Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-05-26

Holman.
| ECondensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
| permission Of II. s. Hoffman, Philadelphia, pub.
lishcr.l
Notes.-V. 81. Spit in his face, showing
| the highest contempt and insult, Numbers
xii, IA; Job xxx, TO- Buffeted, striking with
closed hands or with the fists. V. 6s. Luke
(xxii, 90 and Mark txiv, CD tell us that they
blindfolded him before saying these words.
v. 60. Without, In the outer court or space,
where the servants gathered. Damsel,
FORTRESS who kept the door, John
v. a. Porch, the small apartment between
the outer door and the large hall in the GEN.
ter Of the building. V. 73. After a while,
about an hour later, Luke xxi, 90 Speech
bewrayeth, his Galilean accent showed it.
v. "A Began he to curse and swear, losing
all control Of himself he went on to worse
sins. V. 70. Thrice, three times. Luke xxi,
81 tells us Jesus looked on him. Wept bit
terly, the thought Of deep guilt swept over
Peters soul and he went out into the darkness
to repent of his sins.
| Few events in the Bible are so full of hu-
man nature and divine grace, Of warning
and comfort, as the fall and restoration OF
Peter. The nearest parallel case in the Bible
Is the great sin and repentance of David.
After the preliminary trial before the high
priest had taken place many Of tho members
of the Jewish sanhedrim assembled in the
council hall. They knew Jesus was TO be
arrested, and hence were ready. Perhaps
such members as Nicodemus and Joseph of
Aramathea were absent The sanhedrim
had authority to try those charged with cap
ital offenses, but could not execute the sem
tence of death. In This midnight trial of
( Jesus every rule of Jewish law seems to have
been violated in the haste and eagerness to
condemn him. A night trial was not legal
To be bound as a malefactor before he was
arraigned, to be beaten before verdict was
rendered, to be struck In open court while
the trial was going on, were all in violation
OF every sense Of right and Justice The ir-
regular and illegal trial of him by night was
suspended until daybreak so that they could
then secure from PLATE the sentence of his
death. In the time elapsing till daylight
occurred the maltreatment by his lawless
enemies and the denial by Peter.
/ V. 81. After the sanhedrim had pro-
nounced him sguilty of deathn he was sub
jected to series of indignities Before the
trial in the house of Annas he was struck by
one Of the officers. Doubtless others in au-
| thority offered him insults. The common
/ guard soon followed in jeer and mockery.
The abusive insults of the underlings was tho
| natural sequence Of the more formal mockerv
| of their superiors. Let it not surprise US If,
as followers of Jesus we too receive insults
v. g. After they had blindfolded him
they scoffed at his prophetic Office as Mes
| siah Jesus answered not a word, though all
the universe was at his command No act is
SO contemplate as to ridicule good persons
or holy things. And yet when we are
Knocked silence is best
| v. 60 Peter was now inside tho court yard
Of the palace of Caiaphas. He had gained
admittance through John, who was known
at the palace With the servants be was
sitting around the fire, for tho night was
cold. A FORTRESS looking upon Peter said
that he was with Jesus. This drew upon
him the eyes Of all about. An obscure SER
want becomes now the innocent occasion Of
the downfall Of the chief Of the apostles.
v. 20. In the most cowardly fashion he re-
| sorts TO evasion, which always leads to direct
falsehood and often perjury.
v. Il. Perhaps wishing to escape the fur
ther observation Of the servants, he went
into the vestibule or porch leading into tho
street. where another female slave In ridicule
accused him Of being with Jesus Perhaps
several at the time confirmed her statement.
Christians cannot long be hid when among
men Of the world.
v. 72. Now he boldly denies his Master,
and the long cast of habit Of swearing comes
back to him In the moment of excitement.
He told an unblushing, positive lie, when he
| said that he knew not Christ, and then tried
to confirm his falsehood with an oath. Sin
grows when it is not checked. The disciple
first and loudest to profess his Lord, now
vehemently denies himl Times Of fanatical
defense OF the faith arc often followed by
| base denial.
v. 73. The men who stood by must have
had q contempt for Peters perfidy.
VIA. Irritated beyond endurance, with a
| positive witness against him, Peter now re-
sorted to calling down curses on himself,
that what he said was true, affirming before
God what he knew to be false How the sins
Of his former life came again TO the surfaced
| There is much hidden and remaining sin in
the best Christian.
When the cock crew Peter remembered
what Jesus had said And it was now that
| Jesus turned and looked upon Peter. It was
| the look OF wounded love- History bears to
as the tradition that ever after when Peter
heard the Growing OF a cock he fell on his
face and mourned over his base denial of his
Lord
| At about o'clock In the morning, when
his last denial occurred, Peter hurried out
| into the dark, and gave way to deep sorrow
for his sins He not only wept, but wept bit
terly We must not only notice Peters sins,
but his sincere tears Of repentance The re-
| morse Of Judas made him rush out and hang
| himself The repentance Of Peter made him
/ turn to God with tears and cries. The re-
membrance Of his great sin ever after hum
| bled his proud and self confident spirit. His
| repentance was complete
| Notice the causes Of Peters sin. a. He
| followed Jesus afaf Of Had he kept nearer
| to Jesus be would have been safer. B. He
! got separated from the other disciples. Had
/ they kept closer together they all would have
| beon stronger C. He underrated and neg
| lected the warnings Of Jesus. Ho was ap-
| brised Of coming danger. a Heidi not be-
| lisys the word of the Lord 1Ih had tn 'n'seh