The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-27
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH 3.


ID - Golden Text, Matt. XVI, 40
Memory Verses, s-11 - Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
l. Had spoken these words" The
| discourse and prayer recorded in John IA,
Is, l6 and II. "Went-the brook Ce.
dron'-Or Kedron. This was small
stream that flowed to the east of Jerusa-
lem, through the valley of Jehoshaphat
and divided the city from the Mount of
Olives. Where was garden" Gethse-
name, which means "oil-press." 1t was
near the foot Of the western slope of Oil.
vet, and was probably on enclosed olive
vineyard, containing a press and garden
tower" He entered and His disciples"
John passes over the circumstances con-
nected with the entering and the agony
Of Christ in the garden, probably because
it was so fully described by the other
evangelists. (See last lesson).
2. "Judas-knew the place" Luke tells
US that this very week they had spent
their nights on the Mount Of Olives luke
81: 81; and having been there frequently
with the Master Judas was familiar with
His resting places; yet he went 80 far as
to meet Him in that sacred place and
there betray Him. What a picture of
fallen nature!
8. Having received a band of men,"
| Judas received the Roman cohort, which
consisted of fronL300 to 900 men, who quar-
tered in the tower of Antonia and guarded
the peace Of the city. Lanterns, torches
and weapons" The ordinary equipment
for night duty. The Roman soldiers were
armed with swords, the Jewish officers
with stones. With the Roman cohort
came also great multitude. Mark IA: 43.
Ill
taken unaware, but voluntarily delivered
Himself up. "Whom seek YEP" He would
have them own distinctly their dreadful
design. He speaks to make them confess
their object, and then to show that they
can attain il only by His actual permis
sion. Christ "went forth" from the com.
pany of the disciples, and facing the Ro.
man soldiers asked them, "Whom seek
ye"
| S. '"Jesus of Nazareth" The answer
may perhaps reveal the light in which
Judas had represented Jesus to the Ro.
man authorities; "of Nazareth" "a Cali
lean prone to revolt. "l am He."-Look
no farther; I am the One for whom you
are searching. "Judas-stood with them"
| That is, with the band of soldiers. A kiss
| had been agreed upon as a signal to mark
the person they were seeking. As the
band reached the garden Judas went some.
what in advance of them (Luke %: Az,
and reached Jesus just as He had reused
the three-Peter, James and John-and
was preparing to go and meet His cap.
tors. Judas saluted Him, Hail, Rabbi"
so as to be heard by the rest, and kissed
Him repeatedly, loudly, effusively. Matt.
20: 40. The Saviour submitted to the in.
dignity, not stopping, but only saying as
He passed on: "Friend" mot the endear.
ing word, but "companion") "is it this
for which thou art here?" (Matt. 20: SOY;
and then, perhaps in answer to His ques.
tioning gesture, Judas, with kiss deliy-
eredst thou up the Son of Man" Luke
90: 4S.
6. went backward and fell" This
was the manifestation of superhuman
power. The divine majesty Of Jesus, just
| from HIS intimate communion with God,
| the unexpected boldness of innocence,
| smote terror into hearts conscious of guilt.
7. "Whom seek YEP" The question was
repeated, perhaps in irony. Why this ex.
hibition of power? /. To show that He
surrendered Himself willingly, as to Gods
| plans and not to mans power. 2. It drew
| attention away from His disciples to Him.
self. 8. 1t gave courage and faith to His
disciples in after days, to know the power
| of Jesus, and that He could use it il He
would. See Matt. 26: SO, 81.
8. Il have told you" An intimation to
the armed crowd what playthings they
way" Let the disciples 60 their way. It
was necessary that they should live to
carry on the work, and Christ. proposes to
protect them from all harm. These were
words of authority, not of entreaty.
8. (which He spake." This has refer
ence to the prayer just offered John II:
II. "I have lost none" This is here ap.
piled to the preservation of their natural
| lives; even the body is a part of Christ's
charge and care. He had kept them for
three years. Jesus perished.
10. peter having a sword drew It,"
From Luke %: 40, we see that the disci.
piles asked Jesus if they should defend
Him with the sword. Peter did not wait
for an answer, but at once begins the de.
tense. Probably he wished by this blow
to prove his readiness to risk his life for
his Lord, and to fulfill his VOW MARK IA:
27-3D; in all probability it was also his
design to give signal to the friends and
the foe. "Cut off his right ear" This
was O very rash act, for it compromised
Jesus in His teaching that His kingdom
was not of this world, but a spiritual
/ kingdom. The external ear, though sew
cred, was apparently hanging on the
cheek; for our Lord is said, in Luke %:
81, to have touched His ear in performing
the hearlng. Iuls was Christ's last mira.
Gle before His death.
IL. Put up thy sword" He was oppos
ing the divine plan and Christ rebuked
him. "The cup which Ny Father hath
given" What God hath arranged for Him
in making atonement for sin is represented
as bitter medicine put in a cup for Him
to drink. Exactly the amount designed
to be drunk was placed in the cup. "Shall
l not drink it?" The fact that the cup
was given Him by the Father was suff.
clent. We learn from Matt 26: 52.54 that
Jesus gave three other reasons for not re.
sisting
r. "Then the handbook Jesus" Some
or the more eager ones had taken hold of
Jesus before the attempt of Peter Matt.
26: SOY; now the guard took possession OF
Him and led Him away. At this time not
only Peter, but all the disciples forsook
Jesus and fled Peter and John afterward
followed Him to. His place of trial.
l3. TO Annas first" Because this old
man had formerly been high priest, and
was still the legitimate high priest accord.
ing to the law of Moses, the Office being
for life (Num. 20: 49, 35: 25), and may
have been so regarded by the Jews. An.
mas, as father-in-law to Caiaphas, doubt.
less exerted strong influence over him.
IA. "Caiaphas." He was wicked,
self-seeking man. He was willing to de.
stroy even an innocent person to save the
nation from what he considered a great
peril.