The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-29
SABBATH SCH00L.N
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER 2.
Lesson Text: "Jesus Accused,":
Luke xii, 64-71- Golden
Text: Isaiah liii., O.
Commentary.

blessing soma one now bound by wicked men; |
and He suffers 1t meekly. A little while ago
we saw Peter blundering, but now he is fol- !
lowing efar off, and we shall see him worse
before he is better. And all through self .
confidence and sleeping when he ought to +
have watched and prayed. Oh, let us watch
and pray and follow fully.
S. "And when they had kndled fire In !
the midst of the hall, and were set down TO-.
gether, Peter sat down among them" This
| Is surely down grade. For few verses
now we leave our Lord in the hands Of His
captors, and consider Peter being sifted. And
what q contrast between the disciple and his
Masterl The one faithful unto death, the
other in the company Of those who hated
Him and were seeking His life
56 "But certain maid behind him as he
sat by the fire. and certainly looked upon
him and said, This man was also with Him"
| We are observed when we least think it, and
| by those whom we think see nothing. Let
a person go from home, and being among .
strangers, and unknown las he thinks, let
him do the least thing that he would not do
| if at home, and it will surely be carried
abroad and at some time brought home to
wrong, he was simply pointed out BY this
maid as follower Of Jesus, and judging
| from his previous confessions In Matt. xvi,
16; John W., SO, SO, we would have expected
him to stand by his colors and rejoice to own
Jesus as his Lord.
81. "And he denied Him, saying, Woman,
I know Him not" Did you act that way
when you found yourself among the scoferss
Or if you did not openly say that you were
was ridiculed. or the Bible sneered at, give
consentP Or do you always by word and
deed proclaim yourself on the Lords sides
| What lie Peter told what base and cow
ardly spirit he manifested Jesus was close
| by, and heard and saw it all but Peter did
| not think of that.
SO. "And after a little while another saw
him and said, Thou art also one OF them.
| And Peter said, Man, I am not" Another
opportunity Of confessing Christ Is given to
this poor erring man, but again he loses 1t
and adds sin to sin. Matthew says that this
time he denied it with an oath (Matt. xvi,
72). He is yielding terribly to tie flesh. The
devil is pressing him hard and he is fast
drifting away.
SO. 'FAnd about the space of one hour after
another confidently affirmed, saying, Or O
truth this fellow was also with Him, for ne
Galilean." One more opportunity to confess
Christ. Angels would gladly have done 1t.
Gabriel would come to do it as quickly as he
came to Daniel.
&C. "And Peter said, Man know not what
thou sayest. And Immediately, while he yet
spake, the cock crew." Matthew says that
he now began to curse and swear Matt. XVI,
IA. What sink of iniquity is the heart Of
mani How desperately wicked! ....
81. "And the Lord turned, and looked upon
| Peter. And Peter remembered the word OF
the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before
the cock crow thou shalt deny Me thrice"
The Lord had seen and heard it all, and no
doubt it grieved Him to His heart, and Peter
had added to His much sorrow, but He loved
His SHINING one through it all, and this look
now turned upon him must have been full OF
tenderest love, mingled with deepest sad
ness; saying loudly to Peter as He had said
long before to Israel: Thou hast destroyed
thyself; but in Ne is thine help. Return unto
the Lord thy God. for though hast fallen by
thine iniquity" Hos. xiii, 9; xiv, y.
o2. "And Peter went out and wept Bit
terly." That loving look pierced his heart
and brought him to his senses. He saw 1t
all now; Jesus was right and he was wrong;
he though he had some strength when he
had none. Had he gone out before he de-
MED his Master be had saved himself much
sorrow, but better even now than not at all.
He goes out; he is alone; 1t Is as cold now
as when he warmed himself at their fire, but
| he is not so cold; he thinks of nothing now
but his fearful sin and his loving Master,
and we can easily fancy that we see the strong
man weeping as if his heart would break.
63. stAnd the men that held Jesus mocked
Him and smote Him." We now turn from
Peter, who failed, to Peters Lord, who fail
eth never. Peter they only spoke to and ac-
cusei OF being with Jesus; but Jesus they
mock and even smite. Read the full account
of this fearful night Of mockery and insult
and injury, as given BY the four evangelists,
and picture it in its darkest colorS, and still
the half has not been told.
64 land when they had blindfolded Him,
they struck him on the face, and asked Him,
saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thes?'
65. And many other things blasphem-
ously spake they against Him" Bufeted,
Knocked. spoken against, but He fails not.
66. '.And as soon as it was day, the elders
scribes came together, and led Him unto
their council" Thefearful night had passed
and the more fearful day had come. An or
dinary sieepless night is trying and units
one for the next day, but such night as he
! had passed would break down many one.
And now He is before the Jewish council,
where He will have as much justice as lamb
among wolves.
81, S. "A.rt thou the Christ? tell us. And
He said unto them, II tell you, ye will not
believe; and if I also ask you, ye will not an
swer Me nor let Me co." He knew that they
meant to kill Him, and that their question
was au idle one. He knew that His hour had
come to bs offered up. and that this was the
way to the cross. He might have wished 1t
over and done with; but He will not hurry
matters. He will 60 meekly and patiently
to the end.
SO. Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit
on the right hand OF the power Of. God. |"
Matthew adds, ''And come in the clouds OF
heaven" XVI, 64). He has not yet been
brought before the Roman governor. He has
been before Annas and CaiaphaS, and now
Heis still before the Jewish council, and He
reminds them of the words of their prophet
Daniel vii, l3) concerning the coming of the
Son of Man in glory. Things will be changed
then; there will be no mocIery nor triaing at
that court. for He, the righteous one, will be
the judge. Then will He come as the noble
man from the far country, and the wicked
| citizens who would not have Him reign over
them shall be slain, while all truly penitent
shall be saved, and all the faithful rewarded.
20. 'rThen said they all, Art Thou then the
Son Of Gods And He said unto them, Ye
say that am" He acknowledges that it Is
even so. He is the Son Of Man and the Son
of God, the Divine human Messiah. the God
man to sit in due time on David's throne. He
has by word and deed proved Himself to bs
the one foretold by the prophets, and now
they are by their conduct fulfilling other
prophecies concerning Him, as Peter after
ward told them on the day of Pentecost
! tActs it,, %, 23).
II. land they said: What need we any
| further witnesss for we ourselves have heard
of His own mouth" So because He said He
was what he truly was, and what God the
Father had on two occasions said from
heaven shat He was Matt. ill.,, II; xviii 81,
He has in their judgment committed an un-
pardonaols sin and must be put to death.
We'll, let US not wonder if to this day the
wrong is often uppermost, and right goes TO
| the wall: it will be so till He comes. But let