Middletown transcript., 1899-06-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON x, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JUNE a.

l
Text of the Lesson, John XIX, II, 30.
Memory Verses, 2S-3O-GoIden Text,
Gal. ii, 2O-Commentary Prepared
by the Rev. d. M. Stearns.
copyright, 1899, by D. M. Stearnsl
II. "And He bearing His cross, went
forth. " The previous verse says that they
led Him, and outwardly SO it seemed, but
/ the reality of it was that He went willing
", of His own accord. It was on His
part all voluntarily done, and this was
/ typified in the burnt offering which a
man offered aof his own voluntary will''
| (Lev. i, 81. One has said thBt His being
crucified at the place of a skull suggests
that apart from Christ crucifed all the
world is as empty as q skull and as good
| for nothing.
IS. They crucifled Him." They had
scourged Him, and upon that torn and
bleeding back they laid the cruel cross.
Perhaps He stumbled; perhaps He
| tainted. If SO, was it any wonder? Who
can tell the agony2 What wonder that
the daughters of Jerusalem wept for Him
as they beheld Him9 Perhaps Simon the
Cyrenian did not appreciate the honor
to turn about and bear the cross after
Jesus Nuke xiii, 26-29), but we may
hope that he has been thankful for it ever
since.
10. "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of
the Jews. /" Yes, it is all true-as such
was He born, as such crucifled and as
such will He come again in power and
great glory (ATath. ii, 2; Jer xiii, 5, 81.
ha11 I1oo l1x1 Y
who will reign over righteous people,
and the capital city of their rntion shall
be called city of truth, the throne OF tie
Lord Elsa. xxxif, L; X, 81; Zech. viii, 8;
Jer. iii, ~.
20. 1T was written in Hebrew and
Greek and Latin It was for all the
world, and the King of the Jews shall yet
be seen to be King of Kings and Lord of
Lords Grew. xvii, "A; xix, 16). Let He
brew stand for religion, Greek for wis
dom and Latin Tor Rome) for power, and
we have the great truth that apart from
the King of the Jews, in His death and
resurrection, there is no true religion or
wisdom or power. Salvation is of the
Jews, and Christ is the wisdom and
power of God (John iv, 22; Cor. /, 24l.
81, 80 What / have written / have
priests when they urged him to alter the
title on tho cross. AS Herod and plate
and the Jews and Judas and the devil only
performed, all unintentionally and igno-
rantly, that which the hand and counsel
of God had determined before to be done
(Acts iy, 28), we may see in Pilates firm
ness in this matter an assurance that
Every purpose of the Lord shall be per-
formed (Jer. Ii, 90; Isa. xiv, 24).
%. 'aThen the soldiers, when they had |
cruciied Jesus, took His garments and |
made four parts, to every soldier part. /" |
These soldiers had no voice or will in |
the matter; they must obey orders For
these Jesus prayed, saying, "Father, for
give them, for they know not what they |
do' (Luke xiii, 34). 1t seems incredibly |
awful that literal nails should be driven |
through the hands and feet of the Lord |
Jesusi But what shall we say of the love
that could thus pray for those who did itP
"a. "They parted My raiment among
them and for My vesture they did cast
lots For the coat that was without
seam they cast lots, and thus was literally
fulfilled Ps. xxi, 18. The soldiers,
clothed with His clothing because of His
death, help US to remember that all be-
levers are clothed with the garments of
salvation, the robe of righteousness, by His
death and resurrection (Isa Xxi, 10; II
Cor. v, sD. The five parts of His cloth
Ing suggest the abundance of the provi-
sion He has made for us, Exceeding
abundant Il Tim. |, IA; Eph iii, 20).
20. "Now there stood by the cross of
Jesus His mother" By comparing Math.
xvii, 30, and Mark XIV, 40, with this
verse we conclude that His mothers sister
was Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of
James and John. So there were at least
four women who were suffering with Him
as they watched His sufferings. How
could they stand its How could His
mother bear itP Was this part of the
piercing of her heart of which Simeon had
spoken in Luke ii, 352
26. Woman, behold thy sonP' This
said Jesus to Mary as He saw her and the
disciple whom He loved standing by.
The three sayings before the throe hours
darkness were "Father, forgive them,
Today shalt thou be with Mo in para
disc and this to His mother and John
They tell us of the forgiveness of sins or
present salvation, of the glory that awaits
us and OF provision for all our need while
we sojourn here. He who spared not His
own Son, but delivered Him up for us all
how shall He not with Him also freely
give US all things9
81. s.Then saith He to tho disciple, Be-
hold thy mother. And from that hour 6
hat disciple took her unto his own I
home. What an honor conferred upon |
Johnl And thus Mary has home with I
! loving heart to care for her. But why :
not let one Of His brothers, her own chill
lren, care for her? VIC will some day
Know this also If it is best that we should =
Meanwhile we rest in the assurance that Z
lie does nothing without cause
26. ''After this .Jesus, knowing that q
III things were now accomplished, that {
he Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, l "a
hirst This was after the three hours :
after all the iaocking and jeer-
ng of His cruel enemies, 1t was all
Iearly over now, but Ps Xix, 21, re-
NAMED to be fulfilled. The previous verse
n that psalm says that reproach had 81
roken His heart, that those to take pity L
nd comforters He found none. %
29. They filled a sponge with vinegar n
nd put it upon hyssop, and put it to His ii
aouth. " How very fully and liberally h
very word of Scril ture concerning His :,
humiliation was fulalledI So may we ex- y
ect all concerning His second coming and ~
lis glory and His kingdom to be as liter Dl
lily fulfilled. Let us consider every item W
His sufferings for us urti1 we are hu. di
liliated and wholly devoted to Him. b1
et US consider every item of the glory to !,
9 revealed and our partnership with Him Il,
4 it until we can mako the words of =
'om. viii, i8, our very own. May We cry . .
j very decd, My soul tflirsteth for God ID
II the living Gcd" FPS. xiii, 2; xiii, y. W
10. when Jesus therefore had received on
le vinegar, He said, It is finished and th
e bowed His head and gave up the ki
host. His very last words seem to %
ave been Father, into Thy hands COM
lend My spirit (Luke xiii, 46; Ps
xxi, 81. Luke says that He cried this ha
18th loud voice, so that He died in His a.
rength. He suffered the full time APP -
'inted Him, and the blood and water
ON His aide would seem to indicate the ],
oxen heart John XIX, 34) ne
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