The Yale expositor., 1905-05-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VIII, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY Fl.


John xviii, 81 - Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. ID. NJ. Stenrns.
copyright, 1905, by American Press Association.l
In this lesson, which leads up to the
crucifixion, we must, however briefly,
sum up the events from last lesson on
ward. Let us not forget that 1t il His
last night in a mortal body. The dark
ness ever deepens, and the conflict
grows more and more fierce, for all the
powers of darkness are about to do
their worst, and He is about to bear in
His own body the sins of the whole
world Il Pet. ii, "a; John Ii, p.
His going forth from the city over the
brook Kedron, rejected by Israel, His
Son eek. iv, %, %; Hos. xi, y, carries
us back to David going forth over the
same brook, rejected by his son QI
Sam. XIV, 30), but the type was very
faint shadow of this awful reality.
How the agony was heaped up in the
betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter,
being forsaken of all, the hooking and
buffeting and cruel scourging and final
ly the hiding of His own Fathers face
as He who knew no sin was made a
sin offering for us-remember "for u.s."
and let your heart say "for me-" suffer
ing all this for me that 1 might not
suffer through all eternity, and I'll of
His own voluntary will Oev. i, -, for
no power on earth or in hell could take
Him or take His life from Hin IN
less He willed 1t John Y, 49,. IN the
garden see those who came to take
Him going backward and falling to the
ground when He simply said, Il am"
They never would have risen again If
He had not willed it, but He let them
take Him and bind Him and lead Him
away to Annas and Caiapbas and TO
PLATE "IIe was brought as lamb to
the slaughter, and as n sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so He openeth
not His mouth" Qsa. lii, y. He left
us an example that we should follow
His steps q Pet. ii, 21-23).
After much buffeting and suffering
and uncalled for abuse He is brought
before PLATE in the early morning by
these self righteous Pharisees, who
would not enter Pilates judgment hall
lest they should be defiled, not consid-
ering it deiiling to hate and prosecute
and determine to kill an innocent man.
Even though they did not accept Him
as the Messiah, their prophets had said,
LET none of you imagine evil against
his brother in your heart" Czech. vii,
10; viii, 10 They were taught to love
God with all their heart and their
neighbor as themselves Nev. xix, 49,,
yet see in them a repetition OF the
treatment of Joseph by his brethren.
Hear them accuse Him of being a
malefactor Verse 30), He, the Holy One
of God, the spotless Lamb, who did no
sin.
See the Scripture being fulfilled In the
Jews asking the Romans to be His ex-
ecutioner, for had the Jews killed Him
He would have been stoned as Stephen
was, but it was foretold that He should
be crucifed, His hands and His feet
pierced ops. xii, 16; Zech. xii, 10), and
Jesus had Himself said that He was
to be crucified Matt. XXX, 19). How
weighty and all important the sayings,
"The Scripture cannot be broken" "All
things must be fulfilled" (John x, 50;
Luke xiv, Al.
Our Lord acknowledged to PLATE that
He was the King of the Jews, but that
no earthly power would or could give
Him His kingdom; it is given Him by
the Father, even as He said in His
prayer in last weeks lesson, "The glo-
ry which Thou gavest Me-" His words,
"My kingdom is not Of this world"
(verse 36), do not in any way indicate
that His kingdom will not be on this
earth, for it is the repeated affirmation
that it will be dan. vii, q; Rev. V, 9,
10; xi, Is; Matt V, 3; Mum. xiv, Il, etc.,
but it is mot from hence" 1t will come
by judgments and a great catastrophe
at His second coming In glory.
AS He had said before, "My sheep
hear My voice." so now He says, "Ev-
cry one that is of the truth heareth Ny
voice" (verse 30. Even though we
preach the simplest, purest gospel we
are nowhere taught that all will re-
ceive 1t, for during the whole of this
age there will be the four kinds of soil
described in the parable of the sower,
and wheat and tares will grow together
till the end of the age. Those whom
the Father has given to Him Will come
to Him, and His word faithfully spo-
ken will always accomplish His pleas
ure Elsa. ", III. Pilates question,
"What is TRUTH" was seemingly
thoughtlessly uttered and received no
reply, but we have the answer in John
xiv, G.
In verse SO and chapter xix, 4, 9, note
Pilates threefold testimony to His in
nocence, and yet when they demand
His death He is surrendered to their
will and q robber and murderer is set
free. 1t is even so to this day; the Life
and Light of men. the only Saviour OF
sinners, is despised and rejected, and
the father of lies, murderer from the
beginning. is believed and received and
followed by the multitude. Whom have
you chosen?, Our eternal welfare de-
ponds upon our relation to Christ. We
may say, as PLATE said, II find no
a