The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-03-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
for March -, 1OO1--Jesus
and Caiaphas.
Prepared by H. c. LeningtonI
THE LESSON TEXT.
Matthew "a .b7-6Sl


Matthew 26:57-6s.)
81. And they that had laid hold on Jesus
led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest,
where the scribes and the elders were as
sembled.
S. But Peter followed Him afar of unto
the high priests palace, and went in, and
sat with the servants to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests, and eleders,
and all the council, sought false witness
against Jesus, to put Him to death;
60. But found none: yea, though many
false witnesses came. yet found they none.
At the last came two false witnesses.
81. And said This fellow said: ] am able
to destroy the temple of God, and to build
It In three days.
So. And the high priest arose, and said
unto Him: Answerest thou nothing? what
Is II which these witness against thee?
SO. But Jesus held His peace And the
high priest answered and said unto Him:
adjure thee by the living God, that thou
tell us whether thou be tho Christ, the
Son of God.
"a. Jesus saith unto him: Thou hast
said; nevertheless, / say unto you: Here
after shall We see the Son of Man sitting
on the right hand of power, and coming In
the clouds Of Heaven.
65. Then the high priest rent his clothes.
saying: He hath spoken blasphemy; what
further need have we Of witnesses? Be-
hold. now ye have heard His blasphemy.
%. What think We! They answered ana
said: He is guilty Of death.
s.. Then did they spit in His face, and
buffeted Him: and others smoss Him with
the palms Of their hands.
6S. Saying: Prophesy unto US, thou
Christ. who 10 he that smote thee?
GOLDEN TEXT.-Thou art the Christ,
the Scr - the living 0od.-Matt. 18,16.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
There was preliminary examina-
tion Of Jesus before Annas. He was
the high priest, according to the Jew
ish law and usage. Then there was
the form Of trial before Caiaphas
and the Sanhedrim. Caiaphas was
the son-in-law of Annas. and had been
appointed to the position of high
priest by the Roman authorities. 1t
was during the progress Of this trial
thatPeter denied his Lord three times
The scripture section to be studied is
contained in the following passages:
Matt ae:57-76
Mark N:63-72.
Luke 22H-62.
John 18:12-T.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrim.-While
Jesus was before Annas the Sanhe-
drim, the highest Jewish council, was
hastily summoned in extraordinary
session. The object Of the hasty meet
ing was to condemn Jesus and have
Him crucified before His friends could
rally to His support. The means taken
to secure the verdict wished for were
extraordinary. False witnesses were
secured, but II is hard for liars to be
consistent. and no two of them pre-
sented the same testimony. There
must be two witnesses to subst antiate
any charge. Finally two came. and
their testimony seemed to agree. But
this testimony was false. Jesus did
not say: 81 am able to destroy the
temple of God, and to build it in three
days" Jesus said (John 2:19): DE
stroy this temple. and in three days I
will raise it up"
The Sanhedrim could have sum-
moned many and many true witness.
who knew Jesus and His works and
teaching. Lame men who had been
made to walk. bind who had been
/ given sight, lepers and other sick who
had been restored to health and
strength. These would have formed ar
imposing array-all in favor of the
claims of Jesus. But the .Sanhedrin
was not after truth, but after con.
viction. Prof. Greenleaf. in his
Trial of Jesus" says: "Throughout
the whole course of the trial the rules
of the Jewish law of procedure were
grossly violated. and the accused was
deprived of rights belonging even tc
| ha oif IL, !.
in the night, bound as malefactor
beaten before His arraignment and
struck in open court during the trial
He was tried on feast day and be-
fore sunrise. He was compelled tc
criminate Himself and this under ar
oath of solemn judicial adjuration
and He was sentenced on the same
day of the conviction"
Mark G4:5s) gives different YER
sion of the testimony finally admitted
against Jesus. From this it seem.
that finally the Sanhedrim had to ad
nit testimony of two witnesses which
did not fully accord. To remove an,
doubt. Caiaphas finally turned t.
Jesus. and on His declaration that H,
was the Christ. the Son of God. Laset
the charge of blasphemy. and accord
ingly the sentence of death was voted
Then occurred scene more remark
able than any that went before. i
that be possible. The dignified coun
cilors who had just gone through tn,
form of trial blindfolded Jesus, an,
in mockery Of the claim He had jus
made struck Him and after each blov
asked Him to tell who gave il
prophecy unto u.s. they said. "tho,
Christ, who is He that smote thee?"
Peters Denials.-During the tria
before the Sanhedrim reter, who ha,
followed Jesus "afar off," entered tn
palace of the high priest and thre
times denied his Master. First it wa
simple denial. then it was a denia
with an oath, ana finally he denie
with curses and swearing. sand i'm
mediately the cock crew. And Pete
remembered the word of Jesus, whic
said unto him: Before the cock Gro,
thou shalt deny me thrice And h
) went out and wept bitterly"
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