Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-10-30

his act of betrayal was in order to
precipitate the Messianic claims of
Jesus and compel him to assume an
triumph. If so, was not the
Of Judas a selfish one, that he
might profit thereby? The baseness
his unholy compact is soon to be
revealed to Judas and to the world.
The kiss of Judas delivered Jesus into
the hands of lawless men according
the determinate counsel and fore
knowledge of God, Acts 1928. This
furnishes us the background, the at
in which to consider this,
the first of his several trials.
Wickeeness of Judas.
u. The laundering Peter, w. 5t-53.
~ Peter and the sword, Wv. 51-55.
had knowledge and zeal, but
used his zeal not according to knowl-
edge. Jesus had warned him, only to
receive the assurance that he was
The words of Jesus here
recorded are a calm assurance of the
fact hat these events are not being
by man but by God. The
wickedness of Judas is being worked
out in the plan of redemption. If
fighting were the program, what would
Peters puny sword amount to? For
the asking Jesus could command IL
legions of angels, yet even such a
force could not be used in human re-
demption. One man, the Goldman,
must die, Rom. BIS. Notice the Mas
ter's acceptance of the Scriptures, v.
"a. If by the sword he were to es-
cape, how could these be fulfilled?
Matthew adds ". $50 that all of this
come to pass that the words of the
prophets be fulfilled. CD Peter and
the maid, Wv. 56-5S. That Peter should
follow "afar" or at all, is evidence of
his affection for Jesus and of his de-
termination to see the end. There
was perhaps an element of pride also
in his going, for the others had for
sock him and fed" They seem to
have realized that his enemies would
now surely destroy Jesus and further
that he was determined not to accept
any deliverance. Let us recall that
witnesses against Christ were at a
premium that night (vv.. SO, COZ, and
yet Peter did not witness against him,
nor is there any suggestion that he
WIS so asked to testify (see notes on
Lesson for November 15).
III. The Biased, Brutal Judges, wv.
1888. This is one of earth's most
irregular and illegal trials. The
priests and the council had one single
determination, which was to find
Jesus guilty. They did not seek to
discover the truth, but rather to car
ry out the sentence of death previ.
ously determined upon, Hence the
devilish business of discovering a pre-.
text whereby to carry out their pur-
pose. Finally two are found, Wv. So,
go, willing to bear false witness eek,
20:16) for the purpose of currying the
favor of the rulers. What a spectacle.
Gods supposed Representatives and
the leaders of Gods chosen people
suborning witnesses whereby to con
denim an innocent man and to CARR
out their devilish designs.
False Testimony.
A careful reading of what Chris
really did say and what these wit
nesses swore that he said, reveals the
falseness of their testimony, v. 81
see also John 20. Il am able to de
stroy the temple of God, and to rebuild
1t in three days" were not his words
What he did say was, Destroy this
temple and l will raise 1T up" He
spoke these words of himself about
those who should destroy him-his
body-and claimed the power to raise
that body again within three days
Grant, for the sake of argument, thai
he spoke of the Jerusalem temple ane
still the testimony is false, as anyone
can plainly see. To such lying accuse
tons Jesus held his peace There
could be no possible change wrought
by answering.
At this point the high priest die
another illegal thing in administerins
The legal oath, Il adjure thee" ". 63)
| Not alone was the time and place Of
this trial illegal, but SO was this ACT
On the part OF the high priest. But
that all might once more know the
truth, Jesus replied Thou hast said
and adds, "Henceforth We shall see
the son of nan sitting at the right
hand Of power and coming on the
clouds of heaven (v. 64). This add
ton Augmented the high priests an
ger and gave him argument for the
definite accusation of blasphemy, and
upon this charge he makes his appeal
to the council. They readily voted a
verdict of guilty ". 66). Once de
clared guilty Jesus is heaped with this
basest of indignities wv. 81, So. That
those in whose possession were the
oracles of God and WHO administered
his worship should find it in their
a man upon known false testimony
seems beyond aso der. 1873 and
36:24).
Judas with his baseness and treach.
cry; Peter and his laundering devo-
ton; the disciples and their blind fear
as Ll6N H0u away, anu dL lu0 Guu OF
it all, this revelation of the supreme
~depravity of the rulers: what an ap.
palling combination, see lisa. ST..
With all of this dark background
there is, however, an evidence of the
grace of God. Jesus voluntarily and
with determination, submission and
patience, endured these indignities for
us and with calmness and strength
pursued his onward way to Calvary
and on through the grave to his vic.
tory over sin and death.