Evening star., 1925-03-07
Sunday School Lesson

their partial knowledge in His desire
to secure spiritual blessings and per-
sonal salvation for those who nailed
Him to the cross.
Four soldiers were appointed to
guard the cross and see that the
sentence of death was executed ac-
cording to Pilates edict. They were
entitled to the garments of. those
they executed. They divided the
various garments among themselves,
but when they came to His seamless
robe, which could not be. divided
without destroying 1t, they gambled
for it by casting lots. This appaf-
emily was in fuffillment of the
twenty second Psalm, which pointed
out even the details Of their wicked
ness. This remarkable fulfillmei,t of
prophecy ought to help confirm our
faith in the deity of our Lord, 1t
should serve as warning to those
who are willing to share the benefits
Of Christianity without helping to
support the work of the church.
Jesus Mocked.
While the blessed Savior hung in
agony upon the cross He was sub
jected to jeers and insults from three
different groups of Knockers. Luke
passes by the ratings of the people,
who had assembled at the cross prob
ably out of curiosity. He refers to
the actions of the high priests and
rulers who Knocked Him possibly
because they feared that the horror
Of their actions in connection with
Christ's crucifixion might arouse a
spirit OF revuision against them,
They cried out. III you are not an
imposter, save yourself and come
down from the cross! Here is your
chance to demonstrate your God
head" 1t was the old temptation
again, but He resisted 1t because He
was moved by the desire to save the
world.
The soldiers shared in the mocking.
Possibly they had been inspired by
the superscription written In three
languages: This Is the King OF the
Jews" 1t appears to have been placed
there over the head OF Jesus by the
command of PLATE. as a sneer and
a reproach to the Jewish leaders.
whom he hated. especially because
they forced him, against his better
judgment and conscience, to condemn
Christ to-. be crucified. a punishment
that no Jew would have ever legally
inflicted upon one of his race or
religion.
One OF the two thieves, who had
Joined in the mockery in an effort to
forget his own suffering, was arrested
py Ine Master toward Ills
murderers. Probably II was the
Lords prayer for His enemies. This
man, who may have been a membe
of the band of Barrabas. was con-
victed OF his own need and the pos
sibility that the cross was not the
end OF the Christ He upbraided his
companion In sin and appealed to the
Lord to remember him when He came
into His kingdom. Jesus, filled with
he fa he
dying thief more than he requested
by promising that he would be with
Him tn day in paradise.
The Lords End.
After Christs promise to the thief
which was the second of His last
words. a period of mysterious dark
covered the earth. We have no
record of what transpired during
those three hours. The mystery OF
redemption may. have been completed
then. The cloud that covered the
mountain when Moses communed
with God in the dawn of the Jewish
nations history again appeared as
whose face and further sufferings He
concealed from the mocking multi
tude.
During this time the veil that hung
between the Holy of Holes and the
Holy Place was rent This pointed
out that the work of the temple was
completed, as through the sufferings
of the Lord upon the cross a new
way was opened up for sinners to be
saved Probably II was during the
earthquake that the veil was rent
John tells us that it was just after
this that Jesus cried with a loud
voice, TT is finished" Luke records
the words of triumph with which
Jesus gave up His spirit.
Among others who looked upon
Jesus on the cross was a soldier, who
was convinced that Jesus was the
Son of God. He confessed his faith
glorifying God, and proclaimed the
righteousness Of Christ Jesus We
too, as we close our study. mus,
record our faith that He was the
Son of God and Savior OF men, who
died to save us all.