CHAPTER IX The leading away of the Lord Jesus from Annas to Caiaphas the Priest, and the Lord’s standing before him
CHAPTER IX
The leading away of the Lord Jesus from Annas to Caiaphas the Priest, and the Lord’s standing before him
I BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, Chief Priest, and Perpetual High Priest, for Thy contemptuous leading away from the house of Annas to that of Caiaphas the High Priest, where the Scribes and Elders were gathered together to take cruel counsel against Thee. Ah! with what unholy joy were they filled, when they saw Thee Whom they had long wished to seize, but could not, because Thy hour was not yet come, brought before them as a prisoner. But this is their hour, and the power of darkness, permitted them by God that they might fill to the brim the cup of hate which they had so long been maturing against Thee; and might now at length openly give effect—to Thy honour and glory indeed, and for the salvation of the faithful, but for the eternal damnation of unbelievers—to their inveterate malice.
I praise and glorify Thee, adorable Jesus, for so modestly standing before the High Priest and all the Elders of the people, who were impudently staring at that Face of Thine, which is deserving of all love. Grievous charges were, by the falsest of witnesses, laid against Thee; the High Priest asked Thee many questions, adjuring Thee to answer truthfully; and at last, on a charge of blasphemy, Thou wast by them all, with loud voice, declared to be guilty of death.
I praise and magnify Thee, most noble Jesus, for each and every insult and falsehood levelled against Thee; for the lowly deference, and the silence, which Thou didst for so long a time maintain amidst the wicked charges of Thy accusers; at all which Thou madest no sign of murmur or complaint, but didst set before us all an example of perfect gentleness.
Ponder, then, O loving follower of Christ, and lay seriously to heart, how great was the splendour of the lowly patience of Jesus under suffering! See what shameful reproaches He has to bear, Whose praises are sung by the heavenly hosts! For His truthful answer to the High Priest’s question He is condemned as a blasphemer. And yet, assuredly, all those who so condemn Him, proclaim themselves blasphemers, and guilty of an awful and stupendous crime. In the madness of their hearts, not believing Him to be the Son of God, they wreak upon the Lord Jesus villainies of every kind; but He bears all in silence; and the more He allows Himself to be trodden under foot of the ungodly, the greater is His victory, the greater is His triumph over them.
Cease, therefore, O faithful soul, from thy passionate murmurings at reproaches cast upon thee, and from wishing to retaliate, and to be avenged, upon thy adversaries. Bow down thy back to sustain the burden of the earthly trials which come upon thee; nor seek to prosper in a world, in which Christ was content to be despised. Blush, thou proud one, at thy honours, thy high places, thy magnificent retinue, and thy fine clothing; seeing that for thee Christ was content to be absolutely poor. A disgrace it surely is for thee to covet the favours of men, and to hanker after earthly pleasures; for such desires are utterly at variance with a true following of Christ.
O most adorable Jesus, most meek, altogether lovely, grant to me, a miserable sinner, the grace of Thy favour, and teach me, by Thy shining example, not to be afraid of the threats and insults of the wicked, and not to be distressed at being unjustly accused; but rather to pray for the forgiveness of those who have wronged me, and to submit myself in all humility to Thee, and to my superiors; that so the gifts of Thy love may be more abundantly shed forth upon me, and I may have grace to praise Thee more earnestly for those already received.