Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-11-05
THOMAS CONVICTED.
DR.. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Sunday, Nov. 1-Golden Text, And
Thomas Said unto Him, 51y Lord and
My God"-Lesson, John Xxx, 1881.
Our lesson to-day has an interest peculiar to
itself Peter, John and Judas only of the
twelve, have as much notice of them in the
gospels as Thomas. He had a character
peculiarly his own, like which there are many
among men, and this doubtless is the reason
for his being so outstanding figure in the
Gospel of John. There are two parts of the
lesson, but connected together for we should
not understand the features of the second
interview if we had not the details of the
frst-very important in themselves.
1t was the Jewish Monday, the first Chris
tan Sabbath called the first day. etc, as in
Acts Xxx, y, and evening. The disciples knew
the light in which the Jews regarded them.
and had the doors of the room in which they
met closed, probably as we would say
"ba1red" or locked" Disciples" may include
others beside the twelve apostles See
Luke xiv, 80
The words came Jesus" along with the
account of the doors shut" give the impress
sion that there was no opening of the doors
needtuL The gloriiied body of Jesus was not
bound by ordinary natural laws, nor prob
ably will those of saints be- The Iron gate"
OF Peters prison opened to the angel and him
of its own accord What power we shall
have when we become equal with the angels
who can tell, We shall see through questions
about matter that battle us now Jesus
stood in the midst and gave his salutation,
"Peace be unto YOU" How timely They
We're in fear of the Jews" How much
they needed it, How often he has come into
chambers where timid and perplcxed dis
ciples were gathered and spoken in effect the
same thing! Timd in view of jewish malice
but glad over the news of our Lords resur-
rection, they had secretly come together, and
10. he is there, without any need to open the
door. He is all he ever was. He is the same
in feeling, us they feel when the words fall
on their ears, Peace be unto you.
V. 90 He knows human dulness: he knows
them. How good it is for us that the disci-
pies were not model men. not perfect, but
like ourselves, If they had been well nigh
perfect we should have desponded But
their need of help and of repeated lessons
concerning truth encourages us. for our Mas
ter knows us as he knows them. So he shows
them his hands and his side. They have
many infalible proofs Acts i, b of his rising
He is the same in body. He is not n spirit,
as they thought him on the Sea of Galilee.
He has suffered. He is the Lamb slain
John remembered this - "hauGled"-in |
john i, /, long years afterward How much
all this meant they did not then know or stop
to ask. Their hearts overfowed with low
"Then were the disciples glad etc. And
when we are cast down and things seem to
go against us. here is the most gladdening
thing in the world-the sight by faith of
Jesus. See Rom. V, p
V Il. Again the peace is given. and the
truth which they failed to understand before
is repeated: As my father sent me--not to
do my will but his-so send you. not to do
your own but mine; and as | preached the
gospel, 50 are you to do in my name"
V %. This living man Observation-Disclosures
on them, and with the power of God saws,
Receive We the Holy Ghost" He had prom
ised this gift in john xvi, I, and elsewhere
1t Is true "A fuller blessing of this sort is to be
theirs but even now they need special help
He had told them that che Comforter would
bear witness to him. This they need now, as
they are to wait for the Pentecostal power.
He is to them Il Spirit of prayer CActs l. 10,
~. Then he fore,ha,.ows the commission in
V % "WhosOever," etc Whatever DOW
err was given Peter is here given to all.
All stand on the same level. The apostles did
not give forgiveness in their name or in vir-
tue of their Office; they proclaimed it, See
Jer. j. 10, See, have this day set thee over
the nations and over the kingdoms, to root
out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to
throw down, to build, and to plant Did the |
weeping prophet do all that No; but he
proclaimed the terms, in Gods name, ON which |
God would do it, and as it was with prophets |
so it is with apostles, See the same principle |
in lsa vi, 10, in Eek. xxi, Is, also III Eek.
xiii, 3. Hosea vi, 5, Rev xi, s. 1t is impor-
tant to make the pupils understand this.
Words like these are constantly quoted in |
favor of a priesthood and of Rome. and the |
rising generation of Americans will need to
understand the case. What the apostles did |
|explains the sense and meaning of this com |
mission. They did not hear confessions pre- |
scribe penances and pronounce absoutions. |
They preached Christ and remission of sins |
in his name.
We now come to the second section which |
|gave name TO our lesson. "Thomas" means |
la "twin." The word resembles tom in He
brew comp So-g vii, y, and Didymus is
the Septuagint Greek rendering of it,
1t is usually a loss to be absent from a
meeting of disciples, 1t was so with Thomas
Nv. pa. Probably it was not an accident. but
his respondent nature that kept him away
But of course the disciples told him what
they had seen ". %, Then came the words
(which have been taken by some to show a
Unconditional mind, "Except.r
Retc, But they did not. To learn their mean
fng we must know what manner of man
Thomas was. When Jesus intimated that he
twas leaving his safe retreat from Jewish NAL
bee and going to Bethany John xi, Z s. lG
Thomas, dlsplrted, taking the glOomiest view
Rof the case said to his fellow disciples. Let
rs also go, that we may die with him. i. e..
SJesus He loved him tendery. But he
fhought his lost cause" He will be
seized and killed. We may as well 90 and
liz with him, He took the gloomiast view
|bf things. So when at the last supper Jesus
fpoke OF going away and of their coming
3along, the same spirit breaks out But it is
pot bad; it Is only sad. Jesus treats it kindly.
ILord, thou art going, we know not whittier:
how can we 60 after or with theel We
know nothing of what is meant" He deems
h. departure OF Jesus the end of all of them.
lie was not an unbeliever, eager to get
easons for unbelief. He was right in aim.
II heart in affection. But his nature was
low; his mind was dependent; he was easily