Means employed by the enemies of Jesus for carrying out their designs against him.
No sooner was Jesus arrested than Annas and Caiphas were informed, and instantly
began to arrange their plans with regard to the course to be pursued. Confusion speedily
reigned everywhere—the rooms were lighted up in haste, guards placed at the entrances,
and messengers dispatched to different parts of the town to convoke the members of the
Council, the scribes, and all who were to take a part in the trial. Many among them had,
however, assembled at the house of Caiphas as soon as the treacherous compact with Judas
was completed, and had remained there to await the course of events. The different classes
of ancients were likewise assembled, and as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians were
congregated in Jerusalem from all parts of the country for the celebration of the festival, and
had long been concerting measures with the Council for the arrest of our Lord, the High
Priests now sent for those whom they knew to be the most bitterly opposed to Jesus, and
desired them to assemble the witnesses, gather together every possible proof, and bring all
before the Council.
The proud Sadducees of Nazareth, of Capharnaum, of Thirza, of
Gabara, of Jotapata, and of Silo, whom Jesus had so often reproved before the people, were
actually dying for revenge. They hastened to all the inns to seek out those persons whom
they knew to be enemies of our Lord, and offered them bribes in order to secure their
appearance. But, with the exception of a few ridiculous calumnies, which were certain to be
disproved a soon as investigated, nothing tangible could be brought forward against Jesus,
excepting, indeed, those foolish accusations which he had so often refuted in the synagogue.
The enemies of Jesus hastened, however, to the tribunal of Caiphas, escorted by the
scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem, and accompanied by many of those merchants whom
our Lord drove out of the Temple when they were holding market there; as also by the
proud doctors whom he had silenced before all the people, and even by some who could not
forgive the humiliation of being convicted of error when he disputed with them in the
Temple at the age of twelve. There was likewise a large body of impenitent sinners whom he
had refused to cure, relapsed sinners whose diseases had returned, worldly young men
whom he would not receive as disciples, avaricious persons whom he had enraged by
causing the money which they had been in hopes of possessing to be distributed in alms.
Others there were whose friends he had cured, and who had thus been disappointed in their
expectations of inheriting property; debauchees whose victims he had converted; and many
despicable characters who made their fortunes by flattering and fostering the vices of the
great.
All these emissaries of Satan were overflowing with rage against everything holy, and
consequently with an indescribable hatred of the Holy of Holies. They were farther incited
by the enemies of our Lord, and therefore assembled in crowds round the palace of Caiphas,
to bring forward all their false accusations and to endeavour to cover with infamy that
spotless Lamb, who took upon himself the sins of the world, and accepted the burden in
order to reconcile man with God.
Whilst all these wicked beings were busily consulting as to what was best to be done,
anguish and anxiety filled the hearts of the friends of Jesus, for they were ignorant of the
mystery which was about to be accomplished, and they wandered about, sighing, and
listening to every different opinion. Each word they uttered gave raise to feelings of
suspicion on the part of those who they addressed, and if they were silent, their silence was
set down as wrong. Many well-meaning but weak and undecided characters yielded to
temptation, were scandalised, and lost their fait; indeed, the number of those who
persevered was very small indeed. Things were the same then as they oftentimes are now,
persons were willing to serve God if they met with no opposition from their fellowcreatures,
but were ashamed of the Cross if held in contempt by others. The hearts of some
were, however, touched by the patience displayed by our Lord in the midst of his sufferings,
and they walked away silent and sad.
CHAPTER V.
A Glance at Jerusalem.
The customary prayers and preparations for the celebration of the festival being
completed, the greatest part of the inhabitants of the densely-populated city of Jerusalem, as
also the strangers congregated there, were plunged in sleep after the fatigues of the day,
when, all at once, the arrest of Jesus was announced, and everyone was aroused, both his
friends and foes, and numbers immediately responded to the summons of the High Priest,
and left their dwellings to assemble at his court. In some parts the light of the moon enabled
them to grope their way in safety along the dark and gloomy streets, but in other parts they
were obliged to make use of torches. Very few of the houses were built with their windows
looking on the street, and, generally speaking, their doors were in inner courts, which gave
the streets a still more gloomy appearance than is usual at this hour. The steps of all were
directed towards Sion, and an attentive listener might have heard persons stop at the doors
of their friends, and knock, in order to awaken them—then hurry on, then again stop to
question others, and, finally, set off anew in haste towards Sion. Newsmongers and servants
were hurrying forward to ascertain what was going on; in order that they might return and
give the account to those who remained at home; and the bolting and barricading of doors
might be plainly heard, as many persons were much alarmed and feared an insurrection,
while a thousand different propositions were made and opinions given, such as the
following:—‘Lazarus and his sisters will soon know who is this man in whom they have
placed such firm reliance. Johanna Chusa, Susannah, Mary the mother of Mark, and
Salome will repent, but too late, the imprudence of their conduct; Seraphia, the wife of
Sirach, will be compelled to make an apology to her husband now, for he has so often
reproached her with her partiality for the Galilean.
The partisans of this fanatical man, this
inciter of rebellion, pretended to be filled with compassion for all who looked upon things in
a different light from themselves, and now they will not know where to hide their heads. He
will find no one now to cast garments and strew olive-branches at his feet. Those hypocrites
who pretended to be so much better than other persons will receive their deserts, for they are
all implicated with the Galilean. It is a much more serious business than was at first
thought. I should like to know how Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea will get out of it;
the High Priests have mistrusted them for some time; they made common cause with
Lazarus: but they are extremely cunning. All will now, however, be brought to light.’
Speeches such as these were uttered by persons who were exasperated, not only against
the disciples of Jesus, but likewise with the holy women who had supplied his temporal
wants, and had publicly and fearlessly expressed their veneration for his doctrines, and their
belief in his Divine mission.
But although many persons spoke of Jesus and his followers in this contemptuous
manner, yet there were others who held very different opinions, and of these some were
frightened, and others, being overcome with sorrow, sought friends to whom they might
unburden their hearts, and before whom they could, without fear, give vent to their feelings;
but the number of those sufficiently daring openly to avow their admiration for Jesus was
but small.
Nevertheless, it was in parts only of Jerusalem that these disturbances took place—in
those parts where the messengers had been sent by the High Priests and the Pharisees, to
convoke the members of the Council and to call together the witnesses. It appeared to me
that I saw feelings of hatred and fury burst forth in different parts of the city, under the form
of flames, which flames traversed the streets, united with others which they met, and
proceeded in the direction of Sion, increasing every moment, and at last came to a stop
beneath the tribunal of Caiphas, where they remained, forming together a perfect whirlwind
of fire.
The Roman soldiers took no part in what was going on; they did not understand the
excited feelings of the people, but their sentinels were doubled, their cohorts drawn up, and
they kept a strict look out; this, indeed, was customary at the time of the Paschal solemnity,
on account of the vast number of strangers who were then assembled together. The
Pharisees endeavoured to avoid the neighbourhood of the sentinels, for fear of being
questioned by them, and of contracting defilement by answering their questions. The High
Priests had sent a message to Pilate intimating their reasons for stationing soldiers round
Ophel and Sion; but he mistrusted their intentions, as much ill-feeling existed between the
Romans and the Jews. He could not sleep, but walked about during the greatest part of the
night, hearkening to the different reports and issuing orders consequent on what he heard;
his wife slept, but her sleep was disturbed by frightful dreams, and she groaned and wept
alternately.
In no part of Jerusalem did the arrest of Jesus produce more touching demonstrations of
grief than among the poor inhabitants of Ophel, the greatest part of whom were daylabourers,
and the rest principally employed in menial offices in the service of the Temple.
The news came unexpectedly upon them; for some time they doubted the truth of the
report, and wavered between hope and fear; but the sight of their Master, their Benefactor,
their Consoler, dragged through the streets, torn, bruised, and ill-treated in every imaginable
way, filled them with horror; and their grief was still farther increased by beholding his
afflicted Mother wandering about from street to street, accompanied by the holy women,
and endeavouring to obtain some intelligence concerning her Divine Son. These holy
women were often obliged to hide in corners and under door-ways for fear of being seen by
the enemies of Jesus; but even with these precautions they were oftentimes insulted, and
taken for women of bad character—their feelings were frequently harrowed by hearing the
malignant words and triumphant expressions of the cruel Jews, and seldom, very seldom,
did a word of kindness or pity strike their ears. They were completely exhausted before
reaching their place of refuge, but they endeavoured to console and support one another,
and wrapped thick veils over their heads. When at last seated, they heard a sudden knock at
the door, and listened breathlessly—the knock was repeated, but softly, therefore they made
certain that it was no enemy, and yet they opened the door cautiously, fearing a stratagem.
It was indeed a friend, and they issued forth and walked about for a time, and then again
returned to their place of refuge—still more heartbroken than before.
The majority of the Apostles, overcome with terror, were wandering about among the
valleys which surround Jerusalem, and at times took refuge in the caverns beneath Mount
Olivet. They started if they came in contact with one another, spoke in trembling tones, and
separated on the least noise being heard. First they concealed themselves in one cave and
then in another, next they endeavoured to return to the town, while some of their number
climbed to the top of Mount Olivet and cast anxious glances at the torches, the light of
which they could see glimmering at and about Sion; they listened to every distant sound,
made a thousand different conjectures, and then returned to the valley, in hopes of getting
some certain intelligence.
The streets in the vicinity of Caiphas’s tribunal were brightly illuminated with lamps and
torches, but, as the crowds gathered around it, the noise and confusion continued to
increase. Mingling with these discordant sounds might be heard the bellowing of the beasts
which were tethered on the outside of the walls of Jerusalem, and the plaintive bleating of
the lambs. There was something most touching in the bleating of these lambs, which were to
be sacrificed on the following day in the Temple,—the one Lamb alone who was about to be
offered a willing sacrifice opened not his mouth, like a sheep in the hands of the butcher,
which resists not, or the lamb which is silent before the shearer; and that Lamb was the
Lamb of God—the Lamb without spot—the true Paschal Lamb—Jesus Christ himself.
The sky looked dark, gloomy, and threatening—the moon was red, and covered with
livid spots; it appeared as if dreading to reach its full, because its Creator was then to die.
Next I cast a glance outside the town, and, near the south gate, I beheld the traitor, Judas
Iscariot, wandering about, alone, and a prey to the tortures of his guilty conscience; he
feared even his own shadow, and was followed by many devils, who endeavoured to turn
his feelings of remorse into black despair. Thousands of evil spirits were busying themselves
in all parts, tempting men first to one sin and then to another. It appeared as if the gates of
hell were flung open, and Satan madly striving and exerting his whole energies to increase
the heavy load of iniquities which the Lamb without spot had taken upon himself. The
angels wavered between joy and grief; they desired ardently to fall prostrate before the
throne of God, and to obtain permission to assist Jesus; but at the same time they were filled
with astonishment, and could only adore that miracle of Divine justice and mercy which
had existed in Heaven for all eternity, and was now about to be accomplished; for the angels
believe, like us, in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus
Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin
Mary, who began on this night to suffer under Pontius Pilate, and the next day was to be
crucified; to die, and be buried; descend into hell, rise again on the third day, ascent into
Heaven, be seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and from thence come to
judge the living and the dead; they likewise believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic
Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and
life everlasting.