14. That He is the righteous One whom the Jews should put to death.

In the Wisdom of Solomon: “Let us lay hold of the righteous, because He is disagreeable to us, and is contrary to our works, and reproacheth us with our transgressions of the law.^40254025    The Oxford translation here inserts from the Apocrypha, without authority even for its text, “and objecteth to us the transgressions of the law.” He professeth that He has the knowledge of God, and calls Himself the Son of God; He has become to us an exposure of our thoughts; He is grievous unto us even to look upon, because His life is unlike to others, and His ways are changed. We are esteemed by Him as frivolous, and He restraineth Himself from our ways, as if from uncleanness; and He extols the last end of the righteous, and boasts that He has God for His Father. Let us see, then, if His words are true, and let us try what will come to Him. Let us interrogate Him with reproach and torture, that we may know His reverence and prove His patience. Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death.  These things they considered, and erred. For their maliciousness hath blinded them, and they knew not the sacraments of God.”^40264026    Wisd. ii. 12–22. Also in Isaiah: “See ye how the righteous perisheth, and no man understandeth; and righteous men are taken away, and no man regardeth. For the righteous man is taken away from the face of unrighteousness, and his burial shall be in peace.”^40274027    Isa. lvii. 1, 2. [Justin, vol. i. 203.]  Concerning this very thing it was before foretold in Exodus:  “Thou shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous.”^40284028    Ex. xxiii. 7. Also in the Gospel: “Judas, led by penitence, said to the priests and elders, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.”^40294029    Matt. xxvii. 3, 4.