Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-17

SOAN AG<AA.-LaSt lesson closed WITH
Jesus In Gethsemane betrayed by Judas
Iscar.ot. He was frst brought by the on
GERS before Annas. What transpired there
is related John. xvti:1s-24) by one of the
evangelists who was probably the only
witness Of the company of the disciples.
Annas appeared to be respectful toward
Jesus anxious evidently to learn the truth
concerning Him. Questions were asked
concerning His teachings and disciples,
probably with desire to know the doc
trinal and personal strength of this move
ment. which had attracted so much atten-
ton In the city. Jesus was not disposed
to crafty this display Of interest, and An
mas was informed that there had been
teaching in the synasogues and in the tenn
PIES wherever the Jews came together,
intimating that there could be no ignorance
on the subject. and that Information
might easily be obtained from others. This
remark displeased one Of the officers who
smote Jesus. Annas then dismissed his
pf'son n Who was taken to Caiaphas.
life OF Jesus the Jewish hierarchy encoun-
tered many difficulties. They caused his
arrest at length to prevent any uprising
OF the common people who were His adj
mirers mark. xii:3O. Having Him in their
power, they may have made short work in
their evil purpose without leaving the gar
Gen, but they had no right to put Him to
aeatn John, xviH:SD. II He Is executed
and that they will not do without some
show of criminality or at least some form
OF trial. And 80 he was led bound to Jeru-
ssIem Luke. xxit:52-53) and arraigned In
the morning Of Friday probably between
3 and o'clock, when He appeared before
the high priest, the venerable Annas John,
IkvIi:lS). highly reverenced because Of his
ffny. h~sz0
sent him to Caiaphas, his son-in-law (John,
xviii:2D, who performed the duties of office
as aeputy. This man had given an opinion
which rendered him invaluable to the pur-
pose In view John, xi:49-5D.
FOLLOWERS Tvs. 5S,-The disci-
pies OF Jesus did not wholly desert Him
one unknown youth-perhaps Mark, per.
maps Lazarus-ventured to hover q while
an attempt was made to seize him Mark
xiv:61-52). Two Of the three most highly
favored Mark, xiv:83), after the first fright
returned to prove their friendship (John
xviil:io). Peter followed afar off, came to
the door and finally entered the court OF
the palace. While warming himself by the
fire he repeatedly denied when the servants
charged him with being a disciple. and
sealed his third denial with an oath. The
look Of Jesus pierced his conscience and
recalled his VOW, and he went out to weep
Cohn. xviii:15-1S; Luke, xxi :b4-62). The
other disciple was doubtless John. for he
frequently refers to himself in that modest
way John, KID. A young man at the
time known to the high priest John, xviii:
15), he went into the palace, and probabl
stood near his Master, his only sympa-
thizer, a witness of all that transpired.
For such faithfulness he received the high
est possible proof Of the Savior's love
John, xix:27).
WITNESS Tvs. 5e-eD.-Jesus, attended
by lone fisherman youth, stands before
Caiaphas. A case must be made against
Him, that he may be sent to Plate, the
governor. There was first a private ex-
animation, recorded by Matthew and Mark,
and then hearing before the Sanbedrim,
over which the high priest presided, re-
corded by John. The chief priests and eld-
ers are present to conduct the prosecution,
and the scribes to record the proceedings.
But the prisoner has no counsel. The trial
concerns all people-the masses then sleep
ing, and the millions unborn of other ma
tons. But where are the witnesses? In
vain they are sought and money Is offered
They who swore falsely disagreed. At last
two witnesses were found, the number re-
quired by law to establish matter of fact
Oeut., xix:15), who declared that Jesus had
said He would destroy the temple and build
it miraculously in three days. This, per-
version of his utterance John, HID, was
all that could be brought against him. If
true. it was no offense. In a modern court
the prisoner would have been discharged.
QUESTIONING Tvs. 62-63)-The ut
most has been done. Before the high priest
of the Jewish Church none have given tes-
tinony that will convict. But his persecu-
tors do not abandon their purpose. 1t Is
now resolved to extort from HIS own lips
some word that shall form the basis Of a
charge Caiaphas the judge, assumes the
part Of an examiner. What Is it which
these witness against Thee? What have
you to say to these charges? Are they true
or false? What do they mean?" But he
was silent, fulfilling the prediction lisa,
20. The charges were SO trivial, the wit
nesses so contradictory, that no reply was
needed no explanation possible. 1t was
vastly better to leave the judge, the jury,
the lawyers, the witnesses, the clerks, the
soldiers, to consider and feel their embar-
rassment, and to contemplate Him, the only
self-poised one Gee, HID, unhurt by all
the poisoned shafts that had been hurled
at Him, reposing In his conscious inno-
cence. .
CONFESSION Tvs. 64).-That was an
intolerable silence. A disinterested specta-
tor might have pitied those who with pow
erless hate gazed into the undisturbed face
of the prophet. Caiaphas was overcome
with fear and anger. Starting from the
Judgment seat and striding into the midst
MARK, xiv:6O with marvellous lnconSis-
tency, with disgraceful illegalfty, standing
with threatening attitude over his prisoner,
he inquired: Art Thou the Christi" And
then. as If some dread msgiving had seized
him, he exclaimed: Il adjudge Thee by the