The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-01-20
JESUS AND THE SICK.
FOURTH LESSON OF THE iNTERNA-
TioNAL 9. 8. SERIES, JAN. az, 1883.

Comments by Rev. william Newton.
D.D.--rert Of Lesson, Matt. Nv, sI-si.
Golden Text, james ', Is--Memorise
verses 1850.
OF II. s. Hoffman, Philadelphia, publisher.1
Notes.--Thence, l. O., from the place
where he replied 10 the Pharisees from
Jerusalem. Tyre a celebrated city Of
Phenicia, on the eastern coast OF the Medi-
terranean sea twenty-one miles from Sidon.
It was a great city in the time Of Joshua,
l444 D. G. Sidon, probably the Oldest city
in the world. 1t was named after the grand
son of Noah, 22is b. c. Gen. K, is. Canaan,
q descendant Of original Inhabitants Of the
land. Son Of David, prophetic title Of the
Messiah.
V. 81. 1t is an easy, yet a sad and touching
thing to see Jesus on his way to Tyre and
Sidon. Why does he 60 tberei Why does
he turn his back on his own country and go
10 the Gentileei Is not the reason plant Did
not this deputation of Phsrisees from Jerusa-
lem, now offended at his doctrine and their
own manifest discontinue, mean an accusa-
tion against him for heresy before the San
hedriml And his hour was not yet come.
And 80 we see him on his lonely way. His
own country closing itself against him, and
he waiting for his deccase, which he should
accomplish at Jerusalem.
v. % Some Of the people Of the land had
remained here since the time Of Joshua, and
this woman was one Of their deecendants
And In her case, we notice
/. The tenderness of her appeal She
identifies herself completely with her daugh-
ter. Have mercy upon meln For she was
bound up with her child, and the mercy ex-
tended to her would tell first upon herself
2. The title by which she addressed him,
"Thou Son Of David" And what right had
she to thisi In one sense, none. In another,
the highest and fullest. For, had she not
great needi Had not he abundant means Of
supplyi And faith assured her that was the
most sacred claim And
8. The case presented for relief. We do
not know the special form Of this possession,
for there were divers forms of them. But
she was "grievously vexed" by it, and her
mothers heart yearned for her relief. And
how does he receive heri
v. 23. He answered her nothing. Was this
like himi Did IL tell of his gentle ministry,
who would not break the bruised reed nor
quench the smoking fiaxi Just at that point
it did not. Just at that point IL rather
showed him to be cold, hard unsympathiz-
ing. But is it much to believe that, as he
treated no two cases alike, 20 he saw in every
case the reasons that determined his mode Of
treating iti Did he not see such reasons In
this easel And did he not seek thus to show
her what her faith could do, and thus to
strengthen It'll
v. "a. These words seem like q still far
ther reputation Of her claim. He was not
sent to her, 1. O., not primarily to her ITO
the Jew first" is the order Of the divine man.
Hesitation. Did she know Of this, land also
to the Gentilesf Alasl who was to teach it
to her7 Not the Jews, for they did not be-
lieve it Not the Gentiles. for they did not
know it. Only the Divine Spirit could have
wrought this faith in her.
V. 25. There seems to have been gather
ing Of all her powers Of unyielding resolve,
as, on hearing these chilling words, she came,
and throwing herself down before him cried
out; Lord, help mel" She would not be de-
nied.
v. 9e-27. The trying of her faith was not
yet ended. Indeed, he seemed harder and
colder and sterner still. What right had she
to the children's breadi Was it. right to
take it from them and cast it to the dogsi
Now this might seem like most unfeeling
rebuff. In one point of view it was so But In
another it was just the medium through
which her deeply tried faith was to shine
gloriously forth. And SO it was to her. 1t
was all just as hs said And she asked for
no more than the privilege accorded to the
little dogs, 1. e., that Of gathering up the
crumbs that fell from the masters table.
V. 28 Her faith triumphed. She had
reached the point he meant her to gain
Forth from the masters lips burst the
graciously approving words: 20 woman,
great is thy faith; Be it unto thee even as
thou wilt"
V. 20. Had Jesus now accomplished the
real end and purpose Of his visit to the coast
of Tyre and Sidoni Was the relief Of this
troubled one his real objective point-as his
teaching Of that benighted one by Jacobs
well, was the reason why "He must needs
pass through Samaritan John iv, 4 But his
end was gained his enemies were thrown off
their pursuit, and he must by slow degrees,
return to his own people. Accordingly, he
departed thence; passed round the sources of
the Jordan, and came again to the eastern
shore Of the sea- Here again he withdrew
mountain, but he could not be hid
V. 30-3l The news of his coming soon
spread, Every one had something to tell of
the great teacher, and his wondrous words
and works. And the result was soon mani
fest. From all parts Of the country round
about, they brought unto him their sick
Let US note the lessons the narrative may
teach us.
1. Manifestly two opposing powers are
here-one of sickness, one Of health. One of
blight, the other Of blessing One of death
and the other of life. For all the different
forms Of disease are only messengers in ad-
vance Of death. They all mean death. That
Is the word they spell out, when written in
full. Clearly, therefore, they are as the
master put, "the power Of the enemy They
are fruits ON the tree Of humanity, from the
blight Of sin. So we say that every form of
bodily ailment is the work Of sin, and there
fore Of broken laws This was on one aide.
What on the otherl
The very antagonism Of all this. e., Jesus,
as the healer Of sin commencing his course
by healing sickness. And he himself tells US,
We may know that he has power to do the
first, because he did the second. Every act
Of healing, therefore, was sign Of what he
came to do. 1t showed to men the presence
of one who could deal with unseen cause and
so put away the visible result. 1t told too of
the coming day, when his work should be
fully unfolded.
GENERAL LESSONS.
l. Had Jesus been condemned by the coun-
Gil for heresy, he would, like Stephen, have
been stoned. But II was written Of him that
he should hang on the tree, a. the bearer Of
our sin, and thus become curse In our stead
And 80 he quietly withdrew from the power
Of his enemies until the time when the chief
priests should deliver him to the Gentiies, and
he be adjudged to the cross.
2. Love always makes the sufferings of the
loved one its own. This Canaanitish woman's
prayer was, lord, help me;n while it was
her daughter that needed help. Yet did not
she feel that daughters sufferings more keen
ly than that daughter herselfi Even SO the
self, the persecution, which Saul was direct