The National tribune., 1890-02-20

report VIC have OF the incident. The Writer was
not present. He had probably heard of the in
cidCnt about which he wrote. We must keep
in mind that the authors of Bible books wrote
by direction of God, and under influence of the
Holy Spirit. Their productions are, therefore,
correct and reliable. St. Luke wrote in prob
ably tho year A. ID. 81, or about 30 years alter
the events in the syDagOg. He wrote in Achaia,
Greece, far off from Nazareth. When we recall
tho great interval Of time, and the vast sepa-
rateness of the places, we are pleased to read
Pet, 81.
2. Time.
Harmonsts are wont to put this paragraph
In January of the ycarN A. d., some IL months
after the baptism of Jesus. The Jewish calen-
dar shows that lisa. 81 was the Haphtaroth or
prophetic section appointed to be read on the
Day of Atouement to wit, Tisri 10th, Tisri cor
responding with our October. There would be
| beautiful fitness in Christ reading at, so far
| as wo know, his first public appearance as a
| reader in the Bynagog, that paragraph which
| points so directly to his great work as the Mes
| siah. Some, hence, locate the paragraph IN
| October. Jesus was q few months over 81 years
of age. He was in tho second year OF his min
| istry. The Prophet Isaiah wrote in the year
| T30 b. c., or 1877 years before our lesson. And
| we study an incident which occurred 1868
years ago.
3, Place.
We find ourselves at Nazareth. That place
was the home of Christ from the time he was
two years old until no was 80 years of age.
1t was quite an obscure town. We do not find
it mentioned in the Old Testament. 1t was
about 63 miles north Of Jerusalem, six miles
northwest of Mt. Tabor. II miles south
west of the Sea Of Galiee. Our Savior was
known as Jesus of Nazareth. 10 was in the
province of Galilee. 1t is now called En-
Nasireh. There are now about 5000 inhabit-
ants. The Annunciation to tho Virgin Mary
took place there. Many tradi tiOns as TO Christ,
tho Virgin Mary and st. Joseph are told to
travellers, as to which, however, some discre-
| ton must DO exercised on the part of listeners
Nazareth was for some reason in disrepute
| during the early days Of the Christian era
| (St. John, l. 49, The Roman Catholic Church
has fine place of worship in Nazareth. The
| Emperor of Austria greatly enriched it, There
| is also chapel in the care of the Church OF
| England, dedicated October, 1871, by Bishop
| Gobat. The rector has two schools, one for
| young women and another for young men.
| The aim is to prepare native teachers. The
| German colonists have constructed pleasant
| carriagoway from Nazareth to Mt Carmel. IL
| ia we'll there be facilities for preaching Christ
| in tho very place where he began his public
| work explaining the prophecies of the Old
| Testament.
| Jesus was brought up" ". 16l in Nazareth.
! There he spent % years, passing through IN
| fancy. childhood, youth early manhood. There
| he studied, and possibly there he learned a
| trade
The scene of the lesson was synagog. The
| Jews had but one temple That was at Jeru-
| salem. But every town had at least one syna-
| Cog Synagogs were ordinarily plain. There
| were in them no affairs for sacrifice, seeing that
| only at tho Temple could Sacrifices be offered.
| Much freedom was granted in the services.
| Any citizen not in bad rcpute could read the
Holy Scriptures therein.
4. The Reader.
| Children were required. when - years old,
| 20 attend the Sabbath services in the synagogs.
| Jesus bad complied with the law in this re-
/ spect. Indeed, attendance was :" his custom. "
| ~ 49, But persons could not publicly read
and expound the Holy Scriptures until reaching
tho ago OF 80 years. Jesus had passed beyond
| that period. lie went early in his ministry to
his home and began to labor with his neighbors
and acquaintance. Attending the synagog he
ut tho proper time in tho services probably
arose and intimased his willingness to act a
Maphtir, or reader. The minister IN charge OF
the scroll handed it to Christ to read. Jesus
according to the custom. stood up to read. The
Jews forbade ono leaning against anything
while the Holy Scriptures were pronounced
In some churches all the congregation stands
during the reading of the Gospel We observe
that as soon as the paragraph had been read
4
Jesus was we'll known to the worshipers in
the synagog. They had probably heard some
thing of tho strange incidents attending his
infancy; something of the baptism. and posi-
bly, of the temptation; something of his mira
elcs for he had changed the water to wine
only nine miles from Nazareth, and healed the
noblemans son at Capernaum.
8. The Paragraph Read.
We find Jesus read from Is. l. verses Ia
OF course he used the Hebrew Bible. and was
therefore, able to render that language. st
Luke gave the account in Greek. aud that IN
turn has been translated into English. The
Bible was then not in book form, but rather
scroll, and hence in reality the word "opened
w III means unTolled, and CLOSED" (V. 20
rolled up IL is supposed that the paragraph
read was the portion appointed for that day
The Jews read their Bible in systematic way
having "a particular section assigned 10 each
day of the year. IL was singular coincidence
that Christ happened to read just when the Sc
lection appointed was so plainly applicable e
himself.
II is evident the verses used in Isaiah's
prophecy had relation, primarily, To himself
He was conscious of the sad plight of his peo-
pie. lie saw them downhearted, in captivity
blind as TO their best interests, sick in sin
bruised and mangled by the fall" lie was s
prophet and felt the obligation resting on him.
self TO rescue his people. lie was impelled t.
preach the Gospel to the poor. lie could mol
decline The Spirit of God urged him. In q
great measure the condition of things was sim.
liar when Christ, the Amounted, came to preach
He felt tho moviugs of the Spirit and wai
driven to exclaim, :" / must be about my Faith
er's business" The language of the Prophet
Isaiah is realized in the case of every minister
of tho Gospel. The needs are great, the Spirit
impels, the man is anointed or ordained, hC
must preach the Gospel.
6. Suggestions.
1. Begin as Christians to work at homo
among your neighbors.
g. Let it become your custom to attend re-
ligous services.
3. The minister may learn many q lesson.
a. Be sure you are called to the ministry
called of God.
b. Seek the influence of the Holy Spirit in
preparation and prosecution OF your work.
G. BE anOinted or duly ordained.
a. Preach To the poor. Care for the poor.
0. Comfort the sorrowing.
+ Enlighten the darkened.
o. Preach the GOspel-nOt human specula
tions.
h. Preach often expositorily. Christ OK
planned tho paragraph read.
/. Visit prisons.
4. Value the Bible. Read It. Read it sys
tematically. BE able TO quote and to make
personal application of its teachings.
5. Apply religious principles to tho manage