Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-05-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY 20.

II. Bearing His cross" All the prep
arations having been made the sad pro-
cession started. On the way to the
place of the crucifixion it is evident
that Jesus became exhausted, because
of what He had undergone during the
night. and sank under the weight OF
His cross which He was carrying. Inc
soldiers then compelled a man from
Africa, Simon, of Cyrene, who was
coming into the city, to assist Jesus.
"Went forth" He now goes even I'M
to death" phil. 2:S). "a skull. A
bold, round. skull-like hillock; proDaDiy
the ordinary spot for executions. Col
gotha." Golgotha is the Hebrew word
and Calvary the Latin word.
II. The cruciiXiOn ". 49,. IL.
"They crucified Him." 1t was o'clock
In the morning, the hour Of the usual
morning sacrifice OIL which Jesus, the
Lamb of God, was the great Antitype
Jesus was probably nailed to the cross
before it was raised. The feet of the
sufferer were only foot or two above
the ground-a fact Of some weight, as
showing that Jesus suffered in the
midst of His prosecutors. 1t was at
this time that they offered Christ wine
mingled with myrrh" with view to
producing stupefaction. He tasted it,
but refused to drink, as it would OBJ
scure the clearness of His faculties
Matt. 27:34). 1.-TWO others with Him.
The two thieves crucified with Him
may have belonged to the band with
Barabbas. They evidently knew some
thing about Christ. One Knocked, the
other prayed.
III. The title of the cross Tvs. 1922.
10. "Pilate wrote title" 1t was the
common custom to affix label to the
cross giving statement of the crime
for which the person suffered. In this
case Plate Himself attended to the
title. king Of the Jews" Although
written by a wicked Roman ruler,
probably as an expression OF contempt
for the Jews if not for Jesus, yet 1T
told the exact truth-Jesus was the
King of kings" 20. Written in He
brew" For the Jews. Greek" For
the foreigners and visitors. Latin
For the Romans. Power, culture and
piety in their noblest forms pay hon.
age at the feet Of Jesus. q. Then
and their nation were being insulted
by the Roman governor.
%. what l have written" The Ro-
man laws forbade the sentence TO be
altered when once pronounced.
Nv. "Christs garments divided Tvs.
%. 24). %. 1.-The soldiers" They
were Romans, four in number. They
probably knew nothing about Jesus,
and were acting merely as execution
ers. "Took His garments" The
clothes of executed criminals were tie
per1uisites of the soldiers on duty.
"a. "Rend." Which would, OF
course. ruin the garment. Cast lots"
Gambling was favOrite pastime of
Roman soldiers. "The Scripture" The
Scripture referred to is Psa. 22:1S.
This is one of the seven Messlanic
Psalms. Fulfilled" What the sol
diers did was of their own free will,
but in doing what they did they uncon-
sciously fulfilled the Scriptures. God
does not control free will but He USES
it. There were seven sayings of Christ
spoken from the cross. His first say.
ing was prayer for His enemies
duke 23:34). His second saying was
spoken to the dying malefactOr.
v. Jesus provides for His mother
Tvs. 25-2O. %. His mother" 1t is
generally supposed that she was
widow at this time. She was there
watching her Son and suffering with
Him. Mothers sister," etc. 1t is I'LL
certain whether there are three or four
women referred to here. wife OF
Cleophas." Called also Alphaeus.
MARY Magdalene." She was the first
to see Jesus after His resurrection.
2G. "Saw His mother" He saw and
recognized His mother and arranged
for her future. "DiSciple-He loved.
This was John, the author of this Cos
pei. woman" This was a customary
form of address and was not spoken
with any lack of love. "Thy Son."
Accept from Him the care and prOtec-
ton that mother would expect from
a son. q. "Thy mother" Establish
ing a sympathetic bond. This was
Christ's third saying from the cross.
vi. The closing scene Tvs. 2S-3O) 2S.
"After this" From the sixth hour
moon) there was darkness over all the
land until the ninth hour g o'clock.
Toward the close of the darkness Jesus
uttered His fourth saying from the
cross: my God, My God, why hast
Thou forsaken Me-" Matt. 27:46). "All
things-accomplished." He had the
full consciousness that His work was
completed, that the prophetic WORDS
were fulfilled, and that He had now
only to surrender His spirit to God the
Father. Fulfilled" Connect this
clause. not with Il thirst but with the
first part of the verse" All that the
Scriptures had foretold had been ac-
complished. 81 thirst" His fifth ut
terance from the cross. Another evil
dence of His humanity.
30. "Vinegar." Sour wine which
we are told was the common drink OF
the Roman soldiers. "HyssOp." The
sponge was fastened on hyssop stalk.
80 Received the vinegar" The
first drink of vinegar and gall Jesus re-
fused but this, unmixed with any drug
was accepted. "It is finished" The
sixth saying from the cross. This is
one word in the Greek and has been
referred to as the greatest single word
ever uttered. The work which Christ
had come to do was now complete. I'M
mediately afterward came the seventh
and last rtterance, "Father, into Thy
hands 1 commend My spirit" "Gave
ND the ghost" He dismissed His
spirit" lie gave up His own life.