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her folly。 I drew aside； and as she moved slowly on she murmured：
〃His kingdom is not here。 He is the Son of David。 He is the Son of
God。 He is whatever He has said； or whatever has been said of Him
that is good and great。〃
〃A wise man of the East；〃 I found Pilate chuckling。 〃He is a
thinker； this unlettered fisherman。 I have sought more deeply into
him。 I have fresh report。 He has no need of wonder…workings。 He
out…sophisticates the most sophistical of them。 They have laid
traps； and He has laughed at their traps。 Look you。 Listen to
this。〃
Whereupon he told me how Jesus had confounded his confounders when
they brought to him for judgment a woman taken in adultery。
〃And the tax；〃 Pilate exulted on。 〃'To Caesar what is Caesar's； to
God what is God's；' was his answer to them。 That was Hanan's trick；
and Hanan is confounded。 At last has there appeared one Jew who
understands our Roman conception of the State。〃
Next I saw Pilate's wife。 Looking into her eyes I knew； on the
instant； after having seen Miriam's eyes； that this tense；
distraught woman had likewise seen the fisherman。
〃The Divine is within Him；〃 she murmured to me。 〃There is within
Him a personal awareness of the indwelling of God。〃
〃Is he God？〃 I queried； gently； for say something I must。
She shook her head。
〃I do not know。 He has not said。 But this I know： of such stuff
gods are made。〃
〃A charmer of women；〃 was my privy judgment； as I left Pilate's wife
walking in dreams and visions。
The last days are known to all of you who read these lines； and it
was in those last days that I learned that this Jesus was equally a
charmer of men。 He charmed Pilate。 He charmed me。
After Hanan had sent Jesus to Caiaphas； and the Sanhedrim； assembled
in Caiaphas's house； had condemned Jesus to death； Jesus； escorted
by a howling mob； was sent to Pilate for execution。
Now； for his own sake and for Rome's sake； Pilate did not want to
execute him。 Pilate was little interested in the fisherman and
greatly interested in peace and order。 What cared Pilate for a
man's life？for many men's lives？ The school of Rome was iron； and
the governors sent out by Rome to rule conquered peoples were
likewise iron。 Pilate thought and acted in governmental
abstractions。 Yet； look： when Pilate went out scowling to meet the
mob that had fetched the fisherman； he fell immediately under the
charm of the man。
I was present。 I know。 It was the first time Pilate had ever seen
him。 Pilate went out angry。 Our soldiers were in readiness to
clear the court of its noisy vermin。 And immediately Pilate laid
eyes on the fisherman Pilate was subduednay； was solicitous。 He
disclaimed jurisdiction； demanded that they should judge the
fisherman by their law and deal with him by their law； since the
fisherman was a Jew and not a Roman。 Never were there Jews so
obedient to Roman rule。 They cried out that it was unlawful； under
Rome； for them to put any man to death。 Yet Antipas had beheaded
John and come to no grief of it。
And Pilate left them in the court； open under the sky； and took
Jesus alone into the judgment hall。 What happened therein I know
not； save that when Pilate emerged he was changed。 Whereas before
he had been disinclined to execute because he would not be made a
catspaw to Hanan； he was now disinclined to execute because of
regard for the fisherman。 His effort now was to save the fisherman。
And all the while the mob cried： 〃Crucify him！ Crucify him！〃
You； my reader； know the sincerity of Pilate's effort。 You know how
he tried to befool the mob； first by mocking Jesus as a harmless
fool； and second by offering to release him according to the custom
of releasing one prisoner at time of the Passover。 And you know how
the priests' quick whisperings led the mob to cry out for the
release of the murderer Bar…Abba。
In vain Pilate struggled against the fate being thrust upon him by
the priests。 By sneer and jibe he hoped to make a farce of the
transaction。 He laughingly called Jesus the King of the Jews and
ordered him to be scourged。 His hope was that all would end in
laughter and in laugher be forgotten。
I am glad to say that no Roman soldiers took part in what followed。
It was the soldiers of the auxiliaries who crowned and cloaked
Jesus； put the reed of sovereignty in his hand； and； kneeling；
hailed him King of the Jews。 Although it failed； it was a play to
placate。 And I； looking on； learned the charm of Jesus。 Despite
the cruel mockery of situation； he was regal。 And I was quiet as I
gazed。 It was his own quiet that went into me。 I was soothed and
satisfied； and was without bewilderment。 This thing had to be。 All
was well。 The serenity of Jesus in the heart of the tumult and pain
became my serenity。 I was scarce moved by any thought to save him。
On the other hand； I had gazed on too many wonders of the human in
my wild and varied years to be affected to foolish acts by this
particular wonder。 I was all serenity。 I had no word to say。 I
had no judgment to pass。 I knew that things were occurring beyond
my comprehension； and that they must occur。
Still Pilate struggled。 The tumult increased。 The cry for blood
rang through the court； and all were clamouring for crucifixion。
Again Pilate went back into the judgment hall。 His effort at a
farce having failed； he attempted to disclaim jurisdiction。 Jesus
was not of Jerusalem。 He was a born subject of Antipas； and to
Antipas Pilate was for sending Jesus。
But the uproar was by now communicating itself to the city。 Our
troops outside the palace were being swept away in the vast street
mob。 Rioting had begun that in the flash of an eye could turn into
civil war and revolution。 My own twenty legionaries were close to
hand and in readiness。 They loved the fanatic Jews no more than did
I； and would have welcomed my command to clear the court with naked
steel。
When Pilate came out again his words for Antipas' jurisdiction could
not be heard； for all the mob was shouting that Pilate was a
traitor； that if he let the fisherman go he was no friend of
Tiberius。 Close before me； as I leaned against the wall； a mangy；
bearded； long…haired fanatic sprang up and down unceasingly； and
unceasingly chanted： 〃Tiberius is emperor； there is no king！
Tiberius is emperor； there is no king！〃 I lost patience。 The man's
near noise was an offence。 Lurching sidewise； as if by accident； I
ground my foot on his to a terrible crushing。 The fool seemed not
to notice。 He was too mad to be aware of the pain； and he continued
to chant： 〃Tiberius is emperor； there is no king！〃
I saw Pilate hesitate。 Pilate； the Roman governor； for the moment
was Pilate the man； with a man's anger against the miserable
creatures clamouring for the blood of so sweet and simple； brave and
good a spirit as this Jesus。
I saw Pilate hesitate。 His gaze roved to me； as if he were about to
signal to me to let loose； and I half…started forward； releasing the
mangled foot under my foot。 I was for leaping to complete that
half…formed wish of Pilate and to sweep away in blood and cleanse
the court of the wretched scum that howled in it。
It was not Pilate's indecision that decided me。 It was this Jesus
that decided Pilate and me。 This Jesus looked at me。 He commanded
me。 I tell you this vagrant fisherman； this wandering preacher；
this piece of driftage from Galilee； commanded me。 No word he
uttered。 Yet his command was there； unmistakable as a trumpet call。
And I stayed my foot； and held my hand； for who was I to thwart the
will and way of so greatly serene and sweetly sure a man as this？
And as I stayed I knew all the charm of himall that in him had
charmed Miriam and Pilate's wife； that had charmed Pilate himself。
You know the rest。 Pilate washed his hands of Jesus' blood； and the
rioters took his blood upon their own heads。 Pilate gave orders for
the crucifixion。 The mob was content； and content； behind the mob；
were Caiaphas； Hanan； and the Sanhedrim。 Not Pilate； not Tiberius；
not Roman soldiers crucified Jesus。 It was the priestly rulers and
priestly politicians of Jerusalem。 I saw。 I know。 And against his
own best interests Pilate would have saved Jesus； as I would have；
had it not been that no other than Jesus himself willed that he was
not to be saved。
Yes； and Pilate had his last sneer at this people he detested。 In
Hebrew； Greek； and Latin he had a writing affixed to Jesus' cross
which read； 〃The King of the Jews。〃 In vain the priests complained。
It was on this very pretext that they had forced Pilate's hand； and
by this pretext； a scorn and insult to the Jewish race； Pilate
abided。 Pilate executed an abstraction that had never existed in
the real。 The abstraction was a cheat and a lie manufactured in