The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1890-10-31
JESUS ACCUSED.
LESSON V. FOURTH QUARTER, IN.
TERNAr lONAl SERIES, NOV. 2.

Commit verses 90 5O--GOlden Text,
lisa. iii, documentary by Rev. ID. M.
steRrns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per.
mission Of II. s. Hoffman, publishoe. Phadel.
phial
"a. "Then took they Him, and led Him,
and brought Him into the high priests
house. And Peter followed afar off,"
John says that they took Him and bound
Him, and led Him away to Annas first
John xviii, 70, l3). Matthew and Mark
both say that then all the disciples forsook
Him and fed, but John adds that Peter
and another disciple (no doubt HIMSELF
afterward followed Matt. xvii, SO; Mark
xiv, 80; John xviii, 10. When Jesus sur
rendered Himself to them He asked that
the disciples might be allowed to go their
way John xviii, 81, but yet by their for
saking Him what became of their assertion
that they would die with Him rather than
deny Him Mark xiv, 3Di
IS. "And when they had kindled fire
IN the midst of the hall, and were set down
together, Peter sat down among them"
This is surely down grade. For few
NeTSeS uOW VIC lcdNc OuT lLOTu III OIlc uduub
of His captors, and consider Peter being
sifted. And what contrast between the
disciple and his Masterl The one faithful
unto death, the other in the company of
those who hated Him and were seeking
His life.
&C. "But certain maid beheld him as
he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked
upon him and said, This man was also
with Him." We are observed when we
least think it, and by those whom we think
see nothing. Let person go from home,
and being among strangers and unknown
las he thinks, let him do the least thing
that he would not do If at home, and it
will surely be carried abroad and at some
time brought home to him. But Peter
was here accused Of nothing wrong, he
was simply pointed out by this maid as a
follower of Jesus, and judging from his
previous confessions in Matt. xvi 16; John
VII GS, SO, we would have expected him to
stand by his colors and rejoice to own Je-
sus as his Lord. But he was alone now
and in the midst of scoffers. How have
you acted under similar circumstances?
81. "And he denied Him, saying, Wo-
man, know Him not" Did you act that
way when you found yourself among the
scoffers? Or if you did not openly say
that you were not Christian, did your
silence when He was ridiculed, or the Bible
sneered at, give consent? Or do you al
ways by word and deed proclaim yourself
on the Lords side?
So. "And after little while another saw
him and said, Thou art also one of them.
And Peter said, Man, am not" Another
opportunity of confessing Christ is given
to this poor erring man, but again he loses
it and adds sin to sin.
SO. "And about the space of one hour
after another confidently affirmed, saying,
OF truth this fellow also was with Him,
for he is Galilean."
60. "And Peter said, Man l know not |
what thou sayest. And Immediately, while |
he yet spake, the cock crew." Matthew |
says that he now began to curse and swear
Matt. XVI, 74). What sink of iniquity is
the heart of man! How desperately wicked
81. "And the Lord turned, and looked
upon Peter And Peter remembered the
word of the Lord, how He had said unto
him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny
me thrice" The Lord had seen and heard
it all, and no doubt it grieved Him to His
heart, and Peter had added to His much
sorrow, but He loved His SHINING one
through it all, and this look now turned
upon ulIll InuSU nave De6u Iull Oh ucuuoreSU
love, mingled with deepest sadness.
GO. "And Peter went out and wept bit
terly." That loving look pierced his heart
and brought him to his senses
&c. "And the men that held Jesus
Knocked Him and smote Him." We now
turn from Peter, who failed, to Peters
Lord, who faileth never. Peter they only
spoke to and accused of being with Jesus:
fhax Yr,ncly on6 IN
Ga. "And when they had blindfolded
Him they struck him on the face, and
asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that
,mote thee?" Lose not sight of the fact
that this i'll treated one is God manifest in
The flesh. The Lord of Hosts, the God of
israel, the mighty one of Jacob, the only
Redeemer of men, and thus is His treat
nent from those whom He came to save
Not for Israel only did He suffer thus, but
or you too, dear reader, and for every
scholar in your class.
g. And many other things blasphem-
'usly spake they against Him" Buffet
d, Knocked, spoken against, but He fails
lot.
66. "And as soon as it was day, the elders
# the people, and the chief priests and the
cribes came together, and led Him unto
heir council" The fearful night had
'assed and the more fearful day had come.
81, 68. cart thou the Christ? tell us.
md He said unto them, If 1 tell you, We
will not believe; and if also ask you, ye
7ill not answer me nor let me CO." He 4
new that they meant to kill Him, and
hat their question was an idle one. He
new that His hour had come to be offered
D. and that this was the way to the cross =
&c. Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit
n the right hand of the power of God" y
Iatthew adds, "And come in the clouds
heaven" (xxvi, 64). He has not yet been v
rought before the Roman governor. He
as been before Annas and Caiaphas, and q
ow He is still before the Jewish council,
nd He reminds them of the words of their h
rophet Daniel (vii 13) concerning the
,ming of the Son of Man in glory il
70. 'Then said they all. Art Thou then
le Son of God? And He said unto them,
e say that l am" He acknowledges that
is even so. He is the Son of Man and +.
lie Son of God, the Divine human Mes =
ah, the God man to sit in due time on a
avids throne. He has by word and deed
owed Himself to be the one foretold by .
10 nrophatS and now thew arp nv their @