The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1889-01-25
PARDON AND HEALING.
LESSON ~, FIRST QUARTER INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. 81.

LESSON w, FIRST QUARTER INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. 81.
Text of the Lesson Mark ii. l-12-Co.nmit
Verses lO-1:-Golden Text, Psalms ciii,
3-Commentary by tho Rev. d. NJ.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by per
mission of II. S. Hoffman, publishcr, Phia.
delphial
l. "And again He entered into Caper-
naum." The joy of the leper who had been
healed led him, Notwithstanding the COM
mand of the Saviour, to blaze abroad the fact
of his being healed, and such multitudes
locked to Jesus that he had to leave the city
and withdraw into the wilderness, where
Luke tells us He prayed duke v, ICY. and
from every quarter. Mark i, 45.) But now,
after some days, He returns to Capernaum,
and the news Of His return is soon spread
abroad. When He went at one time into the
borders Of Tyre and Sidon He entered into an
house and would have no man know it, but
He could not he hid. Mark vii, 24.) How is
it that today He seems to be hid in the homes
and lives Of SO many who profess to have re-
celved Him? Why is it not clearly manifest
that He is in us If indeed He is? Let each
ones heart reply.
q ''And straightway many were gathered
together, insomuch that there was no room
to receive Them" In Luke v, IL, it is said
that there were Pharisees and doctors of the
the law sitting by, which were come out of
every town of Galilee and Judea and Jeru-
salem; and the power Of the Lord was pres
ent to heal them. But though there was such
power present. these Pharisees and doctors
were not healed, for they had no idea that
they needed healing
g. "And they come unto him, bringing one
sick of the palsy, which was borne of four"
While these blind, self righteous Pharisees
and doctors, who might be healed if they
only knew their need, are listening to His
wonderful words, here is case for the mani
festation of His wonderful power-a case of
realized and manifest need.
4. "They could not come nigh, y q
they uncovered the roof, 49, they let
down the bed wherein the sick Of the palsy
lay" Lukev, 10, says they let him down
through the tiling, with his couch, into the
midst before Jesus. Here is zeal and deter
mination sure to accomplish its end if it be at
all possible to be accomplished.
5. "When Jesus saw their faith.n With
out faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.
xi, O, but confidence in Him does always
please Him for 1.-THE eyes of the Lord run to
and fro throughout the whole earth to show
Himself strong in behalf of them whose
heart is perfect toward Him" III Chr. xvi, 0);
and how often we hear Him say, according
to your faith" Gas thou hast believed,' ap-
parently making the measure of blessing we
enjoy to be just in proportion to the meas
ure of our faith in him. When we consider
the record in Heb. xi, and in the history Of
tho kings Of Judah whorelied upon God, may
VIC not with good reason ask ourselves, ssDo I
act as if had faith i'll God?''
s'Ie said unto the sick of the palsy, Son,
thy sins be forgiven thee" Matt. tx, 2, says
that He also added, "Be of good cheer.n
What power there is in q word of encourage
ment, and how many we might drop by the
way as we journey on if we were not so self
absorbed, but more filed with the Spirit Of
Christ, who went about doing good, SO for
getful OF self; and then how kindly He ad-
dresses tho sick lnan-no word of rebuke
either to him or his friends because of their
seemingly rude intrusion and sudden inter-
ruption Of His discourse, but a most kindly
and encouraging greeting.
4. 1.-THE scribes sitting there were reason
|. ing in their hearts.n They were His ene-
mics, they did not believe in Him, thev knew
Him not.
Z. WHO can forgive sins but God onlyq'
Oh Cor. x, 5, margin.) Why, of course no
ono can, but here in this house, and in this
man, was God manifest in the flesh. and they
know it not. There they sit criticising, con-
lr
will one day bo their judge, but now desires
they not say in that day, "Oh, if we
compared the words and deeds and well
known history Of this man with the testi-
nlony of their prophets they might have been
convinced that this was He Of whom the
prophets spake. 1G
s. 'Jesus perceived in His sspirit that they
SO reasoned within themselves" Some one
has called this ''mind reading extraordinary" !"
and indeed it is. How could He tell what
they were thinking about in their hearts7
Just for the same reason that He could for
give sins, because He was God. OF Him it
is written, "Thou understandest my thought
afar Off. There is not word on my tongue,
but 10, o Lord, Thou knowest it altogether" !"
(Ps. cxxxix, 2, A.; and He Himself has said,
~ know the things that come into your
mind, every one of them" Ezek. xi, 5)
o. "Whether is it easier to say to the sick
of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to
say, Arise, and take up thy bed and walkq'
Either would require more than human
power, and either result would prove Him
more than man; and yet physician might
heal by skill and medicine the disease, while
only God could forgive sins; and in this case,
sin being evidently the cause Of the disease,
the cause must be removed if a cure would be
effected As to the words used, it was as easy
to say the one as tho other, but there must be
the power behind the words.
10. 1.-The Sen of Man hath power on earth
to forgive SINS" Now if only God can for
give sins, who is this Son Of Man? In the
Eighth Psalm He is spoken of as having
dominion, and all things put under Him. In
the Holy Spirits commentary upon Ps. viii,
in Heb. Ii, we find that this Jesus is the Son of
Man; and in Cor. XIV, where He is called
the last Adam, 1t is said that He must reign
till He hath put oil enemies under His feet.
and that the last enemy to be destroyed is
death. Then in Dan. vii, 13, we are told
that it is after the Judgment of the ma
tions, and tho destruction Of the bias
pheming Antichrist that the Son of
Man is to receive Lis kingdom and dominion
over all tho earth which shall never be de-
stroyed. This Son of Man. then, is the man
holy, harmless, undefled and separate from,
sinners, who by virtue of His perfect holiness