The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-09
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study Of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for May
19, 1895.

10, 1895.
| Subject: jesus Before PLATE. st. Mark.
10: LID.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
| indicated Rbove.l
One can get more from this lesson by divid-
ing the verses into groups and studying each
subject by itself.
l. JESUS DELIVERED TO PLATE.
We got full account of this fact by reading
the four Gospel reports and comparing them.
This particular subject is mentioned by all the
| Evangelists. See st. Matt, 81: /, 2: st. Mark.
ISL; st. Luke, %: /, 2; st. John, Is: % SO.
| Tho account by st. John is fullest. 1t is inter.
esting to read the several reports and see what
each writer contributed; in what respects the
four accounts are alike, and wherein they
| vary.
Now that so much had been expended to get
Judas to betray Christ-now that Jesus Was
arrested and in their power-the enemies of
| our Savior felt the need of pressing their case
and securing his execution.
| The circumstances were peculiar. Tho Jews
| had no power to put to death any offenders.
| They could unite on sentence of death, but
not nfict It. The Roman Government had
| subjected them and taken from them the power
Of inficting death penalty. And the Roman
| Governor would not notice merely ecciesi-
astc charge. By Jewish law, one guilty Of
| biasphemy was to be stoned to death. Had
| the Government been in tho lands of the Jews,
| Jesus would have been put to death by stening.
! 1t was necessary to go to PLATE with the So
called criminal, Jesus, and get governmental
| assent to the execution. Consultations were
| held by the leading Jews. 1t was concluded
to charge Jesus with sedition. That was q Pc
o,;r pfa1
stood at that time very delicate aud effective
charge to make against man. The Governor
would BIO obliged to notice such an accusation
aud to sift its foundation at once. The Roman
authorities were exceedingly sensitive about
loyalty to Rome.
Tho hour was a most unusual one for judicial
proceedings. 1t was very early. ST. John.
IS: o. The accusers of Christ were conscious
the people favored Jesus, and they felt the
need of immediate action before the friends
and synpathisers of Christ could combine and
work for him. There was great unauimity.
Practically, the entire Sanhedrim were gotten
together.
ST. Luke gives the charge made against Jesus
(23:2l: we found this fellow porverting the
nation and fsrbiddng to give tribute to Cesar,
saying that he himself is Christ the King"
No accusation could have been moro false, aud
yet none could have been more effective.
Plate suggested that, il the case were one of
more ecclesiastical character. the synag0g deal
with it. st. John, 1s: 1882. They honestly
admit they have no power to put Jesus to death,
and claim that they would not be satisfied with
less punishment.
1t followed that, if Christ were executed by
com nand of the Roman Governor the method
must BIO crucifxeni st. John, IL: 81, 80.
1t is case of singular Inconsistency to see
the Jews particular about nero ceremonial
law when their hearts were set on breaking
~ |, H.. ~
John, Is: %. ljs
II. JEsgsdTHE KING.
diDnta.
st. Matt. 81: II? Sc Mark, 1879; St. Luke,
%: 3; st. John, I5a333s
lnTfme
We date A. D. 90, Friday, March Is, early in
the morning. st. John, 49, S. PLATE had
been Governor for three years, and continued
one-half years DID,
Place.
Christ was before Plate In the Pretorium or
Roman Hall OF Justice. Judgment Hall. St.
John, IS: %, 80. The Pavement, or, In Hebrew,
Gabbatha. 10: 3d. ~ Pretorum was Roman
name for the headquarters Of Military Gov
error wherever it CHANGED to be located. Many
hold 1t was in the case OF this lesson tie cit
abel tower of Antsaia, not far from the Temple.
Il NC regular TcSluefCe OF Tlibt6 WAS SesHreu,
on the coast. He went TO Jerusalem at every
Passover. The presence at such time OF q
Roman officer was thought necessary, in order
to prevent any disturbances.
Plate.
He was Governor of only Judea. He was
the fifth in the line of such officers. Calgula
became offended with him, and he vas BAN
ishcd TO Vienna in Gaul. There Is q mount
ain by tradition named Pilatus. frsm the fact |
70 Int In 1e-
mitted suicide. Vienna is in Dauphiny, west
ern part of France.
Jshn, Is: 1888, draws out all the particulars |
referred to in st. Mt, q: II; st. Nix, 1872, |
aud st. Lu., 23:3
Christ-King.
Eusebeus (Hist Eccl, lib. Ill, C. 2O) says: |
1.-THE relatives Of our Lord were brought be- |
fore DoBitan and intorroasted whether they /
were OF the family of David aud what sort the |
Kingdom Of Christ was aud where It would ap- |
pear? They answered that this Kingdsm was |
neither OF this world nor of an earthly nature;
that it was altogether Heavenly and angelic; |
and that it weuld not take place till the end
OF the world"
Suggestions
/. Christ is King We mast obey.
g Fight for Christ in the spiritual sense.
We are soldiers of Jesus.
g. Rulers should take the part of Christi
anlJy. 1Dey nave nothing 10 rear from 1t. LII |
dses not purpose dispacing human rulers.
4. Christ's Kingdom admits of no vi slence or
force. We must not oblige men by arms,
threats. etc. to become Christians. We must
not mako heresy civil crime and punish it
by law.
III. PLATE JUDGING JESUS
Data.
st. Mt. %: 12-14; st. Nix. Is: 3-5; st. Luke
%: At.
The chief priests aud elders were leading
mon of the Sanbedrim. Witnesses (so-cslled)
declared many things against Christ These
ure not mentioned in detail. st. Luke, % 5
(cf. Wy, specifies some items: /. He pervsrts
the Nation. 2. Forbids the payment Of tribute
to the Roman Government Cesar. 3. Stirs
up the people. making sedition and revolt the
moro easy. We notice that among the accusa-
tions no mention is made Of blasphemy. Con-
trast st. Mark, II 81, 62. Jesus would not an
swer. He had already assentcd to the main
question. st. Mark, 1882. Rev. DIR. Brodus
wrote: " He had answered the one great ques-
ton; further answer would have been vain
against such malignant accusers, aud before a
weak Governor who could not help himself
He would bear with silent aud patient dignity
what he saw TO be inevitable. Aud he uader.
stood prsfcunder need and meaning of all this,
of which his enemies did not dream, and
looked forward with sustaining hope to I'M
speakably blessed results. Heb. IL p"
Comparing st. MlE,l5:2 and 5, we find there
Is time to speak and q time to keep silence.
Nv. PLATE BARABBAs-CHRIsT.