(John) Jesus in the Judgement Hall — Willie Mullan

Tuesday, we went right through to the end of verse thirty-two, and we're starting at thirty-three this evening, and we're going right through into the first sixteen verses of chapter ninety. I'll have to take all this in one go this evening, because we're at the Roman trial tonight, and I want to try to touch on all the details of this trial as our blessed Master stood before the Roman governor in the judgment hall.

The Roman Judgment Hall and the Hypocrisy of the Priests

You remember last week, as we finished the message and we were dealing with the Hebrew trial last week, I put brief emphases on verse twenty-eight. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment.

Now, that is the Roman judgment hall, and it was early, it was early in the morning, and they themselves, that is, the priests and all who brought him, went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled.

You see, they brought the Lord Jesus down the road from Caiaphas and from the Hebrew trial, and they brought him to this great judgment hall, and they put him in through the door. But they themselves went not in, lest they should be defiled.

And I said very emphatically, the hypocrites, because this is a commentary on the state of the human heart, which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Can't see people talking about lest they would be defiled when they're crying out for the blood of God's Son at that very moment.

How crooked the human heart can be. But what I want to do now, I want to go inside the judgment hall, and truly the hymn writer has got the thing. Jesus is standing in Pilate Hall, and it is true, friendless, forsaken, bequeathed by all.

And he's in the judgment hall just now, and he's facing the Roman government. And in Matthew 27, there's a great phrase, Jesus stood before the government. And just for a moment, let's see these two great personalities look into each other's eyes.

I wish I could picture the calm dignity of the Lord Jesus. And I wish I could show you how humble and meek and lonely this stranger of Galilee was, just at that moment. And I wish I could draw for you the picture of the proud, pumptious Roman government as he looked into the eyes of Christ.

Pilate's Realization of Jesus' Power

And the first thing that I want to underline for you, I want to underline that as he looked into the eyes of this man for the very first time, I think he realized that's where we start tonight. We want to get that settled before we go into the trial.

Pilate's realization. Now, let's go back to where we were last week for a moment, in Luke's Gospel, chapter 3. Luke's Gospel, chapter 3, and I want you to notice that first verse again this evening. It's a very important verse for many, many reasons.

But here is one of them. It gives you the date of the period, and then it says something that we should take note of. Verse 1, chapter 3, Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, a pumptious Pilate being governor of Judea.

I just want you to see the province. There is the period in that verse, and the province, and many other details, but I only want you to see the province that is governor of Judea. You see, the Roman emperor believed that he ruled the world at that moment, and he had these different governors over these different provinces, representing himself.

And, of course, many things have been happening in Judea in those days. Now, here's one of them, and I want you to get it. Look at Luke's Gospel, chapter 7, now. Luke's Gospel, chapter 7. Luke's Gospel, 7, verse 11,.

And it came to pass the day after that Jesus went into a city called Nain, and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now, when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

And much people of the city were with her. But when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the beard of her cousin, and they that dare him stood still, and he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

He that was dead sat up, and began to speak, and he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all, and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God hath visited his people.

And this rumor of him went forth throughout Judea. I needn't emphasize that too much, need I? If someone left a funeral procession in any part of Ulster, and stopped it, and raised the dead miraculously, well, it would be on the black headlines, I believe, of the telegraph that evening.

I believe that one who would take special note of this happening in the land would be the governor. If this rumor of him went throughout Judea, then Pilate must have talked it over quite a number of times.

He must have said to some of the high officials, Who is this fellow? Seems that he's got mighty power, and he's doing wonderful things, and continually we hear of his name. He must really be a wonderful personality.

And now I want to face with him, and there's a realization, a way deep down inside the judge, that the prisoner is a unique personality, and that he has mighty power. That was the realization. I think that's where we must start the case this evening.

Just realizing how much that the judge knew. He was perfectly sure that this man had mighty power. He had brought back the widow's son from the dead, and many other wonderful things had been told about him.

The Changing Charges Against Jesus

Now, realizing what Pilate realized, let's get back to the scene now, to the judgment. And notice this. Here is the first thing that Pilate did. 28 is where we were reading,. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment, and it was early.

And they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the parcel. They stood outside the door. After Pilate had taken one look at the prisoner, Pilate then went out onto them and said, What accusation bring thee against this man?

Now, from the answer that they give, you would think that Pilate had taken them unaware, because it seems that they came to the judgment hall and put the prisoner in through the door, and they seemed to have an idea that Pilate would not do exactly as they wanted, and that he wouldn't ask any questions.

Because when he came out and said, What accusation bring thee against this man? Now, listen carefully to what they said. Here is how they answered. They answered and said unto him, He were not a malefactor.

The word just means evil-doer or criminal. Actually, that same Greek word is rendered in 1 Peter chapter 4 by the word evil-doer. If he were not an evil-doer, and I think the emphasis is on the we, we priests of the nation, we religious men leading this nation, we would not have delivered him unto thee.

They didn't make any charge, you know. They didn't say anything at all, and Pilate wasn't having it. You can't just put a man in a box, you know, and say he's an evil-doer. The judge will want to know what it is.

But they didn't want to put any charge, and they didn't even think that Pilate would ask for the accusation, and they seem to stand up as if they're amazed. If he were not an evil-doer, we, we would not have delivered him unto thee.

What more do you want? Will you not take a word for it? That's the idea that's behind it. But Pilate wasn't taking that. He wanted a charge. Now, they actually made a charge, and John, he leaves it out.

But Luke puts it in, and I want to bring it in now. Watch how Luke brings it in in chapter 23. A multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate, and they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ the King.

Now, those of you who were in here last week, and I went through the Hebrew trial, where these things mentioned at the trial? Not one of them. You see what they're trying to place before Pilate now, as if this man is guilty of sedition or treason.

He's working against Caesar. He's putting himself up as a king. He forbids to give tribute to Caesar. Last week in the Hebrew trial, their charge was blasphemy. You have blasphemed. We'll put you to death.

Now they're changing it, changing it to suit the court. They're in a Roman court now. Therefore, they think that it will be beneficial to their gods to bring in this charge of sedition or treason against the emperor of Rome.

Now, those of us who know the history of our Lord Jesus, we know this, that he never forbade once to pay tribute to Caesar. Actually, he told Peter, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and you remember that when the people would have taken him by force and made him a king, that he escaped out of their midst, so that you can see that those who are placing these charges are liars.

They are false charges. The diocese that I preach, who I believe was the ringleader here, and who preferred the charges, I believe him to be one of the most wicked characters in the whole of the gospel.

You can see how they changed the charge. You could see them saying you're a blasphemer, and now they're changing the charge to say that he's a man who's committing sedition, and he's guilty of treason.

And so Pilate took up the charge. Now, let's get back again. John just didn't go on and touch that, but Luke put it in all right. Now, we're at 18 again, and notice this. Are you getting it? We're only setting the stage, you know.

Verse 29, Pilate then went out unto them and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? And John put this bit in. They answered and said unto him, If he were not a man of actor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

And then I think that Caiaphas stepped forward, and he made this charge of sedition. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him and judge him according to your law. You see, when they made no charge, Pilate just looked at them and said, Now you take them out of here.

If you're not preparing a charge, take them out. And I think it was at that moment that Caiaphas made the charge of Luke 23. And so Pilate had to stop now. What's the little bit that John puts in? It's hard to fit them both in together.

Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. You see, they were now admitting that the scepter had departed, and the lawgiver had departed from Israel.

And that ought to have told them that Shiloh had come. But they didn't see the scripture. They didn't seem to take heed to the great prophecies of even Genesis. And here they were standing with a mighty prophecy being fulfilled.

But when they said, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, remember, they were not exactly telling the truth. Because when it suited them, they could put men to death, they didn't wait to ask anybody any questions when they stoned Stephen to death just a few years later.

So he stood in the midst, in the very court that our Lord Jesus had left, in the town he'd been, facing a high priest, and without a Bible and without a note, he expounded so wonderfully the whole horrible history of the Jewish transgressors, that he annoyed the court, and they rushed upon him, threw him out of the city, and told him to death.

Not anybody any questions. But you see, they didn't want to stone our Lord Jesus Christ. I'll tell you why they were afraid, first of all, of the multitude. Just let the priests in Israel lift stones at this moment.

They were actually afraid. And you know, it was for another purpose, because God had foreordained that he would be spiked to the Roman gibbets, and it had to be fulfilled. And watch this, here's the wrath and the wickedness and the fear of man, they're all being worked together for the glory of the Word of God.

And it always is, you know, nothing that man can form, nothing that man can form, nothing that the wrath and the wickedness, even the fear of man can do, can upset the glory of the Word of God. Do you see this wonderful statement here, it's a mighty one.

Verse 31, Then said Pilate unto them, Pick ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled with his pick, signifying what death he should die.

If he was to die at the hands of the Jews, they must stone him to death. If he's to die under Pilate, he must be crucified on dark, rugged Calvary, and that's what God had ordained. So you can see this working.

I believe it was at this very moment when Pilate says, Take him and judge him, but if you accusation, take him out of this hall. I believe that old Triumph was very cunningly said, But we have an accusation.

He said he's a king, and that he won't give tribute to Caesar, and he's possessing the people nearby. Now watch, Pilate goes straight in again, that's where we're actually starting this evening. Verse 33, Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus and said unto him, Now this is the first question that he put to the prisoners, Ought thou the king of the Jews?

That's the very first question. That's a mighty one, isn't it? I wish I could paint the scene. I wish we could see Christ standing, dressed in the humble garb of a Nazarene, I wish you could see him standing quietly there, his hands bound behind him, and Pilate's looking into his face and saying, Ought thou the king of the Jews?

That was his first question. But listen to the wonderful answer, how our Lord could answer. Here's the answer, verse 34, Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

Now, mark what that means before we get away from it. He's looking back into the eyes of Pilate, and he's saying, Art thou charging me about this position thyself? Do you believe I'm a rebel? Do you think I'm guilty of treason?

Are you charging me yourself about this saying about the king? Or did others tell it thee of me? Tell me what I'm to answer. Are you charging me, Pilate? Do you think I'm a rebel? Is this what's in your mind?

Or are you just listening to what they've been saying? That was a wonderful answer. Because, you know, he's responsible to answer to the Roman governor if he's really charging. And here's Pilate's answer.

Pilate, verse 35, Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? The nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done? Now, that was very well put. You know, he was saying this. You know, I'm not concerned in this thing at all.

I'm not a Jew. He's saying, listen, Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. The whole nation of Israel hath put you in the dark. I tell you, that was very wonderfully answered of Pilate.

And now he comes down to facts. He says, I'm not accusing you. Your own nation and the chief priests are accusing you. Tell me this. What hast thou done? Why, Jesus could have given a whole history behind that question, couldn't he?

What had he done? He had raised the dead, cleansed the lepers. He had healed the sick from early morning on till the evening time. He had worked and sweared for the good of humanity. And everywhere he'd went, he'd wiped the tears away.

He had blessed the widow. He'd chanted many songs. He'd brought blessing to the people continually. He went about doing good. He could have answered the question all right. What asked thou? But here's how he did answer.

Jesus' Kingdom and His Mission to Bear Witness

Very lovely one. Verse 36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. I want all the dispensational scholars who have ideas about general resurrection law just to take your time. Remember, he didn't say, My kingdom is not in this world.

He didn't say that. I know that's how it's interpreted sometimes. People say, well, there it is. He said, My kingdom is not of this world. I just said, remember, the church is in the world, but it's not of the world.

And remember, his kingdom will be in the world, not of the world. He's talking about the character of the kingdom now. My kingdom, it's not of this world. Then he went on to explain the character further.

He said, if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight? He said, I'm not establishing the kingdom by force or by an army or by the sword. When Peter drew the sword, I said, put your sword in.

Yes, you remember it all right, don't you? Now, he's letting Pilate see the character of the kingdom. He said, if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight? That I should not be delivered on to the Jews.

But seeing the Jews and the chief priests and the nation have rejected me, no, that's where the word no comes from. No is my kingdom, not from him. They've turned me out. They've rejected me. My kingdom must be from him.

And you know, he absolutely satisfied Pilate. Pilate, therefore, said unto him, this is the next question, Art thou a king then? You see, Pilate's getting this thing. The Lord Jesus is explaining, I'm not setting up the kingdom with an army.

To fight against Caesar, not at all. I'm not doing it. That's not the character of my kingdom at all. And Pilate's beginning to see light. And he says, Art thou a king then? Watch the answer again, it's a wonderful one.

Verse thirty-seven, Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king, to this end was I born. I think that's a lovely bit. My, we are going to think in a day or two about his birth.

And let's get the hold of this, that he was born a king. Born a king. Yet, if you take the lineage and the genealogy, you will find that it goes straight right away back as straight as it can go to David.

And he had the right to the throne of David. And he was born a king. He was born a sovereign. And when he was born, they gave him this name, Jesus. Because he's not only sovereign, he's saviour. And when he was born, the prophet said, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.

You see, I want you to get this quick. At the birth, you have a son given. Oh, the son couldn't be born. He was the son who was sent, and came, and took upon him the form of a servant. Yes, the child was born, but the son was given.

He was ever the eternal child, and God so loved the work he gave his son. The son was given, but he became the sovereign and the saviour. Oh, when he was born, the Son of God came into the world. The sovereign of the Jews came into the world.

The saviour of men came into the world. For this end was I born. But much more. What? He said, To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.

You know, that's a tremendous thing. Because if you put all that I've said together, he was not only the son, he was not only the saviour, he was not only the sovereign, he was the servant. And he came to tell the people the truth.

And the truth was this, that God so loved the world that he gave his son to be the sacrifice. That was the truth. Say, how much we have packed in around Bethlehem. The son, the sovereign, yea, the saviour, yea, the servant, yea, the sacrifice.

Why, he came to bear witness of that very truth. And every one that is of the truth hears my voice. My all those who have bowed to evangelical truth know the voice, sir, but the voice is the voice of the shepherd now.

Say, there's so much in the verse that one could hardly touch the depths of it. He was born a sovereign. And when he was born a sovereign, he became the saviour. And when he became the saviour, he became the servant.

And when he became the servant, he became the sacrifice. And when the sacrifice absolutely satisfied God, he rose from the dead as the great shepherd of the sheep. And every one that knows this truth has heard his voice.

Pilate's Verdict and the Crowd's Rejection of Jesus

He was saying far too much for Pilate. He couldn't get it all. Pilate just looked at him and said, what is truth? Been a great lot of debate about that little phrase, mind you. Some people say that Pilate sneezed.

He just laughed at him and walked on. Ask what is truth? I don't think that's so. Very hard to get the tone that a man speaks and, you know, 1900 years later, you can almost put any tone upon it and it would mean nearly sex.

I honestly believe it wasn't that one. I don't think that Pilate was asking the question because he was searching after truth. What is truth? I don't think there was any sincerity about it. Because other been he would have waited for an answer.

I believe that it's just that Pilate's puzzled. There's been so many coming and so many proclaiming and so many testifying about truth that I'm puzzled. It's not a scorn and it's not a sincere looking after truth.

It's just that I'm puzzled. What is truth? I honestly believe that it is a debatable one. But here's the point, that this questioning of the prisoner and the sincere, humble, straightforward answers of the prisoner must have satisfied him to a great degree because, verse 38 says, Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them, What shall I find in him? No fault at all. Well, the court ought to have finished that. The judge has given his verdict now.

He has questioned the prisoner and he has looked into this charge of sedition. And he knows the man in the dock is no rebel. And he's coming out now to the crowd and he's saying this openly, I find in him no fault at all.

The crowd wasn't running home with us. They were determined to put the Saviour to death. Listen to the cry of the crowd. Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, we don't want him. But Barabbas.

Now Barabbas was a robber. You see, at the end of the chapter, their cry, I'm leaving the other verse out for a moment. I'm just letting you see Pilate coming onto the steps and saying, I find in him no fault at all.

Would you allow me to release him? And they cried, Not this man, don't you let him go. My, we want Barabbas. You can see the heart of the people. My, the priests had so worked on the crowd around that they have the whole crowd before the steps on their side just at that moment.

And Pilate did something. He went inside and watched chapter 19, verse 1. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him. I don't want to go on with that for a moment just yet. I only want to try to keep the thing level.

You can see the Roman governor looking into the eyes of the prisoner and he realizes this man's got mighty power. Then he comes out and he asks for the charge. What accusation bring you against this man?

And they actually had no charge. And then he said, Well, then you just take him away. And then Caiaphas comes and he puts up this charge that he's a seditious person and that he's against Jesus. And Pilate goes in to question the prisoner.

Art thou the king of the Jews? Art thou a king then? He's puzzled about this teaching of truth. And he comes out and says, But I find in him no fault at all. Can I release him? They cried, Not this man.

Now he walks straight in again and he scourged Jesus. At that point, he'd been asking redemption. And I shall deal with that very carefully. I believe he had a plan in his mind when he went in and scourged Jesus.

After he had scourged him, just let's leave that for a moment. I'll come back to it. It says in verse 6, When the chief priest therefore and officer saw him, that is the Lord Jesus, they cried out saying, Crucify him.

Crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him and crucify him. For I find no fault in him. They're standing by his decision. Then the Jews answered him, We have a law. And by our law he ought to die because he made himself the son of God.

Now that's changing the charge again. The other one didn't work. They're changing the charge. And you can't do that in the middle of any case. Can't do it. This really upset Pilate. Watch verse 8, When Pilate therefore heard God say, He was the more afraid.

That's the first time you get a touch of emotion in this thing at all. He's been the proud, conscious Roman governor up to now. He can ask questions. He's not worried about anybody. But the moment that they said he's the son of God, he's getting afraid.

He's remembering the power now. Now I want you to see the other question that he puts. Verse 9, Went again into the judgment hall and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? He didn't say, Who art thou? He didn't say, Art thou the king.

He didn't say, Art thou the king of the Jews. He said, Whence art thou? You know, there is just a little glimmer of light that he seemed to think somewhere in his heart that this is a supernatural person that's before me.

Whence art thou? He's a judge now. Why, the interrogation was a powerful thing. And you know, when they questioned him here, I want you to notice this. Verse 9, Watch it carefully. And went again into the judgment hall and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou now?

Watch it. But Jesus gave him no answer. There's no answer. You see, friend, while Pilate played the gentleman, and while he did his work, while he questioned the prisoners, while he put the questions properly, Christ gave him the answer.

The Silence of Jesus and Pilate's Abuse of Authority

But the moment he took the innocent man and put him on the scourging raft and plowed his back into the furrows with the Roman raft, he scourged him, you know, plowed the furrows deep in his back, and battered him and put the thorns on him.

Then there may be somebody here tonight to take care about this. And you may be the very Pilate, 1961. And you've watched Christ, and you've listened to all of the wonders of the faith, and you're very full of his mighty power.

And as you search through the story and look at all the facts and truths, my, you have nothing against him tonight. Maybe you have plenty against the followers, if I don't blame you at times. But we're not talking like that now.

You're looking at Christ. You're standing in Pilate's shoes. Let me tell you this. It's possible for you to have this glorious opportunity of coming face to face with him, and knowing all about him, and learning all the great things, and knowing his character and wonder and glory and grandeur and greatness, and then do something to him that he'll be silent to you.

He's gone too far. He's silent now. A silent saviour is the most horrible thing in this book. Pity anyone of you that the saviour becomes silent. But Pilate went round about it another way. What's this?

Verse 10. Then says Pilate unto him, speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? But Jesus is answering now, now why? Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given me from above.

He's only answering to vindicate his Father's power. That's all. Not answering the question. He's answering to vindicate his Father's power, and he's answering to show his authority. What's this? Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater thing.

Who's able to weigh sin? Christ. Outside the flesh, that's Christ. That's the one that delivers us. He said, you know, you're two wrong ones. But the one that delivered me to you hath the greater sin.

He was actually touching Pilate's mind. And you've got sin now. The son of that handed me over has got greater sin. Who can weigh sin? Only the saviour. Only the saviour could tell every one of us what category of sin we were in.

And some of us were double-dive sinners, you know. He was able to talk to Pilate. He was only vindicating his Father's power, and letting Pilate know his own authority. This is a wonderful case, of course.

Pilate's Political Fear and Final Judgment

Now, what's this? Verse 12. And some thenceforth Pilate sought to release him. This is the fellow that talks a moment or two ago, but having power to crucify and power to release, he had none. Pilate was swaying him.

Dear friends, he was gripped by the clouds. And many a man has been gripped by the clouds. Once again, there's just one more question that we need to get down to before I go back to the verses I missed.

And some thenceforth Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

I want you to get that, because that's very important. You see, as I see it, I've been through the plan of Jerusalem, and the temple was built, of course, on the very mound where Abraham offered Isaac on Mount Moriah.

And behind the temple was the palace where the high priests lived and had their courts. That's where our Lord Jesus was last week in the palace. There was a church of ground between the palace, of last week in the palace.

There was a church of ground between the palace and the Roman judgment hall. And that's where they put our Lord Jesus in, and that's where this trial and these questions took place. But outside, a little bit outside, there was a pavement, raised steps with a chair upon it.

And it was there the Roman governors got out of the Roman judgment hall and sat in the open on the chair when he was about to give his judgment. And that's what's happened now. He's come out onto the pavement, recall, and he's sitting down on the chair.

And just as he sat down, something happened. And, of course, John left it out and Moshe put it in. Now, watch it. Matthew 27, verse 19. Now, just watch how powerful this is. When Pilate was sat down on the judgment seat, just at the psychological moment when he sat down, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man?

For I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. You know, that was a wonderful moment. It must have been an electrifying moment for Pilate. You know, he's in a fit. He knows the prisoner's innocent.

He's already said that. He knows the cloud's determined. And they've just said something in through the door. They've just said, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend. You see, that's tantamount to saying, if you let him go, we'll accuse you to Caesar that you saved somebody who said he was the king.

And the man's in a terrible fit, and he comes out and sits down, and he's just sat down when this noose is handed up. He reaches his former wife. Have thou nothing to do with that just man? For I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

Friend, he's in the tight corner, isn't he? You know, God worked on this man's wife while she was on her bed. And God was going the second mile to put Pilate on Christ's side. My dear friends, I know, I know that from all eternity, God knew, God knew that Pilate would send him to the cross.

But there are two words you must always raise. It is, it is not the word, word he couldn't do anything else. It's the word he wouldn't do anything else. Knowledge of God, knowing that he wouldn't. It isn't the power of God making it that he couldn't.

It's the other way around. God is working. Is it God that moved this woman? Isn't it God at the psychological moment that's giving him this wonderful touch? There will be no sinners go down to the pit of hell, but God will be the mark on them.