The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-27
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by q Study of the later.
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for


study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated abovel
SUBJECTS: l. AN EVIL SPIRIT EXPELLED.
2. CURE OF THE MoTHER-INLAW OF ST..
PETER.
Preliminary.
We notice Jesus as a Teacher For data SEQ
st. Matt, 1928, %; st. Mark l 81, o. and st.
Luke, a: 81, (the following part, and taught
them on the Sabbath day" and verse 81. We
find in St Luke, 4 rs, that it WAS his custom
to so to synagog on Sabbaths. So, when Mt
Capernaum, ho went into the synagog, st. Mark
gives tho fullest account We find it was a Sab
bath day. The prOnoun they" in st. Mark,
:21, seems to mean Jesus, SITS. Peter and An
drew, James and John. The four disciples
probably accompanied Christ into the synagOg.
First Of all Jesus or some one else probably
read the scriptural lesson for the day, standing.
(St. Luke, 4 49, Christ made his remarks,
which were probably suggested by the lesson
of the day. They were doubtless in the form
of comments with application. What nc said
was effective, just us his words elected wonder
Mt Nazareth. At CapeTnaum hearers were as
toushed ut his doctrine, and Mt his impressive,
authoritative style of instruCtiug. They no.
tCed he spoke as though full of his subject
and conscious of its truth and importance.
And his application of truth was not rounda-
bout. but direct, personal, suitable, and there
fore powerful.
/. THE EVIL SPIRIT EXPELLED.
We study Christs fourth specific miracle 1t
was his first case of driving out demons. lie
performed four additional miracles of that ma
ture. We state the subject thus: The First
Restoration to Sanity of Demoniac.
]. Data.
We have two accounts of this mracle-to
wit, st. Mark, / 232S and st. Luke, 4 33-37.
1t is not, therefore, mentioned by SITS. Matthew
and John. We wonder at this somewhat when
we remember st. John probably witnessed the
miracle and st. Matthew may have seen it. st.
Matthew must, in all probability, have seen the
man who had been cured. We remember theinci-
dent attracted much attention st. Luke, 81,
making the restored man person well known.
Probably SITS. Mark and Luke knew nothing
by observation of the miracle, and yet they are
the only New Testament writer's giving an
account of Christ's famous deed. They most
likely wrote their Gospels at Rome, not far
from tho year go A. d.
2. Time.
This miracle was effected in, we may say,
January, A. d. 81, or not far from 30 years be-
fore the accounts of SITS. Mark and Luke ap-
peared. We find it was on Sabbath day, cor
responding with our Saturday.
3. Where.
The miracle was performed at Capernaum
(St. Mark, / 81, and st. Luke, 4: 3D. 1t was
a city on northwest side Of the Sea OF Galiiee.
1t was Christ's headquarters during his minis
try, to wit, for about three and one-half years
Five of the Apostles came from 1t or its imme-
date ueighborhood. Jesus resortcd TO 1t when
expelled from Nazareth. It was in the prov
ince of Gallee. The miracle occurred in
synagog The Jews had but single temple.
That was ut Jerusalem. They had one or more
synagogs in every large place of Palestine.
Each was built somewhat on the plan OF the
temple Sacrifices could be offered only at the
rtl,. r.aii pryyiaA al
lowable in synagogs.
A. The Miracle Worker.
II is plain Jesus performed the deed of ex-
polling the demons He is styled in the two
accounts Jesus of Nazareth, Holy One of God.
Ii was the demoniac. or the evil spirit through
the demonac, who gave Christ the last-men-
toned title. Accepting the evangelc belief
as to Christ's deity, there IS no difficulty in
explaining tho miracle. Making him any
other than God in the sense of being the Son
Of God, and We find inextricable trouble in ex-
planning the deed. (On Holy One Of God, COM
pare Dan, 9:2i.)
5. The Demoniac.
We use the words Of the Bible accounts. We
STYLE the man a demOniac, meaning he was
under wicked nveterate, powerful influence.
The sufferer was a man. We do not know of
his age domestic relations, financial condition.
We suspect he was Jew, from the fact he was
in the synagog. 1t must be he was at times IN
a condition warrauting his presence in q crowd.
Whatever his affection, we would think it in
termittcnt and liable to attack him very sud
denly. He risked himself each time he went
into an audience. Ordinarily he probably had
some premontions and thus escaped, as a rule,
being attacked in public place.
6. DeuoHidnism.
a. We notice the complaint endured by the
suffering man is considered as u person. II is
shown more than one such evil spirit could
possess man at the Same time. They are rep
resented as able to speak. We notice the pro-
nouns arc singular and plural-"W We" (St.
Mark, | /: "a, and st. Luke, 4 3il-"I." tSee
same refeyeuces) The evil spirits used the
vocal powers of the man. So in sense he
tthe sutlcrer) spoke.
b. Christ addressed the demons
c. Jesus silenccd the demons
d. Ho rebuked them-chid, scoldcd, repri-
manded them. tSee Jude,
e. Christ commanded them.
f. They obeyed Christ.
a. They knew Christ-his youthful home;
his common title Jesus of Nazareth; and his
name implying Deity
h. They were afraid of being destroyed The
reference is probably not TO humiliation, but
to a cessation of power on the minds of human
beings.
i. They oboyod Christ's specific order to leave
the man.
| !. We have spoken above as though there
| were in tho one man number of evil spirits.
! 1t may be. however, that we are TO understand
| the man az speaking of n class, not necessarily
| teaching that moro than one Was in himself
| H. Demons hate To leave human beings. Sa-
tan gives US up reluctantly. Demons have to
be driven out.
! l. 1t must be Christ rebuked the demon. If
/ the man were himself the demon, then Christ
ordered the man to come ont from himself.
! M. The evil spirit obeyed Chrst's command
ms 10 silence. The evil spirit did not speak
again. The reference IS To articulate speech.
| When he went out it was with acry, not an in
telligible shout, but with howl
H. Why not permit the Demons TO identify
| Jesus as the Sou of God, or the Messiah Christ
did not want even men as yet TO tell who he
was. (St. Mark, 3; l2.)
o. We call attention to the physical effects of
the demon within the man. /. He tore the
man, tSt. Mark, / 26,) caused the man to tear
himself. g Ho threw the man down. (St.
| Luke, 4. 49,
d. The spirit was uncean. Wo generally
understand by this that the evil spirit was las
civious, and exorted an impure influence on
| the sufferer.
~ Suggestions.
l. Attend church ON Sundays. Keep the day
holy.
Q Tell abroad what Christ does. Make him
| famous.
| Ill r.. A. 81, aud ;,,a -.