When they had thus mocked Him, what did they do? They took the purple robe off Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. Whom did they compel to bear Christ's cross? Simon a Cyrenian. Who followed our blessed Lord? A great company of people and of wo They bewailed and lamented Him. What did our Saviour say to them? "Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and your children." Who were led out to be put to death with Jesus? Two malefactors. What do you mean by malefactors? P How dreadful is the account of the cruel ties inflicted by the soldiers on our blessed Saviour. His meekness and patience could not soften their hard hearts. When peo ple give themselves up to their bad passions there is no wickedness they will not commit. We read that the soldiers put upon Him a purple robe, and on His head they placed a crown of thorns, and mockingly bowed the knee before Him. They then led Him forth, His body covered with wounds, His head crowned with thorns, and trickling down with blood. Well might the prophet say, "Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow." Worn out with twelve such hours of suffering, our blessed Saviour was led out to be crucified. From weakness and faintness He was unable to bear His cross alone, but even in that hour of affliction He was full of compassion and tenderness for those around Him, and addressed the women who lamented, to weep not for Him, but for themselves and their children upon whom He knew so many this day." Then was ful-fill-ed that which was spo-ken by Je-re-my the pro-phet, say-ing, "And they took the thir-ty piec-es of sil-ver, the price of him that was va-lu-ed, whom they of the chil-dren of Is-rael did va-lue, and gave them for the pot-ter's field, as the Lord ap-pointed me." QUESTIONS. Who was Judas? He was one of the twelve apostles. What very wicked action did he commit? He betrayed Christ to His enemies. What did he do when he saw that Jesus was condemned? He brought again the thirty pieces of silver in the temple. How did he obtain these pieces of silver? They were given Judas by the chief priests, for delivering up Jesus to them? Was Judas sorry for what he had done? Yes, he repented. Was his the right sort of repentance? Why not? Because instead of praying God to forgive him, he went and hanged himself. Why would not the chief priests put the money into the treasury? Because it was the price of blood. What did they do with it? They bought the potter's field, to bury strangers in? What was it afterwards called? The field of blood. What prophecy was fulfilled act? by this The prophecy of Jeremy the prophet. |