Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-19
JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS.
John. xviii. l-xix.42.
Golden text-Christ died for
our sins, according to the scrip
tures.-I Corinthians, xv.3.

brightest. John. who writes as an eye
, witness of the events of our study this
week. knew that the other three gos-
pels had been written and circulated
among the followers of Jesus Christ.
1t will be necessary for one who de-
sires a complete and comprehensive
account of all the events of that crucial
day to read all four gospels. John does
not mention all the facts connected
with the passion of the Lord, but We
can understand his narrative better if
we reread the four records concerning
the dark events of that day. Against
the dark background of the Masters
agony in the garden, where the treach-
cry OF Judas betrayed Him, the injus-
tice and illegality of the religious and
civil trials, resulting in His condemna-
ton to die upon the cross, We see by
the aid of the Holy Spirit the glory
greatness and grandeur OF the Master S
death.
Leaving the upper room, where he
opened His soul to the apostles and
tried to prepare them for the darkness
through which they had to pass, Jesus
went out into the night. He conducted
the apostles across the Kedron, the
Black Brook" to the Enclosure, known
as Gethsemane, or oil press. He had
Usually gone W lIldI QulcL SpOI lOi
meditation and prayer after spending
the day in Jerusalem. Judas, through
his fellowship as member Of the
apostolic band was familiar with the
place. He was carrying on his work
of treachery while the Master through
prayer was preparing Himself for the
crisis in His life and history.
He was not surprised by the appear
ance of the traitor and the Roman SOL
diers. He met them and overcame
those who had followed Judas to arrest
Him He revealed Himself unto them
and requested that the members Of His
party should be permitted to enjoy their
freedom He tried to save them from
any trouble, while He willingly went to
the cross He did not want one Of them
to be lost, but He would make no effort
to save Himself. Peters rash attempt
to rescue the Lord gave Jesus another
opportunity to reveal His kingly char
acter He ordered Peter to put up his
sword, then requested, as a prisoner. the
privilege of being permitted to heal the
ear Of Malchus. There is something in
that scene that reveals the lofty char
acter Of the Christ, who had dedicated
His life to do the Fathers will. 1t is
more difficult to follow the pathway OF
peace than the way Of retaliation.
While Gandhi is not processing Chris
tian, he is putting some Of us. who
claim to be the followers of Christ to
shame by practicing the teachings OF
the Sermon on the Mount.
Christ's Trials.
No one can read the record of Christ's
trials in the synoptic gospels or in the
account of Johns gospel without being
amazed at the cruel rapidity and awful
play of passion with which one event
succeeds another. In fulf1llment OF
prophecies Jesus Is pitilessly hurried to
the cross without regard to justice.
Immediately following His arrest the
Master was conducted with all speed
that was possible to the house Of Annas,
where q preliminary and unot1cial eX-
animation was conducted. This man
had served for a number of years as
high priest and continued to exercise
the functions of that ONCE through the
administrations of his sons and Gala
phas his law, who was nigh
priest that year.
Jesus recognized that they were not
following the law. He asked for HIS
examination before Annas was con-
trary to the expressed provisions Of the
rsbbinical criminal code No charges
had been preferred against Him and
His refusal to testify under such cir
cumstances was thoroughly legal. He
was within His rights when He de-
manded that II charges were to be
brought against Him they should
be made by witnesses. Jesus showed
His respect for the law and its OBJ
servance by His insistence for justice
and legal procedure When the bru-
tally Of an oficer brought an end to
the private examination Jesus was hur-
ried to the quarters OF Caiaphas, where
He should have been conducted flrst
and tried by the Sanhedrin. The whole
proceeding before this body was illegal.
for the Jewish law prohibited the trial
of prisoners in the night; Ito pass
Judgment Of death before one night
had elapsed after q trial; to try Grim
inal cases on the day before the Sab
bath or a feast" In condemning
Christ to death they at least showed
a respect for the law by waiting until
after dsybreak to pass their sentence.
The Sanhedrin could condemn, but
they could not execute, criminal
without the approval of PLATE, the
Roman procurator. The enemies OF the
Master refused to enter Pilates home
because they would be defiled. They
tried to force PLATE to approve OF
Christ's death, but failed The Roman
.
were taken back at this and refused
to assume the responsibility. II the
power OF life and death had not been
taken from the Sanhedrin 40 years
previously, Christ would have been
stoned to death PLATE made every
possible effort to free Jesus. but his
fear of the Jews kept him from doing
his duty. Although he found no fault
in the Master, he condemned the Lord
to die upon the cross.
Dying Upon the Cross.
Having failed in his efforts to ap-
pease the enemies by scourging Jesus,
he publicly proclaimed that he could
not find Him guilty OF any crime They
} frightened the Roman by citing Christ S
claim to be the Son OF God, so that
he was unwilling to order the Master S
death. He was baffied when Jesus
told the procurator that he could have
J no power over Him. except it was
given him from above. PLATE saw his
} duty called for the release Of Jesus, but
political social and financial in
!. terests connected with his once re-
suited in his issuing the order for His
death. when they charged that he
would not be a friend OF Caesars II he
. gave Christ His liberty.
Back of Pilates decision to give
Jesus to them to be crucifled was Gods
; love and His desire to save them. 1t
/ was according to the prophecies, Jesus
longed to complete His mission. He
: went forth carrying His cross. John
: the Baptist had introduced Him as
t the Lamb of God that taketh away
the sin of the world" and the removal
of guilt called for His sacrifice. Jesus
4