The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-05-31
JESUS ON THE CROSS.
LESSON X, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JUNE 8.

OLNUD OIN 1llG OllVODs
LESSON X, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JUNE 8.
re1t of the Lesson. Matt. xvii, $3.50.
Golden Text. Phil. II. s-Afemorizs
Verses 35-37-Comment By Rev. h. s.
Hoffman.
condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission of H. s. Holman, Philadelphia
publisher.]
Notes.-v. So. Golgotha, usual place Of
execution. The Latin word calvary, its
equivalent, also means skull, from its conical
shape. V. "a. Vinegar, bitter, Supplying
drink to deaden the feeling of pain. v. 3S
Thieves, robbers. v. 50. Wagging their
heads, in token of derision and insnlt, Job
xvi, 4; Ps. elk, 25. V. 45. Darkness, not an
eclipse, but preternatural gloom that indi-
Gated the awfully wicked deed done. v. 49,
Eli, or "Eloi" Ps. xxi, /; lisa. Lii, 10;
xiii, 3-5. V. SO. Cried again, sit is
finished" John xix, 80. Loud voice, a shout
Of victory, Luke xiii, 46.
V. SO. The Via Dolorosa or Via Crucis, or
the Lords road from the Pratorium to Col
gotha, which required on this occasion a half
an hour to pass, was marked at every step by
the blood which oozed from the freshly
scourged body of Jesus The natural pain
from the scourging was augmented by the
heavy cross which he, like all the con-
demned, had to bear. Exhausted by long
watching, by troubled night such as no
man ever since or before pesqad through and
now by the most intense bodily suffering. be
at last tainted and sunk under the burden of
his cross, SO that Simon, the Cyrean, was
seized to help him carry it.
Golgotha, or Calvary, an elevated place
somewhat resembling in shape human
skull, was then without the city limits, for
capital punishment was not permitted within
the walls. This was also Roman law He
was cast out of the city of God, that we
might obtain entrance into the heavenly
Jerusalem. Golgotha, once the most dread
full and horrible place on the earth, had be-
come through Christ the mountain of bless
ings. Christian transform the vilest sinner
into shining saint.
V. a. There was offered our Lord the
usual potion given to such as were crucified
to stupefy the senses, but he was unwilling
to dull them to pain or to dim his commun-
ion with God. He came to taste eur death,
and he wished no intoxicant to blunt that
taste.
v. IS. The criminal having arrived at the
place of execution, was required to be stripped
of all his clothes, and then was laid upon the
cross with his arms stretched out upon its
cross beams. Then by several strong and
well directed blows of a mallet OF hammer
huge nails were driven through the hands
and feet, fastening the body to the instru-
~ kho <>l
and let fall violently into the hole that had
been previously dug in the earth. 1t was so
cruel and shameful mode of punishment as
never to have been meted out to Roman citi-
zens, but reserved only for slaves, rebels and
the most abandoned and worthless characters.
1t was at the same time the most painful
form of death. a. The position of the arms
and body was most unnatural The least
motion caused the most intense smart t2.)
| The nails were driven through clusters of the
| most sensitive nerves and tendons of the
hands and feet, causing the most exquisite
| anguish. 49, The exposure of so many
| wounds to the air and the heat of midday
| brought ON violent Inflammation. a. The
| free circulation of the blood was prevented
More blood was carried out by the arteries
than could be returned by the veins This
caused determination of blood to the brain,
producing inexpressible agony. g. Death
was not immediate. The pain increased and
some had been known to languish thus till
the seventh day. Our Saviours sufferings
soon terminated, because of the intense suf-
fering of mind and body which preceded his
crucifixion. Only the inquisition, with its
| fiendish inventions, has been able to equal
this torturing death. Such was the death
Jesus died, to make atonement for our sins.
| All that he suffered was for us. What a
price was paid for us. If he died for us,
what ought we not be willing to do for him!
| w. SO. The soldiers now watched him that
none should remove the body. Sometimes
this watch lasted several days.
| V. 81. 1t was customary to attach to the
| cross the crime and name of the crucified
person. PLATE wrote or caused to have writ
| ten the crime for which Jesus was executed.
| Schaff
" 49, To add an additional shame to
| Christ's crucifxiOn he was associated and ex-
ecuted with malefactors.
V. 80, 40. "His crucifed condition was in
such contrast with the title over him and
| with his own words, as to excite the mirth of
the crowd" Peloubet. They perverted
words which Jesus used. But it is remarkable
that what was then taking place resulted in
the destruction of the temple. They derided
his claims and jested at his agonies. He
could not come down from the cross because
he was the Messiah Had he come down he
would not have been the anointed Christ
| He who seeks first to save himself is never
able to save others. -1 y
| V. Al, AZ The offense for which Jesus was
crucified was that he claimed to be divine
that he was the Messiah, that he was the Son
of God All this he was, and by numerous
miracles proved that he was more than q
mere man. The mass of the people were
eager to hail him as the long expected Mes
siah But because his kingdom was not
temporal, but spiritual, they rejected him
Unwittingly the chief priests scribes and
elders, who reviled and Knocked, bore testi
mony to his having ~ ''saved Others" 2
trusted God" and 81 said II am the Son OF
God"
" A. Up to this time both Of the thieves
upbraided Christ but a wondrous and
blessed change was now wrought in one
Gods Spirit can turn blasphemy into prayer
and scoffers into saints.
V. As. The darkness was preternatural
and was not caused by an eclipse of the sun
for the moon was full, making an eclipse i'm
possible.
V. 46. We seem to tave in this exclamation
an intensified renewal of the agony Of Geth
semane. The climax of his substitutionary
sufferings is now reached. In bis terribl,
anguish it seemed to the human nature O
Christ that he was deserted by God. But b.
was really not forsaken. he could still "a,
"My God" "Even If God hides bis fac
from US we need not despair; the sun Of hi
grace is still behind the clouds of Judgment
Schaf. l1g
V. AZ, 4s. His enemies indulge in godles
pun upon the word ''Eli' to derids him ant
his Messianic claims. At this tame Jesus ut
tered his fifth word from the cross, 81 thirst
John xix, 2s), and in answer to it the sou
wine in a sponge was lifted to his lips. Thi
was a weak wine, without the ingredient
first offered him ". S9 and could not intoxi
. cate. Therefore he drank it M
v. so. The ransom is fully paid The atone
J ment is perfected The old dispepsationl 1
! ended His suffering lie is over. The cuTs
is removed And herca with loud voic
, Jesus said, tetelesta, sit is fiuished," job
xix, so.