268 THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. with the spirit of Jesus, which was the spirit of truth, than they have given in their simple, unvarnished narrations. CHAPTER XII. THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. "Auctor nominis ejus Christus, qui, Tiberio imperitante, per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat."-TACITUs Ann. lib. xv. The leader of this denomination was Christ, who, in the reign of Tiberius, suffered punishment under the Procurator Pontius Pilate. Trans. THE marks of truth and nature upon the accounts of the death of Jesus and his rising from the dead are so numerous and impressive, that I propose to make this portion of the history the subject of particular examination. It is precisely such a relation of these most interesting events as we might naturally expect, supposing them to be true. The whole style of narration, the discrepancies between the different accounts, the very errors and mistakes apparent in some subordinate particulars, all indicate precisely such a state of feeling as must have been produced in the eye and ear-witnesses, if the things related actually took place. It is in this perfect truth of feeling, THE DEATH OF JESUS. 269 so abundantly disclosed, that I find an impregnable ground for my faith. The testimony of one man, giving indubitable tokens of a true spirit, is absolutely decisive in itself, admitting of no comparison with the testimony of men in whom no such spirit is discernible, even though they were numberless. It is not therefore upon the number of the witnesses in the present case that I rely, but upon the overwhelming evidence given that these histories are the productions of truth and honesty. It is true, we are extremely liable to be deceived as to the indications of the presence of a true mind in any given instance. But what does this prove? Not surely that there is no such thing as a true mind, but that truth of feeling is so powerful to impress and convince that the slightest appearance of it carries with it the greatest weight. Jesus was tried and executed on the day preceding the Jewish Sabbath, of course on a Friday. Respecting the precise hour of his crucifixion the accounts vary.* Various methods of reconciling the statements of Mark and John have been attempted, but it seems to me scarcely necessary. It would be very strange, and not at all natural, if the power of noting the lapse of time had not been disturbed in the minds of the spectators and participants in the scene, while events were taking place so intensely interesting. From the time Jesus was nailed to the cross until he * See Mark xv. 25, and John xix. 14. 270 PROBABLE ORDER OF HIS EJACULATIONS 4 expired, it appears from the different accounts that he spoke seven times. We are not able to determine with certainty the precise order in which the various sentences and ejaculations ascribed to him were uttered. The following however appears to me their most probable sequence. As they were nailing him to the cross, or just as that terrible office was completed, he breathed forth that sublime prayer upon which I remarked in the foregoing chapter, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' After he was crucified, they immediately began to jeer and ridicule him. And then it was that the brief conversation passed between him and one of his fellow-sufferers. 'This day thou shalt be with me in paradise'-in other words, 'thou shalt immediately be with me in the condition of the virtuous dead.' The individual to whom these words were addressed, in his ready appreciation of the character of Jesus, whose meek and touching demeanour he had observed, in rebuking the other criminal who had joined with the crowd in ridiculing Jesus, how impressively did he show that he was already, spiritually speaking, on the very threshold of Heaven! Already was he in Paradise. Shortly aftermultitude his wards, Jesus, recognising among the mother and his favourite friend John, signified his wish that she should regard John as her son in his place, and that John should consider her as his mother. The thirst naturally attendant upon the intense agony which he was enduring soon became so severe that he could not help giving expression to his feelings. He ex claimed 'I thirst,' and one of the crowd brought, fastened upon the end of a reed, a piece of sponge which had been dipped into a mixture of vinegar and myrrh, a preparation used on such occasions, out of mercy to the crucified, to stupify and deaden their sensibility. A portion of this mixture was offered to Jesus, just before he was crucified, and he refused to drink it. He would not avail himself of any such means of escaping the torture that awaited him. Just before the sponge was lifted to his lips, his sufferings were so severe that for a moment he seemed to be overwhelmed with a feeling of desperation, which burst forth in the words, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!' For an instant his agony was intolerable. Still even his momentary despair is expressed in the devout language of Scripture. words are the commencement of one of the Psalms. The sharp paroxysm of pain appears to have been soon succeeded by a feeling of relief, and life began rapidly to ebb away. At this moment he exclaimed, 'It is finished,' or 'it is over.' This exclamation is sometimes interpreted in too formal a manner, as if Jesus referred to the completion of his great mission, whereas it is more natural and simple to suppose that he alluded to the excruciating pain he had just suffered. His last words were, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With this expression of filial trust, his head fell and he expired. These Thus died the man of Nazareth, not with stoical insensibility, but with natural indications of the extremest suffering. Who does not prize his expressions of forgive ness, filial affection, and piety, more deeply, as bursting from a heart palpitating and almost broken with mortal agonies, than if he had maintained a stony indifference, or exhibited the demeanour of one steeled by a peculiar temperament or a stern purpose against the betrayal of the least sign of suffering? In the latter case we could not have had a manifestation of character at once so elevated, and yet so perfectly natural. We could hardly have avoided the impression of something forced and artificial. It would have seemed as if he were actuated by some sentiment of human honour, or some desire to triumph over his tormentors, and baffle their malice. He did triumph over them gloriously. But then his victory was the more complete, his glory the more signal, on this very account, even because he never struggled for victory over men, never sought the faintest shadow of human glory. He was influenced by no narrow reference to human standards of thought and judgment. He felt and spoke and acted under no constraint. To every deep feeling of his heart, he gave free expression. suffered, he showed that he suffered. And though his whole soul is laid bare, and we see that his agony was extreme, we discover no trace of fear. His emotions were natural, but never unworthy of him, and his predominant feelings were of the most generous and exalted character. For my own part, I could more easily doubt the plainest evidence of my senses, than the reality of the scene which I have now briefly reviewed, and from which I gather so vivid and consistent an impression of the most perfect beauty and the most perfect nature, without any When he |