Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-11-14
JESUS CONDEMNED.
LESSON VII, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, NOV. 16.

Commit Verses go, 21-Golden Text,
lisa. lii. documentary by Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phladel
phia
49, "And PLATE, when he had called to-
gether the chief priests and the rulers and
the people" PLATE has not escaped from
his dilemma. Although he has made friends
with Herod, through Jesus rejected he
has not yet made friends with the Jews,
and Jesus is again before him to be dis
posed of. There is a greater question than
that of friendship or enmity with people
either in high or low places on this earth,
and that question, "What shall do with
Jesus" PLATE must now attend to and
settle forever. The same matter is before
every one who has heard the Gospel, and
while it may be postponed, 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.
A. "Ye have brought this man unto me
as one that perverteth the people; and, be-
hold, |, having examined Him before you,
have found no fault in this man, touching
those things whereof we accuse Him"
This is Pilates second testimony to His
innocence (see VS.. 81, and hard on His ac-
cusers, who have plainly failed in their case
against Jesus; for PLATE insists that their
accusations against this man are un-
founded, and that He is innocent of the
things laid to His charge. What n record
this is in favor of Jesus, and it stands in
the eternal word of God.
15 "No, nor yet Herod, for l sent you to
him; and 10, nothing worthy of death is
l.. a :
mony of two Roman governors against the
accusations of the Jews and in favor of
Jesus Even though it had been other
wise. and both had 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. No Roman gov
ernor, or even emperor, or Jewish council
was capable of sitting in judgment on
Him. Earth never saw such a sight be-
fore: God standing at the bar of man to be
judged. With what astonis hment and hor-
ror must the holy angels have looked upon
these things.
16. 81 will therefore chastise Him and
release Him" Insisting that He was in
nocent, and yet ready to chastise Him, even
though he should the next moment re-
lease him. How strange and inexplanable
it all seems! And yet they treated the
apostles thus little later, when, being able
to prove nothing against them, and being
advised by Gamaliel to let them alone, be-
fore they let them 90 they took them and
beat them (Acts V, 40).
II. For of necessity he must release one
unto them at the feast" And gladly would
he improve this opportunity to set Jesus
free.
is. And they cried out all at once, say
ing, Away with this man, and release unto
us Barabbas." In Matt. xvii 90, it is said
that this was by the advice of the chief
priests and elders
10. "Who for Il certain sedtion made in
the city and for murder was cast into
prison." And this is the man of their
choice. a robber (John xviii, 400 and II
murderer. If like attracts like, then we
see how it was. They We're all robbers in
the highest degree, for they We're guilty of
robbing God (AIal. iii, s, 81, and had even
made His temple den of thieves or rob-
hers duke xix, 40. And as to their being
murderers, "he that hateth his brother is
murderer q John iii, 49,, and they were
not only hating Jesus their brother, but
Jesus their king and their God.
20. "Pilate therefore, willing to release
Jesus, spake again to them" 1t may have
been just here that they said, 1--WE have Il
law, and by our law He ought to die, be-
cause He made Himself the Son of God. "
For when PLATE heard that saying he was
the more afraid John xix, :, s.. And as
he talked with Jesus privately Jesus said:
Thou couldst have no power against me,
except it were given thee from above; there
fore he that delivered me unto thee hath the
greater sin" 1t is said that from thence
forth PLATE sought to release Him John
xix, II, ~.
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 His
cause the persistence and zeal which the
followers of the devil have in his service
% And he said unto them the third
time, Why what evil hath He done?
| have found no cause of death in Him.
will therefore chastise Him and let Him
! CO." Well, PLATE, what does your three
| fold testimony to His innocence and your
twofold threat to chastise Him and let Him
| go amount to if you do not let Him go? In
| tne name OF all tnat Is rlgnt, let him 20
without chastisement, since you are sure
that He is innocent, or else cease your eff
forts, confess yourself n coward and graft
! fly quickly these bloodthirsty dogs,
23. And they were instant with loud
voices, requiring that He might he cruel
fed. And the voices of them and of the
chief priests prevailed" John gives some
additional arguments which the Jews
used, probably about this time. The Jews
cried out, saying, If thou let this man go,
thou art not Caesars friend Whosoever
maketh himself "A king speaketh against
Caesar" When PLATE heard that he
brought Jesus forth. And when they add
ed, I'VE have no king but Caesar" that
settled it (John xix, II, 10.
"a. And PLATE gave sentence that il
should be as they required" He knew nc
higher power than Cesar, and him he will
honor Out only for the sake of his posi-
tom, let who may go to the wall. This is
not strange when we consider that even
ministers of the gospel have been known
to please some man or men (because OF
their salary rather than God. But PLATE
] oh, l.