Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-07-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON V, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL CERES, JULY 29.

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 Of
His life Since John the Baptist was filled
with the Holy Spirit from his birth duke
!, 15) we cannot think otherwise of Jesus
and that would explain His being strong
in spirit and filed with wisdom"
Al. Now, His parents went to Jerusa-
lem every year at the feast of the passover. "
Three times year all men in Israel were
commanded to appear before the Lord in
Jerusalem (Ex. xiii II; Deut. xvi, 16),
at the feast of the passover, the feast of
weeks and the feast of tabernacles, and
none were to appear empty. The time is
coming when all the nations of the earth
shall be represented in Jerusalem once
year to worship the Lord (sech xiv, l6).
AZ And when He was ~ years old they
went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of
the feast. 1t would be q journey of two or
three days as they Travelled then from Naz-
arcth to Jerusalem but nothing is said of
the incidents of the journey.
49, And when they had fulfilled the
days as they returned. the child Jesus tar
riCd behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and
His mother knew not of it." He does not
appear to have been the prodigy which the
Apocrypha would make Him out to be, but
probably n quiet, thoughtful boy whose
mind was more in Heaven than on earth,
yet not 50 absentmindcd as to be at any
! time or in the least degree disrespectful
IJp N
thought, word or deed III Cor. V, 21).
A. "But they. supposing him to have
been in the company, went days jour
nev, and they sought him among their
| kinsfolll and acquaintance. " Had he been
the wonder working boy of the Apocrypha,
they would hardly have left Him out of
I their sight, and great would have been the
connection in Jerusalem concerning Him.
AS it is, they actually lose sight of Him
for whole day.
40. And when they found Him not
they turned back again to Jerusalem seek
ing Him. " While they had sacredly cxclud-
ed all leaven from their food for days past,
they would now think that they had not
excluded all evil from their hearts and
lives, else they might have been spared
this rctracing Of their steps Satan would
be very busy at such time suggesting all
manner of doubts and fears, and we may
imagine Mary full of upbraidings. His
presence is peace and fullness of joy. Let
us never lose it.
46. And it 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. 4"
Not one nor two but three days of sor
row had they experienced because of Him
] of nj
years after this Mary had three days deeper
sorrow through no fault of hers. Where
had He spent the days? Who had fed and
lodged himY These and other questions
we must wait to have answered. But we
see the bent of His mind in the place and
company d occupation in 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, THE words that l
speak unto you l speak not of Myself
John xiv, 100. We may also suppose that
his questions would be in the line of press
ing Scripture hard upon the precepts of
man, such as What is written in the
law" How readest thouS" duke X, 26
His own answers would doubtless be in the
very words of Scripture.
IS. And when they saw Him they were
amazed, and His mother said unto Him:
Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with u.s.
Behold Thy father and l have sought
Thee sorrowing." They had learned that
carelessncss-going from the sanctuary
causes loss Of Jesus-that is, communion
and one days neglect had caused three
days anxiety. How often it is so in the
spiritual life-a forgetfulncss of Him for
an hour or not responding the moment He
calls may lead to much anxious seeking for
Him. See ;. OF Sol. iii, IA; V, Is, Z.
40. And He said unto them; How is 1t
that We sought McY Wist We not that
must be about My Fathers business?"
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 a SO called place of wor-
ship though He should be found there,
but always in His word. Contrast His
My Father" with her Thy Father. u
This is the first My Father of human
lips used in reference to God, and the
words Of this verse are the first recorded
words of Jesus.
80. And they understood not the say
ing which He spake unto them. " If even
Mary understood not what wonder that
the apostles aftorward understood mott
HOW utterly nclplcSS we All are apart IRON
the Holy Spirit, to understand the things
of God! The things of God knoweth nC
man but the Spirit Of God Il Cor. ii, IL
All the wisdom of Egypt and of Babylon
could not interpret the dreams of their re
spective kings. None but a Joseph and &
Daniel filed with the wisdom and the
Spirit of God could do it.
81. And He went down with them anC
came to Nazareth and was subject unto
them, but His mother kept all these say
ings in her heart" Verso 40 covers the
first ~ years of His life, and this verse GOV
ers the next Is years. One has said tha
submission is the highest mission on earth
and we certainly see it in Jesus. He knew
who He was, whence He came and wha
He came to do, yet for IS years after HI
said He must he about His Fathers bust
ness He quietly submitted to Nazareth
and the carpenters shop, and the humbl,
bone
Thirty years, unknown, He trod
Galilee's sequested sod,
But His life vas known to God.
Daiiy work at JOseph's call,
Daily duties howe'er small,
Yet He was the Lord of all.
52. "And Jesus increased in wisdom ant