Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-11-04
THOMAS CONVICTED.
DR.. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Lesson vi OF the International Series for
Sunday, Nov. 7-Goiden Text, "And
Thomas Said unto Him, My Lord and
MY God"-Lesson, John H, 1881.
Our lesson to-day has an interest peculiar 10
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 il we had not the details of the
first--very important in themselves.
Itwas the Jewish Monday, the first Chris
tian Sabbath called the first day, etc, as in
Acts Xxx, q, 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
"barred" or "locked." Disciples" anay include
Others beside the twelve apostles lSee
Luke xiv, 3d.
The words "came Jesus" along with the
account of "the doors shut, give the,impres-
sion that there was no opening of the doors
needful. The glorified 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 youw How timely! They
were in "fear Of the Jews" How much
they needed it! How often he has come into
chambers where tiinid and perplexed dis
ciples were gathered, and spoken in effect the
same thing! Timid 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, as they feel when the words fall
on their ears, Peace beunto youl
V. 20. He knows human dullness; 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 Mos
ter knows us as he knows them. So he shows
them his hands and his side. They have
many infallible proofs (Acts i, 81 of his rising.
He is the same in body. He is not spirit,
as they thought him on the Sea of Galilee.
He has suffered. He is the "Lamb slain"
John remembered this - "handled"-in l
John /, l, long years afterward. How much
all this meant they did not then know or stop
to ask. Their hearts overflowed with joy.
"Then were the disciples glad" etc. And
when we are cast down and things seem to
90 against us, here is the most gladdening
thing in the world-the sight by faith of
Jesus. (See Rom W
V. 81 Again the "peace" is given, and the
truth which they faiied to understand before
is repeated: "As my father sent me-not to
do my will but his-so l send you, not to do
your own but mine; and as preached the
gospel, so are you todo in my name"
V. %. This living man breathes-breathes
on them, and with the power of God says,
"Receive We the Holy Ghost" He had prom
iset this gift in John xvi, z, and elsewhere.
It is true fuller blessing of this sort is to be
theirs; but even now they need special help.
He had told them that the Comforter would
bear witness to him. This they need now, as
thew are to wait for the Pentecostal power.
He is to them Spirit of prayer (Acts /, Is,
l4. Then he foreShadows the commission in
v. %. "Whosoever," etc. Whatever pow
er was given Peter is here given to oil.
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. i. 10, "See, have this day set thee over
fha fo
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, andas it was with prophets
soft is with apostles See the same principle
in lisa. vi, 10, i'll Ezek. xxxii, Is, also in Eek
xiii, 3, Hosea vi, 5, Rev. xi, 5. 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 absolutions.
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
a "twin" The word resembles atom" in He
brew comp Song vii, b, and Didymus is
the Septuagint Greek rendering of it.
1t is usually loss to be absent from a
meeting of disciples. 1t was so with Thomas
". 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 ". 25). Then came the words
which have been taken by some to show q
skeptical, ill-conditioned mind, Except,
etc. But they did not. To learn their mean
ing we must know what manner tof man
Thomas was When Jesus intimated that he
was leaving his safe retreat from Jewish NAL
ice and going to Bethany John xi, Z, g, 10y,
Thomas dispirited, taking the gloomiestvew
of the case, said to his fellow disciples "Let
us also go, thatawe may die with him, " i. c.,
Jesus. He loved him tenderly. But he
thought his "lost cause" He will be
seized and killed. We may as we'll 60 and
die with him. He took the gloomiest view
of things So when at the last supper Jesus
spoke of going away and of their coming
along, the same spirit breaks out But it is
not bad; it is only sad. Jesus treats it kindly.
"Lord, thou art going, we know not whittier;
how can we go after or with thees We
know nothing of what is meant" He deems
the departure Of Jesus the end of all of them.
He was not an unbelever, eager to get
reasons for unbelief. He was right in aim,
in heart, in affection. But his nature was
slow his mind was dependent; he was easily
cast down. He took the gloomy view OF
things. There is a long succession TO this
apostle among men from mental nature,