+IHS PASSION OF OUR LORD: The 20 Meditation Of The Examination Of Pilate

DUCCIO di Buoninsegna 
Pilate's First Interrogation of Christ (scene 13) 
1308-11


The 20. Meditation of the examination of Pilate.

Then Pilate went again into the Palace, and called Jesus , and Jesus stood before the President. And Pilate asked him: art thou King of the Jews? Jesus answered: doest thou speak this of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? Pilate answered: am I Jew? thy people, and thy Priests have delivered thee to me, what hast thou done?

 
Consider first Pilate dealt with Christ, not afore the multitude, but privately in his house, of whom (saith St. Chrysostome) he conceived a great opinion. Thou in like manner, if thou will deal with Christ, avoid company & much business; enter into the chamber of thy heart, that thou mayest more clearly hear our Lord speaking.

Consider secondly that the Lord of all creatures stunted as guilty before the Gentile President, to whom he must render account of his life. Live thou so, that thou needest not blush to render an account of all the actions before any man.

Consider 3. the question of Pilate. (Art thou King of the Jews?) That is to say, can it be, that thou being so poor and miserable and so many ways afflicted, canst call thy self King of the Jews? Answer thou for thy Lord, yea certainly, he is King of the Jews, whom the true jews do acknowledge, that is such as know and confess their sins. For they will obey this King, that being brought out of sin, and delivered out of the hand of their enemies. they may serve him. Admire thou this King, whose beauty consists not in gold and precious stones, & outward ornaments; but in contempt, disgrace, and external ignominy. For these things have both made Christ famous through the whole world, and also have beautified thy soul.

Consider fourthly, the answer of Christ, the sense whereof is this, did you ever see, or hear anything of me,whereby I might be suspected to seek for a Kingdom? This question signifieth the absurdity of the accusation. Ponder here with thyself, whether thou dost know thy Lord Christ, that is, whether thous doest feel Christ reigning in thy mind; or else whether thou art a Christian without any outward sweetness.

Consider fifthly, the proud answer of Pilate, disdaining, and taking it in evil part, that a guilty person durst ask him a question. He excites himself with ignorance of the Jews causes: I know not (saith he) what your Nation dreameth of the coming of a Messias. Thou canst not plead ignorance in Gods cause to whom Christ hath made manifest even the secrets of God. And if ignorance did not profit Pilate, how can it profit any Christian, to whom God hath given so great knowledge?

Consider sixthly (What hast thou done) the great innocency of thy Lord, that when accusations failed, he himself must be asked. Answer thou what he hath done. He hath made Heaven & Earth, and all Creatures: he hath done all good and no evil. But for the goof done for thy sake, which thou doest abuse unto sin, he must suffer the punishment, which thou didst deserve. This place is fit to meditate what Christ hath done for thee, and what thou hast done again for him; that admiring his bounty, thou mayest give him thanks, & detesting thy own ingratitde, thou mayest be confounded with shame.

II

Jesus answered, my Kingdom is not of this world: If my Kingdom were of this world, my Soldiers would fight for me, that I should not be delivered up to the Jews; but now my Kingdom is not from hence. Pilate said unto him; then art thou a King? Jesus answered, thou sayest, that I am a King.

Consider first that Christ answered Pilate plainly, who dealt sincerely with him; but to the Jews, who went about to entrap him, he would not answer but adjured. For our Lord detesteth fiction, and with the simple in his speech. 

Consider secondly that he applied himself to this Ethic, deriving his argument from the use and custom of men. You may understand (saith he) by this, that I seek not a Kingdom of this world, because I have no Soldiers, nor Champions for my defense. But with the Jews, that knew the Law, he used the Scriptures. Thou maist learn hereby that God useth always & reasons to convert thee and others. If thou wouldst consider those means, which our Lord used to help and cure thee, thou wouldest admire Gods prudent love and charity towards thee.

Consider thirdly (My Kingdom is not of this world.) He doth not say in this world: For he reigneth in his Church, and in thee: But he saith, of this world, that is to say, It is not lie the Kingdoms of this world, neither doth it consist in the multitude of Servants and Soldiers, nor in solemnity and pomp, nor in riot and bravery of apparel; But in the ornament of the soul, in voluntary obedience and multitude of virtue. And perhaps in this Kingdom of Christ there are more poor, beggarly, weak, and unlearned; then rich, noble, mighty, and wise people. Be thou careful therefore that Christ may rule thee and thy affections, and reign in thee. For if to serve Christ is to reign then Christ reigning in thee will make thee a mighty King, ruling over thyself, & the whole world.

III

I was born in this, and to this I came into the world, that I may give testimony unto the truth: And every one which is of the truth, heareth my voice: Pilate saith unto him, what is the truth?

Consider first for what cause Christ came into the world, to wit first that he might free the world from the falseness of Idolatry, and of divers errors, and of sin. Secondly that he might declare the vanity and folly of those things which the world admireth, & set before our eyes those things as they are indeed, and not as they seem to be. Thirdly that by this truth he might rule the minds of men. Thou maist learn hereby, First, what thou oughtest chiefly to seek for in the kingdom of Christ, to wit to be delivered & made free from all vanity, falsehood, and sin. 2. That they are the chief servants & enlargers of the Kingdom of Christ, which labor in teaching the truth. 3. That appertaineth especially to the charge of Christian princes, and superiors to keep & increase their subjects in the faith of Christ. For they are not superiors like Gentiles, to maintain their people only in a civil & peaceable government, but they are also Christian Princes over Christians, that they may enlarge the Kingdom of Christ,

Consider secondly: I was born in this and to this I came into the world. A high sentence, which Pilate might have understood, if he had persisted in simplicity. I am not born (saith he) like other men, for I was now, before I was born of my mother; I was born, not thorough the necessity of nature, but of mine own will, and for certain causes which moved me to take human nature upon me, to wit that I might teach men the truth. If therefore thou wilt listen unto heavenly Doctrine, and deal sincerely with God, Christ will reveal unto thee the secrets of Heaven.

Consider thirdly (I was born) and (I came) For by his birth he is our Christ, and also hath done all his actions for our profit; that thou again shouldest refer all thy time, thy studies, and thy labors, to his glory. 

Consider fourthly that Christ did answer secretly to the question propounded by Pilate , What hast thou done? For I have taught the truth, I have reproved vice: For this was the only cause that moved the Jews to put him to death. Do thou seek out the truth, and pray unto God to lighten thin eyes, that thou sleep not in death, & consider earnestly with thyself, whether thou be of the truth, that is, whether thou be moved with the truth, or with pride, lust, avarice, and other passions of the mind: For he which is of truth, he is of God, but he which followeth lies is of the Devil his Father, whose will he fulfilleth.

Fr. Francois Coster S.J. 1616

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