The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-10-08
TIE SUNDAY.SChQOL.
Christ Foretelling His Death : John 11ai
2o-36-Memory Verses So, SO.

ao-30-Memory Verses 50, SO.
Especially Arranged from g. s. Quartcrly.1 |
LESSON FOR OCTOBER II, 1891.
GOLDEN TExr.-And ], II be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto Me--John
12:3a.
wisdom and power of God for salvation ,
TLME.-Tuesday, April 4, A. d. 81. Seversls
weeks after the last lesson and three days be-
fore the crucinxion.
temple.
JESUo.-Thrty-three and one-half years oldS.
ut the close of His ministry
INTERVENING SToRY.-Contained in Matt
1913 TO 23:39; Mark 1879 to 1894; Luke 17:lf
TO 81: :i; and John II AS to 1919.
CIRCUMSrANCES.-Manyt things wero crowded
into the few weeks after the raising of Lazarus.
Jesus had returned to Jerusalem, and was In
the court Of the women where the treasury
boxes we-o MARK 12:4D, when the Greeks
sought to sec Him.
HELps OVER HARD PLAcEs.-2o. Greeks
that came up TO worship:" proselytes, who
adopted part of the jewish religion. 81. "See
Jesus:' in a private interview, like Nicodernus-
23. "The hour .... that the Son Of man should be
gloriied:" by His death and resurrection
His crucifyion and atoncment were necessary
10 His work Of saving men and causing the
kingdom OF Heaven to come, which was Els
glory. 2j. He that loveth his lfe" etc.: he
thai makes the things OF this world first will
lose them 81. "What shall say:'' read the
next sentence Gs q question. Shall I say,
Father, save nc fr, n this hcur?' the hour OF
Ills death agony. No; for his whole mission
had been preparing for this hour. 2s. II have
.... gloriicd it - bJ. all lie had done for the
Christ. in 3cndirg Him to the eurth, in tho!
power OF working miracles, etc. 81. Now Is
the judcmrut CT this world" the Eour that de-
tcrilincs tho conflict between gool and evil,
and by which evil is condemned to ovorthrow.3
%. Lifted up from the cGrth:" on the cross
"Will draw all men unto Me-" or toward Nc.
Christ ccucilied was and is the attractive pow
or, drawing men to Himself. "Al men," not
merely all nations, people OF al ages, but all
men, Il does not mean that everyone would
become Christian for the facts at that very
time rofutc suc! an idea; but Ko was attractive
to hu!naa nature; even those who were OPP
posed were drawn. They hated the light, but
they could not help looking at it. And in the
end the whole world will be drawn to Christ
81. 1--WE hgvc heard out OF the law:" the Old
Testament Scriptures. Scc Ps. 1855; 1i0:4;
Isa. 9:6 Dau. 7:l3, Il, for the Scriptures from
which they had heard.
LESSON COMMENT.
These Greeks were Gcntilcs. 1t is
only fair to suppose that they were
truly religious and thoughtful men.
They were at Jerusalem at this time
for a distinctly religious purpose. Their
desire, as indicated in their request:
I'VE would see Jesus" was not for 4
pasntag glance, such as sight-secrs give
to the kings of this world. They wanted
an interview. We think We are war
rartcd in supposing that they had
heard of him, and had heard Him Him
self, III His public uttcranccs at the
feast. But in that mixed multitude
thcy had no chance for sober questions
and quiet conversation, and for this
they iongcd. That which many Jews
born and bred care nothing for, they,
Gcntilcs and aliens by birth from tho
commonwealth of Israel, sought. These
men were the first fulfillment of tho
words of Jesus: "Thcy shall come from
the = \ y west, y n Il and shall sit down
in the kingdom Of God" (Lulie 1G.2oGs
'And l, if 1 be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men unto Me-" So said
Jesus. What a strange utterance!
Lifted up" meant ''crucifed," and the
law said: Cursed is every one that
hangcth on tree.' The cross was the
symbol of ignominy and shame. What
the gallows is to us, that the cross was
to the Jew. A crucifed Messiah was to
the Jew a contradiction in terms. What
Jesus said, therefore, amounts really
to this: When 1 am crucifed, then I
will draw all men. Strange paradox,
that Christ crucified has moro power
than Christ working miracles, and that
Christ dying accomplishes more than
Christ living. "Christ cruciied" was
to the Jews "a stumbling block, and
unto the Greeks foolishness," and yet
Jesus said that, "crucified," He would
have more power than uncrucified.
This prediction of Jesus is justified by
facts. After Jesus death, more Jews
were drawn unto Him in one day than
He had drawn by the three years of His
ministry on earth.
Is this drawing power of the cross
irresistible? Alas! no. 1t is very
strong. Tho Holy Spirit has SO pre-
sented Christ crucified to men that tho.
face of society has been changed.
Millions upon millions have felt it's
power and gladly yielded to it. But it,
is not irresistible, for millions have felt
the strange, magnetic influence of tho
cross and yet have resisted the appeal
to their hearts and consciences. Tho
Spirit of God will not force any man or.
child to yield to His persuasion. God
WI bCINduJS, uOU
willing slaves. This it is which makes
the appeal of the Spirit all the mora
solemn. He uses the death of Jesus as
an argument by which to draw men
away from sin to holiness. They feel
the power of the argument, and yet, in
spite of all, they have still the power
to decline. This makes the loss of the
soul the fault of each individual who thus
refuses to accept the Divine call At the
judgment seat he will have no excuse
to offer. He heard the call, he felt the
gentle drawing influences, and, in
spite of them, rejected the Lord. The
condemnation Of such will be far
greater than that of the heather, who
never enjoyed such advantages. Not
the hcathen, but unrepentant Sunday
school scholars are the ones who will