Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-01-10
H SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL GsRlES, JAN. IL.


Text of the Lesson, Luke ii, 4O-52-Mem-
ory Verses, 81, 5a-Golden Text, Luke
ii. 52-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
40. "And the child grow and waxcd
strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and
tho grace of God was upon Him. In our
recent Christmas lesson, which must still
be quite fresh in our minds, we had the
wondrous story of His birth and We're, |
trust, proiitcd by the faith and testimony
of the shepherds. Then followed the visit
of the wise men, the presentation in the
temple, the flight into Egypt and return
to Nazareth. After which we know moth
ing of Him till His baptism ut the age Of
30 beyond what is recorded in this verse
and in this lesson. In the quiet retirement
of Nazareth He grew both in physical and
i'm spiritual stature and lived in the favor
of God. He had u body of flesh and blood,
such rs we have (Heb. ii, 14), but He had
no sin (IIeb. vii, 20; ii Cor. v, 2l).
Al. "Now His parents went to Jerusalem
every year at the feast of the passover
While only the males were commanded to
attend the fcasts (Ex. xiii, ~ it would
SttIl lilll MOllltl ulSO Mtlll w Nlt lNtnl VI
the passover Il sam. i, y. When we come
to a passover story, it is always well to
think al the safety of those who are undo
the blood and the fellowship of those who
obediently feed upon the Lamb. Salvation
depends upon the blood alone, but fellow
ship and growth depend upon our eating
Him continually by whose blood we are re-
deemed. His own testimony is HE that
eateth Me, even he shall live by Me" (1ohn
vi, 57).
AZ. "And whcn He was II years old,
they went up to Jerusalem, after the Gus
tom of the feast We would like to know
His thoughts concerning this, His first
visit to the Holy City. We may imagine
hat rs He was not taken up with seeing
the city when He got there, so He was not
ovcrmuch occupied with sights along the
way. Whatever of Old Testament story
was associated with the places they would
pass through we may be sure He would
think and perhaps talk Of there, for He
was well vcrsed in the Scriptures.
AZ. 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," Jerusalem is
called the Holy City, and the City of the
Great King (Nath. iv, >; V, 35); by its great
sin it is called the city where our Lord was
crucified (l{ev. Xi, 81, but it shall yet be
called a City of Truth, and the Throne of
the Lord Czech. viii, 3; Jcr. iii, III. That
Lord shall pruVctO he zone other than this
same Jesus without whom Joseph and
Mary started from Jerusalem for Nazareth
Did they think enough of Him?
Al. But they surprising HIM to nave
been III the company, went II day 5 Jour
ney. SuppoSlng ana wondering are NOT
the roads 10 peace ana assurance ana arc
apt to cause Us many SorroWs. Just thlnk
what dlslhay II ml@ht work II we shoulo
attempt 10 lraVcl by tram or steamer sup
posing tlat we Knew the tllhe OF starting
Let no one III matters eternal p'st IN any
thlhg snort OF an assurance wen iouhueu
10. "And when thcy touhd INN not
they turned back again JcruSalelh' seek
ing HIM. ANY one VINO has ever hau Il
chlld stray aWay Tor IL longer or shor'ei
time can sympathlze somewhat with Mary
in this experience. Dld they confess t'
God their n~rgllgcnceahd ask linn TO g!ld'
them: Dld they remember rs XXXll )
lNa. XxX, 81, and rs. |, 10? Perhaps they
will tell US about 1t some day
III. And cameto pass That after three
days they found INN IN the temple No'
seeing the sights Oh the great city, put II
HIS Father mouse AT IL Blple study WI
may safely thlhk oil INN as saying toth's'
teachers What Is WrlttcnE How read
est thou: TO Joseph II Mary one
hour : NEGLECT had brought 'hree uay
anxiety. /" many an hour neglect ha'
often brought IL me long sorrow 10 neg
lcct the soul welfare Will nrlhg etcrhh
sorrow. See JOB XXXvl, Isl Heb H. 8
IL Ana an that hrard INN were as
toniShed at ms understanding ana an
sWers' IL johh the baptlst was hlieu Will
the spirit from ms plrth' now ihuch more
must Jesus nave been 50 hlIcu Ana VIII
not the phrasc Jesus knew from the ne
ginning (John W. of) rcach pack TO TN
stage oil ms me Us well as 10 the beglh
nlhg OF HIS mlhlstry: lie Woulu uhurr
stand the scriptures better Il thoNc VINE
Questioned lillh' ana many would uoubt
less receive some new ilSIl 'hal udA u
thcy hcard the scriptures quoted IN al
their simplicity ANA beauty