Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-12-26
REVIEW OFTHEQUARTER
LESSON XIII, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, DEC. %.

Luke xiv. ABB, In, s-<,us cs>s hg
Scenes in Christ's En th,y ssls.ton.
Sketches of Participants in tho Tragedy.
The quarter now closing began with the
parable in which Christ announced To His
disciples the method of Gods dealing with
a sinful race. The world is typified as a
vineyard and the prophets rs messengers,
the proceeding closing with the murder of
the Son and prophecy of Gods judgments
on the murderers. Then follow the clos
ing scenes-the arrest, trial and cruciXion,
the glorious resurrection, final instruc-
tions and ascension. AS this is an epoch
concerning which some historical ques.
tions are raised, it seems well at this point
to turn aside from the texts and mention
some facts in the lives of the principal per
sons-facts which show the reason of their
words and actions as there recorded.
1t is no small proof of the authenticity
of the four gospels that tho writers every
where assume full knowledge on the part
of their readers of the nature of the Roman
government, and those who wrote chiefly
for the Jews do not pause to tell who
Annas and Caiaphas, lIerol and PLATE
were, they speak of them precisely as an
American writing today for American
son, Secretary Blaine and Governor Hill
If he were writing of events occurring in
England a century ago he would be care
full to add words explaining who the prin-
cipal men were and why they took certain
action under the law; nor is it possible for
the most able writer's to produce a work in
one century exactly in the style of the pre-
ceding century. This one fact is u power
full argument against a recent assumption
of inhdelity that the gospels were pro-
duCed Il century later than their assumed
dates.
OF the persons mentioned the most prom
inent is Pontius PLATE and we know his
history almost as well as that of any man
Of equal rank in the last century The
Jews had been conquered by the Romans,
and governors set over them by the Roman
enperors. PLATE was procurator of Judea,
just as Governor Bent was governor of
New Mexico soon after the Americans had
conquered that country: and us there were
quarrels and riots in New Mexico on &C
count of race and religion, so there were
in Judea. Similarly, as the United States
government refused to take notice of the
religious differences, but punished only
those who rebelled against the nation, so
Pilates duty was to disregard the com
plants of the Jews on merely religious
grounds. He therefore refused to execute
the judgment of Annas, Caiaphas and the
council, as it was merely for blasphemy;
so they brought a new charge, that of Sc
dition, to make case under Roman law
PLATE then assumed jurisdiction, and
questioned the prisoner, but as it was evil
dent that Christ's words and acts were not
aimed ut the government Plate pronounced
him faultless-three times, John says. But
PLATE cleared the people" Why? Be
cause he had already caused serious riots
by violating their religious feelings, and
knew that he was in danger of reprimand
from Rome. The cruel and suspicious Ii
berus was then emperor, and was chang
ing local rulers in every part of the empire.
PLATE was the sixth procurator of Judea,
and his first acts there had caused trouble.
He entered Jerusalem with the Roman
standards advanced, and planted them in
places considered sacred by the people
The latter looked upon the figures on the
standards as idolatrous, and there was a
bloody riot, so PLATE removed the stand
ards In his dilemma, anxious to placate
the people and unwilling to STAY the limo
cent, he gladly heard that Christ was IA
Galileean, and therefore sent him to Herod,
who ruled Galilee, but was at that time in
Jerusalem.
This was Herod Antipas, son of Herod
the Great and uncle of that Herod men
toned in Acts xii, man with all the
vigor and executive ability of his family,
and with more than their average taste for
social philosophy and research. To him
Christ was no more than a curiosity; he
wanted the Saviour to talk, "to give his
views,' as modern politician would say,
and had some hopes of seeing him work a
miracle. Christ, therefore, received all his
speeches with dignified silence; il was no
part of his earthly mission to satisfy the
idly curious. Herod, therefore, returned the
prisoner to PLATE, who made one more fee
BILE effort against the popular clamor, then
weakly yielded and gave over the innocent
one to n cruel death.
The subsequent history of the two rulers
is in the highest degree instructive, and by
a series of events which seem providential
the facts are clearly proved by the testi-
4lony of Jews and Romans who, if they
had any feeling on the subject, were hostile
to Christianity. The very evil which PLATE
had consented to the crucifxon to avoid
soon came upon him; he attempted by
cruelty to suppress outbreaks, and the
cruelty provoked greater instruction. AT
length he perpetrated IA massacre of the
SamarltanS, so atroclOuS that the home gov
eminent interfered. PLATE was recalled,
tried and Condemned to Punishment to
Vienne, in Gaul (France). There authentic
history leaves him. There was tradition
that he lived in cave III the mountain
now called by his name and drowned him
self in "A small lake near its summit, but
this is not proved.
Ierod Antipas INDUCED his passion for
art and luxury as long as Tiberius re-
manned emperor. The latter, however, was
succeeded by Caligula, equally cruel and
suspicious, and partly insane. To him
went Herod with request that he might
have the title of king and the powers of
his father, but it was his misfortune to
reach Rome at the time when Caligula
was enraged by the discovery of IA plot.
Herod was arrested and narrowly escaped
death, He, too, was banished, and finally
died in Spain. He had married a daughter
of Aretas, king of Arabia Petrea, and re.
pudiated her to marry his half brother
Philips wife. This caused war with Are
tas and much misery During these
troubles Herod Agrippa, grandson OF