Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-01-20
JESUS AND THE SICK.
FOURTH LESSON OF THE iNTERNA-
TloNAL S. S. SERIES, JAN. 22, 1888.
Comments by Rev. William Newton,
ID. D.-Text of Lesson. Matt. Nv, 21-31.
Verses 27-3O.

Verses 1890.
From Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission
of II. S. Hoffman, Philadelphia, pupsherl
Eotes.-Thence, 1. e., from the place
where he replied to the Pharisees from
Jerusalem. Tyre celebrated city of
Phenica, on the eastern coast of the Medi-
terranean sea twenty-one miles from Sidon.
1t was a great city in the time of Joshua,
1444 B. G.. Sidon, probably the Oldest city
in the world 1t was named after the grand
son of Noah, 221s B. C.. Gen. x, Is. Canaan,
a descendant of original inhabitants of the
land. Son of David, prophetic title of the
Messiah.
V. 81 1t is an easy, yet sad and touching
thing to see Jesus on his way to Tyre and
Sidon. Why does he go therel Why does
he turn his back on his own country and go
to the Gentlesl Is not the reason plainl Did
not this deputation of Pharisees from Jerusa-
lem, now offended at his doctrine and their
own manifest discontinue, mean an accusa-
ton against him for heresy before the San
hedrim! And his hour was not yet come
And so we see him on his lonely way. His
own country closing itself against him, and
he waiting for his decease, 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 descendants
And in her case, we notice
l. The tenderness of her appeal She
identifies herself completely with her daugh-
ter. "Have mercy upon mel' 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 thisl In one sense, none In another,
the highest and fullest. For, had she not
great needl Had not he abundant means of
supply! And faith assured her that was the
most sacred claim. And
g. 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 herr
V. %. He answered her nothing Was this
like him! Did it tell of his gentle ministry,
who would not break the bruised reed nor
quench the smoking flax Just at that point
it did not. Just at that point it rather
showed him to be cold, hard unsympathiz-
ing. But is it much to believe that, as he
treated no two cases alike, SO he saw in every
case the reasons that determined his mode Of
treating itl Did he not see such reasons in
this casel 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 a still far
Their reputation of her claim. He was not
sent to her, i. e., not primarily to her. "To
the Jew first" is the order Of the divine man.
Hesitation. Did she know of this, land also
to the Gentiesf' Alas who was to teach it
! col No H.. T,-. e. 4 IA I
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 a gather
ing of all her powers of unyieding 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
MED.
V. 1921 The trying of her faith was moi
yet ended. Indeed, he seemed harder ano
colder and sterner still. What right had she
to the children's breadl Was it right tc
take it from them and cast it to the dogs
Now this might seem like a most unfeeline
rebuff. In one point of view it was So But il
another it was just the medium through
which her deeply tried faith was to shine
gloriously forth. And SO it was to her. II
was all just as he said. And she asked fol
no more than the privilege accorded to the
little dogs, j. e., that Of gathering up the
crumbs that fell from the masters table
" 49, Her faith triumphed She hat
reached the point he meant her to gain
Forth from the masters lips burst the
graciously approving words: 80 woman
great is thy faith: Be it unto thee even a.
thou wilt"
V. %. Had Jesus now accomplished the
real end and purpose of his visit to the coast
of Tyre and Sidon! Was the relief of thi.
troubled one his real objective point-as hi.
teaching of that benighted one by Jacob.
well, was the reason why HE must need.
pass through Samaritan John iv. 4. But hi,
end was gained: his enemies were thrown of
their pursuit, and he must by slow degrees
return to his own people. Accordingly, h'
departed thence; passed round the sources Of
the Jordan, and came again TO the eastern
shore of the sea. Here again he withdrew
himself from observation, by going up into I
mountain, out he could not be hid.
V. 30-3l. The news of his coming sooI
spread Every one had something to tell o.
the great teacher, and his wondrous word
and works. And the result was soon mani
fest. From all parts of the country rounC
about, they brought unto him their sick
Let us note the lessons the narrative ma,
teach us.
l. Manifestly two opposing powers ar
here-one of sickness, one of health One o
blight, the other of blessing One of dealt
and the other of life. For all the differen
forms of disease are only messengers in ad
vance of death. They all mean death Tha
is the word they spell out, when written il
full. Clearly, therefore, they are as tn
master put, 1.-THE power of the enemy" The.
are fruits on the tree Of humanity, from tn
blight of sin. So we say that every form o
bodily ailment is the work of sin, and there
fore of broken laws. This was on one side
What on the otherf
The very antagonism of all this. e., Jesus
as the healer of sin, commencing his cours
by healing sickness. And he himself tells III
we may know that he has power to do tn
first, because he did the second. Every a.
of healing, therefore, was sign of what b
came to do. 1t showed to men the presenc
of one who could deal with unseen cause an
, so put away the visible result 1t told too c
the coming day, when his work should
fully unfolded.
GENERAL LESSONS.
/. Had Jesus been condemned by the cour