The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. - documenta ...

The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine EmmerichCHAPTER XVII.Jesus before Pilate.IT was about eight in the morning, according to our method of counting time, when the processionreached the palace of Pilate. Annas, Caiphas, and the chiefs of the Sanhedrim stopped at a partbetween the forum and the entrance to the Prætorium, where some stone seats were placed for them.The brutal guards dragged Jesus to the foot of the fight of stairs which led to the judgment-seat ofPilate. Pilate was reposing in a comfortable chair, on a terrace which overlooked the forum, and asmall three-legged table stood by his side, on which was placed the insignia of his office, and afew other things. He was surrounded by officers and soldiers dressed with the magnificence usualin the Roman army. The Jews and the priests did not enter the Prætorium, for fear of defilingthemselves, but remained outside.184When Pilate saw the tumultuous procession enter, and perceived how shamefully the cruel Jewshad treated their prisoner, he arose, and addressed them in a tone as contemptuous as could havebeen assumed by a victorious general towards the vanquished chief of some insignificant village:‘What are you come about so early? Why have you ill-treated this prisoner so shamefully? Is it notpossible to refrain from thus tearing to pieces and beginning to execute your criminals even beforethey are judged? They made no answer, but shouted out to the guards, ‘Bring him on—bring himto be judged!’ and then, turning to Pilate, they said, ‘Listen to our accusations against this malefactor;for we cannot enter the tribunal lest we defile ourselves! Scarcely had they finished these words,when a voice was heard to issue from the midst of the dense multitude; it proceeded from avenerable-looking old man, of imposing stature, who exclaimed, ‘You are right in not entering thePrætorium, for it has been sanctified by the blood of Innocents; there is but one Person who has aright to enter, and who alone can enter, because he alone is pure as the Innocents who were massacredthere.’ The person who uttered these words in a loud voice, and then disappeared among the crowd,was a rich man of the name of Zadoc, first-cousin to Obed, the husband of Veronica; two of hischildren were among the Innocents whom Herod had caused to be butchered at the birth of ourSaviour. Since that dreadful moment he had given up the world, and, together with his wife, followedthe rules of the Essenians. He had once seen our Saviour at the house of Lazarus, and there heardhim discourse, and the sight of the barbarous manner in which he was dragged before Pilate recalledto his mind all he himself had suffered when his babes were so cruelly murdered before his eyes,and he determined to give this public testimony of his belief in the innocence of Jesus. Thepersecutors of our Lord were far too provoked at the haughty manner which Pilate assumed towardsthem, and at the humble position they were obliged to occupy, to take any notice of the words ofa stranger.The brutal guards dragged our Lord up the marble staircase, and led him to the end of the terrace,from whence Pilate was conferring with the Jewish priests. The Roman governor had often heardof Jesus, although he had never seen him, and now he was perfectly astonished at the calm dignityof deportment of a man brought before him in so pitiable a condition. The inhuman behaviour of105