Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-06-14
JESUS CRUCIFIED.
LESSON XII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, JUNE te.


Text of the Lesson, Mark xv 21-2S--Com-
nit Verses 25-2S-Golden Text, Phil. Il,
s-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission of H. s. Hoffman, publisher Philadel-
phia.l
81. "And they compel one Simon, eyre
MAN who passed by, to bear His
cross" Both Matthew and Luke also relate
this incident, while John says that HE, bear
ing His cross, went forth" xix, n. 1t would
appear that Jesus Himself bore His own cross
as they started forth for Calvary, but either
on account of His giving evidence of fainting
under it, or on account of His moving too
slowly for them because of weakness through
suffering, they lay hold upon this man and
compel him to bear it after Jesus.
%. "And they bring Him into the place,
Golgotha." Matthew and John each give
the same name and the same significance to
it, 1.-THE place of a skull, while Luke calls it
Calvary, which is the Greek equivalent for
the Chaldee Golgotha, and signifies the same
John xix, 20, says that it was nigh to the
city, and Rev. XII, S, identifies it with the CITY,
Luke is the only one who makes any men,
ton of the walk from Pilates judgment hall
to the place of crucifixion, and he tells us of
great company of people and women who
followed, bewailing and lamenting, and that
Jesus spoke to them, saying that there was
more occasion to weep for themselves than
for Him, because of the judgments about to
fall on their city and nation. Luke also
mentions the two others as being led with
Him to be put to DEATH luke xiii, 1887
49, "And they gave Him to drink wine
mingled with myrrh, but He received it not"
Matthew says that it was vinegar mingled
with gall, and that when He had tasted He
would not drink. As the vinegar was a sour
kind of light wine, the usual beverage of the
Roman soldiers, and the word gall is used to de-
note anything bitter, therefore both accounts
perfectly agree. and there was fulfillment of
that which was written: They gave me also
gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave
me vinegar to drink" Ns. Xix, 21.) 1t may
be that this drink was Supplying potion
mercifully given to lessen the sufferings, but
if so, it is manifest that Jesus would take
nothing to tighten in any way that which He
came to endure.
"a And when they had crucifed Him"
Who can tell the agony contained in that
sentenced Let every teacher make it as real
as possible both to himself and to his
scholars.
&c "And the superscription of His accusa-
ton was written over, The King of the Jews"
John gives the title in full as Jesus of Naza-
reth, the King of the Jews and says that it
was written in Hebrew and Greek and
Latin; and that although the chief priests
found fault with it, Plate insisted on keeping
it as he had written it. Thus was proclaimed
to all the world the truth yet to be made
] anif 70 oil hat no
crucified Nazarene is indeed the King of the
Jews, who as an immortal man shall sit on
David's throne and reign over the House of
Jacob and at the same time be King over oil
the earth. luke i, 30, 80; Zech xiv, 81
81 And with Him they cruelty two
thieves; the one on His right hand, and the
other on His left" Jesus in the midst as if
He were the greatest criminal of the three
how every possible indignity both in life and
death was heaped upon Him as if the Devil
could not do enough to incite men TO mani
fest his and their hatred of this Holy and
spotless Lamb of God; and now He is by
these surroundings pointed out as a fit com
panion of murderers and thieves.
%. And the scripture was fulfilled which
saith, And He was numbered with the trans
gressors"
90. And they that passed by rallied on
Him" They use the words of some of the
false witnesses, perverson of some of Jesus
words, and thus even in His sore distress they
revile Him; such is their conduct that it
seems as if hell itself was let loose upon Him,
and was it not even 500
so. "Save thyself, and come down from the
cross" Matthew adds: IF thou be the Son
of God" He could save Himself had He de-
sired it, for all the soldiers in the world could
not take Him, nor all the nails ever made
hold Him ON the cross, unless He was willing
to be taken and held; but he chose not to
save Himself in order that He might save u.s.
81. Likewise also the chief priests, mock
ing, said among themselves with the scribes
He saved Others Himself He cannot save"
Perhaps they did not think what they were
saying when they confessed that He saved
others"
80. LET Christ the King Of Israel descend
now from the cross, that We may see and be-
leve." No, you shall not be gratifed, for it
is unbelief and hatred that asks it but the
time will come when this same Jesus shall
descend from Heaven in power and great
glory and then shall Israel weep and mourn
as they look upon Him whom they have
pierced and see that it is Jesus.
SO. And when the sixth hour was come
there was darkness over the whole land until
The hooking has ceased, this is no natural
darkness, and solemn stiffness is upon all
1t reminds us of the darkness of Gen. i, 2,
and the three days darkness in Egypt that
couldEbe felt.
3+37. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried
with loud voice, and gave up the
ghost" After uttering these words of verse
81, which are found in Ps xxi, /, he added
later II thirst" 1T is finished" Father,
into Thy hands commend my spirit" The
seven sayings from the cross are found in the
probable order in which they were uttered,
in the following passages: Luke xiii, "a, 49,:
John xix, 81; Matt. xvii, 40; John xix, 2s,
so; Luke xiii, 4G; and direct our thoughts
to His love for sinners, reception of peni-
tents, care for our need, the depth of His
sufferings, His thirst for souls, completed
atonement, triumph of faith; but as little do
we understand or appreciate these cries as
did they who thought that He called for
Elias.
q. IS "And the veil of the temnle was rent in