The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-05-20
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOE
MAY 24.'
Lesson Text: "Jesus Teaching in the
Temple" Luke Xxx, 9-l9-
Golden Text Luke Xxx,
II Commentary.

let it forth to husbnndmen and went into n
fur country for long tir1e." Our last les
son seemed to have special reference to the
present age or the time between lsrael5 re-
lection Of their King and His return to take
the kingdom. This parable seems rather to
cover the whole history of Israel, including
their treatment Of the prophets and their re-
lection OF the King.
1912. This account Of the treatment OF
His servants will covor the whole perioi OF
the prophets. The fruit He desired was
Righteousness, and that Israel should make
Him name among the Nations OF the earth,
that all Nations might know Him for their
good. But read the story i1 lisa. ", 7-25,
and in Eek. kill, and see what they gave
Him instead OF righteousness. AS to their
beating and shamefully treating the servants,
just listen to few testimonies "Asa was
wrought with the seer and put him In
smote Mlcaiah upon the cheek" sand they
conspired against him (Zecharlah) and
stoned him with stones at the commandment
ofthe king in the court of the house Of the
Lord" ''Then Pashur smote jeremiah. the
prophet, and put him In the stocks. :" "Then
took they jeremiah and cast him into the dun
geon" III Chron. xvi. 10: xviii. 29; XIV,
al; Jer. Xxx, 2; xxxvlii., g.. No wonder that
James by the Spirit writes, "Take my
brethren, the prophets who have spoken III
the name Of the Lord, for an example OF suf-
fering affiiction and OF patience Gas. ",
1O) The Lord Is now looking for the fruit
of the Spirit in those who have become
branches in Him who is tine True Vine, and
through whom He desires to bear much fruit
to the glory of God. Does He find it2 II
not, why? Let each answer for himself
unto the Lord.
Is. "Then said the lord OF the vineyard:
What shall do2 I will send my beloved
son. 1t may be they will reverence him
when they see him." In Isa. v. 4, He asks,
What could have been done more to My vine
yard that have not done In 1t? And here
at a much further stage He asks, What shall
I do? Then determine to send His Beloved
Son, not to punish, as well He might, but to
save and bless even such rebellious ones.
God, who oLce spoke by the prophets, hath
at last spoken by His Beloved Son. to whom
He gave this title both at His baptism and at
His TRANSPORTATION. Behold what manner Of
love, what long suffering, what forbearance,
what yearning over the erring and rebellious
ones. Hear Him, even through the prophets,
Chow shall give thee up, Ephraim3 HOW
shall deliver thee, Israel? CHos. Xi., ~
IA. ''This IS the heir; come, let US kill him,
that the inheritance may be ours" Joseph's
brethren said: "This dreamer cometh. Come
now, therefore, and let US slay him and cast
him into some pit" (Gen. xxxvii., 10, 2O). 1t
seems impossible that human nature could
be guilty OF the baseuess Of Joseph's breth-
rem. and Of the brethren Of our Lord, the
Jews, who treated Him as He here describes
Think of men enjoying property that cost
them nothing. then Of their refusing to
thank the owner by rendering them some
fruit, then of their actually conspiring to
kill the owner and take the property into
their own hands.
Is. $50 they cast him out Of the vineyard
and killed him. What, therefore, shall the
lord of the vineyard do unto them2" Our
Lord describes what He knew they would
actually do. for He had often foretold It.
What an illustration of the fact that the car
nal mind is enmity against God. But, be.
lever, let US apply It; let US see ourselves In
this awful picture. The Lord Jesus has
bought US In His peculiar property that BE
may be glonaed in US: Now, is he enthroned
In the heart that He has bought for Him.
self, or Is BE as good as cast out? Lest we
be guilty or more guilty than the Jews, let
US give Him cheerfully the whole being for
His pleasure Rom. Kill, /, q.
16. HE shall come and destroy these hus-
bandmen and shall give the vineyard to 9TH
ers." In Math. XXI. 43, the words are.
"The kingdom of God shall be taken from
you and giveto Nation bringing forth the
fruits thereof" Israel. having failed to re.
ceive her King, has been for the present set
aside as Nation. while God Is gathering
out of all Nations people for His name who
shall be Joined to Christ and return with
Him when He shall come in glory for the
restoration OF Israel and Of all things spoken
of by the prophets. The great question for
the church and for every individual believer
Is, Am bearing fruit unto God?
II. "What Is this, then. that is written,
the stone which the builders rejected. the
same Is become the head Of the corner2"
This Is from Ps. cxviii., %. and points to the
time when the Nation shall say, "Blessed be
He that cometh in the name OF the Lord"
(Math. xiii, 80; Ps. cxviii.. 26). "It shall
he said in that day: Lo, this is our God! We
have waited for Him. and He will save us.
This is the Lord. We have waited for Him.
We will be glad and rejoice IN His salvation"
lisa. XIV, 81 Our Lord was always calling
attention to what was written. He had I'm
elicit confidence in the Scriptures. He al
ways appealed to them. He made people
answer their own questions by His. what
is written? How readest thou2"
IS. "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone
shall be broken, but on whomsoever 1t shall
fall it will grind him to powder" This takes
US back to Isa. viii, IA, Is. when we read
that He shall be to some sanctuary, but to
OluGTS u SlOu0 VI ebho q hOSA 70 "a
fense. In Isa. xviii, 16, we read that He is
q sure and tried foundation stone as we'll as
o precious corner. TIE whole is summed up
In I Pet. H., 4-9. The grinding to powder
probably refers to Daa H., So, and the time
OF His coming to Judge the Nations. He Is
now place Of refuge and sure foundation
to all who receive Him. He Is rock OF Of
fense to all who will not have Him, but when
He comes in glory He will surely crush all
His enemies.
10. "And tho chief priests and the scribes
the same hour sought to lay hands on Him.:
They had long before determined to kill
Him, but now their hour is drawing nigh,
and yet they cannot lay finger on Him un.
til Gods appointed time. Then He viii let
them take RiI2, that their wicked hands may
accomplish that which the counsel OF God
determined before to be- done (Acts iv., 27,
2s). Not even satan himself can touch
child of God without Gods permission, and
there must be Il needs be for all that comes
to every child of God (Ezek. xiv, 2S).-Les-
son Helper.