Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol IX: The Diatessaron of Tatian.: Section XLIX

Sacred Texts Christianity Early Church Fathers Index Previous Next

Section XLIX.

[1, 2] 3387 And the chief priest asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his doctrine. 3388 3389 And Jesus said unto him, I was speaking 3390 openly to the people; and I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather; and I have spoken nothing in [3] [Arabic, p. 185] secret. 3391 Why askest thou me? ask those that have heard, what I spake unto [4] them: for they know all that I said. 3392 And when he had said that, one of the soldiers which were standing there struck the cheek 3393 of Jesus, and said unto him, p. 119 [5] Dost thou thus answer the chief priest? 3394 Jesus answered and said unto him, If I [6] have spoken evil, bear witness of evil: 3395 but if well, why didst thou smite me? 3396 And Annas sent Jesus bound unto Caiaphas the chief priest.

[7] 3397 And when Jesus went out, Simon Cephas was standing in the outer court warming [8] himself. 3398 And that maid saw him again, and began to say to those that stood [9] by, This man also was there with Jesus the Nazarene. 3399 And those that stood by [10] came forward and said to Cephas, Truly thou art one of his disciples. 3400 And he [11] denied again with an oath, I know not the man. 3401 And after a little one of the servants of the chief priest, the kinsman of him whose ear Simon cut off, saw him; and [12] he disputed 3402 and said, Truly this man was with him: 3403 and he also is a Galilæan; [13] and his speech resembles. 3404 3405 And he said unto Simon, Did not I see thee with him [14] in the garden? 3406 Then began Simon to curse, 3407 and to swear, I know not this man [15] whom ye have mentioned. 3408 And immediately, while he was speaking, the cock crew [16] twice. 3409 And in that hour Jesus turned, he being without, and looked stedfastly at Cephas. And Simon remembered the word of our Lord, which he said unto him, [17, 18] 3410 Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 3411 And Simon went forth without, and wept bitterly.

[19] [Arabic, p. 186] 3412 And when the morning approached, the servants of all the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people and all the multitude assembled, [20, 21] and made a plot; 3413 and they took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 3414 And they sought false witnesses who should witness against him, that they might put him to [22, 23] death, and they found not; 3415 but many false witnesses came, 3416 but their witness did not [24, 25] agree. 3417 But at last there came two lying witnesses, 3418 and said, We heard him say, I will destroy this 3419 temple of God that is made with hands, and will build another not [26, 27] made with hands after three days. 3420 And not even so did their witness agree. But Jesus was silent. 3421 And the chief priest rose in the midst, and asked Jesus, and said, [28] 3422 Answerest thou not a word concerning anything? what do these 3423 witness against [29, 30] thee? 3424 But Jesus was silent, and answered him nothing. 3425 And they took him up [31] into their assembly, 3426 and said unto him, If thou art the Messiah, tell us. 3427 He said [32] unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe me: 3428 and if I ask you, ye will not answer [33] me a word, nor let me go. 3429 And the chief priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Messiah, the [34, 35] Son of the living God. 3430 Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said that I am he. 3431 They all said unto him, Then thou art now the Son of God? Jesus said, Ye have said [36] that I am he. 3432 I say unto you, that henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting [37] [Arabic, p. 187] at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. 3433 Then the [38] chief priest rent his tunic, 3434 and said, He hath blasphemed. 3435 And they all said, Why should we seek now witnesses? we have heard now the blasphemy from his mouth. [39, 40] What then think ye? 3436 They all answered and said, He is worthy of death. 3437 Then some of them drew near, and spat in his face, and struck him, and scoffed at him. [41] 3438 And the soldiers struck him on his cheeks, 3439 and said, Prophesy unto us, thou Messiah: [42] who is he that struck thee? 3440 And many other things spake they falsely, 3441 and said against him.

[43] 3442 And all of their assembly arose, 3443 and took Jesus, and brought him bound 3444 to [44] the prætorium, 3445 and delivered him up to Pilate the judge; 3446 but they entered not into the prætorium, that they might not be defiled when they should eat the passover.

[45] 3447 And Jesus stood before the judge. And Pilate went forth unto them without, and [46] said unto them, What accusation 3448 have ye against this man? 3449 They answered and said unto him, If he had not been doing evils, neither should we have delivered [47] him up unto thee. 3450 We found this man leading our people astray, and restraining from giving tribute to Cæsar, and saying of himself that he is the King, the Messiah. [48] 3451 Pilate said unto them, Then take ye him, and judge him according to your law. p. 120 [Arabic, p. 188] The Jews said unto him, We have no authority to put a man to death: [49] 3452 that the word might be fulfilled, which Jesus spake, when he made known by what manner of death he was to die.

[50] 3453 And Pilate entered into the prætorium, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art [51] thou the King of the Jews? 3454 Jesus said unto him, Of thyself saidst thou this, or [52] did others tell it thee concerning me? 3455 Pilate said unto him, Am I, forsooth, 3456 a Jew? The sons of thy nation 3457 and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what [53] hast thou done? 3458 Jesus said unto him, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be [54] delivered to the Jews: now my kingdom is not from hence. 3459 Pilate said unto him, Then thou art a king? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said that I am a king. And for this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should bear witness [55] of the truth. 3460 And every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate said unto him, And what is the truth? And when he said that, he went out again unto the Jews.