The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-04-18
ASIARE
DAY SCHOuI..
INr. kNATIoNsL LESSON FOR
ApHsL 90
Le. son Text: forgiveness and love
Luke vii. SO SO-Goldem Text;
tJohn iv. 10 0-Commentory on
the Le.son.


the Lesson.
90. "And ono of the Pharisees desired Him
that lie would eat with him. And He went
into the Pharisee's house, and sat down N
meat" The incident of this lesson, like that
OF tho 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 10y John the Baptist, who was in prison;
the miracles wrought by Jesus in their pres
once, and the testimony OF jesus concerning
John after the messengers had departed He
also rebuke1 the people because OF their
treatment of John and OF Himself, ssyint,
that John had a devil and that Jesus was u
glutton and wine bibber and friend Of publi-
REl;sa Y sa most eajAS esS SptJSS tJoSs sl,S
| l6; XIV, 1920; XVII, 39f. In this gospel We
see much OF Jesus as a man among men, n
social man, and yet always an unearthly,
holy, separate and heart-searching man
Luke records four different occasions on
which lie went i'm TO oat with Pharisees and
puhlicans which are not mentioned in any OF
tho ether gospels Xxi, 81; xiv, l; xix, n,
and on each occasion lie has most heart
searching words for tho Pharisees. Wbilo
lie accepts their hospitality He does not al
low their tarors to blind His eys or close His
mouth.
81. And, behold, woman in tho city.
which was sinner" We do not know her
name. This is tho only place where tho
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 l'harisee's house, brought an nlabaster
box Of ointment" IL would seem as il light
had already dispclled the darkness from her
soul and revealed to her Savior. Just ask
yourself il you would be as quick 10 hear OF
Jesus and come to Him; would you bring
Him the best YOU had, and get to Him even
though you had 10 enter the house of ono
whom you knew would despise you? 1t may
he that as we consider this penitent sinner our
hearts are led with shame to confess that
her rromptness and courage and gift exceed
~ Hnt Sf' srSSd Nr'sd =" az HIS rect pcnmu nm
weeping etc. Reclining us they did at
table as she came behind Him, sho could
easily stand Mt His feet, and, bending over
them, wash them with her tears. See her as
she wipes them with her hair then kisses
them nnd anonts them with the ointment
she had brought. If we have not been put
to shame by her !omptness and courage
and gift, surely wo are now Us we see her
love.
80. "Now when the Phariseo which had
hidden Him saw it, he spake within himself"
He might as we'll have said it out, for Jesus
knew his thoughts. He knows ours, too (Ps.
cxxxix, 2; Ezck. xi., s., and wc need con-
stamt!y TO pray thnt He would cleanse the
thoughts of our hearts
30 And Jesus, answering said unto him,
Simon, have somewhat to say unto thee"
/ Our very thoughts need answering, and tho
| Word Of God is equal TO It,. Vain thoughts
lodge within us, and waste our time and
! hinder our service, but there Is a remedy,
Tho Word of God" DER iv., IA; xxx, III;
Luke xiv, 3s). There are seven or eight
tory besides Simon Peter, but this is tho
! only mention Of this one. Tho name, like
s mon in the Old Testament signifies hear
ing, and was the name given by Leah to her
second son. because, as sho said, "the Lord
had heard" Gen. XXX, 33). How helpful
i il would be if we always remembered that
the Lord hoard, and that He has somewhat
to say to us about these thoughts of ours.
Al, NJ "Whcn they had nothing to pay, he
frankly forgave them both. Tell me- there
| this story of tile 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, IIo might he willing to
acknowledge that he was not as good rs he
| ought 10 be- but here was n woman whom
! everybody knew To be n great sinner. Jesus
! put tho matter from Simon's standpoint and
asked the question: (Which will love most"
IL would bc profitable to consider here our
/ Indebtedness to God for life, health privi-
! lcges. protecting care in fact oil things, for
what havo we that we have not received?
~. 'Simon answered and said, | suppose
that he 10 whom he forgave most. And Ho
said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged"
Any one could see that the ono who was con-
scious of owing five hundred, being freely
forgiven, would feel under much greater oh
legation to the creditor than the one owing
only fifty; and thus Simon answered rightly
| 44-i6. And He tnrned to the woman, and
said unto Simon, Seest thou this womanT'
Simon was no doubt surprised to have the
thoughts of his heart revealed. Tho poor
woman is no doubt surprised to have Jesus
turn in compassion to her To be allowed to
caress and anoint His feet was II great joy,
but to have Him turn His faco to her, and
notice her, and commend her, mentioning
, every loving act before all the people, AMI
placing her in His estimation above Simon
himself, surely now her heart was full. What
condemnation for Simon; what glory for
her.
| Al. Wherefore say unto thee, Her sins,
which are many, arc forgiven" Good for
the poor woman, but what about Simon and
his sins? In his own estinla tion he had none
worth mentioning. none that needed speciai
pardon and Jesus came not to call the right-
eous but sinners to repentance. IL Simon
could have had IA glimpse OF his own heart
as Jesus saw IL, he too would have had n
broken heart and have meekly sought for
giveness. But he was blind, and with saliva.
tion within his reach, even i'm his own house
he sees not his need and goes without. little
thinking that the man who now sat at hii
table ready and able 10 save him, was in
deed lsraePS Messiah and would one day D
his judge.
a. "And He said unto her, Thy sins are
forgiven thee" She heard Him say 1t t.
Simon, and if her heart was full before II
was surely overhowing now; but could it bi
true, did She hear Alright? He turns again II
her, looks into her face, and says directly t.
herself: THY sins are forgiven" Now she
is sure: He has looked upon her; He ha
spoken to her. she believes that He is Israel
Messiah, and now He has become her Saviour
and her soul can say: Thine anger tno
with her. but with the sin) is turned away
and Thou comfortest me, for Thou art he
come my salvation" lisa xiii, ~.
40 And they that sat at meat with Hin
began TO say within themselves Who is th
that forgiveth sins alsoT' They knew Hin
not; they, too were blind like Simon ther
was no forgiveness for them either, although
it was within their reach. reasoning
questioning spirit draws no blessing from
Him, but only broken and contrite and be
4 lieving spirit, and this they had not. They
were well satisfied with themselves What's
mystery this is! God manifest in the flesh
healing the sick, raising the dead, fulfilling
the prophecies concerning the Messiah suc'
as Jsa xxxv., 5, g. as we'll as those in refer
encc to His birth and place OF birth Qsa. viz
IL; Mic. v, q, yet they know Hin not. Th
IL ....AI l..NAN IL.