Outlines of Ecclesiastical History. B. H. Roberts

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СКАЧАТЬ and Joseph took the body, wrapt in clean linen and put it in his own new tomb. The Pharisees also went to Pilate and reminded him how Jesus had said when living that after three days in the tomb he would rise again, and asked that the sepulchre wherein he was buried should be placed under guard until the third day should pass, lest his disciples should come and steal his body by night, and then spread abroad the rumor that he had arisen from the dead. Pilate granted them permission to seal up the sepulchre and set a watch to guard it. (See note 6, end of section.)

      NOTES.

      1. The Common People Begin Reforms.—The case of the common people hearing Jesus gladly is not singular; it may be said to be true in nearly all great movements. It is a truth so generally accepted that a modern writer (Lew Wallace) has said: "To begin a reform, go not into the palaces of the great and rich; go rather to those whose cups of happiness are empty—to the poor and humble."

      2. Jesus' Defense Against the Charge of Blasphemy.—The following scene occurred in Solomon's porch, at the temple, where Jesus was walking. A number of Jews gathered about him and said: How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ tell us so plainly.

      JESUS.—I told you and ye believed not; the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me * * * I and my Father are one. [Then the Jews took up stones to stone him.]

      JESUS.—Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me?

      JEWS.—For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

      JESUS.—Is it not written in your law; I said ye are Gods? If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God come, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent unto the world, thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

      Then they sought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hands. (John x.)

      3. The Law Against Blasphemy.—The law against blasphemy is to be found in Leviticus (xxiv:15, 16) and is as follows: "Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin; and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him; as well the stranger as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death." The Jews claimed that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy, because he claimed to be the Son of God, thus making himself equal with God; when to their eyes he was merely a man. Therein consisted his alleged blasphemy. Christ's own defense against the charge (see note above) is the best answer to the sophistry of the Jews by which they tried to make it appear that he had broken this law.—Roberts.

      4. Character of Pilate.—If we now wish to form a judgment of Pilate's character, we easily see that he was one of that large class of men who aspire to public offices, not from a pure and lofty desire of benefitting the public and advancing the good of the world, but from selfish and personal considerations, from a love of distinction, from a love of power, from a love of self indulgence; being destitute of any fixed principles, and having no aim but office and influence, they act right only by chance and when convenient, and are wholly incapable of pursuing a consistent course, or of acting with firmness or self-denial in cases in which the preservation of integrity require the exercise of these qualities. Pilate was obviously a man of weak, and therefore, with his temptations, of corrupt character.—J. R. Beard, D. D., Member of the Historical Theological Society, Leipzig.

      5. The Three Hours' Darkness.—In the gospel of Matthew and Luke, we read that while Jesus hung upon the cross, "from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land to the ninth hour." Most of the ancient commentators believed that this darkness extended to the whole world. But their arguments are now seldom regarded as satisfactory, and their proofs even less so. Of the latter the strongest is the mention of an eclipse of the sun, which is referred to this time by Phlegon Trallianus, and, after him by Thallus. But even an eclipse of the sun could not be visible to the whole world; and neither of these writers names the places of the eclipse. Some think it was Rome; but it is impossible that an eclipse could have happened from the sixth to the ninth hour both at Rome and Jerusalem. * * * That the darkness could not have proceeded from an eclipse of the sun is further placed beyond all doubt by the fact that, it being then the time of the Passover, the moon was at the full. This darkness may, therefore, be ascribed to an extraordinary and preternatural obscuration of the solar light, which might precede and accompany the earthquake which took place on the same occasion. For it has been noticed that often before an earthquake such a mist arises from sulphurous vapors as to occasion a darkness almost nocturnal.—Biblical Literature—Kitto.

      6. Fate of the Chief Actors in Christ's Crucifixion.—Before the dread sacrifice was consummated, Judas died in the horrors of a loathsome suicide. Caiaphas (the high priest and president of the Sanhedrim) was deposed the year following. Herod died in infamy and exile. Stripped of his procuratorship very shortly afterwards, on the very charges he had tried by a wicked concession to avoid. Pilate, wearied out with misfortunes, died in suicide and banishment, leaving behind him an execrated name. The house of Annas was destroyed a generation later by an infuriated mob, and his son was dragged through the streets and scourged and beaten to his place of murder. Some of those who shared in and witnessed the scenes of that day—and thousands of their children—also shared in and witnessed the long horrors of that siege of Jerusalem, which stands unparalleled in history for its unutterable fearfulness.—Canon Farrar.

      REVIEW.

      1. What class of people heard Jesus gladly?

      2. What classes of people did Jesus reprove? Why?

      3. What was it that embittered the minds of the chief priests and rulers against Jesus?

      4. Enumerate the charges against Jesus.

      5. In what manner did Jesus defend himself against the charge of blasphemy? (Note 2.)

      6. Who betrayed Jesus?

      7. What time was chosen by Judas to betray Jesus?

      8. Give an account of the institution of the sacrament.

      9. Tell the story of the betrayal.

      10. State the circumstances of the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrim.

      11. Why did the Jews take Jesus before Pilate?

      12. Why did Pilate send him to Herod?

      13. What was Messiah's treatment at the hands of Herod?

      14. What the deportment of Jesus?

      15. How did Pilate look upon Jesus?

      16. In what manner did the Roman governor try to save Jesus?

      17. What was the character of Pilate? (Note 4).

      18. Tell the story of the crucifixion.

      19. What occurred on the Western hemisphere at the crucifixion, and during the time Jesus was in the tomb?

      20. Tell about the burial of Jesus.

      21. What was the fate of those who judged and condemned Jesus? (Note 6).

SECTION VI.

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