The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-13
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH II.
Lesson Text: ssZaccheus tho Publ
CAM Luke XIX, 1-1O-GoIden
Text: Luke XIX, 10
Commentary.

l. "And Jesus entered and passed through
Jericho" Wehave now come to tho last week
before the cruciflxion, and the next lesson In
order In the series chat for April y will be
the triumphal entry, which seems also to be
the next in the order Of events. In reference
to the blind men healed about this time,
Matthew speaks OF two who were healed as
he left Jericho; Mark mentions only one and
gives his name a. Bartim@us. while Luke
speaks Of one who was healed as he entered
Jericho without any attempt to reconcile these
accounts. Why not take the three as we find
them and simply believe that He healed one
as He entered Jericho and two az He left Jeri-
cho, one OF whom was BartimBus2 The
simplest and least learned explanation Ia often
the nearest to the truth. AS Jesus was con-
tinually opening the eyes Of the blind, 1t Is
not strange that He should do 30 for three diff
ferent ones at this time.
2. "And, behold, there was O man named
Zaccheus, which was the chief among the
publicans. and he was rich." We are now
introduced to one who was blind spiritually,
but not physically, He needed Jesus as much
as Bartim@us, but perhaps was not as con-
scious Of that need, not being poor nor physi-
cally helpless. OF the class to which he be-
longed he was at the head, and as to this
worlds goods he needed nothing. He Is one
OF the most interesting rich men Of the 'gos-
pels. The rich young ruler saddened us by
his going away; the rich man who thought
only OF his larger barns and the good time he
would have was suddenly called away from
It all, and the rich man at whose gate Laz.
arus lay had a terrible reverse.
8. "And he sought to see Jesus, who He
was, and could not for the press, because
he was little Of stature" The opening
words make us think Of those Greeks who
said to Philip, 'sir, we would see Jesus"
(John xiii. 21), and they suggest to us that
the only one worth seeing is Jesus, for
when we see Him we see God the Father
(John xiv. 81. We are not told the motive
of those Greeks In desiring to SOC Jesus and
as to Zacoheus. 1t may have been mere Gu
dosity, but the result would lead us to sup
pose something more. The hindrances were
two-fold-personal and circumstantial-his
little stature and the great crowd.
4. sAnd he ran before and climbed up
into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was
to pass that way" This was about as un-
dignifed proceeding as that OF the rich
young ruler who kneeled down in the street.
but It indicated real desire. II we would
see Jesus, we must 90 where Jesus is to be
found, and we will be sure to find Him In
His word. The Scriptures testify of Him
Guke XIV. 27.
S. "And when Jesus came to the place
him. Zaccheus, make haste and come down,
for to-day must abide at thy house" He
knew what was In man, and He knew the
heart Of this man up among the branches OF
this sycamore. THE eyes OF the Lord run
to and fro throughout the whole earth to
show himself strong on behalf Of them
whose hearts are perfect toward Him" GI
Chron. xvi. 81, and II there Is in your heart
a going out to Him, q hungering flor Him,
hot ua ,har
that 1t is written "Ye shall seek Me and find
Me when ye search for Me with all your
heart (Jer. xxx, 13). Rejoice also that If
there is real desire toward Him, be 1t ever
so faint, 1t is the Spirits work, and He will
regard it.
6. Sand he made haste and came down
and received Him joyfully." How quickly
he responds to the Saviour's invitation. 1t
Is the Spirits work, but Zaccheus was will
bring all who hear the gospel down from
their pride of intellect and social standing
and moral standing and self in every form,
righteous or unrighteous, that they may re-
ceive Jesus and stand truly complete In Him.
There must be real coming down to a real
sense Of our nothingness and an honest re-
ception OF Christ. Then we become children
of God and accepted in the Beloved (John l.,
u; Eph. l., y. Consider how every high
Jesus alone exalted (ISa. H.. IL, 12).
z. "And when they saw it they all muir
INJURED, saying that He was gone to be guest
with man that Is sinner" Satan ts al
ways angry when any one receives Jesus or
even looks toward Him and will surely have
something to say about 1t, as when he spoke
through Simon and Pharisee OF the woman
who washed Jesus's feet with her tears, or
when he stood at Joshua the high priests
right hand. seemingly pointing to the filthy
garments. Let not the enemy hinder you by
pointing to your sinfulness. but rejoice that
''Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners"
8. 'And Zaccheus stood and said unto the
Lord, Behold, Lord, the half OF my goods I
give to the poor, and il have taken any
thing from any man by false accusation I re-
store him fourfold." Not that he had been
doing this, but he would do 1t as an evidence
of his sincerity and begin now. We give
nothing to God for our redemption. It Is
free gift (Rom. vi, 23; Eph. H., y. But be-
ing saved We must give evidence OF 1t, for
is not faith that saves. See James H., IA,
II: Eph. H.. 10. Unless there is cheerful
and ample restitution to all whom we may
have wronged Us far as we have ability and
opportunity and a liberal giving to the Lord,
constrained by His love, our faith ts ques-
tionable.
9. "And Jesus said unto him, This day is
salvation come to this house, for 30 much as
he also Is q son Of Abraham" Not simply
descendant of Abraham, but "a true believer
like Abraham, and thus and therefore true
child Of Abraham and child Of God, by faith
in Christ Jesus. For II ye be Christ's, then
are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to
the promise (Gal. ill.,, 29). Salvation Is In
the Lord. Jesus Christ Himself is the saliva
tion OF the Lord. so when we have received
Him salvation has come to US, and we can
make Israel's millennial song our own and
sing "Behold. God Is my salvation" CJonah
H.. 9; Luke H., 80; Isa. xii, q.
10. "For the Son Of Man is come to seek
and to save hatswhich was lost" All.areby
nature lost (Eph. H.. 3) not being lost nor
under the possibility OF being some day lost.
but actually lost sinners, without God and
without hope (Eph. H., 12), ungodly and
without strength (Rom. ", s.. Such are all
without exception until found by this seek
ing Saviour and by His blood redeemed, for
there is none other (Aets iv., IL; Isa. XIV, 21,
e2). Let your soul cry, IL you are not saved,
rSeek M, Lord, for I am lost."-Lesson
Helper.
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In our country, where cold storage