The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-12
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER 10.
Lesson Text: Jesus Condemned
Luke xxlii.,: 1325-Golden
Text: Isa. liii.. 8-CoD-
mentary.

with Herod, through Jesus rejected, he has
not vet made friends with the jews, and
Jesus is again before him to be disposed OF:
There is q greater question than that OF
friendship or enmity with people either In :
high or low places on this earth, and that
question, "What shall I do with Jesus,
Plate must now attend to and settle forever.
The same matter is before every one who has
heard that Gospel, and while it may be post
poned, and God in great mercy continue His
long suffering, yet the time will come when
it must be settled in one way or the other,
H. "Ye have brought this man unto me
as one that perverteth the people; and, be-
hold, I, having examined Him before you,
have found no fault in this man, touching
those things whereof ye accuse Him." This
is Pilates second testimony to His innocence
(see VS.. 81, and on the Jews who have plainly
failed in their case against Jesus; for Plate
insists that their accusations against this
man are unfounded, and that He Is Innocent
of the things laid to His charge. What
record this is against the Jews and in favor
of Jesus, and it stands in the eternal word Of :
God. ~,
Is. mo, nor yet Herod, for sent youto
him, and 10, nothing worthy Of death Is
done unto Him." Here Is the strong testi-
accusation Of the Jews and in favor of Je-
sus. Even though it had been otherwise, and
both bad thought to have found some cure
of death in Him, while that would have made
these governors to be on the side Of the Jews
it would have proved nothing against Jesus,
for no man knoweth the Son save the
Father. :
10. ~ will therefore chastise Him and re-,s
lease Him" Insisting that He was innocent,
yet ready to chastise Him, even though he
should the next moment release Him. How
strange and inexplainable it oil seemst And
yet they treated the apostles thus little
later, when, being able to prove nothing
against them, and being advised by Gamaiiel
to letthem alone, before they let them 60
they took them and beat them. tActs
4O.)
II. For of necessity he must release one
unto them at the feast" And gladly would
he improve this opportunity to set Jesus
free. John xviii, &c. stiles it thus: .sYe
have custom that I should release unto
you one at the passover. Will ye therefore
that release unto you the King Of the JewsTS
We are not told how this custom arose nor
how long it had been crstoms but when
we remember that over two millions Of peo.
pie had been released from cruel bondage by
the first passover it is interesting to notice
the faintest shadow Of a reminder of this by
the release Of one prisoner from bondage at
each passover feast; and it seems that the
VI piiSOAelS ldJ Will IutLl. ..ssfE=
18. "And they cried out all at once, saying,
Away with this man, and release unto Us
Barabbas." In Matt xvii, 20, it is said
that this was the advice of the chiefs priesA
and elders. How they hated Jesus! How
they thirsted for His blood. Surely they ara
like wolves and lions, and the dogs which In
a few moments left nothing Of Jezabel but
the skull and feet and palms of her hands
III Kings, X. 35. II
19. "Who for certain sedition made in the
city and for murder was cast into prison.
ber John xviii, 40 and murderer. II Like
attracts like, then we see how it was. They
were all robbers in the highest degree, fot !
they were guilty of robbing God (Mal. ill.,, 8,
o., and had even made His temple den OF
thieves or robbers luke xix. 49,. And as to
their being murderers, ''he that hateth his
brother is a murderer" q John i'll, 15, and
they were not only hating Jesus their brother,
but Jesus their King and their God. Truly
they were as He said, "Of their father the. !,
devil, who was a murderer from the begin
ming, liar and the father Of it' John win,
AZ And they were now acting like good
children of such father.
90. "Pilate therefore, willing to release
Jesus, spake again to them" 1t may have
been just here that they said: "We have
law, and by our law He ought to die, be-
cause He made Himself the Son Of God.u
For when Plate heard that saying he was
he talked with Jesus privately Jesus said -
Thou couldst have no power against Ne,
except it were given thee from above; 4
therefore he that delivered Me unto thee
hath the greater sim" 1t is said that from
thenceforth PLATE sought to release Him :
John xix, II, 12 But if he was willing to
release Him and sought to release Him, why
did he not do it, II he could have pleased
everybody by doing so it would have been
do right, because he could not do what he
knew to be right and yet be pleasing to all
he hesitates and struggles on in his vain en-
deavor.
81. But they cried, saying, Cruelty Him,
Cruelty Him." or they continued crying
Cruelty Him" They had but one desire
concerning Him, and to all else they were
deaf and blind Die He must, and they
would not cease till it was accomplished.
Oh, that the followers Of Jesus had in bis
cause the persistence and zeal which the fol-
nwers Of the devil have in hissarvica Thor
would the Gospel soon be preached in all the
world for witness, and the kingdom would
come. -
%. "And he, saidunto them the third time
Why what evil hath he donet have found Z
no cause Of death in Him. I will therefore
chastise Him and let Him go" Well, Plate,
what does your three-fold testimony to His
innocence and your two-foid threat to chas-
tise' Him and Let Him go amount to II you
do not let Him 60? In the name OF all that
is, right, Let Him 60 without chastisement,
since You are sure that He Is innocent. or
else cease your efforts, confess yourself q
coward and crafty quickly these bloodthirsty
dogs.
5s. 'tAnd they were instant with loud
voices, requiring that He might be crucifed.
And the voices Of them and of the chief
tional arguments which the Jews used, prob
ably about this time. 1.-The Jews cried out,
saying, II thou let this man go, thou art
not Caesars friend. Whosoever maketh
himself.a king speaketh against Cesar"
When Plate heard that he brought Jesus
forth. And when they added, 1--WE have no
king but Cesar" that settled it John XIX,
l2, 15). A little while before it was Barab-
bas. robber and murderer, instead Of a
Christ; and now it is this worlds emperor
instead of Christ. So the world and the
levn prevailed, and still the Creator Of all
;hings huulbleS Himself to endure.
"a. And Plate gave sentence that it
should be as they required" He knew no
higher power than Caesar. and him he will
honor (but only for the sake of his position),.
ct who may 60 to the wall. But Plate has
lot an easy conscience about it yet, for "he
took water and washed his hands before the
multitude saying, I am innocent Of tho
blood of this Just person; see ye to it."
25. "And he released unto them him that
for sedition and murder was cast into pris-
on, whom they had desired, but he delivered
Jesus to their will" Read Matt. xvii. 28-
81: and see your Jesus, your Saviour who
loves you as father or mother never did nor
could; see Him scourged mark its meanin9,
crowned with thorns spit upon, snitten,
mocked;, and say do you care? is it anything
to you. And if so, how much? How much