The Mockery of the Mob

BY GIOVANNI SACCHETTO, A CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN.

ARTIST.

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And they that passed by railed at him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross."—Mark, 15, 29.

NOR at least three hours, from before noon until mid-afternoon, Jesus hung in suffering upon His

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cross, while the rabble passed beneath, and the Roman soldiers stood on guard. These latter stared in idleness; they gambled together for possession of His clothing. As for the priests, who also stood around watchful to prevent any possibility of rescue, they found new cause for rage. Above Jesus' head, as doubtless also above those of the thieves uplifted on either side of Him, there was posted a notice proclaiming the crime for which each was punished, and above the Christ, flaunting high for all men to see, Pilate had had written the dread inscription; "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

The priests argued with the governor furiously, This man was not their "king;" he only claimed to be so. But Pilate, grown sullen and resentful and defiant, would only answer, "What I have written I have written." So the priests, lest the people note the strange persistence of this title given Jesus, turned it to mockery, and themselves cried out beneath the cross, jeering at His kingship, and encouraging the mob who likewise mocked Him, shouting that He should perform another miracle, should come down from His cross, and then they would believe.

ROMANS XI-THE HOPE OF ISRAEL

Chapter 11

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1 God hath not cast off all Israel.

7 Some were elected, though the rest were hardened. 16 There is hope of their conversion. 18 The Gentiles may not insult upon them: 26 for there is a promise of their salvation." 33 God's judgments are unsearchable.

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SAY then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,'

3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.2

5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

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9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:1

10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

1I Kings 19, 10. 21 Kings 19, 18. Isaiah 29, 10; Deuteronomy 29, 4. Psalm 69, 22f.