The National tribune., 1889-02-14
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by a Study OF the Int
national Sunday-sch00l Lesson Appointed
Feb ID ST Marx G.I-12

indicated above.l
SUBJECT: CHRIsT's SECOND REJECTION FROM
NAZARETH, AND ALSO Hrs COMMISSION To
THE TWELVE APOSTLES
We shall study these subjects separately.
1. The Rejection from Nazareth.
Our Savior's first II months of life were pass
ed in Bethlehem. His next nine months were
spent in Egypt. From then on, or for more
than % years he lived at Nazareth. Directly
after his baptism, being then 80 years old. he
went from Bethabara, near the Jordan, where
st. John Baptist baptized him, back to Naza-
reth He went into the synagog and read
selection from the prophecy of Isaiah. Com
pare st. Luke 4 1922, with Isaiah, 81: 49,
He applied the words of the prophecy to him.
self. The people of Nazareth became enraged
at what they supposed was presumption and
even blasphemy. They were so mad that they
attempted to murder him. That was in Janu-
airy ~, A. d. 81 But in about one year after
ward Christ was making circuit of Galilee,
preaching and instructing. He would not pass
by the city of his youth, and so he went again
into Nazareth. We may suppose this second
visit made in January, A. ID. %. Nazareth
was really Christ's g own country" 1t is well
in studying this first part of the lesson, which
is covered by verses 10, with st. Matthew, ID:
54-58. We find ourselves, on Saturday, the
Jewish day of rest, called Sabbath, in the
synagog of Nazareth 1t is well to meet Christ
there with his Disciples. We have an exam
pie of duty to attend the place of the worship
of God. We are informed that Christ taught
in the synagog, but he did not stop with mere
talk; he made effort to act. 1t was his wish
to follow up words with deeds. We see the
Importance of studying both accounts when we
notice that St. Mark declares Jesus "cOuld
there do no mighty work" WhyP st. Mat
thew adds very important reason. (See 10
So Because of their unbelief." Christ,
ic limit ad hIyt hp fajt nf q n
not understand that he lacked the power, but
that the people lacked the faith. He could
not consistently, with the purpose he always
had in view perform miracles when he foresaw
they would not produce spiritual benefit; when
| they would lead to cavil and ridicule.
Christ was being brought into great promi-
nenee. He had, before going to Nazareth the
second time, performed several miracles He
| had even raised to life the dead. Reports of
these wonderful things had reached the ears
of his old associates and neighbors Up
to 30 years of age he had not at
tracted any special attention. Hence it
seemed wonderful that all of sudden he
should show himself Being of SO much power.
| They had known the foster-father of Jesus.
He was but an ordinary mechanic. After the
custom of the Jews to have their sons, even
| the most wealthy and cultivated, learn trades,
| it is not unlikely that the son of Mary may
| have assisted Joseph at his trade Then the
relatives of Jesus were well known and were
among the common people of Nazareth. 1t
seemed very singular that Jesus should all at
| once become so widely famous Seine feeling
| akin to jealousy seized on the persons whom
| Christ had apparently outstripped. Prejudice
| set them into a rage. Conscious of all this,
| Jesus was reminded of a saying which was
| well known as expressing fact 1t Is notice
| able that community rarely believe in the
| possibility of anything extraordinary IN one
of its members. The following is in illustra-
! ton of the principle: Z" In Russia people use
the thermometer of Leslie, an Englishman; in
Germany, that of Reaumur, Frenchman; in
| France that of Celsius, a Swede, and in Eng
| land aud America, that of Fahrenheit, Ger
| man. So it would seem that thermometer in
| yentors not without honor save in their
| own country"
When Christ was treated SO shabbily at hi:
| former visit at Nazareth he reminded the peO-
pie of the same proverb (St. Luke, 4:24) In
fact, before goinghto Nazareth the first time
and while on way to Galilee he anticipated an
uDfriendly reception, and gave expression to
the same aphorism. Est. John, 4 !: A. Would
| the people could have answered their question
whence hath this man these things2" 1t j:
admitted his case was inexplicable. We car
| make but one reply. The source was the di
vinity within the Operator. Christ marvelled
at their unbelief. tV. 81 1t was enough tt
surprise the divine-human, the Goldman.
We get important thoughts from this para
graph, to wit, verses 10, e. g.:
l. Sunday must be maintained as day o
rest, religious instruction, churgh-going.
2. We want synagOgs, places for the offices
of Christian teaching and the sacraments. VIZ
see the part Sunday school teachers should
| take.
8. Away with prejudice. We have heard
| speak of the icy chains of custom and pre-
judice." Prejudice is the shift of those too in
doent to dig for facts.
4. See how much depends on faith. Human
| disbelief is, in a sense, stronger than omnipo
| tence.
II Christs Commission to His Ttoelre apostles.
Jesus sent forth the Twelve in probably tn
month of January of the year A. d. %. Tht
| work of commission and distribution mos
likely took place in the vicinity of Nazareth
For the names of the Twelve see st. Matt 10
2-4; st. Mark, 8: 16-19; st. Luke, 6 14-16
Acts, l. Is. &C.
We notice Christ sent out the Twelve tw0
by two. By studying the groups as given il
the references just above we have reason t.
think the pairing was as follows: 1. SITS. Pete
and Andrew. 2. SITS. James and John. 8. SITS
| Philip and Bartholomew. a. Sts Thomas ant
Matthew. 5. SITS. James the Less and Lebbaeus
g. SITS. Simon and Judas.
Observe the following remarks as to tn
sending of the Apostles in couples:
l. L nose HlOSt uullk6 20 lOSelLSTs HIS i
truest unity Ones defects are Offset by an
others projections. If one be difident tn
other is courageous. II one be impetuOus tn
other is moderate, careful If one can hes
speak the other can most effectively act. Zee,
4:9, 10)
2. We depend on each other. No one is per
feet, complete.
3. There is place for every man in tn
Church.
4. God sets the members of the body owe
against each other as it pleases him.
5. 1t is well to consult the social nature
Men can work best if not alone, desolate. They
need to comfort and encourage each other.
6. Sending two by two is Indicative of tn
sympathetic feelings of clergymen among them
selves
z. Two could be witnesses. What was dom
would be known by both, and they could sup
port each others statements.
s. There would be less liability of scanda
when one was always accompanied by another
8. The 20 were also sent out two by two
] showing our Savior considered such grouping
important. (St Luke, 10:1.)
10. We notice a similar coupling of leading
men in the Bible records: Muses. and Aaron
Elijah and Elisha Bezalee and Aholiah
Zerubbabel and Jehoshua, Caleb and Joshua
SITS. Paul and Barnabas SITS. Paul and Silas SITS
Barnabas and Mark john; Rev, 11:3.
IL. Rev. DR.. Atkinson, of Oregon, wrote SOM