“Oh, he is so blind; he thinks so much of the man that he can’t see His faults.  You can’t get anything out of him unless it be in His favor; it is a one-sided affair altogether.”

So we shall go in the first place to His enemies, to those who hated Him, persecuted Him, curst and slew Him.  I shall put you in the jury-box, and call upon them to tell us what they think of Him.

First, among the witnesses, let us call upon the Pharisees.  We know how they hated Him.  Let us put a few questions to them.  “Come, Pharisees, tell us what you have against the Son of God, What do you think of Christ?” Hear what they say!  “This man receiveth sinners.”  What an argument to bring against Him!  Why, it is the very thing that makes us love Him.  It is the glory of the gospel.  He receives sinners.  If He had not, what would have become of us?  Have you nothing more to bring against Him than this?  Why, it is one of the greatest compliments that was ever paid Him.  Once more:  when He was hanging on the tree, you had this to say to Him, “He saved others, but He could not save Himself and save us too.”  So He laid down His own life for yours and mine.  Yes, Pharisees, you have told the truth for once in your lives!  He saved others.  He died for others.  He was a ransom for many; so it is quite true what you think of Him—­He saved others, Himself He cannot save.

Now, let us call upon Caiaphas.  Let him stand up here in his flowing robes; let us ask him for his evidence.  “Caiaphas, you were chief priest when Christ was tried; you were president of the Sanhedrin; you were in the council-chamber when they found Him guilty; you yourself condemned Him.  Tell us; what did the witnesses say?  On what grounds did you judge Him?  What testimony was brought against Him?” “He hath spoken blasphemy,” says Caiaphas.  “He said, ’Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’  When I heard that, I found Him guilty of blasphemy; I rent my mantle and condemned Him to death.”  Yes, all that they had against Him was that He was the Son of God; and they slew Him for the promise of His coming for His bride!

Now let us summon Pilate.  Let him enter the witness-box.

“Pilate, this man was brought before you; you examined Him; you talked with Him face to face; what think you of Christ?”

“I find no fault in him,” says Pilate.  “He said he was the King of the Jews [just as He wrote it over the cross]; but I find no fault in him.”  Such is the testimony of the man who examined Him!  And, as He stands there, the center of a Jewish mob, there comes along a man elbowing his way in haste.  He rushes up to Pilate, and, thrusting out his hand, gives him a message.  He tears it open; his face turns pale as he reads—­“Have thou nothing to do with this just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.”  It is from Pilate’s wife—­her testimony to Christ.  You want to know what His enemies thought of Him?  You want to know what a heathen, thought?  Well, here it is, “no fault in him”; and the wife of a heathen, “this just man.”