The National tribune., 1890-10-23
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

Practical Duties Taught by n Study OF the Inter.
national Sunday school lesson Appointed for
Nov. ., 1890. 81. Luke, - Sill.
zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures AZ
Indicated above.l
SUBJECTS: /. CHRIST BEFoREANNAs. III. THE
DENIALs OF PETER. III. CHRIST BEFORE
CAIAPHAs. ". CHRIST BEFORE THE SAN
uEDRIM.
|. THE TRIAL BEFORE AENAs.
/. Data.
st. Mt, &c So; st. Nix, Il: 81: st. Luke,
% 81 from and brought him" to close OF
the verse;, SO; st. John, I8: 1876, H. st. John
gives the fullest account.
9. Time.
We locate ourselves at not far from midnight,
Friday, March L. A. ID. % This was the
early part of the same day on which our Savior
was cructied. We notice IL was a chilly day
in Spring month, and hence the need Of re.
(St John, 49, 49, Being night, il was colder
Tho gathering was entirely informal. Il was
Illegal 10 hold night session OF the Sanhcdrim
for capital trial.
3, Circumstances.
Jesus after insttuting the Lords Supper left
Mount Zion and went with the Twelve over TO
Gethsem me. Then followed the agony of the
auuoIluH oANIOEs AIteF Is time, on came n RAD
bic To arrest him. tFor description Of them see
st. Matt, 26 AZ; st. Mark, Ii: 10: ST. Luke
% "a; st. John, Is: 81 They seize Christ and
lead him back To the city for trial.
4. AHnas
From Gethsemane Jesus is taken first TO the
residence (palacej tSt. John. Is l5) of Annas
Anuas received appointment as High Priest
A. ID. z. The Imperial Governor Of Syria.
Quirinus gave him the authority. He was
dcposod A. u. II, and succeeded successfully
by lsmael, EleazaT, Simon, and then by Joseph
taiaphas IA about the year A. ID. %. But all
tho time Annas was held in great respect. Some
think he was President of the Sanhedrim
Many believe no acted even in the time Of
Christ "a High Priest ecclesiastically, while
Caiaphas was High Priest in the civil sense.
Another form of the name Aunas is Hauaniah
He was father-in-law of Caiaphas. IL has been
suspected by some Annas was the Deputy High
Priest.
T. Place
The scene is located in tho court of the house
Of Annas at Jerusalem. His residence was
probably like that OF most Eastern houses. We
can get an idea of such an abode from a
note in RObinson's Harmony of the Gospels as
follows:
An Oriental house "a usually built round quad
rauguiar interior court. into which there Is pas
sage tsomeimes arclodl through the front part OF
Jag gate, with small wicket for single persons,
kept by porter. la the text, the interior court,
often paved OF tagged, and open To- the sky, j. the
bail where tue attendants made q tires aud the
passage beneath the front Of the house from the
street o this court - the porch gateway. The
place where Jesus stood before the high priest may
have been an open room place of audience on the
ground floor ia the rear one side of the court.
such rooms, open In front being very customary.
5. 81. Peter.
We find that the Apostle Peter was presen
Mt the trial before Annas The "other Dis
ciple " (St. John, Is: l5l is unknown by name,
bat IL is generally supposed he was st. John.
lie was well known at the house of Anuas, so
that even tho doorseeper recognized him. 1t
is plain Peter had followed from Gethsemane
TO the house OF Anuas keeping, however, far
enough oil not TO be- arrested.
6. Suggestions.
l. There Is always danger when we follow
Christ " aiar off" tSt. Matt. %: So
.. We notice the principle of intercession,
tho speaking good word for another and thus
securing him favor. (St John. Is ;l6.)
II, The DENIALs OF PETER.
/. Data.
st. Mt, 26: 6972; st. NIX, 14:0G-72; st.
LIKE %: 56-62; st. John, Is: II, 10 %, 25-27.
Tins we notice all four Gospels report the three
donials.
q Time
This agrees practically with that in the para
graph above since we move on, say, for one half
hour
3. Place
Same as in paragraph above. The fire was
built In the midst of the court of the house. and
Peter drew near 10 the heat. Tho part of the
court devoted To the trial WAS elevated some
what above the tiled floor. 1t may DO the court
was held in an alcove of the main court room
and somewhat raised. Thus we eau account fos
the statement in ~. Marks account, III: co. to
wit, Peter was beneath in tho palace" and
also the assertion in ST. Matt, (26 Co., viz,
3" Peter sat without" outside tho courtroom
proper, and lower down.
L. The Deilals
We must recall Chrsts foretelling Peter of
his fall. (St Matt, 90: 81, 30; st. NIX, Ii: 80,
81 st. Luke, % 3i-3l
Now hear the record Of what happened early
Friday morning: - Simon Peter followed Jesus,
and SO did another Disciple. That Disciple
was known unto tho High Priest, and went
with Jesus into the palace of the High Priest
But Peter stood at the door without. Then
went out that other Disciple, which was known
unto the High Priest and spoke unto her that
kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then
saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter,
Art thou also one of this mans Discplos?'
He saith, am not" That was Peters first
denial.
We do not wait great while for the second
denial. read the report; "Simon Peter stood
and warmed himself. They (the bystanders)
said therefore unto him, Art thon not also one
of his DiscipIes2' He deaied, and said Il am
not"
Now comes the third denial zone of the
servants of the High Priest saith, Did not
see thee in the garden with him?' peter then
denied again; and Immediately the cock crew."
Thus Satan was sitting Peter.
Now we understand what Christ meant when
he said: Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired
To have you that no may sift you us wheat"
But Christ added, II have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not Did Peters faith fail?
Not fully not beyond restoration. But did
he regain faithf Christ said when thou art
converted q. o., when thou hast recovered thy
self strengthen thy brethern."
Was st. Peter restored? We read: 1.-THE
Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And
Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how