The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1914-11-20
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDNSO1OOL
LESSON
(3y Z. o. SELLERS. Acting Director Sun
day School Course. Moody Bible Inoti-
tute, Chicago)
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 22.
JESUS AND PLATE.

LESSON TEXT-Luke 23:l3-25. See also
Matt. H:ll-sl.
GOLDEN TEXT PLATE saith unto
them, What then shah / do unto Jesus.
who Is called Christ Matt. 27:22 r. "
The false witnesses mark 14:55.5s)
did not help to formulate charges
against Jesus. These rulers did, how
ever, make three accusations. duke
1927 (a) "Pervertlng the nation
turning It to error; (bI "forbidding to
give tribute TO Caesar"-treason, (see
Matt 17:24-2O; and (c) that he
maketh himself Christ. a king
e. g., his Messianic claims PLATE
". 14) seems to have dwelt upon the
first as only worthy of consideration.
|. Jesus and PLATE, w. 1919. This
incident demands that we study care
fully all that the other gospel writer's
have recorded. We have seen the &C
cusatlon recorded by Luke. Matthew
and Luke tell us OF Pilates question.
Art thou the king OF the Jews?" and
OF the answer Of Christ claiming that
he was. Matthew records the silence
OF Jesus to the accusations OF the
chief priests and to PLATE at that
time. Luke gives us the account OF
Pilates perplexity. how Jesus was
sent TO Herod and OF Pilates second
report to the Jews. Matthew tells OF
the offer PLATE made to release Barab-
bas or Jesus and Of the message from
Pilates wife.
Trial a Moekery.
The trial before Annas and Caiaphas
was a hollow mockery The Sanhedrin
was fierce in its denunciation and to
add Disgrace and to impress PLATE
that Jesus was dangerous. they led
him into his presence. PLATE soon
saw the emptiness OF their charges,
and as we have suggested. dismissed
all save that OF "perverting the ma
ton" The Roman government keenly
watched for incipient rebellions. After
examination he declares, Il find no
fault in this man He did not. how
ever, dare incur the hatred and VIC.
lcnCc of n Jerusalem mob and so he
tcmporizes. The Horcest light Of crit.
icism declares Jesus TO be impccCable,
yet men tnmporizc After the dis.
graceful and DEGRADING treatment
Jesus received before I'orOd, he again
stands before plate, and ills time he
is again declared TO be innocent of the
chargag pr lcrrDd against him. This
Is the turning point OF this world s
greatest tragedy plate should have
let him 20, and would have had he
not been vcnal judge He who hest
tatcs is lost Is amply cXempiied in
this case. plate was in q worse case
and one whore II became less easy
to do right, whatever his inclinations
Acts 3:l3l may have been, by not
acting resolutely at this point 1t was
easy for this weakw illed man then to
yield to the determined wills Of the
enemies OF Jesus. v. "a K. V. PLATE
found no fault In Jesus, neither did
Herod ". t5), yet PLATE compromis-
ingly says. nothing worthy of DEATH"
hence the suggestion that he be chas.
tsed and released. This is typical of the
temporizing, compromising, tickle poll.
ticians. These words at once sug-
gested TO the Jews a custom OF hav.
ing released unto them one whom they
chose at this period of the year. and
they cried out, Away with this man,
release unto us Barabbas" II was
thus that these, his accusers, repre-
senting the nation. denied the holy
and Just. and desirable n murderer"
Acts 3:l4.
PLATE Tried to Save Christ.
u. Jesus and Barabbas, w. POPS.
Matthew adds to that awful cry, when
PLATE has washed his hands in token
of innocency, His blood be upon us"
Matt 27:25). The other writer's
give us some suggestions as to who
Barabbas was, md makes this choice
more appalling by way OF contrast
III. The Teaching. This lesson is
Intended TO center itself about Plate.
In 1t we see the struggle between con,
science and personal ambition Pi.
late was impressed by the words OF
Christ. He told the priests and the
multitude that he found no fault In
him. II appears that up to a certain
point he tried to save Christ, and Ger.
tainly to the end he strove to avoid
the responsibility for his death Sore
ly pressed he temporized and the
conversation recorded In John IS: 1898
shows how profoundly interested he
was in this prisoner before him.
PLATE knew whom he was dealing
with as politician. but did not know
this man of Galilee." He chose rath.
er to be Caesars friend" than to per.
form n righteous act according to the
dictates OF his conscience. Pressed
by the clamor of those whom he de.
spised, he sacrificed his conscience
rather than incur their anger.
The golden text focuses the personal