815
THE KING'S BUSINESS
of the bowling, raging mob. The spoil of the soldiers consisted of the bead dress, the outer robe and girdle, the sandals. Of these they made four parts-"to every soldier a part," that Is, to the four soldiers who were on guard. "And also the coat." This was the outer vesture reaching from the neck to the feet. This garment, of one piece, may have been woven by Mary, the mother of our Lord. It corresponded to that described by John In Rev. 1: 13 and suggests the high priestly robe. This suggests, also, the simplicity of His dress, the dress of the Carpenter. All this was done In fulfillment of Scripture. Our Lord was the object of prophecy. He was the proof of the verity of the Old Testament Scriptures. It is well to emphasize this In these days when the Bible Is being denied in eo many churches and Sunday Schools. If the Bible Is not true, how account !or these many citations In the life or our Lord and the history of the church? (3) COMMITTING HIS MOTHER, vs. 2 5-27: "Behold thy son! • • • Behold thy mother!" (vs. 26, 27.) When we come to these three verses in our lesson we bare our heads and bow our knees. The picture of the lit– tle group of women standing, with John the beloved disciple-ls full or pathos. His mother, the most blessed or women (not to be worshipped, but reverenced above all women), looks upon Him as He suffers to the death. She bears His cry. "My God, my God, why bast thou forsaken me?" The circumstances sur– rounding this event seem almost beyond belief, but the Scripture must be ful– filled. Had not the aged Simeon proph– esied "A sword shall pierce through thine own heart"? (Luke 2:36.) How tenderly thoughtful was our Lord, even In the midst of His agony! He thinks of the world and or Its need; He thinks of His mother and John; He thinks of a righteous God and or the horror of sin, as He bore It; He thinks
hope and !a!th !rom the human breast. This was His high title to Mess!absblp– "He must needs die for the people" (John 18:14.) At the beginning, both ot the male– !actors railed on Him (Mark 15: 32). Can you Imagine a more remarkable picture of the natural heart at Its worst? A dying man, suffering the t.;'rtures of crucifixion, railing on a fellow sufferer, and that sufferer such a one as the holy Christ! To what depths of depravity can the human heart descend In its wandering from God! See, on the other hand, to what a beight can such a heart be lifted, and that AT ONCE, when caught by the sweep of the Holy Spirit and lifted from his vile estate to a place of sonsbip. Convicted by the wonderful bearing of Jesus, through previous contact with His presence or His teaching, one or the thieves at last lifts his voice In defense of Him, recognizing Him as Lord and God. He acquits Jesus-as did Pilate and Herod-of any wrong, confesses bis own sinfulness and the justness of his punishment, acknowledges that his salvation depends upon His forgiveness, and prays that he may be remembered. When there was no one else to pub– licly defend our Lord; when even His disciples had forsaken Him; when His own people had deserted Him, and when hell itself was arrayed against Him-a dying voice Is raised In His behalf, a dying thief becomes His advocate and devoted witness! What a fitting scene for One who bad found close friends in publicans and sin– ners. The prayer of the penitent thief was answered, and arm In arm with the Son of God, he ascended Into Paradise. ( 2) CASTING LOTS FOR HIS GAR- MENTS, vs. 23, 24: "They said Let us cast lots !oT This scene caps the climax of revolt– ing Indecency. They stripped Jesus of His garments. He was naked to the view It," (v. 24).
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