The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-26
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH 2.
Lesson Text: "Jesus at Nazareth"
Luke iv., 16-32-Golden Text:
John l., 11-Commentary.

ton in the wilderness he returned to where
John was baptizing, and John pointed Him
out as the Lamb Of God. Andrew and ST.
mon Philip and Nathaniel are the first to
He and His mother and His disciples attend
a marriage at Cana, where He works His
first miracle. He visits Capernaum and
soon after journeys to Jerusalem to keep the
Passover. There He cleanses the temple,
receives Nicodemus by night and tells
him of the necessity of the new
birth. On His way home he stops at
Sanlaria and talks with the woman at the
well. He returns to Cana, where He had
made the water into wine, and there He
healed the nobleman's son who was sick at
Capernaum. All these events intervene be-
tween the last lesson and this one, and are
consecutively recorded in John l., 10; iv., 81.
Then He came to Nazareth, Hisnative town,
and, as His custom was, He went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day. Nathaniel's
question: Can there any good thing come
out Of NAZARETH John l., 49, seems to imply
that Nazareth had very poor reputation,
and yet in this unenviable place the Son Of
God lived thirty years. The power of holy
life must be within us, not around us.
II. There was delivered unto Him the
book of the prophet Isaiah" He did not
open it carelessly, but no doubt with the
greatest reverence. Whether He read the
regular portion for the day or not We are not
told, but He unfolded the roll till be found
what we call lisa. lxi., l, and then He read,
and He surely read according to Neh. viii,
s: Distinctly, and gave the sense and caused
them to understand the reading"
18. 1.-The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me-"
AS in Gen. j., l, &C. so here we have in few
words the doctrine Of the Trinity. The Son
isreading, and He says that the Spirit Of the
Father is upon Him, for presently He will
tell us that these..words concern Himself This
Is the fourth reference to the Spirit In this
chapter. Jesus is said to be full Of the Holy
Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, to have re-
turned in the power of the Spirit into Cali;
lee, and now he reads from Isaiah words con-
cerning Himself, that the Spirit Of the Lord
is upon Him.
0He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel
to the poor" In lisa. Xxi, l, we read "Good
tiding unto the meek, indicating that the
DOOR, does not necessarily refer exclusively
to the poor in this worlds goods, though as
a rule they are more likely to receive the
clad tidings than the rich luke xviii, 2g,
but to the meek or poor in spirit lisa. lvii.,
Is; Xvi, 2: Matt. ", 81.
''He hath sent me to heal the broken
hearted" Steir says that "a broken heart is
the foundation of all true theology" and the
following texts indicate that such hearts are
apt to be very near and dear to God Ps.
xxxiv., 1S; II; e1lvii., 81.
'To preach deliverance to the captives,"
such as the Gadarene denoniac, and the
woman bound by Satan eighteen years luke
viii, q; xiii, 10y, and the multitudes op-
pressed and led captive by the devil at his
will. :
Recovering Of sight to the blind" Those
both literally and spiritually blind, the latter
being in much the worse case Matt. tx, %;
Mark viii, %; John ix., 14O, Al; Rev. iii, II;
Ps. cxix., 1Sl. ;,
''To set at liberty them that are bruised"
This may refer more to the bodily affections
inflicted by Satan, as Luke TX, SO. and the
other cases, such as those mentioned under
"Captives," while the captives may refer
more to the minds and wills controlled by
Satan, and may also have much deeper
meaning :
19. ''fo preach the acceptable year of the
Lord" Can there be anything not included
in this wonderful commission to this most
wonderful man whose name is 'WonderfulT
lisa, ix., 6: Judg. xiii, Is, marg). Is it not all
included in one Of His far reaching sayings
"Come unto Ne all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you restT
Thank God the acceptable year has not yet
passed, but even to-day it is true that Now
Is the accepted time, now IS the day OF saliva
tion."
90 "And He closed the book, and He gave
it again to the minister and sat down." Here
is a key to the understanding of many proph.
ecies, teaching us that even in a single sen.
tence part may refer to the sufPerings OF
Christ and part to the glory yet to be revealed;
one clause may refer to His coming In
humiliation, and the very next to His COM
ing in power and glory to judge His enemies
and 1-adeem His DeODlo Israel
81. ''This day IS this Scripture fulfilled in
your ears" While all eyes were fastened on
Him, He began His discourse with this start
ling statement, which was equal to saying:
'sThese words which have just read to you
from the prophecy Of Isaiah were written,
not about himself, but about Me, who now
sit here before you, and whom you have
known so long as simply the Son of Mary, the
carpenter of your town Mark vi, 81; l am
the Messiah whom Isaiah foretold."
%. 'sAnd all bare Him witness, and won
dered at the gracious words which proceeded
out Of His mouth. And they said: Is not
this Joseph's son?' His full discourse Is not
given, but as one has said: His words must
have been rich in matter and sweet in man.
ner.n He was full of grace and truth, full
of the Spirit, and it was the Father who
spoke through Him John l., IA; xii, 49.
%, "A. Verify say unto you: No prophet
is accepted in his own country" We have
similar saying to this effect: TOO much
familiarity breeds contempt" When we read
that at one time Neither did His brethren
believe in Him" John vii, s.. and at an:
other that His friends said: 'He is beside
HIMSELF Mark ill.,, 2l), we do not wonder 80
much that His townsmen did not receive
Him, for if the hearts Of those nearest to Him
failed to receive Him, why be astonished at
the rest?
25, 27. "a woman that was widow. Naa-
man, the Syrian" In reply to their desire
for as mighty works at Nazareth as He had
done elsewhere, He reminds them that IN
Elijah's day not every famished household
saw miraculous supply of food; nor In
but the favored ones were the widow OF ga
repta, and Naaman, the Syrian. God has
mercy on whom He will have mercy, and
whom He will He hardeneth. He causeth
it to rain upon one city, and causeth it not
to rain upon another city (Rom tx, 1S; Amos
w., \. At the same time He will be found OF :
those who seek Him, and none who come to
Him will be cast out QI. Chron. xv.. =, 4, 10;
John vi, 80.
2s, 90. 'Filled with wrath, q thrust
Him out of the city, that they
might cast Him down headlong." Alas!
poor Nazareth she knew not the time OF her
visitation. What blessing was within her
reach, what blindness possessed her. The
Prince Of Peace speaks lovingly to them and
seeks their welfare, and their reply is anger
and an attempt to kill Him. This at the
beginning of His ministry and from His own
townsmen. Let all who are apt to faint and
grow weary Consider Him who endured
such contradiction of sinners against Him.
self" (Heb. xii, -.
30, 81. but He passing through the midst
Of them went His way" His time to die
was not yet, therefore they could not harm
Him. No retaliation, no vengeance, but,
neekly and quietly He passes from them and
goes His way to teach others who will listen
70 Him.
80. His word was with power" The Re-