Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-04-18
FORGIVENESS AND LOVE.
LESSON III, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, APRIL 20.

Nv, 10-Commentary by the Rev. ID. VI.
Stearns.
compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission of H. S. Hoffman, publisher philadel-
phia.
SO. " And one of the Phariseel desired
Him that He would eat with him. And He
went into the Pharsees house, and sat down
to meat" The incident of this lesson, like
that of the last one is recorded only by Luke,
and seems to hive 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 by 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, saying
that John had devil and that Jesus was a
glutton and wine bbber and friend of publ
cans and sinners
81. And, behold, a woman in the city,
which was a sinner" We do not know her
name. This is the only place where the rec
ord is found and her name is not given. The
only name given to her is 'sinner," and that
fits us all from. iii, 23 V, ~. She may
have been more openly a sinner than others,
and have wandered farther from the paths of
virtue, but she was one of those whom Jesus
came to save; and in some way she had been
convicted of her sinfulness and filled with
spirit of trua penitence.
IS. And stood at His feet behind Him
weeping etc. Reclining as they did at
table, she came behind Him, she could
easily stand at His feet, and, bending over
them, wash them with her tears.
80. Now when the Pharisee which had
hidden Him saw it. he spalle within himself :"
He might as well have said if ont. for .Jesus
knew his thoughts. He knows ours. too FPS
cxxxix. 2; Eek. XII. 81. and we need constantly
to pray that He would cleanse the thougbts
of our hearts.
40. "And Jesus. answering. said INTO him
Simon. have somewhat To say INTO thee y
Our very tboughts need ANSWERING and the
Word of God is equal to il. Vain thouphts
lodge within lis. and was To orr time and him
der our service. but there is n remedy. 1.-THE
Word of God" der iv. ii. xxx. IL. Iuke
xiv. 81, There are seven or eight different
Simons in the New Testament history besides
Simon Peter. hut this is the only mention of
this one
Al - "Vhen tbev had nothing IN nav no
frankly forpave them both Tell me there.
fore which of them will love him nostr, In
this story of the creditor and two debtors
Jesus would teach Simon somewhat of tha
relations in which he and the woman stood
TO God. Not that the Indebtedness Of Simon
md the woman was ms fftv command ,vi+ n
five hundred hut that was abuut the way,
Simon looked at if He might ha ,viIliur 70
acknowledge that he was not as good as he
ouoht TO he. but here was n woman whom
everybody knew to he n preot sinner
10 "Simon answered and said. I sunnose
that he to whom he forpnve most And He
said unto him. Thou hast rightly indeed ~
ANY one could see that the one who was com
scious of OWING five hundred hain,- freely,
FORGIVEN. would feel under much e,reater Oh
legation TO the creditor than fine oua OWING
only fifty. and TINS Simon answered. RIGHTLY,
deep sense of sin. n consciousness of orr
great Indebtedness to God is an invsluaLIe
BLESSING Nav NOT fine lacl, of This be the
cause of so little manifest love to Cod ON the
nar+ of those who nrofoss Tn ba His,
41-iG "And he turned to fine vn,nnn 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 ,f4sl1s
turn in COMMISSION TO her To he allowed in
cares, and anoint Hi, feet was n ,rreat iov.
hut To hava Him turu His foce tn b,r mad
notice her. and commend her nenfiouino
before "a
placiu, her in His estimation above simon
himself surely now her. heart was full What
condemnation for Simon: what glory for her
How great the contrast The host who in.
vited Him did NOT treat Him with cnn,nor
courtesy much less with onv derrea of honor,
no water no kiss. no oil. no Refreshing, nc
welcome M pIadness from simon Rut tbi.
moor sinner broken heorted hacausa of he,
sins ministers TO Him with neuitential fear.
and the true oil of pladness from n lovino
heart Here is a foreshadowinr of n future
dav when many n self riobte0us one shall
he confounded and many n moor contrite
one eloriouslv rewarded
, ~ "Vherefore say INTO thee Uar sins
/ which are many ore FORGIVEN, GOOD fo,
the Door woman but what about Simon and
his siuss In his own estimation he had none
worth mentioning. none thar needed sneciaI
: nardon. and .Jesus came NOT to call the ri.,ht.
cons but sinners To renentance If simon
- could have had a glimnse of his own beart n.
=