death—we may almost say the martyrdom—of his master Socrates then that again is not something simply other than the Passion of Christ. The imperfect, yet very venerable, goodness of Socrates led to the easy death of the hemlock, and the perfect goodness of Christ led to the death of the cross, not by chance but for the same reason; because goodness is what it is, and because the fallen world is what it is.

But they cried out more: Crucify him. That it might be fulfilled which was said in the twenty-first psalm: Many dogs surrounded me, the assembly of the wicked enclosed me (Psalm XXI); and that from Jeremiah: My heritage is become to me as a lion in the forest, they have given forth their voice against me (Jeremiah XII). Isaiah also agrees in this sentiment: And I looked for judgment, but behold iniquity and not righteousness, but a cry (Isaiah V).

(ubi sup.) But the Jews giving loose to their madness do not answer the question of the judge. Wherefore it goes on, And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him, that those words of the Prophet Jeremiah might be fulfilled, Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest, it crieth out against me. (Jer. 12:8) There follows, And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

The criminal escaped; Christ was condemned. The one guilty of many crimes received a pardon; he who had remitted the crimes of all who confess was condemned. And yet the cross itself also, if you reflect upon it, was a courtroom. In the middle of it stood the final judge.

For Christ was not separated from the ungodly, but was judged with the ungodly; for it was said about him, "He was counted among the wicked."

But Pilate, willing to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them and delivered Jesus, after having him scourged, to be crucified. Jesus, however, is understood to have been scourged not by another, but by Pilate himself. For John writes openly: They all cried again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him (John XVIII). And then he adds: And the soldiers, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on his head, etc. (John XIX). Indeed, he is believed to have done this and to have delivered him to the soldiers to be mocked, so that, satisfied with his pains and insults, they might willingly stop desiring his death. This was done, for it was written: Many are the stripes of the wicked (Psalm XXXI), he was scourged so that we might be freed from beatings, the Scripture saying: The scourge shall not approach your tabernacle (Psalm XC).

(ubi sup.) We must understand that Jesus was scourged by no other than Pilate himself. For John writes, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him, (John 13:1) which we must suppose that he did, that the Jews might be satisfied with His pains and insults, and cease from thirsting for His blood.

He himself suffered the lash, in whose name his servants now scourge the devil and his angels. He who now crowns the martyrs with eternal garlands was himself crowned with thorns.

[The daughter of Zion] repaid him with evil for the immensity of his grace. The Father had washed her from her blood, but she defiled his Son with her spitting. The Father had clothed her with fine linen and purple, but she clothed him with garments of mockery. He had placed a crown of glory on her head, but she plaited a crown of thorns for him. He had nourished her with choicest food and honey, but she gave him gall. He had given her pure wine, but she offered him vinegar in a sponge. The One who had introduced her into cities, she drove out into the desert. The One who had put shoes on her feet, she made hasten barefoot towards Golgotha. The One who had girded her loins with sapphire, she pierced in the side with a lance. When she had outraged the servants [of God] and killed the prophets, she was led into captivity to Babylon, and when the time of her punishment was completed, her return [from captivity] took place.

Finally, yielding to their demand, he had the Lord scourged, that is, struck with a leather whip, so that it would appear that they had received Him as one already condemned at the tribunal, and "handed Him over to be crucified." For he wished to do what was pleasing and agreeable to the people, and not what was pleasing to God.

He wished indeed to satisfy the people, that is, to do their will, not what was agreeable to justice and to God.