Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-07
THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 9.
Text of the Lesson, Luke ill., 4O-52-Com-
nit Verses 40-52-Golden Text, Luke
ii, 52-Commentary by the Rev.
ID. NJ. Stearns.

ID. NJ. Stearns.
compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission OF II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phadel-
phia
40. And the child grew and waxed strong
in spirit, filled with WISDOM Having
performed all things according to the law,
Joseph and Mary returned TO their humble
home at Nazareth, there to abide. And there
grew up this wonderful child of whom the
angels sang and the shepherds testified, and
whom the wise men came from the east to
see and worship; whose advent had troubled
the cling and all Jerusalem, and for whom
many little children had already laid down
their lives Matt. ii, 3, 16. This verse tells
all we know of His life after the return to
Nazareth until He was twelve years of age.
AS to His body He grew and waxed strong
the Revised Version leaves ont the
words lin spirit') as any healthy child
would. His body was flesh and blood
just like ours; He took such a body that
in it He might die and thus destroy him
that had the power of death, that is, the devil
"The grace of God was upon Him" The
manifest blessing and power Of God was upon
Him even as a little boy; He was holy child,
and the same grace will be upon every boy
and girl today who earnestly desires it, that
they may glorifv God Let the scholars read
these texts: John i, 14-17; Acts ", 50; xiii,
IS; xx, -; Rom. iii, "a; II Cor. viii, .; tx, S;
xii 9; II Pet iii, IS.
Il. "Now, His parents went to Jerusalem
| every year at the feast of the passover" 1t
| is written in the law of Moses, Three times
| thou shalt keep feast unto me in the year.
4 Three times in the year all thy
! males shall appear before the Lord Cod (t,x.
xiii, 14-10. The passover kept in the
pf +ba 70 fl1a
deliverance of Israel from the bondage of
Egypt lex. xii, IN, and not only points
| backward to that deliverance, but also for
ward to a greater deliverance from all ma
! tons of the earth, when the passover shall be
| fulfilled in the kingdom of God
AZ. And when he was twelve years old
| they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom
of the feast This was probably His first
visit to Jerusalem since He had been there as
an infant in His mothers arms but often
had the events of the first great passover
| been talked over at home. as well rs the more
ancient history of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
and the later events under Joshua, the Judges
and the Kings. Many must have been the
questions asked by this wise boy concerning
all things of which Moses and the prophets
had written, and wonderful for wisdom His
own sayings, even as n child.
days The passover was on the fourteenth
day of the month at even, and the next day
began the feast of unleavened bread, which
continued seven days, so that the full time of
the feast would be eight days LEV xiii, y.
A. They sought Him among their kins-
folk and acquaintance" Here is another
strange thing that His parents should think
that such a child would prefer the company
of kinsfolk or acquaintance to that OF His
own mother There is evidently some neg
lect here on the part of Mary Of the precious
| trust committed to her, which is all the more
strange at such time as this when she is
just returning from this holy feast. If we
have just been to the Holy Communion and
then on our way home allow other things to
occupy our minds and form the subject of
our conversation shall doubtless lose our
fellowship with Jesus, and it may take some
time to have it restored.
45. They turned back again to Jerusalem
seeking Him" Having failed to find Him OF
obtain tidings of Him among their kinsfolS
they next retrace their steps to Jerusalem
full, no doubt, of anxious thoughts concern
ing Him. a days journey they had gone
without Him carelessly; days journey they
retrace their steps sorrowfully. Do we ever
go day without fellowship with Him auC
wander away from Him, our hearts tillec
with other things2 If so, let us not wonder il
it takes more than days sOrrowful seeking
ere we again rejoice in Him. See in the liftl
chapter of the Song of Solomon how littl'
neglect Of The Beloved and slowness to re
spond when He'calls causes much anxious auC
, sorrowful seeking Abiding and ready obedi
enCe is the only way
4G. "After three days they found Him i,
the temple" a days seeking in the city
and finally they think of the Temple, anC
there they find Hin. Why did they not G.
) right to the temple as soon as they reached
+ the cityi 1t looks as if Mary had forgotten
Gabriels words concerning this child, as i
she did not know just who her child reall,
was; as if, though outwardly keeping the feas
= of the Lord, she was not in fellowship witt
Him. Her ancestor David had made it tn
habit Of his life to inquire Of the Lord abou
everything, but Mary does not seem to bav
done SO II Sam. xiii, 2, 4; Xxx, s; ii Sam
ii, /; V, 10, 23, else she would sooner hav
found her son, or not have lost Him at all.
"Sltting in the midst OF The doctors, bot
bearing them, and asking them questions
e The word doctor" is found only here an,
in chap. V, /; Acts V, "a; but the Greek wor
+ signifies a teacher, and is thus translate
/ many times; 50 we see ths boy Jesus in tn
midst of the teachers of the law, listening t
, | them ana asking them questions, ana, 10
! aught we know, he had spent the three day
:, in this manner, no doubt kindly cared for b.
some Of them.
A. And all that heard Him were aston
i ished at His understanding and answers.
They probably found one better versed i
d many things in the law than they were then
selves, able to answer all their questions an
@ to ask them many questions which puzzle
them. He did not waste his time like tn
q young people Of today upon story papers an
magazines but no doubt, confined Himse
to the one great book of the Law, the Prophet
9 and the Psalms. Let me say to any who fin
the Bible dull book that it was so TO III
O once, but God, by His Spirit, has made it tn
a most interesting of books, and what He ha
u done for me He will do for you; only as
Him duke XII, 9.
y 4s, son, why hast Thou thus dealt wit
n usl Behold Thy father and l have sougt
Thee sorrowiug" This was the salutation c
Mary when they found Him in the temple
It He might have replied "Why did you go O
IS without me:' But we cannot think of Hi
ever saying anything impertnent or undut
full In all His life He did no sin: He kne,