The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-05-10
rHE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Jesus Before the High frtest-mArk
14-53-64
Especially arranged from Pelouhot's notesl
GOLDEN TEXT-Ee lie despised and rejected
OF uIen.-lsa $3.50.
TInE.-Eary Friday morning, April A. D.
50. between one and five o'clock
PLACE The palace OF Caiaphas the high
priest, at Jerusalem.
TUE ARIsEsT.-About one o'clock Friday
morning Judas guided a multitude, with
swords and slaves, lanterns and torches, under
the direction OF the chief priests and elders,
and accompanied by guard OF soldiers, to tho
garden OF Gcthsem2nC, ana there betrayed his
Master with kiss stealing the livery Of the
court of Heaven to serve the devil in" Peter.
in his determination to stand By his Master az
he had promised made an attack with his
sword upon the officers and cut of the ear OF
Malchus, servant of the high priest, nus
duplicating Jesus in q seeming rebellion
against Rome und giving color to the charge
OF the PharisCes that He YVES setting up
worldly kingdom against Cesar. Jesus undid
the evil by healing the wound and bidding
Peter put up his sword. The disciples then
all forsook Jesus and fed away into the dark
ness
LESSON NOTES.
Between one an two o'clock Friday
morning, Jesus was led first to Annas
John 1919, who, though deposed by
Rome, was still the high priest actord-
ing to the law of Moses Caiaphas, the
soa-ir-law of Annas, was now the act
Ing high priest appointed by the Rom
ans. Apparently the leaders wanted
the authority and sanction of Annas,
and probably very little was done here
beyond this. Annas very soon sends
Jesus to Caiaphas.
The council sought for witness
against Jesus. Not to ascertain the
truth; they did not desire that, But,
"having sccR'cd their prisoner, they
must first agree upon the charge" and
this must be sufficiently grave to make
the penalty death. 1t was no easy mat
ter; for not only had His life been
stainiess, but lie had shown cOnsummate
skill in avoiding all the acknowledgements
which had been set for Him.
What an array of witnesses they
might have found, had they wished, to
learn the truth! Here company of
those who had been lame, but now
were running to tell the story of their
healing; there band of those who
had been blind, but now could see;
lepers who had been cleanscd; demon
iacs clothed, and in their right mind;
sick raised from their beds and dead
brought to life again; sad hearts COM
forted; sinful souls rcdccmcd; igno-
rant minds enlightened; wandering
ones restored.
But, the next verse goes on to say.
many bare false witness against Him.
This was easy - bring about. Any
where in Asia, Broadus tells us, not to
speak of the other countries there are
hangers-on about the courts ready to
sell testimony. But Significantly
their witnesses agreed not together"
Falsehoods seldom agree. Only the
truth is harmonious AT last, however,
they found two who seemed to agree,
and have charge Of some weight; but
the testimony was false-false, because
the facts were not correctly reported,
because they were entirely misapplied
and perverted. Said they; 1--WE heard
him say, l will destroy the temple that
is made with hands, and within three
days l will build another made without
hands"
The Jews idolized the temple Note
that His accusers were obliged 10 90
back three years, to the very opening
OF His ministry, to find what they might
even call testimony JChn 2:10). This
was either misunderstood, dimly re-
membered, or willfuly perverted.
The high priest was bafled at every
point. There was no hope Of formulat-
ing charge unless Jesus Himself could
be induced to say something which
could be perverted into blasphemy.
according to Matthew, it was solemn
oath that the high priest offered him:
I adjuro thee by the living God that
thou tell US AS much as tosay: L put
you under oath, that you may clear
yourself Of the charge that you have
made this claim, but meant as an OPP
portunity for him to make the claim
afresh." Art Thou the Christ (the
Messiah, the Son Of the Blessed?'
:. Silone: i. nov jmgQssi93ls. i would
be taken as denial OF Ills Messiah.
ship. Jesus acknowledges Himself to
be the Messiah. Now, if they kill Him
they must kill their Messiah. Would
it not be better to wall; cautiously and
examine His claims before they went
further? In the words "Ye shall see
the son Of Man sitting on the right
hand Of power" lie contrasts His pres
ent apparent weakness with His tru,
glory and omnipotencc. Now they
have the power, then He will have it
now they are on the judgment sea
and He ut the bar, then He will be tn,
Judge and they vii! be the criminals
before Him, to answer for the actions o.
this day.
At this the high priest rent hi
clothes, thus expressing in tragic man
ner how it tore his heart to hear sucl
'blasphemy," and exclaims: "Wha
need of any further witnessP" The,
had called but one true witness; Hi