Frederick citizen., 1895-02-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for February 8, 1895
Tho apsnOuration-Iulxe Q:28-36.

whom am we'll pleased; hear ye Him.-Matt.
IT'S
T1MI-Summer Of A. D. 90; week after the
last lesson; In the night Compare Luke
p:27J
PLACR-Probatly Mount Hermon, or some
Of It's spurs, in tho vicinity Of Cesarea, where
Jesus and His disciples were the week before,
as we saw In our last lesson though tradition
dating from before the fourth century placed
It on Mount Tabor in Galilee. The place OF the
transfguration scene is unknown. as are al
most all the places in which occurred the most
sacred events Of Jesus life probably because
such . place would become q shrine. and be
visited as peculiarly holy. while God would
have the hearts Of men everywhere to be holy
places and oil the world holy ground.
CIRCUMSTANCES.-lno our last lesson we saw
how Jesus for the first time revealed to His
disciples that the only way inyo His kingdom
was by the cross For q week after this moth
ing is recorded. Their hopes Of q glorious
kingdom, Of O redeemed nation, we're all shat
tered Could dead. crucified man be the true
Saviour 1t was needful that they should
know the truth. II was needful, also, that
they should see the truth beyond the gloom,
and obtain glimpse OF the glory and saliva
tion to which the way Of the cross would lead
them
LESSON NOTES.
Prayer Meeting Upon the'Mountain.
-2s. about an eight days after these
sayings" Matthew says after six days;
j. e., six complete days intervened.
Luke says about, not exactly, and his
eight days include the fractional days
at the beginning and end. HE took
Peter and John and James" The other
nine disciples were left at the base of
the mountain, as we see by the events
of the following morning. "Aud went
up into mountain to pray" That is,
into some recess in some high noun
tain.-Morison. This statement pre-
pares US to expect some important de-
velopment in the progress of his mis-
sion.
The TRANSPORTATION of Jesus.-29.
"And as He prayed" Greek, ''in His
praying"), the TRANSPORTATION took
place. We know not what He was pray
ing for, but doubtless for strength to
endure and to carry on His work, for the
faith and enlightenment of His dis
ciples in their gloom, for the coming
of the kingdom which seemed to pro-
gress so slowly. The TRANSPORTATION
was the answer. THE fashion Tor ap-
pearance) of His countenance was al
tered" Matthew says He was trans
figured before them" The original
word Is elsewhere in the New Testa-
mcnt rendered transformed" (as Rom.
2Cor. 3:1S), and is used of a spiritual 1873;
change. The fashion of His countenanee
was altered by being lighted with ra-
dance both from without and from
within. And His raiment was white
and glistening." Literally, lightning
forth, as though from some inward
radiance. st. Matthew compares the
whiteness of His robes to the light
Q7:2); ST. Mark to the snow (9:3); and
St. Luke, in this word, to the light
ming.
The Conference of the Three Glori6ed
| Ones.-30. There talked with Him two
men," Human beings. Which were
Moses and Elias:" the Greek form of
Elijah. These persons were really
present. 1t was not vision. The i'm.
plication is that the disciples not only
saw the appearance, but recognized in
the persons Moses and Elijah, as is evil
dent from Peters proposition.
81. who appeared in glory" In their
glorifled bodies; something like that of
the transfgured Jesus, but with less
radiance.
The Subject of Their Conversation
"And spalle of his decease:' OF His ex-
odus Tin the Creek, His going out of
this evil world, as the Israelites from
the bondage Of Egypt. Departure is
most fitting word, for it contains, at
the same time, the ideas both of death
and ascension. Ascension was as much
the natural way for Jesus as death is
for u.s." (Which He should accomplish
at Jerusalem" By being crucifed, as
He had foretold them just before Tvs.
21-27), and rising again from the dead.
This conversation would enable the
disciples to see the Importance and me-
cessity 81 that which they most
dreaded, and which was to them the
greatest mystery. The atonement on
the cross was the great event in the
worlds history; this was the culmina-
tion OF the salvation brought by the
Messiah; this was the great act to
which all the sacrifices appointed by
Moses looked forward, and which gave
them meaning and value. 1t was the
beginning and source of the world
wide development OF the kingdom Of
God, and of those glorious times which
the prophets had foretold 1t is the
central theme and power of the church
of Christ in all ages.
The Purpose OF the TRANSPORTATION. -
~ 1t is possible that it may have been
for the human comfort and aid of Jesus
Himself, as the angels strengthened
Him after the agony in Gethsemane.
He was nearing the hour of His great
trial, and He may have needed a visi-
bic manifestation from Heaven and
messages Of assurance and comfort.
(2) For the encouragement and en-.
lightenment of the disciples. The dis
ciples had been startled and shocked
by the glimpse Jesus had given them
OF His sufferings and death, SO con-
trary to all their expectations of a
triumphant Messiah. The transfgura-
ton opened their eyes to what was be-
yond--to the crown beyond the cross.
LESSONS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION.
Our richest and most heavenly expe.
riences come in and through prayer,
and often from united prayer.
There Is a glory in the Bible and in
Christ beyond our ordinary conception,
and often veiled. but always there to
those who can see.
Only those who have served Christ
faithfully in the valleys of daily duty,
and live near to Him, can climb with