Passaic City record., 1899-05-27
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY 2s.

2S. "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas."
Where the Sanhedrim, under his leader
ship, had condemned Jesus to death on the
charge of blasphemy. But as they were
forbidden by Roman law to put any one to
death, they could not accomplish their pur-
pose without the aid of the Roman authors
ties. Therefore they brought their pris-
oner to Pilates hall OF judgment. PLATE
we know as one of the most unjust, yto-
lent, cruel, and dangerous of scourges, one
who was truly what his name signifed, the
Staying 'Javelin' Of the unhappy nation.
20. "Pilate then went out unto them.
From the judgment hall, into the open
court, where was an elevated tessellated
pavement; and as was the custom, the
chair OF state was brought out for him to
sit upon as judge. "What accusation bring
ye against this man?" DR.. Deems empha-
sizes this question thus, What accusation
do you bring against Him3"..It was He that
had reason for accusing them. They were
the guilty party.
so. "If He were not malefactor (evil.
doer), we would not have delivered Him up
unto thee" They knew they had no good
charge that would stand under the Roman
law, .and therefore they wanted Him to
take their word for 1t that He was worthy
OF death, and order the execution. They
took the position that they were the judges,
and PLATE had only to execute their Will.
81. "Take ye Him. and judge Him ac.
cording to your law" And OF course limit
the punishment to what you can inflict.
They had to accuse Him Of political crime
to secure even ordinary attention at the
hands OF the Roman governor. ut is not
lawful for Us to put any man to death.
Thus they showed their true colors. They
wanted not justice. but the death Of Jesus.
49, 'That the saving Of Jesus" John IL:
81; Matt 20: 19). The Jews, in their very
efforts to destroy Jesus, we're fulfilling His
own prophecy. The accusation they
brought was threefold. involving the charge
of treason, the greatest crime known to
Roman law. (1) Seditfous agitation; (2)
prohibition of the payment Of the tribute
money; and (S) the assumption Of the sus-
picious title of King of the Jews (Luke
23: ~. OF these az and (2) were notori-
ously false, but were inferences wrongly
drawn from His teaching. The third (3)
was wholly untrue In the sense they meant
PLATE to understand It.
33. .Then Pilate," taking up the charge
which might be construed as treason, goes
back to his throne In the hall. and called
(summoned) Jesus. The Jews OF course
were not present, as they refused to enter
the hall, "Said unto Him. art Thou the
King of the Jews2" as these Jews accuse
you of claiming.
34. "Sayest thou this thing of thyself,
or" etc.; |. g., do you ask this question
from the standpoint of Roman, referring
to secular dominion, and the setting up OF
an opposition kingdom which would be
treason, or from the standpoint of the
Jewish Messianic hopes and prophecies,
rightly understood.
IS. HPilate answered (perhaps little
nettled) Am l Jew2" What do / know
Of Your hopes and prophecies? "Thine
own nation and the chief priests have de-
livered Thee" Those over whom You
claim to be King repudiate You "What
hast Thou done?" Explain the whole af-
fair clearly to me, what have You done to
arouse such enmity?
SO. "My kingdom" Jesus implies that
He is really King. "Is not of this world"
Its source and character are unlike those
claim to civil authority CDR. Hoveyl, and
had no rivalry with Rome. If My King
dom were OF this world, then would My
servants fight" Therefore 1t cannot, as
have said, be of this world. This was
simple appeal to facts. His disciples were
not organized to defend Him, but only as
school to learn the truth.
81. "Art Thou King thenr" Do You, a
poor, helpless Jew, without frIends-do
You claim to be King? "Thou sayest."
Your staten ent is true. l am King. ITO
this end, for this very purpose. to be
King, "was born" For this cause
existence. God had sent Him, His Son,
into the world for this purpose 1t was the
plan OF God. He was King Of far noblef
lineage than PLATE or Caiaphas. THAT
should bear witness unto the truth" This
was equivalent to His reigning as King,
Tor 1t was the way He established and car
ried on His Kingdom. The strength OF
C@sar's empire Is over the bodies OF men,
this is over their hearts. every one that
is of the truth heareth My voice." To be
OF the truth is to draw ones inspiration
from 1t, just as to be of God Is to be con-
trolIed by influences coming from Him.
70 1nfn i'm
TRUTH" And turned on his heel and did not
wait for an answer. "He went out again
to the Jews And rendered his verdict,
81 find in Him no fault" or crime. Hear
ing Galilee mentioned as part OF the coun-
try where Jesus had stirred up people,
Plate next attempts to escape from his
perplexity by delivering Jesus up to Herod.
Herod and his men of war mock His claims
to be king. and array Him In royal robes,
and send Him back to PLATE. PLATE again
summons the chief priests and elders, and
tells them that Herod agrees with his de-
cision that Jesus has done nothing worthy
Of death. He still is afraid to release Him.
The people loudly call upon him to release
the accustomed prisoner.
SO. "Ye have custom, that should re-
lease unto you one at the passover"
custom be6tting the nature Of the feast.
"Will ye therefore," The choice lay with
them.
4O "Then cried they all again." At the
instigatfon OF the rulers mark Is: 11).
.sNot this man, but Barabbas "a robber"
and murderer duke %: 19). Matthew
says he was celebrated prisoner. At this
Mncture messengers came from Pilates
wife declaring her dream, and entreating
bim not to condemn Jesus (Matt. ~: 19).
Thus PLATE was moved to do right. PLATE
took water, and washed his hands publicly
before the people, thus expressing In SYM
bol what he uttered In words: II am inno-
tAnt of the blood Of this lust person; see