The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-05-14
THE TRANSPORTATION.
International Sunday -school Lesson To-
May 10, 1890.

Especially arranged from s. 8. Quarteriy,l
LESSON TExT-Luke 9:2SS.
GOLDEN TExT--And there came voice out |
Of the cloud, saying, This Is my beloved son:
hear him.-Luke 9:35.
CENTRAL TRuTH-The glorious nature OF our |
Saviour Jesus Christ
TIME-Summer Of AID. 20. Several weeks
sitter the last lesson.
PIAcE-Probably Mount Hermon, near Cesa- |
rea Philippi.
PARALLEL. ACCOUNTS Matt. l7:l.iS; Mark Q:
$40.
INTERVENING HIsToRY-Mark, chs Z, g.
Walking on the sea. The tour Of Tyre, Sidon |
and Decapolis. Several miracles. Return to
the Sea of Galilee, and journey northward, east |
Of the Jordan to Cesarea Philippi
THE WEEK OF GLooM--On the journey Jesus
revealed to His disciples for the first time that
He must die upon the cross and be raised
again. They seem to have been greatly
shocked, almost stupefed. Their Master was
to go, their hopes of a kingly Messiah and
worldly kingdom were shattered They could
not see beyond. After week Of this gloom the
TRANSPORTATION took place. (See Luke 9:22?7:
Matt. 16:2l-2a).
HELPS OVER HARD PI.AcEs-2s. About c..
eight-ddys qftsr the above conversation. Mat.
thew calls it six complete days, Luke counts in
mp inc mountain to pray: the TRANSPORTATION
was an answer to praye.. BY the answer We
can Judge what He prayed for. Doubtless all
OF them prayed. 90 The fashion (appearance)
of his countenance ,cas altered: He was trans.
figured, so that His face did shine as the sun
(Matt.). His heavenly nature shone through
His body. and ha raiment pas white and gsis
terinJ: |. e.. flashing like lightning. Mark says
1t was white as snow. This gives hint Of our
resurrection bodies, which are to be like
Christ's glorious body" and We are to "shine
forth as the sum-" 30. Moss: the giver Of the
law, ono me founder Of the old dispensation
which was soon to blossom out into the new
Elias: Greek for Elijah, the representative of
the prophets and the forerunner Of Christ. 81
Who appeared in glory: In their resurrection
bodies Both died o peculiar death, and their
bodies were doubtless changed rs those alive
at the day Of resurrection will be changed
| Il Cor. Is: 81, 52). And spake Of His decease:
His exodus, departure, referring to His death,
resurrection and ascension. This was the
great event Of the worlds history; this was the
real founding Of the Kingdom Of God; this was
the elimination Of the salvation brought by the
Messiah, and forctold by the prophets; this
! was the great act to which all the sacrifices ap-
pointed by Moses looked forward and which
gave them meaning and value. 49, We're heacy
rih sleep; and achen they ,0ere dUdke: the last
j expression means that they kept awake in
spite of their drowsiness. What they saw was
reality, lot vision or dream. So Let US
make three tabernacles: booths, Of .ne bushes
that grew on the mount. 1t seemed to him
that the hour for the long-ooked.for reign had
/ come. From the SLOPE Of Hermon he would
have had the laws Of Q new kingdom pro
claimed, so that all men might recognize the
true Messiah attended by the representatives
- no n1d Ind k1Sf
close. at Jesus command (Matt) till after His
resurrection. For till then they would not un.
derstand it enough to make the right use Of it,
and His enemies would use 1t to injure Him
and His cause.
BLESSING OF THE TRANSFIGURATION-Tha
experience which was good for Peter is good
for us. We all need the highest and sweetest
experiences Of the love Of Christ, to see Him In
His beauty and glory, to glance through the
gates ajar. to feel the breath Of Heaven and
hear the voice of God. "a 1t widens the out
look, giving earthly things their truer place in
life. (2) 1t gives clearer view Of the end To
which we are working, Of the state to which
God would bring all men. (9 1t helps us bear
our burdens, overcome our temptations, do oul
Christian work. We are amid sin, but we have
seen the glory of the Master able to conquer it
We dwell amid sorrows, but we know Him wha
has power to transform them; We see the worl
to be done, but here Is new inspiration and
hope. Light victory, glory, Heaven, shine
henceforth on all the dark earth. az 1t helpi
to change us into the image Of Christ G) i,
gives permanent uplifting to our character, {
continued consciousness of Q higher and bettei
life.
COMMENTs-When the interview be-
tween the Saviour and the two visitors
was at an end, the disciples looked ny
and found that there was no one there
but the Master only. Here it is tina
: Mr.. Spurgeon makes several suppose
tons that are exceedingly suggestive
Ee says: Suppose that when the dis
ciples had lifted up their eyes they hat
, beheld Moses only, and that Christ snt
! Elijah had been the ones who returned
to Heaven. Would that have been
gain?" On some accounts 1t woult
D seem to be most desirable thing To-
the Jews to have their grand old law
, giver back once more. Through hin
I they had received more of Divine trutl
3 than through any other man. II nov
l he could come back they might receive
3 from him much additional light upon re
!: ligious things, for he had been IL
! Heaven for centuries. But on secont
thought it is apparent that chang
8 from Christ to Moses would have been
I loss and not gain. For the law cam
!. by Moses but grace and truth came b,
, Jesus Christ, and grace and truth ar
I better for sinners than the law. Grea
!. as Moses was, Christ was greater.
One of the Saviour's claims wa
Q that Moses testified Of Him, and l
+ the great leader of Israel had come +
. bear public witness to the Messishshi
3 of Christ, would it not have been an in
o estimable advantage to Christ? At frs
!" sight it certainly appears Is though thi
z would have been the case. But on NOR
i careful thought, we think that we shall
d see that even this arrangement woul
n have had its serious drawback. Their
!, would at once have been parties anon
Q the Jews, and one would have said: g
$ am Of Moses" and another would hsv
Q cried: 81 am Of Elijah" and another
;. ~ am Of Christ" Division would hav
!. sprung up and the old fight have bee
: renewed. Rev. A. f. Schaufi1er.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1. The greatest spiritual blessing
come only to those who have lived neal
q est to Jesus.
2. There are heavenly experience
{ given to Christians as q foretaste q
a future glory.
r 8. There are glories in the Bible, 1
: Christ, in the Gospel, far beyond on