The Yale expositor., 1906-11-16
JESUS BEFORE
CAIAPHAS
Sunday SchOo. Lesson for Nov. Is. 1906
Specially Prepared for This Payer.
Specially Prepared for This Payer.

TlME.-The lesson covers a perlod OF
several hours, from some time between
one and two o'clock Friday Li>rning till
GFter sunrise April Z, A. ID. 80
PLACE.-The palace of the high priest
and the hall of the Sanhedrin at Jeru-
salem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
v. 81. "They that had laid hold"
The Roman soldiers, who still had the
arrested man in charge. Led him to
Caiaphas." To the apartment OF the
acting hlgh-priest where. instead of
ia its usual hall. hastily called meet
ing of the Sanhedrim was held.
'Scribes and elders were assembled"
Chief priests also were there. as Mark
mentions Q4:53).
v. So. Peter followed him afar Off"
Peters trouble came through his fol.
lowing afar off. Sat with the serv.
ants" Cor officers). Stood or sat
among them as they clustered about
the fire in the open court, whence they
could see what was going Oh in the
council chamber.
V.59. Chief priests sought
false witness" 1t was the religious
movers in the trial of Jesus. But
what they sought was witness
against Jesus to put him to DEATH"
and they had to seek far for witness
against One who ever went about
doing good" Then, as now, only those
who knew him not could say anything
against him.
v. 60. Found none" It was no
easy matter TO agree upon a charge
against the blameless One. MANY
false witnesses came" Inscriptions
persons, by threats or money, could
be brought to give such testimony as
the judges sought. But the trouble
was. the accounts of such men did not
agree with one another. Jewish law
required that at least two witnesses
must agree before one could be con-
victed of capital offense (Deut. 1850.
V. 81. said, am able to destroy"
etc. Read what Jesus had said early
in his ministry John 2:19-2D, and
note how it's whole spirit was altered
by this report.
v. 62. The high priest arose"
Thus far every effort had utterly
failed to bring to light anything
against Jesus. Caiaphas, forgetting
his official dignity, and leaving his of.
fetal seat, stepped toward the Ac.
cused, exasperated by his silence, and
determined 10 make him eliminate
himself. "Answerest thou nothing?'
Jesus had maintained unbroken 81.
lence. He endured the contradiction
of sinners against himself without
one word of self-defense. Here. as
elsewhere, he is our great example.
V. CO. Jesus held his peace" For
perhaps an hour he listened in ST.
lence, fulfilling lisa. 53:7. The high
priest answered" He responded TO
the situation into which he was forced
by the persistent silence of Jesus. 81
adjure thee by the living God" This
was the ordinary formula of admins
tering an oath. The action was illegal
and Jesus at first protested against it
luke 22:67-70). Tell us whether
thou be the Christ. the Son of Cod
The high priest asked Jesus under
oath to testify concerning his claims,
first as to his Messianic vocation, and
second. as to his peculiar relation to
the heavenly Father.
v. Ga. Thou hast said" That is.
You have stated the truth. This was
equivalent to saying, as Mark renders
IL, Il am" Nevertheless" More
than this, Hereafter shall We see"
etc. This would call to mind a we'll
known prophecy concerning the Mes
siah dan. 7:13, 14).
v. 65. Rent his clothes" This had
been originally an involuntary express
sion of grief, but 1t had now become
formal act, when one was found
guilty of blasphemy.
V. &c. What think ye?" Caiaphas
appeals to the assembled Sanhedrim
for verdict. HE is guilty of DEATH"
The verdict guilty" was unanimous.
He was guilty of blasphemy, hence
worthy of death (Lev. 24:16). The
council then adjourned TO meet at day.
break. During the interim Jesus was
delivered to the care of soldiers and
ScTNdHlS VI the OduOeuTllu, WHO SUD-
jected him to every form of indignity
which their brutal instincts could de-
wise.
VS.. 81. 6S. "Buffeted him" Struck
him with their fists. "Prophesy unto
us" They first blindfolded him duke
22:6D. then called upon him to dis
play his supernatural power by nam.
ing the man who struck him.
Practical Points.
v. Sc. We run into danger as soon
as we permit the slightest separation
between ourselves and Jesus--John
1854, 5.
V. SO. The world to-day seeks wit
ness of Jesus in the lives of his pro-
fessed followers.-Acts 1:S.
y. So. A righteous character is the
unimpeachable answer to calumny.-
1 Pet 1916.
". SO. Let us look to Christ for
grace to bear reproach in silence
Heb. 1873.
v. Ga. There come times when to