LESSON IX.-SABBATH, DECEMBER 1, 1894

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 19, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 54.

LESSON IX.—SABBATH, DECEMBER 1, 1894

CONDEMNING THE JUST.

Lesson Scripture, Luke 23:13-31.

AND Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said unto them,
Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people; and behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him;
No, nor yet Herod; for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him.
I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
Now he must needs release unto them at the feast one prisoner ^a.
But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas;
One who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.
And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus;
But they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him; I will therefore chastise him and release him.
But they were instant with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done.
And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
And when they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus.
And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.
But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck.
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done to the dry?

THIS portion of the book needs the most careful study, as the things related are of infinite importance. It is not vague, dreamy meditation that does us good. We are to meditate upon the sufferings of Christ for us; but this means more than that we are to think in a general way that he was betrayed and condemned and crucified. We should read and reread the story of his betrayal, his suffering in the garden, the reproaches that were heaped upon him, his crucifixion and resurrection, until every event becomes a living reality to us, and we can see him set forth evidently crucified among us. Then as, tracing the narrative through in our meditation, we see what it all meant, we may be able to say, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20. Nothing can give this vivid conception except the very words of the Scripture; therefore study them above all things. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW. "Give thyself wholly to them."

When Jesus was seized, where was he first taken?
To whom was he next taken?
Before whom was he next sent?
What was next done with him?
What did Pilate do when Jesus was sent back to him?
What did he say to the priests and rulers?
What testimony did he bear concerning Jesus?
Yet what did he propose to do to him?
What did they all cry out at the proposal to release Jesus?
Whom did they desire to have released in his stead?
To Pilate's further proposal to release Jesus, what did they cry?
What effort did Pilate make the third time?
How was it received?
What did Pilate then do?
Whom did he release to them?
To what did he deliver Jesus?
Whom did they compel to bear his cross?
Who followed Jesus to the place of crucifixion?
What did Jesus say to them?
Why should they weep for themselves and their children, rather than for him?

NOTE.

THREE times Pilate bore witness to the innocence of Jesus, but as soon as he began to parley with the people, he lost all influence with them. When he gave sentence, it was that it should be "as they required." He simply delivered up Jesus to a mob, in order to save himself. If he had utterly refused to deliver Jesus to their will, he would, no doubt, have been accused to the emperor, and have been deposed, which was what actually took place, after all. Every man is to some extent in the same position that Pilate was. "What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?" is a question which comes to everyone. Selfish interest clamors that he be given up. If he be kept, loss of position, of business, or of friends, may be the result. And so too often Christ is delivered up, and in doing so, in order to save their life, they lose it, for he is the only one who can bestow life. There is no one who is in a position to condemn either Peter or Pilate. Our fear and selfishness have often caused us to deny Jesus, or to pursue a vacillating course that ended in defeat. And yet he abides faithful.