March 27

BY THE JEWS.

Then answered the people and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.—Matthew 27:25.

UNPRINCIPLED as was the conduct of Pilate in condemning an innocent person, yet his conduct was praiseworthy when contrasted with that of the Jews. Pilate is anxious to free himself from the blood of Jesus, the Jews seem determined hastily to fill up the cup of their iniquity, and are quite ready to bear the whole responsibility, and therefore exclaim, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." The imprecation was deeply wicked. Who would wish to stand before the spotless throne of God, with his conscience stained with human blood? Who would desire the blood of a wicked man, and that man our direst enemy, to crimson our garments in that day? But here was a holy person, a person making claims to the highest dignity, the professed Messiah, whose life had been one scene of piety to God, and benevolence to man, whom multitudes would have reason to bless to the end of life, and who had been proclaimed innocent by the judge who had heard the case, and yet they unitedly imprecate the blood of Jesus, to rest upon them and their children. With all their superior privileges, and with all their religious professions.

how they surpass in wickedness even the pagan Pilate himself. The imprecation was as unnatural as it was wicked. Why did they include their children? Was it not enough to excite the wrath of heaven against themselves, but must unborn multitudes be involved in the same crime, and be made partakers of the same curse.