Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-03-16
TIE SON REJECTED.
LESSON XII, INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY
SCHOOL SERIES. MARCH 10.

Golden Text, John 1, 11--Nemoriza
Verses 33-3s-Comment by Rev. Wi.
liam Newton, ID. ID.
From Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission OF
II. S. Hoffman, Philadelphia, publisher.l
Notes.-A parable, spiritual truth conveyed
under material forms or images. A wine
press, rather "a place for the wine fat" This
is usually formed in a ledge of rock, it is
rectangular in form and communicates with
a lower vat into which the juice runs as tho
grapes are pressed in the one above. A
tower, sometimes called "a lodge" for the
keeper of the vineyard. Let it out, or hired
it out for part of the crop. Husbandmen,
those who worked the vineyard Stoned, not
killed, but drove him off with stones. Like
wise, in the same way. Reverence, pay
respect to. Heir, one who receives property
from another by descent. Inheritance, the
property that was to go to the heir. Here it
is the vineyard. Render, return, pay or
Weld Marvellous, wonderful. Perceived,
saw or understood Lay hands on him, or
do violence to him. Powder, fine dust.
Prophet, foreteler of future events and so
Gods messenger to them.
V. 49, There is no question that the parable
here spoken by our Lord is the reproduction
of Isaiah V, IL. For the statement is alto
gether unqualified 1.-THE vineyard Of the
Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the
men of Judah his pleasant plant, Isaiah v,
z. And again we read yet had planted
thee noble vine," jeremiah ii, 81. And we
! Ill -,
Doubtless the planting took place at Horeb.
Read Exodus xix, As. Israel was chosen
before this. But their visible taking out
from the nations took place then and there.
There the planting took place. And the set
ting of the hedge about them, what was this
but the enactment Of the statutes and ordi-
nances shutting them in from the nations
about them. And the wine press and the
tower, what are these but completed arrange
ments for their efficiency and safety as the
vineyard of the Lord. Now, there was q
purpose in all this. And that purpose was
the receiving of the fruits of the vineyard
And here comes in the letting out to hus-
bandmen and the departure of the owner
into another country as perfectly natural in
cidents of the parable And SO Israel stands
before us, let out to or put into the hands Of
the rulers, who were appointed of God to con-
duct its affairs as really as husbandmen do
those of vineyard.
" 1896. There can be no shadow of q
doubt that these servants represent the seers
and the prophets sent in the Lords name to
hold the rulers to the faithful discharge of
the great trust put into their hands. From
Acts iii, "a, it seems that Samuel was the
n IL
sweeps onward unto John, who was the last
before the son. And from the verses before
us we learn:
leges.
2. That he holds men to account for them.
3. There is enmity in mans heart against
God.
v 81, IS. The ruling spirit of enmity
within comes to a climax here. The Son of
the Lord of the vineyard is sent last of all,
| ana nm they cast out and XIII. OF course
the doubt as to how he would be received APP
plies only to the earthly side of the parable.
The owner of this vineyard did not know.
But we cannot carry this over to its spiritual
side, or o that which the parable represents.
Here all is clear in the certainty of knowl-
edge as to the treatment he would receive.
In the councils of the Godhead he was THE
lamb slain from the foundation of the
world Rev. xii, s. And as the shadows of
the cross darkened about him, he said: Now
is my soul troubled. And what shall sayi
Father, save me from this hour. But for
this cause came | to this hour" John xii,
q. And yet this certainty of the fact of his
rejection and death at their hands did not
affect to the shadow of hair the voluntari-
ness of their action in rejecting and cruelty
| inn, Pc bod bap hax al
fed and slain" him, was the charge of the
apostle against them under the direct teach
ing of the Spirit. And the essence of their
wickedness was, "They hated me without a
cause" John XIV, 25. And there was no
cloak for that sin.
V. 39-41. Now, in view Of the facts of this
treatment our Lords question here is most
natural and pointed. And to it there could
be but one answer, and this the chief priests
and Pharisees gave at once. And in it there
are two truths very clearly stated:
/. A just retribution, and
2. A new disposition of the vineyard.
V. A. Now comes the application of this
by the Lord to themselves. And he did SO in
the words of their own scripture. There is
no shadow of doubt that the reference is to
the Messiah and has always been held to be
SO. The stone' is the Messiah. The builders,
the rulers of the Jews. The refusing or re-
jecting of the stone, the crucifying of the
Lord and making him the head of the corner,
his rising from the dead. All this is clear as
light without a cloud. And just as clear,
too, Is the truth that under this change of
figure, Gods everlasting purpose of the ex-
altation of the Son whom the husbandmen
were about to cast out and kill was thus an
nounced to them. In the one figure they
We're the builders" IN the other the "hus-
bandmen.n And in each destruction was the
inevitable doom.
V. 49, How full of solemn majesty are
these words: Therefore say unto you," etc.
They are the words Of one who had in his
hands all power in heaven and in earth, but
who for a purpose and a time had stopped to
become the servant of all.
1.-The kingdom of God no doubt, was that
given to the Jews when the Lord called them
to himself to be "a peculiar treasure" "a
kingdom of priests and holy nation" Exc
dus xix, SO. And it was given to them at
that time, as we have seen the vineyard was
planted then. But it was conditioned ON
ISraels obedience.
V. A. The Jewish people fell on this stone