The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-09
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By n Study OF the Inter.
| national Sunday school Lesson Appointed FOR
Oct 10. 1890. st. Luke, " 1887.
| Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures "a
Indicated Rbove.l
SUBJECTS: /. THE PRINCIPLE OF CHIEF
TAINCY ILLUSTRATED. II. PETERS De
MAILS FoRET0LD. III. THE APOSTOLIC
OUTFIT.
!. CHRIsT's CH1EFTAINCY.
We have only one account, that of st. Luke
22 $3.50.
IL, A. ID. 30. We may suppose IL was some
time after o'clock. 1t was the evening pre-.
ceding the death of our Savior.
g. Place.
We are located In Jerusalem in "large
upper-room." (St. Luke, 90 1917 It WAS on
Mt. Zion. So tradition teaches.
4. The Company.
The group gathered in the room consisted OF
Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. (St. Lu, %: Ii. J
They assembled to celebrate the last Passover
and to originate the Holy Communion.
8. The Circumstances
The Apostles imagined that Christ was to be-
come SoIom0n's successor; that the Jews were
to be relieved from subsection to Roman power
aud become again independent in government.
The Twelve knew well that a monarch gathers
around him sort of ministry or cabinet. They
were anxious to become members of the royal
circle. But even o cabinet has ranks. The
positions Of certain ministers are more promi-
ant nd Itnr ttn ha tuaIv fall int n
dispute as to which was to be the leading men
In the new Kingdom. They erred at the very
foundation, for Christ did not purpose establish
ing temporal Kingdom. Then, worse yet,
they erred in che spirit of Christs Kingdom.
Jesus set forth tho principle of Office holding
which it has been the aim of the Government
of the United States, theoretically at least, to
servants.
@. Explanatory Notes.
!. "The Kings of the Gentiles." ". 25)
The Jews despised the GeDtiles, and what
Gentiles did was not for the very reason they
did it, regarded as exemplary. The chief ruler
was the Emperor at Rome but subject to him
were numerous Kings.
2. Exercise authority" ". 25.) That Is
the business Of Kings. They do 1t officially.
Sometimes they may use such authority tyran-
nically. Sometimes az officers they must use it
when, out of tenderness, they might, as private
citizens, refrain from severity.
3. "Benefactors" ". 25.) This was a COM
mon term to give TO officials of prominence.
At times it was we'll deserved. At other times
1t was bestowed in mere fattery or for the
gaining Of favors. Josephus and Phlo apply
the term beDefactor to the Roman Emperors.
We often find the term euergetes (well-dOers)
rs applied TO the Roman Emperors.
4. "Ye shall not be So" ". 26) The
Kingdom of Christ is not modelled after 8
monarchy. Compare st. Lu., 8 40; Pet,
$50 We get the true idea as illustrated in
Christ's washing of the Disclpless feet. ST.
John, 10: 3-l5.)
8. younger" ". 26) II was the duty of
the younger to perform the moro mental serv-
ices. (Acts 5 6-10.)
6. Temptations" ". 2s.) Reference is
made to Obrist's ministry in special-tempta-
tions experienced along with the Apostles
prosecutions, ill-treatment from enemies, per-
sonal sacrifices and hardships.
z. Kingdom" ". 3d. We recall ST.
Matt, 49, %. The Apostles must always be
eminent. Their relations to Christ on earth
will make them forever distinguished in
Heaven. They will be 10 Christ in tho state
after the Judgment W hat a cabinet is TO ruler !;
what prime ministers are 70 king.
g. "The twelve tribes of Israel" ". 3d.
The meaning is that they shall be tho specially
deemed. The true Israel is the Church Catho-
lie. embracing all saved through Christ.
T. Suggestions
/. All civil rulers should be benefactors,
euergetea
2. We should cultivate q kindly, courteous,
obliging spirit An employer may have a
yielding, sympathetic nature quito becoming
servant, while many q servant has in him the
spirit OF a tyrans. If ono who is rich, power
full, exalted. be becomingly understanding;
considerable Of the feelings and wants Of the
poor aud dependent; willing il need be in
emergency 10 do many an act which would be
more becoming O servant such q man exalts
himself In public esteem.
3. Young men should be willing to begin In
inferior positions aud work up TO places of re-
sponsibiiity, power and remuneration.
4. Do not forsake friends in their trials It
was creditable to tho Apostles that they ICON
tinued with Christ in his temptations"
5. Be patient. Wait for the time of exalta-
ton. Get inspiration for future temptations"
ttrialsl by hope of promotion in Christ's King
dom beyond death. AS Jesus treated and will
treat his Apostles, similarly he will all of his
followers
II. PETERS DENrALs FoREroLD. =,
St. Matt, 90 81, So st. Mark. IA: 80, 81, and
st. Lu., %: 81.
2, Time. Place, Company. Circumstances.
These all agree with the same In the paragraph
above, save that We move along tribe later in
the evening.
The account as given by st. Mark seems a
little more definite as TO the time Of the denials.
The day referred to was the one which began
that evening at 6 o'clock, according to Jewish
division of time. But u day is composed of
daylight and night. st. Mark states plainly
the denials were to DO at night, and hence not
far from tho time of our Sayior's prediction.
But the denials are located more definitely yet
as to time They were TO DO before the cock
crowed twice. (St Mark, IA: 30.) 1t was under
stood that the first cock Growing was ut about
midnight; the second at about o'clock q. Ii.
3. The Connection.
By reading st. Matt. 26: 81 80, we see how
Christ came 10 speak so plainly TO Peter. Christ
had foretod his suffering and death. But Peter
indignant. said: Though all men shall DO
offended because of thee, yet will l never be-
offended" And yet he exceeded in ill-trcat-
ment of Christ all the rest except Judas, in the
fact he not only forsook Jesus but actually de-
MED him, and that not once but thrice, and
that after having been foTewarned by our
Savior From st. John, 10: 3l-39. we get still
nearer the condition of things. Christ foretold
his departure, saying that none could follow
Willingness to undergo any peril In following
Jesus. Then Christ exposed the weakness Of
Peter and prophesied the denials
4. The Farming.
Wheat NAV ha nj md ,-.s ,,ok