The National tribune., 1889-01-03
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

RTaGiiSal DutieS I3uEnL DY q study or the Inter-
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
Jan. ID. st. Mark, 1:2I-34.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
This lesson consists mainly of two of Christ's
miracles. The first miracle to be studied is that
of the restoration to sanity of demoniac 1t
was Christs fourth miracle. The account is
given in st. Mark, L; 21-25. Read also st.
Luke, 4: 31-37. The second part of the lesson
is the fifth miracle of our Savior. We shall
study these separately.
First. The miracle of the man restored to
sanity.
1. Tine and Place.
The miracle was performed probably in jan
uary of the year q A. ID. We fix the month
approximately. 1t was on the Jewish Sab
bath, Saturday. The place was Capernaum,
city of Galilee, on the northwest shore of the
Sea of Galilee Christ and his Disciples had
just come from catching great draft of fishes
in said sea. The cure was performed in the
synagog.
2. The Performance Of the Miracle.
The miracle was the act of our Savior. Dur
ing his ministry he performed 80 of these attes-
tations of his genuineness as an authoritative
Teacher. This miracle is the second of a eura-
tive character. The first miracle was the
change of water into wne The second was
the cure of the nobleman's son. The third was
the great draft of fishes Then comes the mir
acle which we study this week. 1t was neces-
sary he should establish his claims as the
Messiah. Miracles would be accepted by the
people as credentials This is the reason why
imposters find it useful to pretend to possess
the power of effecting miracles. They do so in
imitation of genuine teachers.
g. The Patient
We have very little knowledge about the
sick man. His affection was demoniacism
We do not know the duration of his disorder
He was possessed with demon which had
taken up abode within the body of the man.
All we know of the lesson is the account we
have iii the Gospels. He was probably jew
We infer this from his being in the synagog
He must have been q kind of interloper, since
no religious assembly would long tolerate the
presence of such a disturber. Or it may be that
he ragged only at intervals.
4. The Disorder
In st. Luke's account we read the patient
" had spirit OF an unclean devil" (St. Luke
4 49, The word devil is the same as our word
demon. A demon is q fallen angel. q Pet,
q Satan is the principal demon. (St. Matt
9:34.) He is the author of evil. Each demon
has personality, and so is a something or a be-
ing totally distinct from the man in whom he
chances to be. He has power to produce moral
and physical evil to human beings. q Cor,
~ Demons affect different persons differ
emily, and also vary at times in their effects on
the same individual. By "unclean devil (St
Luke, q 33l we mean wicked devil or demon.
The expression is curious All spiritual beings
the good and the bad, used to be called demons,
and so it was proper to say good demon or an
evil demon Then perhaps it was a plan of
Christ to show that demons are spirits. Also
the expression teaches that demons work spirit
ual Y. DIR. Adam Clarke intimates that we have
the words "uselean spirit" (St. Mark, l 23,)
TO indicate that the particular evil spirit of
our lesson excited impure thoughts, lascivious
desires
The following facts show the demons were
distinct from the man. l. They spoke. They
| used the vocal powers of the demoniac Notice
Eve" in Verse "a; "he " in Verse %, and 81 {"
in Verse "a. 2. Christ spoke to them. (V. 25.)
8. Christ would not allow them TO speak. f.
Christ rebuked them; lY. 25) 5. He told
them to keep still. ". 25.) 6. They obeyed.
~ 81 z. He commanded them (Ys., %, 27.)
8. They knew Christ (Vs 24) 8. They came
out of the man. (Vs., %, 26.l 10. They were
afraid of being destroyed. (V. "a II. There
were more than one in the man. US, "a, 81
II. They not only recognized Christ, but were
knowing to the place of his residence.
We find the following effects on the man pro-
duced by the evil spirit: l. He frenzied the VIC
| tim. 2. He caused him to scratch wound tear
his body and clothing (V. 26.) 5. He threw the
man to the ground. (St. Luke A So These
effects were evidently not continuous, but came
| on at intervals like fits. The man could not
have been in the synagog if not for the time
more lucid and calm We notice the spitefuI-
ness of the demon in the fact that when COM
manded to leave the man, he at once cast the
victim into terrible paToxysm. Demons are
not disposed to leave US, and must be forced out
(St. Luke. 4 /: 3d.
We see Christ's conquest over evil spirits. He
not only rebuked them, but expelled them
Just as he drove out the money-changers from
the temple.
Secondly The miracle of Christ curing the
mother of st. Peters wife. This is the second
part of the lesson which we specially study
1t is Christ's fifth miracle and his second of
curing fever. The first case of such cure was
that of the nobleman's son. Zone should read
ST. Matt, 8:14-17, and st. Luke, 4: 35-4I.)
/. Time and Place.
This miracle was performed on the same day
as was that which we studied above to wit,
Saturday, Jan. g A. d. q. 1t took place in
the house of st. Peter, who lived at Capernaum.
st. Peters mother-in-law probably lived in the
family of st. Peter, and was therefore probably
widow.
2. The Patient.
The sick person was the mother of the wife
of st. Peter She was probably somewhat in
years Legend says that the name of her
daughter, st. Peters wife, was Perpetua or
Concordia, and that she died martyr at Rome
in the presence of her husband.
8. The Cure
Entering the house and being informed that
st. Peters mother-in-law was very sick of a
fever, he cured her. The process was as follows.
l. He looked at her. (St. Matt, 8: 14.) ?. He
stood over her. (St Luke, 4 3d. Hewent TO
her bedside, and bending over looked into the
face of the patient 3. He rebuked the fever.
(St. Luke, 4 3d. a. He touched her hand.
(St. Matt, S:15) He probably interlocked
hands as persons do in shaking hands. s. He
lifted her up raised her from lying to a sit
ting position.
No remedies were used. The disease was at
the command of Christ. No time was required.
The woman was restored at once to health
made able to arise and help her daughter