The true northerner., 1896-01-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON n, FIRST QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. ~.

n. Sa-Commentary by the Rev. ID. M.
stearns.
40. "And the child grew and waxed
strong i'm spirit, filed with wisdom, and
the 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 were
trust, profted 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 at the age of
30 beyond what is recorded I'm this verse
and in this lesson. In the quiet retirement
of Nazareth He grew both in physical and
in spiritual stature and lived in the favor
of God. He had body of flesh and blood,
such as we have Heb. H. 14), but He had
no sin (Heb. vii, 26; III Cor. v, 21).
Al. "Now His parents went to Jerusalem
every year at the feast of the passover.
While only the males were commanded to
attend the feasts (Ex. xiii, ~ it would
seem that women also went to the feast of
the passover I Sam. i, y. When we come
to a passover story, 1t Is always well to
think of the safety of these who are under
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" (John
vi, 3D.
AZ. "An6 when He was 12 years old,
they went up to Jerusalem, after the GUS
ton of hn Wa 70
His thoughts concerning this, His first
visit to the Holy City. We may imagine
that as He was not taken up with seeing
the city when He got there so He was not
overmuch 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 versed in the Scriptures.
43. And when they had fulfilled the
days. as they returned the child Jesus tar
ried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and
His mother knew not of ii" Jerusalem is
called the Holy City, and the City Of the
Great King (Math. iv, 3; V, 35); by its great
sin ii is called the city where our Lord was
crucified (Rev. XII, 81, but it shall yet be
called City of Truth, and the Throne of
the Lord Czech. viii, 8; Jer. iii, 10. That
Lord shall prove to be none other than this
same Jesus without whom Joseph and
Mary sJarted from Jerusalem for Nazareth.
Did they think enough of Him?
A. but they, supposing Him to have
been in the company, went days jour
ney." Supposing and wondering are not
the roads to peace and assurance and are
apt to cause us many sorrows. Just think
what dismay it might work if we should
attempt to travel by train or steamer sup
posing that we knew the time of starting.
Let no one in matters eternal rest in any
thing short of an assurance well founded.
As. "And when they found Him not,
they turned back again to Jerusalem, seek
ing Him." Any one who has ever had
child stray away for longer or shorter
time can sympathize somewhat with Mary
in this experience. Did they confess 10
God their negligence and ask Him to guide
them? Did they remember Ps. xxxii, 8;
Isa Xxx, 81, and Ps. /, 10? Perhaps they
will tell us about it some day.
46. And il came TO pass that after three
days they found Him in the temple" Not
seeing the sights of the great city, but in
His Fathers house at IA Bible study. We
may safely think of Him as saying to these
teachers, What is written?" "How read
est thou?" To Joseph and Mary one
hours neglect had brought three days
anxiety. To many an hours neglect has
often brought life long sorrow. To neg
lect the souls welfare will bring eternal
sorrow. See job xxxvi, 49, Heb. ii, 3,
AZ. "And all that heard Him were as
tonished at His understanding and an-
swers. :" If John the Baptist was filled with
the Spirit from his birth, how much more
l.. L..
not the phrase Jesus knew from the be-
ginning" (John vi, 64) reach back to this
stage of His life rs well as to the begin
ming of His ministry? He would under
stand the Scriptures better than those who
questioned Him, and many would doubt
less receive some new light that day as
they heard the Scriptures quoted in all
their simplicity and beauty.
As. "Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with
usy Behold Thy father and have sought
Thee sorrowing." This was His mothers
greeting after the three days search. He
might have rer>9d, Why did you go with
out Me, parens look after children, not
children after parents. In chapter of the
Song of Solomon the loved one has a sor-
rowful search because she did not care
enough for her Beloved to let Him in
promptly when He called.
40. "How is it that ye sought Me? Wist
ye not that must be about My Fathers
business?' This is His answer. The re-
vised version gives ''in My Fathers
house, /" or Gin the things of Ny Father"
Thus early in life did He understand and
speak of His great mission.
80. "And they understood not the say
ing which He spake unto them" They
did not know Him, even His mother did
not understand Him, and just before He
died He had to say to one of the twelve,
"Have been so long time with you and
yet hast thou not known me, Philip"
John xiv, 81. Unknown and misunder-
stood as a boy and as a man, how strange
ly lonely was all His life. Does any boy or
girl, young man or young woman, feel in
them movings of the Spirit which even ia
ther and mother cannot recognize, think
of Jesus and wait Gods time. Blessed are
they that wait for Him lisa. xxx, 1S).
81. And He went down with them and
came TO Nazareth and was subject unto
them" And this covers the next Is years.
Where are the young men and women of
today who are thus cheerfully subject9
Where are the older ones who are always
cheerfully subject to all our heavenly Fa-
theirs plans and appointments? Blessed