The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-04-09
THE WIDOW OF MAIN.
International sunday-School Lesson for
April Is. 1890.

International Sunday-School Lesson for
April IS. 1890.
LESSON TExT-Luke fills.
GOLDEN TExT-They glorifed God, saying,
That great prophet is risen up among u.s.
Luke :l6.
TME-Summer of A. d. 81, very soon after
the sermon on the mount.
PLAcE-Nain, o small town In Galiee, near
the borders of Samaria, about twenty five miles
southwest of Capernaum and seven from Naza-
reth. 1T was not far from Endor," near the
source Of the brook Kishon," ION the northern
slope Of the rugged and barren ridge OF Little
Hermon" two miles south Of Mount Tabor"
The name means lovely. The modern name Is
Nein, now miserable village. Jesus, between
thirty-one and thirty-two years old. John the
Baptist, thirty-two years old in prison ut Castle
Macherus since March.
INTERVENING EvENTs-After the sermon on
the mount Jesus returned to Capernaum, where
He healed the centurion's servant; very soon
after left that city, and went through Galilee
toward Main.
OTHERS RAISED FROM THE Dead. In the
New Testament, the daughter of Jairus Matt.
9:18-26) Lazarus John 1l:1-4D Dorcas ACTS
9:36-43; perhaps Eutychus ACTS 20:912). III.
In the Old Testament, widows son Il Kings
17:l7.24); the Shunammite's son q Kings 4:lS-
81.
ExpLANAroRY-I. The funeral pro-
cession.-Vers. II, u. 2. and u came
to pass tho day after. According to Rev.
Ver., soon afterwards. The difference in
the original is simply that Of one letter.
Probably the Rev. Yer. is correct. The
dan after. Or soon after the healing Of
the centurion's son in Capernaum
e: 1-1O. That He pent into city called
Main. See Place, above. Ind many Of
His disciples. Those who followed His
teaching, those who went to school to
Him as Master and Teacher. Those who
continue to be His scholars are Chris
tians John s:S1. And much people,
Who were attracted to Jesus from va
rious motives and with various degrees
of attachment. Jesus was in the height
Of His popularity, and the opposition to
Him had not yet developed in full
strength. -. Here was one great pro-
cession, with Jesus at its head, slowly
climbing up the hill toward the gate Of
the city. Nearly all towns and villages
were surrounded by walls as defense
against marauders. Zone entrance alone
could it have habitat which opens
on the rough hillside in its down.
ward slope to the plain. Stanley.
Behold, there pas a dead man carried out.
This funeral procession, with its great
crowd, was just issuing from the gate
toward the cemetery sleeping place.,
on the west side of the city, where the
rocks are full of sepulchral caves. With
the exception Of Kings, burials were al
ways outside of the city walls, either in
rock tombs or in graves dug in the
ground. The only son of his mother.
The Greek implies that he was the only
son she ever had. This fact added
greatly to tho mothers grief. And she
soas soidow. The second grief had fol-
lowed the first. She was alone in the
world. The condition of widows in the
East, especially childless ones, was SO sad
and dependencies to give added poignancy
to this widows sorrow.
II. The Dead Restored to Life.-Vers
1915. Is. And aohen the Lord. The Lord
Of life and death, the ruler and con
troller Of all things. Saw her, He had
eompassion on her. He did not wait fol-
her to ask for help, for she probably did
not know who it was that met her, mol
would she have expected that He could
help her in this trouble. Her needs
her sorrows, were her silent prayers
such prayers as Jesus always heeds.
IA. And lie came and touched her bier
To arrest the procession. There was nc
need for it to go farther. And He said
Young man, l say unto thee, Arise. The
interruption of the connection between
the soul and body in death, as in sleep
is only relative; and as mans voice suf
fees to re-establish this connection in
any one who is rapt in slumber, SO the
word of the Lord has pr wer to restore
this interrupted connection even in the
dead.-Godet.
III. The Effect on the People.-Ver
10. And there came a fear on al. A rever'
entail awe, not terror, but q sense Of
solemnity in the presence Of one who
was messenger from God, and had
such power to enforce His words. A
great prophet is risen up among us. They
did not say that He was the Messiah,
but certainly He came from God, and
what He should say about Himself must
be true. God hath ctsited His people
Como near to teach, to help, to deliver
them. Only Gods hand could work such
miracle. And that miracle revealed
Gods compassion toward men, showed
them His nature as the giver Of life, and
Endorsed the words His prophet spoke.
w. Proofs of jesus Mission. Vers
II, IS. II. Aad this rumor Tor report
of HIM sceat forth throughout all Judea
Because the miracle was so marvellous
This is mentioned to show how thu
story reached the ears of John the Bap
fist, imprisoned at Castle Macherus. IS
And the disciples Of John shored him al
these things. 1t was only few months
since John was imprisoned, and many o
his converts still adhered to him IL
love. John, discouraged by his depress
ing circumstances, cut of from hi
life's work, with no accommodation will
Jesus in person, and yet with hop'
awakened by this miracle, sent messen
gers to Jesus ''to inquire whether HI
was indeed tho Messiah or not. Jesu!
sends back for answer the Messiani,
deeds He was doing" Tho blind re
ceive their sight and the lame walk, thu
lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear
the dead are raised up, and the poo
have the Gospel preached to them
These were deeds the Messiah was Il
do. lisa. S5:5; 61:1-S). Compare Lux
4:ls-2l. He placed the picture Of thu
Messiah, foretold in the Old Testament
I hoe;do tho picture of IoSus teaching