Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-05-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VIZ. SECOND QUARTER. IN
TERNATsoNAL SERIES, MAY 80.

ssearns.
1. And straightway in the morning the
chief priests held consultation" The
devils servants are very quick and very
perseverine-they put the Lords servants
TO shame. The disciples could not watch
one hour, but these servants OF satan
watched all nj bit in their hatred OF Him
who loved them Then in the morning
they consummaied their wickedness. There
is a morning coming, however, when the
tables will be turned. See Ps. xix, ID; lisa.
viii. 20, r. v, and compare Dan. vi, 1874
2 and Pilate asked Him, Art thou the
king OF the Jewsf And He, answering, said
unto him, Thou sayest IT," The wise men
from the east bare witness that He was
king of the Jews even when He was babe
CMath. ii, .. Nathaniel testified TO the
same very early in His ministry (John |, 49,,
and Gabriel stated il very plainly before
His birth u.ukei /. So. 49, Notwithstanding
all the soothing of Jews and gentiles OF
those days or these days, the time draweth
nigh when all nations shall seeit.
8. "And the chief priests accused Him OF
many things, but He answered nothing"
There was no truth in their accusations
any more than in those of the false wit
nesses whom they had previously sum
moned, so there was nothing for Him to
answer. When we are falsely accused, let
US learn from Him 60 commit our way unto
the Lord and trust Him TO manage it for
us. He had confessed that lie was the
Christ, and knowing what awaited Him
He calmly awaited their disposal of Him.
4. And PLATE asked Him again, saying:
Answerest thou nothingf Behold how
many things they witness against thee"
N haf
truth in any OF the charges which they
brought against Him, and therefore could
not but have been surprised that He had
nothing TO say. plate was not accustomed
to cases Of this kind, he had never seen
prisoner like this and was greatly perplexed
by His manner.
8. but Jesus yet answered nothing, SO
that PLATE marveled." He was oppressed
and He was afflicted, yet lie opened not Ills
mouth lisa. Iii, -. He was probably COM
muning with His Father Nothing Will
help us To be quiet rnder false accusations
and in the presence of enemies like the re-
allied presence OF the Lord and that we arc
ever before Him.
8. "Now, at that feast he released unto
them one prisoner, whomsoever they de-
sired" Jesus knew all this, but there was
nothing in it for Him, for He knew well
that His only release would be death. He
was not seeking release, but TO fulfill all
righteousness, and AZ He had often foretold
chapters viii 81; tx, 81; X, 80, 34) Heknew
that He was about to be slain.
z. "And there was one named Barabbas,
which lay bound with them that had made
instruction with him, who had committed
murder in the insurrectlon." Here is a
real child of the devil brought into the
story with the Holy One of God. Already
He begins to be numbered with the trans
gressors as If He, too, was transgressor.
When cut to the heart by being thus num-
bered with sinners Qf it should ever be
your experienced, think of Him.
g. "And the multitude, crying aloud, be
gan to desire him To do as he had ever done
unto them" Probably anxious to get the
man they wanted released, and afraid lest
PLATE might attempt to release Jesus.
8. "But PLATE answered them, saying,
Will We that release unto you the King of
the Jewss" BY comparing the parallel &C
counts this seems to be Pilates sixth at
tempt To release Jesus For the1rst five
see John xviii, %, TO xix, IA, and Luke kill,
4-16 See his threefold testimony to His
innocence in John xviii, IS; xix, 4, g.. See
in Math. xvii, 10, his wife's plea that he
should let Him go. This King of the Jews
was the heaviest and most perplexing case
that plate ever had on his hands. So tits
still.
TO- Fer he knew that the chief priests
had delivered Him for envy" See how
Joseph's brethren hated and envied him
(Gen. xxxvii, s, ~. Israel envied Moses
and Aaron FPS. cvi, 49, Wrath is cruel,
and anger is outrageous, but who is able to
stand before envyf' prov. xvii, ~ In
Gal V, 81, envy is followed by murder as one
of the works Of the flesh. Let us hate every
appearance of il in our hearts as we should
hate the devil himself.
IL. But the chief priests moved the peo-
pie that he should rather release Barabbas
unto them" Who can estimate the guilt
of those in high places who move the peo-
pie against Christi The worst we have to
contend with today Is from the professed
friends of Christ who, while saying beauti-
full things about Hin, yet move the people
against His atonement and His precious
blood, which alone can save us from hell
Q4ev. xvii, I'D.
~. And plate answered and said again
unto them, What will We then that shall
do unto Him whom ye call the King OF the
Jewsf" Or as In Math. xvii, %, What
shall do then with Jesus, who is called
Christi" 1t is not question for us to ask
another's opinion about. We are respohsi-
BILE to Him for our treatment Of Him. Pr
late knew He was innocent and should
have rescued Him from His tormentors,
but the weakness of PLATE is overruled to
accomplish the Lords purpose. Bad for
PLATE all the same.
ID. "And they cried out again, Cruelty
Him" They preferred Barablas to Jesus,
a murderer to a Saviour, darkness TO light.
1t is plainly written that Fall that is in the
world is not of the Father, but is of the
world" and that .the friendship of the
world is enmity with God" Il John ii, 10;
James iv, a, yet how many are deliberate
ly choosing the world instead of Christi
They would not say as these did, Cruelty
Him, but they do say that they prefer the
world and its pleasures.
IA. 'sTher PLATE said unto them, Why,
what evil hath He dones And they cried
out the more exceedingly, Cruelty Him. y
In connection with this verse we find in
Luke xiii. -, that PLATE said, Il have
found no cause of death in Him" But the
people will not listen, they thirst for His
blood, satan has control of them, and he
will Kill Jesus If he can. What he failed
to do in the garden Of Gethsemane he will
do now, and God will let him, for this is
his hour and the power of darkness
Is And so plate. willing II content the
| people, released Barabbas unto them and
| delivered Jesus when be had scourged
Him, to be cruciiied." See the contrasts
PLATE contcnting the people, Jesus pleas
ing the Father; Barabbas the guilty, Jesus