Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-07-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON Y, THIRD QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES. JULY %.

Ecxt Of the Lesson, Luke II, 40~5@-M Memory
Verses, ze-Ao-G Golden Text. Lnke ii. So.
Commentary by the Rev. u. N. stearns.
49, And tho child grew and waxcI
strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and
the grace Of God was upon Him. The
previous verse says that after all things
written in the law had been performed for
the child they returned to Nazareth. This
first verse Of our lesson may be said to con-
tain all we know Of the first ~ years az
His life. Since John the Baptist was filed
/ with the Holy Spirit from his birth (Lnke
! /. l5l we cannot think otherwise Of jesus,
and that would explain His bcing strong
In spirit and filed with WISDOM
A. Now, His parents went to Jcrusa-
lem every year at the feast Of the passover. -
Three times d year all men in Israel were
commanded to appear before tho Lord in
Jerusalem (Ex. xiii, Ia; Deut xvi, 1Gl.
at the feast of the passover, the feast of
weeks and the feast of ti.l>crnaclcs, and
mono were to appear omqtv. The time is
coming when all the nations Of the earth
shall be represented in Jerusalem oncc
year to worship the Lord Czech. xiv, 1d).
And when He was II years old they
went up to Jerusalem, after the custom Of
the feast" Itwould hea journey Of TWO or
three days as they Travelled then from MAJ
areth to Jerusalem, but nothing is said of
the incidents OF the Journey.
43. And when they had fulfilled the
days, as they returned, the child Jesus tar
ricd behind in Jcrusalcm, and Joseph and
His mother knew not OF it. HEDGES not
appear TO have been the prodigy which the
Apocrypha would make Him out 70 be, but
probably a quiet, thoughtful boy whose
mind was more in Heaven than on earth,
yet not SO absentnindcsl rs TO be Mt any
time or in the least degree disrespcctful
or disobedient. for He never sinned in
thought, word or decd I'll Cor. Y. si).
A. "But they, surprising him TO have
been in the company, went a days jour
ncy, and they sought him among their
kinsfolk and acquaintance. Had he been
the wonder working boy of the Apocrypha,
they would hardly have left Him out Of
their sight, and great would have been the
connection in Jerusalem concerning Him.
As 1t is, they actually lose sight of Him
for a whole day.
As. And when they found Him not
thcy turned back again to Jerusalem seek
ing Him. +" While they had sacredly cxclud-
ed all leavcn from their food for days past,
they would now think that they had not
excluded all evil from their hearts ana
lives, else they might have been spared
this rctracing Of their steps. Satan would
be very busy at such a time suggesting all
manner Of doubts and fears and we may
imagine Mary full OF uphraidings His
presence is peace and fullness Of Joy. let
us never lose it.
49, And il came to pass That, after
three days, they found Him in the temple
sitting in the midst of the doctors, both
hearing them and asking them questions.
Not one nor two but three days OF spr-
row had they experienced because Of Him
and their neglect OF Him, but over 20
years after this Mary had three days deeper
sorrow through no fault Of hers Where
had He spent the ,laysy Who had fed ard
lodged himY These and other questions
we must wait TO have answered But wo
see the bent OF His mind IN tho place aud
company and occupation Ia which He was
found,
A. And all that heard Him were aston
ished at His understanding and answers
He could say then in at least some meas.
ure as He did later Tho words that
speak unto you l speak not Of Myself
John xiv, l0) We may also suppose that
his questions would be In the limo of press
ing Scripture hard upon the prcocpts of
man, such as What Is written In the
laws" 'How readest thouf" duke x, 26)
His own answers would doubtless be in the
very words of Scripture
49, "And when they SAW Him they were
amazed, and His mother said unto Himt
Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with uss
Behold, Thy father and / have sought
Thee sorrowing. They had learned that
carelcssness-going from the sanctuary
causes loss Of Jcsus--thnt is communion
and one days neglect had caused three
days anxiety. How often 1t is so in the
spiritual lifc--a forgetfulncss Of Him for
an hour or not responding the moment He
calls may lead tomuch anxious seeking for
Him. See S. of Sol. iii, Ii; Y, 9, Z.
40. "And He said unto them: How is It
that ye sought Mes Visit yc not that /
must be about My Fathers busincsss"
People today seek Him everywhere but IN
the one place where He Is to be found.
He will always be found in the sanctuary;
not necessarily in n SO called place OF wor-
ship, though He should be found there,
but always in His word Contrast His
This IS the first MY Father Of human
lips used in reference TO God, and the
words Of this verse arc tho first recorded
words Of Jesus.
30. And they understood not tho say
ing which He spakc unto them" IL even
Mary understood not, what wonder that
the apostles afterward understood nots
How utterly helpless we all are npart from
Ir.kIx~
Of God The things Of God knowcth no
lnan but the Spirit OF God Il Cor II, III
All the wisdom Of Egypt and Of Babylon
could not interpret the dreams Ct their 10.
spcctivc kings. None but u Joseph and
Daniel filled with the wisdom ard the
Spirit Of God could do it.
81. And He went down with them and
came to Nazareth and was subject unto
them, but His mother kept all these say.
ings In her heart Verse 40 covers tic
first 10 years OF His life, and this verse Gov
ers the next IS years. One has said TINT
submission is the highest mission on earth.
and we certainly see it IN Jesus. lie knew
who He was, whence He cmnc and What
He came to do, yet for IS years after 10
,aid He must be about His Fathers bust
ness He quietly submitted 10 Nazareth,
re4Ns eAAN y fitSi9t eat' VIZ
home
Thirty years. unknown, lie trod
Galilee's sequested sod,
Rut His life was known 20 God.
Daily work nj Joserh's call,
Daily duties hows'er small,
Yet He was The Lord 81 ali.
81, "4And Jesus Increased In wisdom and
stature and IN favor with God and man. .
Physically He grow as other boys; spir-
itually He became filled with wisdom from
above, like Joseph and Daniel, but in
greater measure All who admired eonti-
ness could not help looking fayorably upon
Him, while He did always those things
which pleased the Father tJohn viii, 29l
The Scriptures were His special and prob
ably His only study ard the Holy spirit
His great teacher Sec our commands ard
privileges in Joshua !, S; ca, iii, ie; john
xiv, 90; II Cor IL, II.
IN PRICES.