The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-01-30
the SUNDAY SCHOOL.

ooLpnN Tnxr.-The Son Of Man hath
power upon earth to forgive sins.--Luks
ia. SECTION includes the series Of
corded in Luke ass to 6:l1. Read also the
parallels, not only to the lesson text-Matt.
bd-s and Mark 2I2-but also the parallels
to the whole section, as follows. Matt.
sas,ss; s:s.;. a. s.-,7; sa-l7; na-iA; Mark lis
Vi fiSn.G;summer ME-; SUNNI sS Of A. D. ss. The period
covered belongs to the first half Of the
aesn tSs thst s tSs f. .econa e sns
wsen o. Snss and q Pe years s od and John the
Baptist n seem o have
Jesus esa N made S the central point Of His labors.
LESSON NOTES.
A number of miracles are given here
together, to intensity their message,
to make deeper impression on the
reader. Notice the great variety of
them, their loving and helpful nature,
worthy of the Son of God. Included
within the section of the history be-
longing to this lesson, we find the fol-
lowing classes of miracles:
I. CASTING OUT DEMONS Uuke 4:S3-
81, 41).-The teaching here is that Jesus
has power over evil spirits in all forms,
especially those that dominate the
souls of many men, such as the evil
spirits of war, intemperance, sensuali-
ty, ambition, selfishness. And the mir
acles of this class are signs and express
sions Of the great work Christ has come
to do, illustrating the need of casting
ont devils in modern times and the way
in which it may be done.
II. HEALING DISEASES Uuke 4:3s-4o;
5-15) .-Christ's power over all forms OF
disease, of body and of soul, is shown
by His miracles of healing. These mir
acles are signs of Gods love, that cares
for our bodily welfare, that desires our
health and comfort; and also Of our
need of soul-healing, and His readiness
to save us from sin and it's results.
Ill. LEPRosY Guke 5:12-14 .-Lep-
rosy is one of the most vivid types and
object lessons of sin. Both, when they
have developed their nature, are loath-
some, polluting, deforming, unclean.
They exist often long time before
they show their painful and deadly ma
ture. They are practically incurable
by human power. We may draw from
this miracle and others like it which
Christ performed that He has the
power to cure the worst of human evils
and to save from the most terrible sins.
No one need despair.
". THE DRAUGHT OF FISHES duke
5:1-1).-This story shows Christ's
power over nature. But the miracle
was chiefly sign or illustration of the
work of His disciples, that they should
be fishers of men. Wise means are to
be used, but the word of Jesus is the
power.
v. The PARALYT1o CURED.-We now
come to the lesson text proper. The
place was a private house in Caper-
naum. The picture we may form in
our mind is something as follows: A
one-story structure with outside stairs
leading up to the fat roof, the whole
built around q court. The place was
crowded, for when it was known that
Christ was there ''straightway many
were gathered together, insomuch that
there was no room to receive them, no,
not SO much as about the door,"
1t was thus that when four men
sought to bring in palsied man upon
his bed they could not. This bed was
. thin mattress, held by the four cor
ners. Having failed to get in by the
door, they tried the expedient of 60
ing upon the housetop, and, after
making an opening in the roof, which
was possibly made of coarse mating
or boards or stone slabs, easily re-
moved, let down their burden before
Jesus. The roof was SO low that the
men could let down the bed SO that
those below could receive it, without
the aid of ropes, but simply by holding
the corners.
When Jesus saw the faith OF the sick
man and his bearers, He said: "Be OF
good cheer" take heart, "thy sins are
forgiven thee" Says Horton: "Noth.
ing is said about the mans character,
or about his previous life, or the cause
of his illness. But there comes before
my mind fact of a young man barely
21, lying in precisely the condition that
here is described, unable to move 6
limb, the result simply of his youthful
debaucheries. And one would gather
from the unexpected course which
Jesus pursueswit this young man that
he suspected a similar cause in this
case of illness. And puts his finger
upon the spring of the mischief" L
such was the cause of the sickness
Jesus well knew that there could be NJ
permanent or valuable healing withou
repentance and forsaking of the sin
The fruits of sin cause the essential evi
of sin to be felt, ond Jesus grants tn
greater blessing first.
Immediately the scribes accuse Jesu
of speaking blasphemies, slanderini
God. uttering treason against God
Jesus turns upon them and demands
whether is easier to say, Thy sins b.
forgiven thee;or to say, Rise up ant
walk?" But" He continues, "that y
may know that the Son Of Man hat
power upon earth to forgive sins III
said unto the sick of the palsy: | ga,
unto thee. arise, and take up thy couch
and go to thine house" Jesus here use
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