"Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified." John 19:16
So we see the sad and terrible end of Pilate's weak struggles with his conscience and his sense of right. He first tried every way to avoid the issue; then he temporized, hoping in some manner to get free from responsibility. At last he yielded; and his name goes through history pilloried forever as the man who delivered Jesus to be crucified. He is known by no other act. It had been a thousand times better for him if he had remained forever in obscurity, instead of going to that high place of power where he had to meet and deal with this momentous question of history.
We read that Pilate took water in the presence of the Jews and washed his hands — thus by symbol declaring that he was not responsible for the sentencing of Jesus to die. But the water did not wash away one particle of the stain of the guilt of that terrible sin. Pilate had the misfortune to be the only man in all the province who could send Jesus to the cross. Upon him, therefore, the final responsibility rested, no matter what the pressure was, which was brought to bear upon him by the enemies of Jesus. The fact that others urge us to sin — does not take away our guilt for that sin! No being in the universe can compel us to do wrong; if, then, we do wrong, the sin is our own.
We remember that the Jews responded to Pilate's act of washing his hands, "May His blood be on us, and on our children!" No one who has read the story of the next forty years, can doubt that their self-imprecation was fulfilled. Thirty years later, thousands of the Jews were crucified. The crime of the Jews was successful; but what came of the success in the end? Let us learn the lesson, that sin brings always terrible woe — and that the worst of all sins, is sin against the Lord Jesus Christ.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.