The Tupelo journal., 1904-06-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,.
Lesson in the International Series for
June s, 1eO4-Christ's Trial
Before PLATE.
ii LESSON TEXT.
Mark 15:1-i5)

Jesus Agony...................Luke zz'"9-4o
Betrayal and Arrest............Matt. 26:41-5b
Betrayal and Arrest. Marx l4:4a-o2
Betrayal and Arrest............Luke 22;47-o3
Trial Before Jewish Authorities.
Matt. 26:57-710
Trial Before Jewish Authorities. .......
l4:53-72
Trial Before Jewish Authorities......
Luke 22:54-71
Trial Before Matt. N:H-Sl
Trial Before Pilate............ Mark 15:l-2O
Trial Before Pilate..............Luke 23.-25
TIME.-Early morning.
PLACE.-Tower of Antonio, adjoining
the temple.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
"In the morning the chief priests
held a consultation" An Illegal trial
had been going on before the Jewish au-
thorities during the latter part of the
night. Though they had the trial in the
night, they were careful not to pro-
nounce tentence till after sunrise, that
its legality might not be questioned.
Even the sentence thus pronounced was
illegal, for the law forbade passing a
death sentence till the day after the
trial. Furthermore their law forbade
the trying of criminal cases on the day
before the Sabbath. This was Friday,
the day before the Jewish Sabbath. De-
livered Him up to Pilate:" The Sanhe-
drin in the time of Christ had 40 power
to inf1ict the death penalty. Their Ro-
oDrr,orNrs mould mt narmif II ca
their action was practically only a rec
ommendation. Pontius PLATE had been
prOcurator of Judaea for four or five
years, at this time under commission
from Tiberius Caesar. Read at this point
John 17:29-32, which shows that the
chief priests tried to get PLATE to ratify
their action without looking into the
matter. PLATE would have nothing to
do with such procedure and insisted
upon a charge. The Sanhedrin had con-
demned Jesus for blasphemy, but that
Is not what they told the Roman gov
ernor. They told him that the charge
was of conspiring against Rome. Art
thou the King of the Jews" A plain
question, Guilty, or not guilty."
Thou sayest:" Eyes, l am the King"
This was a summary of Jesus answer.
The full conversation, in which He ex-
plains to Plate what He means by being
a King, is found in John 1S:33-38.
After this PLATE pronounced Jesus not
guilty.
PLATE was not a man wicked beyond
any that have lived since. He had pro-
nounced Jesus innocent; he wanted to
have Him set at liberty. But he did not
want to bring upon himself the enmity
Of the angry priests, for there was no
denying that they were still very pow
erful in Judaea. 1t occurred to him that
he could avoid the decision entirely by
sending Jesus, who was a Galilaean, to
Herod, the governor of Galilee, who
happened to be in the city. Herod was
glad to see Jesus, for the interview
would bring him a new kind of diver
sion. Blu in hat encounter Jesus was
king and Herod clown. Herod realized
it, and in chagrin sent Jesus back to
PLATE, in mock state, but uncondemned,
Read the account of Luke 23:3-12.
Luke 23:13-16 tells of Pilates formal
acquittal of Jesus. He should have re-
leased Him, but instead He takes an
other step in the way of compromise: he
will scourge Him to pacify them, and
then release Him to pacify his own con-
science. The priests would not hear to
it. "The question had finally come TO
this, whether he would save Jesus or
save himself" He would save Jesus if
he could; he must save himself in any
case. 1t was a trial of strength between
PLATE, in Jesus behalf, and the chief
priests against him. "~Barrabas:" "a
notable prisoner" Matt. 27:16), "who
for a certain insurrection made in the
city and for murder" duke 29:19), was
"lying bound with them that had made
Instruction" He was a robber or
brigand John 1S:40. will We that I
release. the King of the Jews"
An attempt to get the crown (not the
priests IN his side. PLATE knew that
Jesus had a good deal of hold on the
the common people and that that was
one reason the priests hated him. Read
here Matt 27:19, the dream of Pilates
wife.
p THE chief priests stirred up the null
titude:" There are not words in the
English language with which to ade-
quately characterize the spirit of these
champions of orthodoxy, and it need not
be done. But think of the state of re-
ligion in the land when such men were
it's official leaders! What then shall
I do unto the King of the Jews"
PLATE was yielding by inches. There
are some matters on which men have
no business to ask advice. Conscience
:old PLATE what he ought to do with
Jesus. That should have been the end of
it. The words: IF thou release this
man, thou art not Caesars friend" were
a threat, and it was that hat finally
broke the opposition of PLATE.
BARRED ARROWS.
Virtue for wage is a first cousin to
vice.
A man in the hand is worth two by
the ear.
Christian character cannot be made
in a plaster cast.
Faith in things above gives force for
things below.