Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-06-02
INTERNATIONAL
SUlIIlSYSGN)OL
LESSON
by L. o. SELLERS. Acting Director of
the Sunday School Cours, OF tAe Moody
Bible Instituted
Copyright 1877. Western Newspaper Tnione
LESSON FOR JUNE 3
JESUS BETRAYED AND DENIED

LESSON TINT-J,Dn 1>.I-11. 15-17.
GOLDEN TEXT n, was dcspised and
rejected of mcE.-Isd. 1913.
In teaching this lesson to some Of
the younger classes. emphasis might be
placed upon the dramatic scene in the
garden of Gethsemanc and Peters de-
NAL at the fire. I'm some of the inter-
mediate Glasses the scholars might be
asked ia write short. oHe-minute eS-
says, Describing the scene as though
they. themselves. were present For
the adult classes of course the central
theme is the way that Christ's follow
crS neglect him today even as the dis
ciplcS slept in GcthSemane. and be
traycd him like Judas or denied him
like Peter.
|. The Place Of Retreat wv. 1-3l. In
his emphasis upon the spiritual gran
dcur of the deity Of Jesus, John does
not dwell upon the agony in the gar
den. He, however. gives Us that nohlcSt
passage in the New Testament (chs.
HID, the like of which cannot be
found anywhere else In the worlds
writings. Having spoken these words
Jesus and his disciples went over the
Brook Kcdron ". u 10 the, garden,
there 10 bear the awful weight Of
agony that was crushing him Matt
26 :3S), while at the same time he must
strengthen his disciples, and fortify
them against the coming trials. That
this place was a place of frequent re-
sort for Jesus, Judas was aware. 1t was
a sanctuary in which Jesus met the
Father, and those who knew him
most likely place to find him mt that
time of night ". 81. Rebuffed at
Mary's prodigality. Judas had conSOrt-
ed with the priests, and now covetOus-
ness is to reap its reward. Judas was
not hardened in a day. His greed for
money, while at the same time listen
ing To the teachings of Jesus. had
gradually hardened his heart.
II. Protecting and Protesting wv.
AID. {See Matt. 90; Mark II; Luke
22). Jesus went forth in order to con-
centrate the attention of the soldiers
upon himself, and to prevent a general
attack upon the disciples. In answer
TO his question, they said they were
seeking "JesuS, the Nazarene," a term
of contempt which Jesus answered by
saying, II am he" John adds, "and
Judas also which betrayed him stood
with them" Greed for money, grow
ing into theft and faiseness of life,
ended with the blacklist crime the
world has ever known. His salutation
sent them backward ". 81. Perhaps
among the officers were some who had
failed to arrest him on Il former Occa-
sion (ch. 7:46), and who were now
Dverawed by his marvellous words and
majestic bearing. Again he answered,
"Whum seek ye?" (v. y, and they
said. "JeSus of Nazareth" the same
words as before, but probably in
changed tone, showing that they were
prepared TO listen with respect, though
certainly not with reverence, to what
he might have TO offer. What n dra-
matte picture-the brazenheSs Of sin,
Judas who stood among the enemy
and the fearlesSness of virtue. Jesus
facing his accuSers. Augustine. COM
mcnting on this verse. says. "What
will ne do when he comes as q guest,
If he did this when giving himself up
as prisoners" His act, however.
shielded his disciples. for not one OF
them was to be lost ". 8 r. W, and
he knew they were not strong enough
yet to stand the test Of arrest and
trial. At this point Peter attempts TO
defend Jesus ". 10Y.
III. Peter Denying WV 15-17). As
Jesus was led away, his disciples for
sock him. They all left him. and fed,
but Mark adds that a certain young
man followed Jesus. It is cOnjectured
that this young man was Mark. With
quickness Of action we are now trans
ported to the judgment hall. There
I've see him bound. with his hands
shac5led behind his back, and led
first to Annas w. 49,, which was an IL
legal transaction, "as though some
refOrmer should be tried nj Tammany
hall in New York" tRobert f. Speer).
Annas was now very old. From him
he was taken to Caiaphas, followed by
Peter "afar off" now in a different
mood than when he smote the high
priests servants ear. With him was
that other disciple (John's way Of re-
ferring to himSelf). Now John was
known TO the high priest, and he went
In with Jesus into the palace. but
Peter was standing without at the
door. Notice the steps of his failure;
First, he "slept" in the garden: sec.
ond he followed "afar off" duke
90 so; third. he STOOD" without:
fourth, he "sat" in the midst.
Then notice the denials, the last ac.
companied by curSinc. Attempts 10
compromise with the world meet with
the same measure of failure today ms
when Peter wns In the Judgment hall.
Bad company Is q good thing to keen
out If unless gone into 70 witness Cor
Christ Peter did not have that pur.
pose. The Lord had only to ''look" at
Peter duke % :61) and he "remem-
bered." We may deny Christ by our
silence, by remaining outside Of the
church. by denying his existence. by
profanity, by ridiculing his friends.
by prnising his enemies or by living
n life of wOrihiiuass