The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-19
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER 2S.
Lesson Text: "Jesus Crucified, Luke
xiii, 33-47-Golden Text: Isaiah
liii., 16-Commentary.

crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on
the right hand and the other on the left"
Our last lesson left Him in their hands to do
their pleasure with Him; and after the
laid brutally on that torn and bleeding
back, and He goes forth bearing His csoss
John xix, 17) While it Is not said that He
tainted under it, the fact that they turned
Simon the Cyrenian about, and compelled
him to bear it after Jesus (verse 26, looks as
If He may have sunk beneath it, or, perhaps,
stumbled through weakness or loss of blood.
Then hear Him as He says to the women
who follow, Weep not for Me, but for your
see the two malefactors each bearing his
cross. Thus follow to Calvary or Golgotha,
the eplace of a skull Matt. xvii, S3. And
now see the three crosses each bearing its
living, dying, agonizing burden; on either
side an evil doer suffering justly, but in the
midst the Holy Jesus suffering the just for
the unjust. Gaze intently upon Him suffer-
ing there for you until you get truly
broken and contrite heart because Of your
sins.
"a. 'Then said Jesus, Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they do
And they parted His raiment and cast lots"
Can you see Him stripped Of His raiment,
laid down upon the cross, the nails driven
through His quivering flesh, and then hear
Him pray, Father, forgive them" AS you
see and hear all this let your heart say, 'Oh.
my soul, see what He suffered for you, and
never cease to thank Him for it; see His
manner pray for them that despiteful.y use
you.
35. sand the people stood bsholding. And
the rulers also with them derided Him, say
ing, He saved others, let Him save Himself,
If He be Christ, the chosen of God" Their
cruelty knows 40 bounds; they have now
done their worst; they have crucified Him,
but they cannot cease; and as He hangs in
greatest physical agony upon the cruel cross
they deride Him. He could have saved Him
self if he had wished. Not all the power of
men or devils could have harmed Him unless
He had permitted it,
&c. "And the soldiers also mocked Him,
coming to Him and Offering Him vinegar"
The sufferings and death Of Christ reveal the
hearts Of men-the true children of God, who
in trial forsake Him; the professor only,
who, being tempted, sells Him; those high
est in religious things, who, being only hypo-
critics. hate reality; those highest in tenn
poral power, who know nothing Of eternal
realities and care only to please people; the
irreligious las these soldiers), who care for
none Of these things, and the ofscouring Of
the earth suffering just punishment for their
crimes-all have their hearts revealed by the
cross Of Christ.
81. "And saying, If Thou be the King of
the Jews save Thyself." They could not
understand q King who had no followers and
seemed to have no power. They knew moth
ing Of the powers unseen by mortal eyes:
horses and chariots Of fire were things they
had never seen nor known about; legions Of
Roman soldiers they had seen, but legions Of
angels, never.
SO. Sand a superscription alsu was written
over Him. in letters Of Greek and Latin and
Hebrew, This Is the King Of the Jews" The
chief priests objected to this, and wished
Plate to write, He said. I am King Of the
Jews" John xix, 21l; but PLATE insisted on
keeping it as he had written it. Thus to jews
and Gentiles in all the languages Of the Ro-
man empire was proclaimed the fact that
this crucifed One was king: and by the
three languages we are reminded that de
was King not only Of the Jews, but Of all ma
tions (Zech. tx, 9; Ps. lxxxvi., o.
39. And one of the malefactors which were
hanged rallied on Him, saying: If Thou be
Christ save Thyself and u.s." Rulers, soldiers
and malefactors all utter the same taunt,
'tSave thyself." When Satan spoke through
Peter it was to the. same effect, PITY thy
self" Matt. xvi, %, margin; and in this Oft
repeated cry we recognize the same adver-
sary in each (Cor. iv., 1I.
ASSoNA~~
him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing
thou art in the same condemnationP'
Hardened, indeed, must have been the heart
Of this condemned man, who, knowing that
he must very soon meet God in the spirit
world, rallied even to the last; but people are
still known to 20 to their execution cursing
God to the last, so hardened may the heart of
sinful man become.
Al. "And we indeed justly; for we receive
the due reward Of our deeds; but this man
hath done nothing amiss." Another testi-
mony to the innocence of "This Man" We
have heard it from Judas, from PLATE, from
Pilates wife, indirectly from Herod, and now
from the thief on the cross. How he came
to this knowledge We are not told, but we re-
joice In his added testimony.
40. Sand he said unto Jesus, Lord, remem-
Der me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom"
This is grand. Not only does he confess him
self justly punished wicked man, but he
confesses that the man at his side is an inno-
cent man suffering unjustly; that notWlth,
standing all that has been done to Him and
said to Him he is reallya king and has
kingdom; and he humbly asks to be remem-
bered In that kingdom. .,
43. 'And Jesus said unto him, Verify /
say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with Me
In Paradise" What trophy for Christ to
display among the redeemed! what a re-
demption for this malefactor to obtain! He
saves others; yes, even to the uttermost, out
He saves not Himself.
A. "And it was about the sixth hour, and
there was darkness over all the earth until
the ninth hour" He was cruci6ed at the
third hour Mark xv, 25), which would be
about Q o'clock. At the sixth hour or II
O'clock this darkness set in, which continued
till He died at 9ociock. The sun refused to
shine longer upon such scene; earth put on
mourning.
veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
The veil was symbol of His boly or flesh.
Asin tabernacle and temple, the veil con-
cealed the glory of God; so during all bis
stay on earth the mortal body of Christ con-
cealed within it the glory OF God.
46. "And when Jesus had cried with a
loud voice. He said, Father, INTO ny nanos anus
I commend My spirit: and having said tnus
He gave up the ghost" This is the last o OF
His seven sayings on the cross FOR tne
others in the order Of utterance see verses
"a, 43 John xix, 25, ~; Matt. XVII 40;
John xix, 2s 30. They tell OF for,
giveness, Paradise, provision for our nee1
while here and the infinite cost ut wnich on
has been purchased. The last confirms the
fact of lite apart from the body or conscious
existence after death.
a. snow when the centurion saw what
was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly
th;S was n righteous man." Yet another
testimony to the innocence Of the Lord Jesus
Christ in addition to those mentioned IN
verse IL. We hope the centurion truly be-
lived on Him, but we are not told.-LeSSon
Helper.