The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-08-05
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
AUGUST o.
Lesson Text. "Christ's Authority"
John V, 17-3O-Golden Text:
Matt. xviii, 1S-Com-
mentary.

After the last lesson we see Jesus at Cana
again, whence He healed the nobleman's son
at Capernaum. In the regular narrative of
His life there would then come in, probably,
the call of the four as they were engaged at
their work by the sea of Gaiilee, the Sermon
on the Mount number Of miracles at Ca
pernaum, and the call of Matthew. We now
find Him again at Jerusalem, at one of the
feasts of the Jews and He heals a helpless
man. who had been a sufferer for thirty
eight years, on the Sabbath day, command
ing him to take up his bed and walk. There
fore did the Jews psrsecute Jesus, and
sought to slay Him, because He had done
these things on the Sabbath day.
II. "But Jesus answered them, My Father
worketh hitherto, and work." The oneness
of the Father and Son is truth much dwelt
upon in this gospel, and constantly empha
sized, and that all the words and works OF
Jesus were not His but the Fathers (chaptei
viii, 28; xii, 49, 50.
1S. Therefore the Jews sought the more
to kill Him, because He had not only broken
the Sabbath, but said also that God was His
Father. making Himself equal with God"
Observe the significance of the relationship
of Son and Father as here brought QUIT is
not inferiority, nor descent by generation,
but equality, oneness Of character. See also
chapter Y, 80; and in reference to them, His
enemies chapter viii, A.
19. 1.-The Son can do nothing Of Himself,
but what seeth He the Father do; for what
things soever He doeth, these also doeth the
Son likewise" Seeing Jesus, they saw God
the Father; hearing Him, they heard the
Father; in all His works they saw the Faith
ers works (chapter j., IS; xiv, 8, 10y. What
q field for meditation Is here for us, and what
great reason for the deepest humiliation on
the part Of every believer! For if we have
truly received Christ we are children Of God
and as the Father sent the Son to reveal
Him to men, so the Son sends US to be His
representatives, but who relies upon Jesus
to speak and act through US as He relied
upon and yielded Himself to the Father.
90. "For the Father loveth the Son, and
showeth Him all things that Himself doeth;
and He will show Him greater works than
these, that ye may marvel" Demons had
and even leprosy, had fed at His touch or
at His word, but up to this time He had not
yet raised the dead. The greater works may
possibly point to opening blind eyes and
raising the dead to life.
As to the Fathers love to the Son, con-
slider these vondrous words in reference 70
us who believe. ''As the Father hath loved
Me, so have loved you:"" The Father Him
self loveth you" XIV, 9; xvi. 81. And as to
the greater works, hear these words to His
disciples: "He that believeth on Me, the
works that do shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do, because I 90
prefxes His verify; verify.
81. "For as the Father raiseth up the
dead. and quickeneth them, even so the Son
quckeneth whom He will" The word
quicken" is sometimes used in reference to
bringing life to soul dead in sin, as in Eph.
H., S; Col. H., 13; and sometimes in reference
to bringing to life dead body, as In I Cor.
xv., Sc: Pet. iii. 1S. 1t would seem from
the verses which follow that this verse in
our lesson includes both meanings.
g. "For the Father judgeth no man, but
hath committed all judgment unto the Son."
And whether it will be the judgment for be-
or disapproved or the Judgment of the living
nations when believers shall be associate
Judges, or the judgment Of the rest of the
dead at the end of the thousand years, here
is the great fact that all judgment hath bsen
committed unto the Son.
%. That all men should honor the Son,
even as they honor the Father. he that
honoreth not the Son honoreth not the
Father which hath sent Him." Aud yet
there are many who say they believe in God,
and trust in Him and worship Him, who will
not acknowledge the Divinity Of the Son, or,
in other words His equality with the Father.
"a. Verify, verify, l say unto you, He
that heareth My word, and believeth on Him
that sent Me, hath everlasting life" So also
in chapters ill.,, Is, Sc; vi, Al. Not will have
when We die, nor will have il we are faith
full, nor will have if We add so many good
works, but simply and emphaticallY, HE
that heareth and believeth hath"
'And shall not come into condemnation,
,,,t1 20 10 fhn
believer there is no future judgment for sins,
for oil we're laid on Jesus, and we have the
assurance of Him who cannot lie that they
shall be remembered no more Qsa. lili., 5, o.;
xiii, 25.
IS. "Verily, verify, say unto you, The
hour is coming and now is, when the dead
shall hear the voice of the Son OF God, and
they that hear shall live" As in chapter iv.,
2l-23 so here and in verse % our Lord uses
the word ''hour" in reference to an indefinite
period Of time The hour of this verse still
continues, and will till the hour Of verse %,
and probably till the end Of that hour, when
the Judgment Of the great white throne
shall be set. To prove that all who have
not yet receiv ed Jesus are dead read John
". -: Eph H., 4, 5; Tim. ", g.; Rev. ILL.,, !.
26. "For as the Father hath life in Him
self, so hath He given to the Son to have life
in Himself" Even science has proved that
there can be no life apart rrom pre-exlstent
life. II this is true Of natural life, can we
for moment question the fact that there
can be no spiritual life apart from God the
Father. Son and Spirit, source OF all Life,
natural and spiritual.
"a. "And hath given Him authority to
execute judgment also, because He is the Son
Of Man" This emphasizes verse %, but
brings out new thought, because He Is the
son Of man." As our Great High Priest he
was taken from among meu, and Is ordained
for men in things pertaining to God, and as
son OK man.
2S. Marvel not at this, for the hour Is
coming in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear His voice." If the hour OF
verse25, which now is, and still continues
has already lasted over 1900 years.it will not
be strange if the coming hour shall last at
least 1000 years. Then snail his voice reach
even the bodies of those whose spirits have
been called from earth; and though those
bodies may have crumbled to dust, or even
have been burned in the fire and scattered to
the winds, yet shall they hear bis voice and
come forth, for He who spake universe into
existence can as easily speak into existence
the bodies of all who have ever lived.
90. And shall come forth: they that have
done good unto the resurrection Of life, and
they that have done evil unto the resurrec.
ton of damnation." Here are two resurrec-
tions, one to life and one to loss eternal. Rev.
xA is good, clear opening up of this verse;
telling US of first resurrection of the
blessed and holy at the beginning of the
hour, or 1000 years; and at the end Of that
neriod resurrection of such as shall go to
the lake Of fire, their names lot being in tho
book of life
30. II can of Mine own self do nothing
So He said before in verse 49, and He says to
us in chapter Ev., $ without Me ys can do
nothing" Letus therefore abide in Him,
that wespeak His words and dosHis works by