The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-05-22
INTERNATIONAL LESSONS.
BY REV. F. n. uAReRRAvEs.
Afay2sd.

Lesson 8. May 2sd.
JESUS AT BETHEDA.
John v, sis. Golden Text, John v, 6.
Time, A. D. %, probably about the pass
over, though the exact time Is not a
settled question. Pluce, Jerusalem, at the
pool of Betheda.
The country was ostir. It was the
celebration of one of their feasts and the
people had gathered from fur and near
in. the ancient city Of Jerusalem. Jesus
was there. Walking through the streets
of the city, quietly watching the crowds
and noting the varied incidents peculiar
t0 such occasions. he came to large pool
spf water, which was called Betheda,
"hQuse of mercy. On its margin, lining
its steps, in the porches which oharsty
had build at its side, were numbers Of
people afflicted with incurable diseases.
There was "a legNid that ut certain
seasons an angel came down and troubled
the water and whoever iirst stepped into
d tue pod after the ronlling was healed
ofwhateyer disease he bad. Such legends
were common and were eagerly believed
Ay the people and hence the great numbt r
OF those whom j uses found waiting for
the moving of the water. He looked
pityingly upon them, Ills heart touched
with compassion. He could have healed
them all with worl, but that would
hitve deverted the great purposes lie had
!. iii view. Yet, turning to one poor cripple,
who. hadbeen' diseased for thirt-yeight
years and who was [riendless and alone,
He asked him, swift thou be made
'v4iolep The man knew nothing of the
character of bis questioner and simply
told of his misfortune in having no one
TO help him into the pool and how that
.oetthsrs always got sthero before he did,
'affd So, pne CHANCE after another Slipped
|, from liis grasp. GRise,. take up thy bed,
! and walk" said the Master, end the poor
cripple rose, gathered up bis sleeping
mat aud went on his way. 1t was the
Sabbath day. and such an event naturally
drew u vast crowd together in a few
minutes and this miraculous cure was soon
! the. all-absorbing tropic of discussion in
the city. Jesus had quickly passed ont
|. amongst the crowd and 50 escaped
Identification, later in the day He went
|. into the Temple and there found the man
: He had healed. "Behold, thou art made
! whole" lie said, "sin no more, lest worse
|. thing come unto thee. The man at
/. once went to the authorities and told
them who it was who had healed him on
the Sabbath day.
=, The storm of opposition which had
been gathering in ecclesiastical circles for
many mouths now found ready expression.
Hefe wis man who did not work in
harmony with them, and hence was uot
ITO be tolerated. And here was a man
who healed the sick on the Sabbath day
lin defiance of their law, They gathered
round Jesus with their fierce denuncia-
|. tiops and brought Him before the
Authorities on the charge of Sabbath
|. breaking, But His mastery defense
threw them into confusion, as He declared
Himself to be Divine, the. Son of God,
and;so equal with God, and they were
, obliged toset Him free.
1t is remarkable scene. There are the
judges and authorities eager to convict
the accused if possible. There is the
man who was healed of his disease and
then brought this storm upon Jesus.
There is the Master, calm digniied,
patient. divine. This was, in sense,
the trisiso of His life. Upto this time He
had been practically unmolested, but
from hence!Urth His movements were
jealousy watched, He was harassed, and
finally betrayed. This was the beginning
of the end,
LESSON THOUGHTS.
. /. The spiritual Betheda has cure foi
every one.
2. God gives us strength to do as He
commands us.
3. Do not wait for emotions or feeling,
mere troubling of the water, but turn
your eyes TO Jesus, the Savior of the
world.
4, The Sabbath is yours. Make it holy
by your deeds and lives.