Well, now, dear friends, it is a very plain and threadbare and commonplace piece of morality, but it needs to be reiterated over and over again—there is nothing necessary for a man, which he can only get or keep by tampering with conscience. There are two things needful for us: God and righteousness; and there is no third. With these we have what we need; without them, we have not.
And nothing is worth the buying for which we have to part with absolute adherence to the law of right. You remember the quaint story of the man in the dock who said to the judge, "It is necessary that should live," and was answered, "I do not see the necessity.
It is better to die. The one thing needful is "to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever. And in another way, the pleading of compulsion from without, as an excuse for evil, is evidently vain; because no man and no thing can force us to do wrong. We know, in each specific case, that, however strong the temptation may have been, we could have resisted it if we would, and that therefore the yielding to it was our act and ours only. Therefore let no man say, "I had to yield to popular clamour.
I was overborne by the rush of general opinion. Everybody else thought so, and, therefore, I had to say so. I am not speaking about this man or that man, about this party or that party, but I am taking a modern instance illustrating an ancient saw.
Pilate's sin has been committed in England these last few days over. But it is not only statesmen and politicians and officials and other men who live by the breath of popular favour and appreciation that are in danger from such a shabby excuse as this.
It applies to us all. Therefore, let us fix it firmly in our hearts that if once we admit considerations of expediency, or of the pressure of circumstances, or of personal advantage, to modify our conceptions of duty, we have embarked on a voyage on which there is nothing before us but shipwreck.
The compasses on board iron vessels get unreliable, and need to be rectified. If a man once allows the iron mass of popular opinion, or of apparently compelling circumstances, to touch his conscience, then it is deflected from the pole of right. One thing only is to be our guide, and that is the plain, simple dictate of imperative duty, which alone is essential for the blessedness of our lives.
If we want to keep firm to that stern adherence to the loftiest conception of conduct, and to obey duty, and not inclinations or apparent necessity, there is only one effectual way of doing it, and that is to live in close and constant touch with Jesus Christ, who pleased not Himself; and to whom nothing was necessary, except that He should do the will of the Father that sent Him, and finish His work.
This man had managed to persuade himself, on a very rotten plea, as I have tried to suggest, that he was entirely free from guilt in his act.
And the fact that the man who did the most awful of crimes— though perhaps he was not the most guilty—could do it with the profession, to some extent sincere, of innocence, may teach us very solemn lessons. You can persuade yourself that almost any wrong thing is right, if only you desire to do so.
Conscience is no separate faculty dwelling in a man, irrespective of the moral condition of the man, and acting as if it were apart altogether from the rest of him. What we call conscience is only the whole man judging the moral character of his doings. And so its judgments vary according to his whole character. It is no inflexible standard, like the golden measuring-rod of the angel, but a leaden rule which may be bent, curtailed, and tampered with in many different ways.
You can lash the helm to one side of the ship, and keep it fast there, if. Will can silence conscience, and say, " Hold your tongue! Ask Question. Asked 5 years, 9 months ago. Active 2 years, 4 months ago. Viewed 3k times. Improve this question. Susan Marijn Marijn 5 5 silver badges 9 9 bronze badges. Consider reading some history about Pilate and general history of rulers of Roman empire.
Reminds me of Stalin sometimes to get modern idea of pilates — user Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Improve this answer. Dick Harfield Dick Harfield 12k 4 4 gold badges 21 21 silver badges 56 56 bronze badges. The substitutionary death of Jesus at Calvary takes us to the very heart of the gospel. God has his eternal plan of salvation to save a people for himself and his glory.
Central to this plan was the atoning sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. How did God actually execute his plan in time and space? Through the instrumentality of Pontius Pilate. It was the wickedness of man which brought about the blessing of God. Bishop J. You must be logged in to post a comment.
Weakness Pilate personally did not wish to see Jesus crucified, as he knew he was guilty of no crime. This is the first of three paintings of Biblical subjects that owe a lot to Rembrandt, already represented with works of this general character at the National Gallery from its opening in ; the others are Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego , exhibited in No.
The renewed interest in figures, which, though relatively small in scale, dominate the composition , their rich costumes and the types of the Jewish priests, as well as the dramatic use of light and the thick heavily worked paint all point to Rembrandt, to whom Turner had already paid tribute in Rembrandt's Daughter , exhibited in No.
This picture and the similarly Rembrandtesque Jessica No. The Morning Chronicle for 3 May more interestingly linked its attack with an early account of Turner's practice of completing his pictures during the Academy 's Varnishing Days.
Speaking of this picture and Orvieto No. They still partake of the character of conundrums. Turner , revised ed. Main menu additional Become a Member Shop.
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