The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-03
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
DECEMBER ..
Lesson Text: "Thc Walk to En-
maus," Luke xxi, 13-21-Gold-
en- Tex: I4ukc Nyiv., SO
Commentary.

Commentary.
IS "And behold. two of them went that
same day to the village callel Emmaus,
which was from Jerusalem about three
score furlongs" 1t was now afternoon, ana
all the events of the morning lad doubtless
become known to all the disciY les. and many
more than those mentioned in the last lesson
had paid visit to the tomb. perhaps these
two among the rest: but if so they evidently
doubted still His resurrection, for had tney
believed that He actually appeared to Mary
and the other women we would think that
tbey would have remained about the city
hoping to see Him for themselves. So we
have before us two more unbelievlng dis
ciples, one named CleopaS Tvs Isl and the
other we know not, According to John XIX,
25 Cleopas was husband to one OF the Marys.
il. "And they talked together of all these
things which had happened" They would
no doubt rehearse every incident, perhaps
going over the events of His arrest and trial
and crucii1ion and all attendant clrcum-
stances. as we'll as the events of that partlcu-
lar day. Most weighty and perple1ing mat
ters filed their minds, and it may be that SO
discouraged were they that they were return.
ing to their homes to settle down to their old
life, and perhaps give up all hope OF de-
iverer for Israel after such disappointment.
Is. "And it came to pass that while they
communed together and reasoned, Jesus HIM
self drew near and went with them" Ihey
spoke of Him and He came to meet them,
which reminds us OF Nal. ILL.,, IT.: linen they
that feared the Lord spake often one TO an,
other: and the Lord hardened and heard,
etc. He is always seeing. always hearing.
16. "But their eyes were holden that they
should not know HIM When Mary saw
Him she knew rot that it was Jesus, ana
when the disciples who went out fishing saw
Him on the shore they knew not that 1t was
Jesus John Xxx, IA, xxi, Al.
II. 'And He said unto them, What manner
of communications are these that ye have one
to another, and ye walk and are sad" he
knew, but He wanted them to tell him; as
if he had said, Tell Ne all about it.
IS. And one of them, whose name was
Cleopas, answering. said unto Him, Art
Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem and hast
not known the things which are come to
pass there in these days" The whole city
must have been filled with the things which
had happened during the last few days and
man would need to be very lonely sojourner
(as the words Art thou only stranger
imply) not to have heard about the strange
events. Mary took Him to be the gardener,
and these two think He must be stranger;
His enemies took Him for glutton and WINE
Himself. Was ever a man more mlsunder-
stood or unknown? Loneliest of all lonely
men, least appreciated, least esteemed; 1t was
His comfort that the Father knew Him, and
that He did always those things which
pleased the Father John viii. go.
10. "And He said unto them, What things:
And they said unto Him, Concerning Jesus
Of Nazareth, which was prophet mighty IN
deed and word before God and all the peo-
that
such mighty deeds and words had been seen
in Jesus as had never been seen in any other:
and, although contrary to all their e1pecta-
tions He had been put to death. yet these
facts concerning Him were ircontrovertlble.
Never man spake like Him; never did any
one do such mighty works since the day OF
Moses, and Moses never raisel the dead nor
opened the eyes of one born blind.
20. ''And how the chief priests and our
rulers delivered Him to be condemned to
death. and have crucified Him. Their tes-
timony corroborates exactly what Jesus had
foretold Matt. xvi, 2U. Now If they lad
added what He also foretold just as plainly,
that He would rise again the third day, then
would they have beet enlightened and glad.
Believing part OF the truth does not help one;
we must like Paul Believe all things that
are written in the law and in the prophets
(Acts xiv, l4).
II. '6uC we trusted IL Idu oeou ilC
which should have redeemed Israel; and be-
side all this, to-day is the third day since
these things were DONE Like Zacharlas,
Simeon, Anna, Joseph of Arilnathea and
many others they looked for redemption for
Israel, even the kingdom OF God Nuke l.. Is:
il, 30 IS; xiii, 5l), as all the prophets had
foretold They looked for the king to sit on
David's throne, and even Gabriel, the last
messenger from God, taught them so to
look luke j., 81, 33). But they knew not the
way to the throne by death and resurrection.
%. "Yea, and certain women also OF our
company made US astonished which were
esrly at the sepulcher" If they had said
"made us glad" it would have been right and
according to the mind Of God. But look
around YOU to-day, or look at yourself, which
is the most practical and helpful thing to do
and see if the things of Jesus make you glad
or only astonished. l do not mean that IL
will make you glad to look at yourself, for
that is poor place to look for gladness; but
it may show you your difficulties and turn
you to Him who alone can make you glad.
90. "And when they found not His body,
they came, saying, that they had also seen a
vision of angels, which said that He was
alive" When they looked for His BODY
they saw not, but they saw the linen clothes
which had contained His body; and what they
had not expected TO see (angelS) they saw,
and heard that which they had not thought
to hear, that He was alive.
"a. And certain OF them which were with
US went to the sepulcher, and found it even
so as the women had said; but Him they saw
not The women simply found as He had
said it would be, and as the angels said it
was: and even though the others who went
saw not himself. blessed are those who see
not and yet believe John XXX, 2N.
25. "Then He said unto them, fools, and
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
have spoken If We spend much time on
prophecy wise men may count us fools, but
If we neglect prophecy, or any portion OF it,
Christ will count us foolish. Let us rather
choose to be counted foolish by men than by
Christ.
26. Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things and to enter into His glory%'
When Paul preached at Thessalonica he
taught from the Scriptures that Christ must
needs have suffered and risen again from the
dead, and that Jesus whom he preached was
indeed the Christ facts xvii, 9, 81. The
Christ must suffer because iniquity. trans
gresSion and sin must be put away and
made sn end of dan. tx, 2A, and without
shedding of blood is 10 remission: it is the
blood that maketh all atonement for the soul
Heb. tx, %; Lev. xviii, III.
g. "And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets He expounded unto them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself" "
Expository preaching, which many preacher:
despise, but which satisfies hungry souls. An
Old Testament Bible reading by the Master
Himself and all about Himself. Heavy
hearts need Jesus only and only when He is
.al tl,o,.a ha t,t,a uI Ia1