Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 27:23

23 And the governour said, why? what evil hath he done. But they cryed out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

Mark hath the same, Ch. 15. v. 12, 13, 14. So also, Luk. Ch. 23.20, 21, 22, 23. saith Pilate, therefore willing to rease Iesus, spake again to them: But they cryed, saying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him. And he said unto them, the third time, why what Evil hath he done? I have found no Cause of Death in him, I will therefore Chastise him and let him go. And they were instant with loud Voyces, requiring that he might be Crucified, and the Voyces of them, and of the Chief Priests prevailed. Iohn, Ch. 19. from v. 1.13. hath yet more Circumstances relating to the latter part of this Tryal, which follow. Then Pilate therefore took Iesus, and scourged him. And the Soldiers platted a Crown of Thorns, and put it on his Head, and they put on him a Purple Robe: And said, Hail King of the Iews, and they smote him with their Hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them: Behold I bring him forth unto you, that you may know I find no fault in him. Then came Iesus forth, wearing the Crown of Thorns, and the Purple Robe. And Pilate saith unto them: Behold the Man! When the Chief Priests therefore, and Officers saw him, they Cryed out, saying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him? Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him and Crucifie him, for I find no fault in him. The Iews answered him: We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to dye, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that Saying, he was the more afraid. And went again into the Iudgment Hall, and saith unto Iesus, whence art thou? But Iesus gave no Answer: Then Pilate saith unto him, speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not, that I have Power to Crucifie thee, and have Power to release thee? Iesus saith, thou could'st have no Power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: Therefore he that hath delivered me unto thee, hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him, but the Iews Cryed out, saying, If thou lettest this Man go, thou art not Cesars Friend: He that maketh himself a King, speaks against Cesar. I have not given the Reader at one view, what all the Evangelists say, as thinking it scarce possible from them all, to set down the Order, how things passed at this Tryal; but only that I might take notice of what was remarkable in it, related from one or other of them. The reason of our reading so often of Pilats going out, and then again coming on to the Iudgment Seat, seemeth to be, because as we heard before, the Iews would not come into Pilates House, but stood at the Door; and on the other side I conceive, that he could not proceed judicially, but sitting upon the Tribunal, or Seat of Iudgment. So as, tho he could proceed in Judgment within the House, [illegible: 1 letter]ith the Attendance of his own Servants, Souldiers, and Officers: Yet, when he had any thing to propound to the Iews, he went out; we cannot think, that the Evangelists report all the things the Iews objected against our Saviour, nor all the Questions by Pontius Pilate propounded to him. For the Evangelists tells us, Summarily. That they accused him of many things, and Pilate saith, Hearest thou not, how many things they Witness against thee? There was it seems, but one thing that they most insisted upon, that was, his making himself a King, as to which we heard before, how our Lord cleared himself. In the whole Process of this Tryal, these things are remarkable. 1. Our Saviours Silence. 2. Pilates Equity. 3. The Rage and Madness of the Chief Priests, Scribes and People. Our Saviours Silence confirms to us, that piece of the Law of Nature. That no Man is bound to accuse himself. Pilates Equity appears in many things, 1. He would not Condemn him, without a particular hearing of his Cause himself, he would not force him to accuse himself; he accepts our Saviours Vindication of himself, as to the great thing wherewith he was Charged, he twice declares, that he found no fault in him, he studies Expedients, to deliver an innocent Person from their Rage: He sends him to Herod, and obtains his Concurrent Suffrage to his innocency, he offereth to release him according to a Custom, they had at the Passover▪ to deliver one, whomsoever they desired, when this would not do, he caused him to be Scourged, then brings him out to them again, hoping to have moved them to Compassion, by that lighter Punishment of him. The Rage and Madness of the Iews, Principally of the Chief Priests, and Scribes, appeared in their urging, to have had our Saviour Condemned without hearing, their excessive Clamours against him. Their preferring one before him, who was a Robber, a Murderer, one that had made a publick Insurrection; their insisting so much upon the kind of Death, that he should dye. viz. by Crucifying him, tho in that, they did both fulfil the Councel of God, who had determined: That he should be made a Curse for us, and it was written, Cursed is every one that hangeth upon the Tree, Gal. 3.13. and what himself had Prophesied, that he should be delivered to the Gentiles, and they should Mock, and Scourge, and Crucifie him, Mat. 20.17. But that which is most remarkable is: The Providence of God, for the Evidencing of our Saviour's innocency. Pilates Wife calls him a just Man, Pilate, twice tells them, that he found no fault in him. They are able to say nothing, when Pilate asks them. W[illegible: 1 letter]at Evil he had done! Herod o[illegible: 1 letter] je[illegible: 1 letter]ts nothing again[illegible: 1 letter]t him He is mee[illegible: 1 letter]ly Condemned, upon the [illegible: 1 word] Cl[illegible: 2 letters]o[illegible: 1 letter]r an[illegible: 1 letter] R[illegible: 1 letter]ge of the Rabble ince[illegible: 1 letter]sed, and set on [illegible: 1 word] by the [illegible: 1 word] Pri[illegible: 1 letter]sts, and P[illegible: 1 letter]a[illegible: 2 letters]sees. The Art of these his Adversaries, is also ob[illegible: 1 letter]ervab[illegible: 1 letter]e, because it is the same which the E[illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter]ies of the Gospel deriving fro[illegible: 1 letter] th[illegible: 1 letter]s [illegible: 1 word] P[illegible: 1 letter]ttern, have ever since observe[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ in the Exec[illegible: 1 letter]tion of their Malice against the Preachers, and faithful Profe[illegible: 1 letter]sors of the Gospel. They durst [illegible: 1 letter]ot [illegible: 1 word] upon the Doctrine, which our Saviour Preached: Which w[illegible: 1 letter]s t[illegible: 1 letter]e tr[illegible: 1 letter]e C[illegible: 2 letters]se of their Malice against him, but bring him under a C[illegible: 1 letter]arge of Treason, and Sedition; as if he had gone about▪ to make him[illegible: 1 letter]elf a King in opposition to the Roman Emperour: Tho there was not the lea[illegible: 1 letter]t Pretence for any such thing▪ an[illegible: 1 letter] if there had, none who considereth that they were a Conquered Peop[illegible: 1 letter]e, and how Zealous they upon all occasions shewed themselves, for their Civil Liberties, can imagine t[illegible: 1 letter]ey▪ had any great kindness for Cesar. It is very observable, That Malice against Re[illegible: 1 letter]igion and Godliness, and a D[illegible: 1 letter]sire of the Extirpation of it, and the Professors of it, is the Predominant Lust in the Hearts of wicked Men. To serve this, they not only deny their own Reason, and Principles of common Justice, but deny themselves likewise, in some other Lusts. And herein they shew themselves the true Seed of the Serpent, and the Children of the Devil, whose Works they do; who though he be the Proudest Spirit, yet to destroy a Soul▪ will abate his Pride, t[illegible: 1 letter]uckle to a poor Witch, and go upon her Errands.