The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-05-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE 5.

memory Verses, IL, 13-Comlnentary
on the Days Lesson.
I. Jesus before the Jewish Council ".
u. l. "In the morning." Jesus had two
trials. The first was before the Jewish
authorities, who brought in a charge
against Him, the punishment of which
was death. Ihe second trial was before
the Roman procurator, PLATE, who had
power to infict the death penalty. "Chief
priests" The heads Of the courses and
the ex-hlgh priests. Elders" Men chosen
from among the most influential laymen.
"Scribes." Teachers of the law. They
church. "The whole council" The San.
hedrin, the highest Jewish council, COM
! posed of seventy-one members. It could
condemn to death, but the execution of
the sentence rested with the Roman pro-
curator.
II. PLATE questioning Jesus Tvs. 2-5).
2. "End Plate" Jesus was taken from
the regular meeting of the SanEedrm to
the judgment hall of Plate John 1928;
! Luke 23:l), which was probably in the
tower of Antonia, just outside the north
west corner of the temple area" Verses
"a and Matt. N:ll-l4 are an account OF
tor. cart Thou" etc. This question pre-
supposes that Jesus had REASONABLY
claimed to be a king. The Jews made
three principal charges against Jesus: /.
Sedition-perverting the people: 2. For
bidding to pay tribute to Caesar. 8.
Claiming to be king. JOHN shows John
ls:333S) how Jesus SO explained His roy
atty and His kingdom as to cause Plate
to say, IT find in Him no fault at all"
'Thou sayest it." An affirmative answer
which means, 1T is as thou sayest.,h
3. The Jews refused to enter the Judg'
ment hall because their Jewish traditions
(not the law of God) declared them cere-
monially unclean if they entered the house
of Gentle during or just before the Pass
over ,feast;" PLATE, therefore, went oI out
23:2; John ls:2s-32). PLATE then entered
the Judgment hall and held private con-
ference with Jesus luke 1913; John ls:
$3.50, after which he again went out to
the Jews and publicly declared to them
his belief that Jesus was innocent. Jesus
was then brought out to the Jews to hear
their accusations. Many things" All
were mere technicalities and quibblings;
they. either wholly falsifed or perverted
His statements so as to make it appear
that He was confessed criminal. An:
swered nothing" He was conscious OF
His Innocence. He knew that they could
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 he was
not ready to face the Jews and give 6is us
prisoner His liberty. 5. "Marvelled.
PLATE was probably more surprised that
He bore this so meekly and did not return
railing for railing, than that lie did not
set up defense.
III The Jews choose Barabbas Tvs. 6.
ny. 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 80
completely established that Plate was
obliged to attend to'it. See verse .; Il
"Barabbas." An insurrectionist, robber
and a murderer. He was actually guilty OF
much worse crimes than they had charged
AGAINST Jesus. He had short time before
t6is evidently been ringleader in an out
break in Jerusalem against the Roman
Government. with them" The asso-
ciates Of Barabbas were also like himself,
under arrest and in prison. 8. "Will .ye,"
etc. PLATE is laboring hard to release
Jesus, and yet he does not assert his au-
thority, but constantly yields to the clam
oing Of the wicked Jews. ,
TO- "He knew-for envy" He could not
doubt who were the ringleaders in the tu.
multous scene now being enacted, or Whas
was the motive that had prompted them
to bring the accused before his tribunal
nothing more or less than envy OF the IN,
fuence he had gained and the favor ne haa
won throughout the land. he hoped
therefore, by appealing directly to the Pe9-
"a l..
Moved the people" The word trans
lated moved only occurs here and in the
narallei. Luke 23:5. 1t denotes W to
shake to and fro, to brandish; (2) to make
threatening gestures; (3) to stir up, or IN,
stipate. Their efforts were successful, ana
when Plate put the question the cry went
nm. Awav with this man-the holy and un,
deHied whom they had lately welcomed
with hosannas into their city-and release
unto us Barabbas. This was the deepest
human degradation-to have the Vuest OF
mankind preferred to Him!
". Jesus delivered up to death lVs.
l2-l5). =,
p "Pilate answered" 1t was probably
at this time, while the people were clamor-
ina for His death so loudly, that the mes
seneer came from Pilates wife Matt. y:
I91' urging the release of Jesus, and stat
irg that she had just suffered many things
in a dream because of Him. How many
and what various persons bear testimony
! to the innocence of the Holy One-Pilate,
Herod. Pilates wife, Judas Iscariot, the
thief on the cross and the centurion at the
crucifxion. What will ye," etc. Accord
ing to Matthew PLATE asked what ne
should do with Jesus, who was called'
Christ? This is question every person
must answer. !. Every one must accept
GREAT sin of the world. 8. If we reject
Him here we will be rejected by Him here
after. l3 Cruelty Him" Let Him die
the most ienominious death possible.
IA. why" Plate makes another dl'
rect appeal. "Cried out the more" There
were no questions to be considered by
them. they were resolved to have His life.
Nothing else would satisfy them:
Il. Wishing to content" (R.V.) What
q weak man PLATE was; slave to the
opinions 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
innocent of the blood of this just person;
see ~ We to it" Matt. 27:24). Then answered
ali the people and said: Ills blood be on
us and on our children"
In less than forty years from this exsla,
nation the Romans came. They cruclhed
such numbers of Jews that, according to
Josephus, there was no more room to set
the crosses. No doubt some OF these very
nersons, and certainly their children, died
hv this very death "Scourged Hin" "
The scourge OF leather thongs was loaded
with lead, or armed with spikes and bones,
which lacerated the back, chest and face
Pilate hoped the scourging would satisfy
the Jews.
Ilat fh quo IInnO1s.