The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-11-15
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Nov.
%, 1894.
Subject: Clrist's Exorcisms. st. Mark, 3;
1921

lone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
INTRODUCTION
We have in this paragraph miracle and
a parable. II will be we'll to study them
separately.
For breyity's sake we shall use the figures
!, 2, 3, 4, for the Gospels of Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, respectively. Thus, 1-22 means
Verse p Of st. Matthews account.
I. THE MIRACLE.
Preliminary.
This was Christ's 18th specific miracle.
He performed 80 miracles, OF which we have
more or less extended details given.
Data.
This miracle is reported by SITS. Matthew
and Luke. st. Mark gives in full the para
bic which grew out from the miracle, but
singularly omits any mention of the mira
Gle. He gives more in detail the preilml-
naries, and quite fully the parable which
followed. AS to the miracle, then, let our
study be st. Matt, ~ %, %; st. Mark, B:
the part of Verse 10 which reads, and they
went into house." and Verses 20, 21i st.
Lu., IL Ia.
we cate OCboDef, A. ~ a. Ss iAuhc, II
81, shows it was before breakfast. See DIR.
A. Clarke an loco.
Place.
City of Capernaum. 319. What house?
See ST. Mark, 3: l. St Peter had house at
Capernaum. 1t was probably at his house.
Persons.
1. They. ST. Nix, 3: 10 See Verses 16
to 10 inclusive lust before.
2. Multitude. V. 20. All the people, st.
Mt, II: %. See the people. ST. Lu., II IA.
5. Friends V. 81. Relatives, kinsiolk.
We would suppose they lived in some other
house, but heard of Christ's condition and
determined to go and disperse the crowd, so
that Jesus and the Apostles might have
little opportunity for rest and refreshment.
These last equal the they" OF Verse 20.
a. He " 81. Schoetgen claims the clause
should lie read, ait the multitude is beside
itself" Dr. A. Clarke says, This con-
lecture should not be lightly regarded"
But this view does not prevail, indeed Is not
held save exceptionally.
.. A demoniac 1-22. All We know of
him is what we learn in 1-22 and 3-14.
g. David. 123. Born 291S a. M; died
1889 A. nj. King Of Palestine, father of
solomon, writer OF most OF the Psalms
Z. Son of David 1-23 Son equals &C.
scendant. This seems the first instance in
which Christ received this title. 1t was a
tile belonging TO the expected Messiah.
We see the people were getting more and
more insight Tor suspicion) as to the real
character Of Christ. This fact stirred up
the Pharisees to more bitter opposition.
(Isa., 80 >.
Tie Disorder.
"In ordinary cases dumbness springs
either from coDgenital DEAFNESS or from some
defect in the organs OF speech. In this case
it was due to neither of these causes. The
man could hear as well as Others and once
be had spoken az we'll as they. But from
the time he demon entered he had been
tongue-tied, had tried TO speak, but could
not. A new and horrible kind OF dumbness
had come upon him, the closing Of his lips
by an inward constraint that struggle as he
might he could not overcome" Ii is plain
from this account that blindness or dumb
ness arising from ordinary causes could be,
and practically was, distinguished from the
same infrmities resulting from demoniacal
possession.
Definitions.
l. To lay hold on him. 2-21. As though
lie were a crazy man. Not violen4ly. They
would try 10 cOnstrain him to be more pru-
dent 2 XII, As. They urged him to eat
aud rest. Or they may have taken his hand
in a kindly, persuading way, and have tried
to induce him TO give attention to the
physical.
q Beside himself 2-21 He is too much
transported, too enthusiastic. He is strng-
Cling in too great mental cpmmotion.
Compare Hos. 81; Acts, 1924; 2 Cor,
Ito oE.n e
false Dr.. Philip Schaff says as to "He is
beside HIMSELF: This implies either actual
insanity in bad sense. or religious enthusi-
asn and ecstacy, even to arrangement, ID a
good sense While an accusation of madness
on the part of His relatives is neither impos-
sible nor improbable, so long as they were
not true believers it may have been mere
pretext As his enemies had already, in all
probability, said he was possessed, his rela-
tiyes, from motives of policy, may have
adopted this modification of the charge to
get him away; with this, anxiety for his
health may have entered as motive The
context fayors the thought that the motive
was policy, resulting from want Of faith,
though, perhaps, not from positive disbelief"
3. Brought. 1-22. This shows how help
less he was. He was blind. Brought may
mean led. As maniac he may have re-
sisted and had to be forced.
a. Possessed. 1-22. Under the complete
influence of satanic power. Personal control
was lost. Volition could not assert itself.
He was victim.
s. Dumb. ] 20. We may infer also deaf
ness. The trouble was not constitutional,
but one of the results OF the demoniacal pos
session. st. Mark, 925. Perhaps dumb as
a result OF deafness.
g. Insornuch. 122. This does not imply
limited cure The healing was perfect.
Z. Healing. Lea. This is a therapeutic
term. st. Mark account says Christ cast out
from him the evil spirit by which he was pos
sessed. This explains the nature of the
healing, or we may understand the healing
as following the expulsion. A man would
be left, after the satanic spirit departed, more
or less physically injured. If the dumbnsss
and blindness had continued long the parts
would be atrophied and need healing.
s. Verse % of ST. Matthew's account and
the part of Verse Ia of St. Marks account
TO wit, and the people wondered-could be
omitted without injury TO the description
of the healing or the parable which follows.
8. The form of the question in 1913 leaves
US TO conclude they thought Christ is the
Son of David. From the Greek putting of
the question it is plain an affirmative reply
was expected.
10. Amazed. 1-23 ST. Lukes account
~ la says, and the people wondered. The
words are different III the Greek. In both
IL, Il & ~,