Weeping Over Jerusalem
13
deprive the earth of the shining face of the sun, as to shut from the
world the beams of glory from the Sun of Righteousness. In spite of
all opposition, the kingdom of Christ was confessed by the people.
When the priests and rulers recovered their voices, they murmured
among themselves, “Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Behold,
the world is gone after him.” But they soon shook off the paralyzing
effect of the strange exhibition which they had witnessed, and tried to
intimidate the crowd by threatening to complain of them to the civil
authorities as raising an insurrection. Some of the Pharisees carried
out their threats, and angrily denounced Jesus to the Roman officers
present as the leader of a rebellion. Others joined them, accusing the
Saviour of setting himself up as king in defiance of the Roman power.
Annas the priest urged that he was about to take possession of the
temple, and reign as king in Jerusalem.
But the calm voice of Jesus hushed for a moment the clamorous
throng as he proclaimed that his kingdom was not of this world; that he
had not come to establish a temporal rule; that he should soon ascend
to his Father, and his accusers should see him no more until he should
come again in glory; and then, too late for their salvation, they should
acknowledge him, saying, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of
the Lord.”
[16]
Jesus spoke these words with sadness and with singular power.
The Roman officers were silenced and subdued. Their hearts, though
strangers to divine influence, were moved as they had never been
moved before; and a sudden hush fell upon the multitude. He who
could command the elements, whose voice had stilled the angry waters
of the deep, could also quell the excitement and apprehension of
heathen men who had not rejected his light nor steeled their hearts
against him by prejudice. The Roman officers read love, benevolence,
and quiet dignity in the calm and solemn face of Jesus. They were
stirred by a sympathy they could not understand. Before them was a
man of humble mien, but of Godlike bearing. They were more inclined
to pay him homage than to arrest him for insurrection.
They perceived that the priests and rulers were the only persons
who were angry and creating a disturbance. They therefore turned upon
them, and charged them with being the occasion of all the confusion.
The priests and Pharisees, chagrined and defeated by this, turned to
the people with their complaints, and wrangled among themselves