Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-06-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE 5.
subject: Christs Trial Before Plate, MarH
xv., f-f5-GoIden Text, Luke KILL q
Memory Verses, IL, 13-CommentarJ
on the Days Lesson.

Memory Verses, IL, 13-Cominen'arS
on the Days Lesson.
l. Jesus before the Jewish Council ".
j. /. I'm the morning" Jesus had two
trials. The first was before the jewish
authorities, who brought in a charge
against Him, the punishment OF Wnlcn
was death. he second trial was before
the Roman procurator, Plate, who had
power to inhict the death penalty. Chlei
priests" The heads of the courses ana
the ex-ligh priests. Elders" Men CHOSEN
from among the most influential laymren.
"Scribes." Teachers of the law. Iney
were educated in the literature OF the
church. "The whole council The oan'
hedrin, the highest Jewish council com,
posed of seventy-one members. III coulI
condemn to death, but the execution OF
the sentence rested with the Roman pro
curator. q,
H. Plate questioning Jesus Tvs. z-ol.
2. "And Plate" Jesus was taken from
the regular meeting of the Sanhedrln 10
the Judgment hall OF Plate John 1872;
Luke 23:l), which was probably IN tne
tower of Antonio, just outside the north,
west corner of the temple area" verses
"a and Matt. H:ll-l4 are an account Oh
the first trial before the Roman procura
tor. cart Thou" etc. This question pre-.
supposes that Jesus had treasonaDy
Gained to be king. The jews MADE
three principal charges against Jesus; l.
Sedition-perverting the people: q roa
bidding to pay tribute to Saesa[' oh .,
Claiming to be king John shows lJonh
IS:333S5 how Jesus so explained His roy
atty and His kingdom as to cause fiiate
to say, 81 find in Him no fault at all.
"Tbou sayest it." An affirmative answer
which means. ut is as thou sayest.
3. The Jews refused to enter the Judg
ment hall "because their Jewish traditions
mot the law of God) declared them ceres
monially unclean if they entered the house
of Gentle during or Just before the fass,
over feast;" Plate, therefore, went OUT
and had conference with them Luxe
29:2; John lS:2S-32). Plate then entered
the Judgment hall and held private con
ference with Jesus (IIuke 1913; John 10:
$3.50, after which he again went otL ~
the Jews and publicly declared to them
his belief that Jesus was innocent. Jesus
was then brought out to the Jews to neal
their accusations. Many things, All
were mere technicalities and quibblings;
they either wholly falsiied or perverted
His statements so as to make 1t appear
that He was confessed criminal. An,
swered nothing" He was conscious OF
His innocence. He knew that they could
not prove their charges. They offered no
testimony and therefore He was silent;
there was no need of His replying. 4;
asked Him again. Plate was convinced
that Jesus was innocent, and yet ne was
not ready to face the Jews and give his
n nrs His liberty. S. "Marvelled."
plate was probably more surprised that
He bore this so meekiy and did not return
railing for railing, than that He did not
set up defense.
III The Jews choose Barabbas Tvs. o.
lO. In verses 6-l5 we have an account OF
the second trial before PLATE. This was
the third act in the proceedings against
Christ 6. Released" etc. This custom
was in harmony with the nature OF the
| feast and however it originated, was so
completely established that Plate was
obliged to attend to it. See verse D; {.
"Barabbas" An insurrectonlst, roopef
and murderer. He was actually guilty OF
much worse crimes than they had charged
AGAINST Jesus. He had short time before
this evidently been a ringleader IN an OUT
break in Jerusalem against the Roman
Government. with them" The asso'
ciates of Barabbas were also, like hlmseiil
under arrest and in prison: .; WIN We,
etc. PLATE is laboring hard to reiease
Jesus. and vet he does not assert MS au'
thority, but constantly yields to the CAM
oring Of the wicked Jews. -,
IN "He knew-for envy" He could not
doubt who were the ringeaders IN the tu.
multous scene now being enacted, or Wnat
was the motive that had prompted them
TO bring the accused before his TRIBUNAL
nothing more or less than envy oil the III,
nuence he had. gained and the favor ne naa
won throughout the land. de hopeu'
therefore, by appealing directly 10 tne PEI
eNIoved the people" he word trans
Jared moved only occurs here and IN the
narailel Luke 235 1t denotes " to
Shake TO and fro, to brandish; (2) to make
threatening gestures; (3) to STIR up. or III,
st;gate Their efforts were successful ana
when plate put the question the cry went
nm. AWAY with this mantle hoy and un,
de6jed whom they had Lately welcomed
with hosannas into their city-and reease
INTO us Barabbas. This was the deepest
| human degradation-to have the West Oh
mankind preferred to Him. -,
". Jesus delivered up to death Tvs.
70 "Pilate answered" 1t was probably
at this time, while the people were clamor'
ING for His death 50 loudly, that the mes
senger came from Pilates wife Matt. ~:
| i9l. urging the release of Jesus, and stat
| ina that she had just suffered many things
in a dream because of Him. How many
and what various persons bear testimony
70 tbe innocence Of the Holy One-Pilate,
Herod. Pilates wife, Judas 1scariot, the
| thief on the cross and the centurion at the
cruci6xion. what will ye," etc. Accord
ing to Matthew Plate asked what ne
should do with Jesus, who was called
| Christ? This is a question every, person
must answer. /. Every one must accePt
or reject Him. 2. Rejecting Christ is the
great sin of the word. g., If we reject
after. ID. Cruelty Him; Let HIM die
the most ignominious death possible.
IA. "Why." Plate makes another d.
rect appeal. "Crieo out the more" There
were no questions to be considered by
them. thew were resolved to have His life.
| Nothing else would satisfy them:
Is. "Wishing to content" (R;V) What
weak man Plate was; slave to the
opinons OF the people. Before Plate pro-,
nounced the sentence he took water and
| washed his hands publicly, thus expressing
in acts what he uttered in words, Il am
;nrocent of the blood of this just person !;
see We to it" Matt. 27:24). Then answered
ali the people and said: His blood be on
us and on our children"
| In less than forty years from this eIcla.
nation the Romans came. They crucifed
such -numbers Of Jews that, according to
| ,Josephus, there was no more room to set
| the crosses. No doubt some OF these very
persons, and certainly their children deg
| by this very death. "Scourged HIM
| The scouree OF leather thongs was loaded
with lead, or armed with spikes ana oones,
which liberated the back, chest ana face
plate hoped the scoursipg would satS.y