Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/205

 contempt. " Christ  commenced  His  reign  from  the cross." Examine whether  or  not  you  belong  to  this  kingdom, for  if  you  belong  to  the  world,  that  is,  if  you  seek after the  things  which  belong  to  it,  you  do  not  belong to Him. Christ says  of  His  disciples,  "  They  are  not  of the  world,  as  I  also  am  not  of  the  world." (John xvii. 14.)  Learn  hence  duly  to  appreciate  the  virtues  of  the Cross.

I. Pilate  did  all  that  he  could  to  set  Christ  at  liberty, for, as  he  said  himself,  "I  find  no  cause  in  this  man." The Pharisees,  on  the  other  hand,  "  were  more  earnest, saying,  He  stirreth  up  the  people,  teaching  throughout all  Judea,  beginning  from  Galilee,  to  this  place." (Luke xxiii. 4,  5.)  Pilate  from  this  took  occasion  to  send  Him to Herod,  because,  as  a  Galilean,  He  belonged  to  Herod's jurisdiction. Christ, therefore,  bound  as  a  malefactor, and guarded  by  soldiers,  is  led  by  the  priests  to  Herod. Thus is  our  blessed  Redeemer  dragged  from  one  tribunal to another,  and  exposed  to  the  public  view  and  scorn  of the  whole  city. Good God,  how  insults  and  affronts thicken upon  Thee,  and  how  fully  are  verified  the  words of thy  prophet:  "All  those  who  passed  by  the  way  have clapped  their  hands  at  Thee,  they  have  hissed  and wagged  their  heads"! (Lament, ii.  15.)

II. At first  Christ  is  civilly  entertained  by  Herod,  because he  expected  to  see  Him  work  some  miracle;  but the pure  Lamb  of  God,  from  abhorrence  to  His  impure life, refused  to  gratify  His  curiosity,  and  would  not  owe His life,  which  He  ardently  desired  to  lay  down  for  us, to the  favor  or  courtesy  of  the  Governor  of  Galilee. Al-