Chapter VII.—Of the Thorough Harmony of the Evangelists in the Different Accounts
of What Took Place in the Early Morning, Previous to the Delivery of Jesus to Pilate; And
of the Question Touching the Passage Which is Quoted on the Subject of the Price Set Upon
the Lord, and Which is Ascribed to Jeremiah by Matthew, Although No Such Paragraph is
Found in the Writings of that Prophet.
27. Matthew next proceeds as follows: “When the morning was come, all the chief priests
and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put Him to death; and when they had
bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.”1333
Mark’s version is to the like effect: “And straightway in the morning, the chief priests held
a consultation with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and
carried Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.”1334 Luke, again, after completing his account
of Peter’s denial, recapitulates what Jesus had to endure when it was now about daybreak,
as it appears, and continues his narrative in the following connection: “And the men that
held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him; and when they had blindfolded Him, they struck
Him on the face, and asked Him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And many
other things blasphemously spake they against Him. And as soon as it was day, the elders
of the people, and the chief priests, and the scribes came together, and led Him into their
council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And He said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not
believe; and if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son
of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son
of God? And He said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we further
witness? For we ourselves have heard of His own mouth. And the whole multitude of them
arose, and led Him unto Pilate.”1335 Luke has thus recorded all these things. His statement
contains certain facts which are also related by Matthew and Mark; namely, that the Lord
was asked whether He was the Son of God, and that He made this reply, “I say unto you,
hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the
clouds of heaven.” And we gather that these things took place when the day was now
breaking, because Luke’s expression is, “And as soon as it was day.” Thus Luke’s narrative
is similar to those of the others, although he also introduces something which these others
have left unnoticed. We gather further, that when it was yet night, the Lord faced the ordeal
of the false witnesses,—a fact which is recorded briefly by Matthew and Mark, and which
is passed over in silence by Luke, who, however, has told the story of what was done when
the dawn was coming in. The former two—namely, Matthew and Mark—have given con-
1333 Matt. xxvii. 1, 2.
1334 Mark xv. 1, 2.
1335 Luke xxii. 63-xxiii. 1. [That Luke’s account gives in detail the formal meeting of the Sanhedrin at daybreak
in altogether probable, since Matthew and Mark distinguish this assembly from the night examination.—R.]
Of the Thorough Harmony of the Evangelists in the Different Accounts of What Took Place in the Early Morning, Previous to the Delivery of Jesus to Pilate; And of the Question Touching the Passage Which is Quoted on the Subject of the Price Set Upon the Lord, and Which is Ascribed to Jeremiah by Matthew, Although No Such Paragraph is Found in the Writings of that Prophet.
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Of the Thorough Harmony of the Evangelists in the Different Accounts of…