The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-09-09
Christ and the Blind Man.

day, standing witness to the events of
gospel history. In our Lords time, as inti-
mated by Josephus, the waters were album
dant and sweet and it was a place OF large
importance as connected with the temple
| feasts. Here the water was procured which
| the priests poured forth at the feast Of tab
| ernacles. The word Sloan itself means
| sent or emitted, having reference to the out
| let OF the waters, the pouring forth. The
| suggestion OF the derivation here may well
| give us pause. Is IL an intimation OF the
| fountain for sin and uncleanness? Know
we, then, that the blood OF Jesus Christ is
our enduring Sloan. "Are you washed In
| the blood OF the Lamb?n
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
As Jesus. More accurately, as he, !. O.,
| Jesus. The account follows close upon the
narrative OF the last lesson when jesus
| held controversy with the Jews In Jerusa-
| lem.-Passed by. In Tischendorf the
passed by of the preceding chapter Is
thrown out, the chapter ending with the
words, Went out OF the temple. The form
used here Is the present particlple, passing
| by.-Ile saw. To observe with attention.
Master. Hebrew, Rabbi-Who did sini
One OF the mooted questions OF the day.
| See the book of Job.-That he was born
blind. The Jewish opinion was that every
| infirmity has n moral cause.
Sinned. Christ reproves such sweeping
Aldgments.-Madem manifest. Openly de-
Jared and proven. He introduces n new
philosophy OF aficton. See expository
notes.
l must work. Tischendorf. We must
work the works OF him that sent us. AS Il
| associating the disciples with him; perhaps
also those to whom he spoke.-The night
cometh. More expressive in the more literal
Bible Union: "Night is coming. mo
man. The Bible Union is again TO be pre-
ferred here: None. See Variations
AS long as. Or simply when. (Otan. y
Ehe light OF the world. Or light. The
definite article Is omitted. Creeks When
in tho world 1 am. light am 1 Of the
world. Christ's earthly sojourn time of
special privileges.
On the ground. single adverb In the
Greek: groundward.- the clay.
Christ IS use OF means.
Go wash Christ's use of human exer-
tion.-In the pool. Greek into. BY the
Greek idiom illustrating the action neces-
sary in bathing by the very proposition.
The word pool is from the verb to dive OF
swim, suggesting some depth.-The COM
ment of Smiths Bible Dictionary, under the
caption "Siloam,n reads very strangely
here: "The Lord sent the blind man tic
Gash; not in, as our version has it. but nj
(eis), the pool of Sloan; for it was the
clay from his eyes that was to be washed
off," This is eXegesis backwards 1. e., from
ones preconceptions.
That he was blind. Tlschendorf. That
he was q beggar. Sat and begged. Ac-
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Some said Literally, others said. The
same expression as follows See Varia-
tions.-But he said Putting an end to
all dispute The account Is graphic.
They said. Here as In the verse before
imperfect tense, OF frequentative use.
Kept saying, or went to saying. -Howi
The Greek form is fuller. How then? They
are utterly at "A loss.
A man. Greek, the man. He had doubt
less heard OF him before. The sick of the
city could not have but talked OF him
Washed and / received sight. Two words
In the Greek: Having washed. 1 saw again.
A testimony of simple obedience and its
results.
Cast him out 1. c., from the synagogue.
EXcommunicated Thus put under a social
as well as an ecclesiastical ban.--When
he had found him. Participle, having
found him. The implication is that Jesus
went to seek him.-Son OF God. Tischen
dorf, Son OF man. They would be under
stood alike.
Who is he? Introduced by kai. And
who is he? With the sense OF then or there
fore, as in Bible Union. (Variations).-
That might believe. Greek, may, imply
ing closer contingency.
Lord, | believe. Greek: 1 believe, Lord.
--Worshiped. To do reverence
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
And as Je us passed by he saw. The
world has teen fer u long time passing by
the need at the wayside. When Jesus
passes by he sees, and now the poor have
the gospel preached unto them and for the
broken hearted there is healing and
friend. All me, how long that blind man
lay there by the wayside without any one
seeing him. Centuries Of neglect. Plato
saw him. Yes, to kill him. No man blind
from his birth In Plato's republic. L,ok
about you to-day In our Christian COM
monwealths. What say the aims houses,
the hospitals, the blind asylums? This
ND NV no. IL
happy day I'm the history of needy
world when Jesus OF Nazareth passed by.
That the works of God should be
made manifest. This afiiction, grief, loss
OF mine need not be regarded as n punish
ment for sin, though often 1 know my own
unwisdom or wilfullness has brought IL on
But this may be sure of lit may be
an occasion for the display OF heavens
goodness and grace. Possibly it is i'm heal
ing, certainly In helping. There Is no
earthly i'll which may not be made the
gateway to heavenly blessing. Right there
ut my point of weakness, the works of God
made manifest Well then, let us glory I'm
tribulation also. Only let them work out
patience, experience, hore. What are these
but the works Of God made manifest?
The night cometh, when no man can
work. Even Christ, who might well be
called the author of time, counted the mo-
ments, and we'll might /. What lesson OF
economy In hours and minutes that life of
Christ. lie let no slightest portion OF the
days OF his earth pilgrimage go 10 waste.
he very seconds were precious. Rest
times were often turned to work times, and
night to day. Let me be very careful of
what the Author OF my being holds so
choice and valuablo. Look at the lives be-
ing wasted all about. How IL must startie
the angels of God. how it must grleve the
heart OF Christ himself! Lord, $50 teach
US to number our days that we may apply
our hearts unto WISDOM
Came seeing. 1t is the movement of
faith. Grace is something I'm motion. The
blessed OF God always come seeing: that Is
they come they see You and have
often observed this in the inquiry room
the house of prayer We have talked with
this anxious one. We have prayed. ado
you not see?" We say. "No, alas, he does
not see. "Well, then. come without see
ing" And IA lie comes, 10, he secs And
you see. too. for il is written i'm his face.
There goes the blind man, guided only by
faith, taking "a step In the dark. No, IL Is
into the light. for behold he comes seeing.
So come they all. the happy train, who
look TO him. "This Is the generation of
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