The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-07-10
THE GREAT SUPPER.
International Sunday. Lsssan for
July n, 1880.

GOLDEN TEXT-BlesScd 10 No thet snail ous
bread In the Kingdom Of ood.-Luke A:in
T1MH-December, A. ID. 30.
PLAcE-Perea, beyond Jordan, in the vicinity
Of Bethabara where jesus had been baptized
by John John 10:40; 1:2S).
CORRESPONDING ACCOUNTING marriage
feast Of Matt. as:i-i4, spoken three or four
months later.
INrERvENING H1sroRY-Soon after the last
lesson Jesus went up to Jerusalem TO the Feast
of Dedication (John l0:2a). On the way he
stopped at Bethany ut the house OF Mary ana
Martha, ana spoke his memorable words about
the good part which shall not be taken away
duke 1O:3s-42.) Al the feast Jesus declared
Himself as the Messiah, and the Jews undertook
TO stone Him John iO:2o-3s). After that Jesus
retired from Judea and went TO Bethabara, be.
lyopd Jordan John 10:3o40; comp. :28).
CIRcUMsTANcEs-Jesus was dining with .
Pharisoe On The Sabbath The same question
about healing on the Sabbath, which wc oon.
sidered last Sunday, came up again Then
Jesus, taking the feast before him % text
spoke o parable about seeking the best places
Of feast, gave some instruction about making
feasts for tho poor and then followed the para
BILE Of to-day's lesson.
ExPLANAToRY-T. The Kingdom Of
Heaven represented by great feast
.ers against God. Thehelpful way
lvers. Is, 18. And phen one Of them that
sat at meat Rather, reclined at the
table Of the leading Pharisee who
gave the feast (14:I. Heard these
things. The table talk Of Jesus re-
ported in verses 2-14, and espec-
tally the promise with which 1t
closed OF a recompense at the resur-
rection OF the Just for those who had
made their feasts for the poor. Blessed
| is he that shaN eat bread To eat bread,
according to Hebrew idiom, means to
partake Of repast, whether at an ordi-
nary meal or at a sumptuous banquet.
In the kingdom Of God. Either in the
future life, or the temporal kingdom Of
| the Messiah, the millennial days, which
many hoped soon to see. 16. Then said
| he unto him. Jesus replies: "Yes,
blessed; and therefore beware Of reject
ing the blessedness at the very moment
when thou art extolling Its greatness"
Such is the application Of the following
| parable. A certain man. Corresponding
to the king in the parable Of the we'd
ding feast Matt. 22:2). Made great
supper. The people OF the East take
but two regular meals day; 1. O., O
hearty breakfast early in the morning,
and the principal meal at night after
they come home. And 6ade (invited)
many. This also shows the greatness
OF the feast.
| II. The Invitation sent.-Ver. II.
And sent his serrdnt. 1t is still GUS
tomary in the East not only to give an
invitation some time beforehand, but to
| send round servants at the proper time
to inform the invited guests that all
things are ready. at supper time. At
the hour appointed for the feast. This
undoubtedly represents the 'fulness Of
time" (Gal. 4:4) when the Messiah came.
Say to them that Ucre hidden. Who had
been previously invited to the feast.
end had abundant opportunity to be
ready. Come,; for all things are moo ready.
The Jews had had long preparation
and training for this very time, and
there was o widespread expectation that
the time of deliverance was at hand.
III. The Invitation rejected. Ex-
cuses -Vers. 1920. 1s. Asd they al sctxA
one consent. The literal sense is, from
one;" /. O., from the same motive, in the
same spirit The Greek word is the
exact equivalent Of our "to beg off," I
haze bought me a piece Of ground "a farm),
and must needs 90 (out and see ii. He
lived, as do all in that country, in vii
lage, and had to 20 out into the country
to see his farm. He was man of prop
erty, of capital. just as tho invitation
reached him he was on the point Of "go-
ing to see to its being put under cultiva-
tion." Iprdy thee hare me excused. He was
very polite about his refusal. He would
| come another time, but not now. But
"the courtesy of the rejection does not
make it less decided" 10. And another
said, Ihace bought fire yoke Of oren. Here
was the business mans excuse. And l
90 to pr0ue them. He had his plans all
laid ''to try his new oxen in his own
work, and get them accustomed to the
new master, and new set Of drivers, and
new work" 90. Ihage married a eife, and
therefore can not come. He of all feels
that his excuse is valid.
Nv. The New Invitation.-Vers. 21-23.
21. So that sercant came, and sho,cedh is lord
these things. Declared the i'll success
which he had met, reported to him
the excuses which all had made:
Then the master Of tile house being
angry. Angry in the sense of
| uurcdSOHlIB WTutu. UO OUt QuNfty TttO
tho streets and lanes of tie city. The
"streets" are the larger streets, which
widen into squares; the "lanes" the
cross-streets, the by-ways, hardly wide
enough for man to ride through. tn.
poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind
The picture is one impossible for us tc
realize in our land. In the East, rich
in beggars, opulent in misery, without
poor-houses or hospitals, or other organ
lied means of caring for and lesseninl
misery. 90. And get there is room
What glorious declaration is this il
regard to the Gospel! There yet Il
room. Millions have been saved, bu
there yet is room. Millions have beer
invited, and have come, and have gon,
to Heaven, but Heaven is not yet full
90. Go out into the high,odys and hedges
These are without the city walls, ant
refer to the calling Of. Gentiles. an.
compd them TO como in. Not by force