The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-16
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOK
APRIL 20.
Lesson Test: forgiveness and Love,
Luke vii. 36-50-Golden Text
John iv, 19-Commentary.

&c. And one of the Pharisees desired Him
that He would eat with him. And He went
into the Pharisee's house, and sat down tt
meat" The incident Of this lesson, like thai
OF the last one, is recorded only by Luke, and
seems to have occurred at the same place, the
city Of Main. The principal intervening
events, were the sending of messengers to
Jesus by John the Baptist, who was in prison;
the miracles wrought ~ Jesus in their pres.
ence, and the testimony Of Jesus concerning
John after the messengers had departed. he
also rebuked the people because of their
treatment of John and Of Himself saving
that John had devil and that Jesus was 4
| glutton and wine bibber and friend of publf-
cans aud sinners. We should not be- sur.
| prised the most nnkind and untrue thines
are said Of us as we follow Jesus John xiii.
16; XIV. 1920; xvi, 39. In this gospel We
see much Of Jesus as q man among men a
social man, and yet always an unearthly,
holy. separate and heart-searching nsai,.
Luke records four different occasions on
which He went i'll to eat with Pharisess and
publicans which are not mentioned in any Of
the other gospels Xxi, 81: xiv, 1; XIX, n.
and On each occasion He has most heart
searching words for the Pharisees. While
He accepts their hospitality BE does not al
low their favors to blind His eys or close His
mouth.
o.. An0, DenOld, woman IN the city,
which was sinner" We do not know her
name. This is the only place where the
record is found and her name Is not given.
The only name given to her is sinner and
that fits us ALL
When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in
the Pharisees house, brought an alabastar
box of ointment 1t would seem as il light
had already dispelled the darkness from her
soul and revealed to her Savior. Just ask
yourself il you would be as squick to hear Of
Jesus and come to Him; would you bring
Him the best you had, and get to Him even
though you had to enter the house Of one
whom you knew would despise you? It may
be that as we consider this penitent sinner our
hearts are led with shame to confess that
her promptness and courage and gift exceed
anything yet seen in US. -
3S. "And stood at His feet behind Him
weeping" etc. Reclining a. they did at
table, as she came behind Him, she could
easily stand at His feet, and, bending over
them, wash them with her tears. See her as
she wipes them with her hair, then kisses
them, and anoints them with the ointment
she had brought If we have not been put
to shame by her promptness and courage
and gift, surely we are now as we see her
love.
80. 'Now when the Pharisee which had
hidden Him saw ii, be spake within HIMSELF
He might as well have said it out, for Jesus
knew his thoughts. He knows ours, too Ps.
cx1xix, 2: Eek. xi., s., and we need con-
stantly to pray that He would cleanse the
thoughts Of our hearts.
40. "And Jesus, answering, said unto him,
Simon, have somewhat to say unto thee"
Our very thoughts need answering, and the
lodge within-us, and waste our time and
hinder our service, but there is a remedy,
THE Word Of God" (Jer. iv., IA; XIX, IL;
Luke xiv, 3S. There are seven or eight
different Simons in the New Testament his
tory besides Simon Peter, but this is the,
only mention Of this one. The name, like
S mon in the Old Testament signifies hear
ing, and was the name given by Leah to her
second son, because, as she said, "the Lord
had heard" (Gen. XXX, 33. How helpful
it would be if we always remembered that
to say to us about these thoughts Of ours.
Il, AZ. when they had nothing to pay, he
frankly forgave them both. Tell me, there
fore, which of them will love him mostg' In
this story Of the creditor and two debtors
Jesus would teach Simon somewhat Of the
relations in which he and the women stood
To God. Not that the Indebtedness Of Simon
and the woman was as fifty compared with
five hundred, but that was about the way
Simon looked at it. he might be willing to
acknowledge that he was not as good as he
ought to be. but here was a woman whom
everybody knew to be great sinner. Jesus
put the matter from Simon's standpoint and
asked the question: Which will love mostT
1t would be profitable to consider here our
indebtedness to God for life health, privi-
leges protecting care, in fact all things, for
what have we that we have not receiyeds
49,. Simon answered and said, 1 suppose
that he to whom he forgave most And He
said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged"
Any one could see that the one who was con-
scious of owing five hundred, being freely
forgiven, would feel under much greater OBJ
legation to the creditor than the one owing
only fifty; and thus Simon answered rightly.
A-46. And He tnrned to the woman, and
said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman%
Simon was no doubt surprised to have the
thoughts Of his heart revealed. The poor
woman is no doubt surprised to have Jesus
turn in compassion to her. To be allowed to
caress and anoint His feet was great joy,
but to have Him turn His face to her, and
notice her, and commend her, mentioning
every loving act before all the people, and
placing her in His estimation above Simon
himself surely now her heart was full. What
condemnation for Simon; what glory for
her.
A.. Wherefore say unto thee, Her sins,
which are manv, are forgiven" Good for
The poor woman, but what about Simon and
ais sins? In bis own estima ton he had none
worth mentioning, none that needed special
pardon, and Jesus came not to call the right
sous but sinners to repentance 1t Simon
Gould have had a glimpse Of his own heart
IS Jesus saw it, he too would have had a
giyaness But he was blind and with saliva
Sion within his reach even in his own house,
90 sees not his need and goes without, little
thinking that the man who now sat at his
able, ready aud able to save him, was in.
Iced Israeps Messiah and would one day be
MS judge.
49, "And He said unto her, Thy sins are
forgiven thee" She heard Him say it to
Simon, and if her heart was full before it
was surely oyeraowing now; but could it be
true, did she hear Alright? He turns again to
her, looks into her face, and says directly to
herself: Thy sins are forgiven" Now she
IS sure; He has looked upon her; He has
spoken to her: she believes that He is Israeps
Messiah, and now He has become her Saviour
and her soul can say: Thine anger mot
With her, but with the SIM is turned away,
and Thou comfortest me, for Thou art be-
,ome my salvation" lisa. Xii, l-9.
40. And they that sat at meat with Him
began 10 say within themselves, Who is this
hat forgiveth sins also? They knew Him
,ot: they. too, were blind like Simon; there
vas no forgiveness for them either, although
{ was within their reach. A reasoning.
questioning spirit draws no blessing from
Him, but only broken and contrite and be-
ieving spirit, and this they had not. They
we're well satisfied with themselves. Whata
mystery this is God manifest in tue flesh,
healing the sick, raising the dead, fulfilling
the prophecies concerning the Messiah, such
snce to His birth and place of birth lisa. vii,
Il: Mic. ", p, yet they know Him not. The
hungry He fills with good things, but the
rich He sends empty away Luke l., 5S).