"Then the High Priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy." The High Priest had asked his solemn question without any intention of believing the answer: he must have felt sure what the answer would be, and therefore he had asked the question, that he might be able to accuse Jesus of claiming for Himself, a man, the honour due to God alone. To show his grief and horror at such a dreadful sin as blasphemy, he, according to the Jewish custom, rent his robe. Then appealing to those around him, Caiaphas asked, "What further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?" There could be no doubt of the answer to such questions. The Priests, and Scribes, and elders were bent upon destroying their victim; and gladly seizing the opportunity now given them by the High Priest, "They answered and said, He is guilty of death,"--that is, He is guilty of a crime which the Law of Moses orders to be punished with death. "And they all condemned him to be guilty of death." The Priests and elders had now accomplished their work, as far as they were concerned; but its final execution did not rest with them. Judæa was a Roman province, and as such the Jews could put no man to death without the permission of the Roman governor, who was at that time Pontius Pilate. To obtain Pilate's consent was the next step to be taken; and that the Jews determined to set about as soon as possible in the morning. It was now about midnight of the Thursday--the day on which Jesus had eaten the last Supper with His disciples. Some six or seven hours must pass before Jesus could be taken before Pilate, and this time the Jews occupied in ill using and mocking our innocent and holy Lord. The Priests and elders having passed sentence upon Jesus, now left Him in the hands of the attendants and soldiers, who, as we have said, passed the rest of the night in ill treating Him. "And the men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him: and some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands."