The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-22
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR.
JANUARY 26. e
Lesson Text: "The Early Ministry
ofJesus," Luke iv., 14-22-G Cold
en- Text: Luke iv., 32
Commentary. +, 3. I

II. "And Jesus returned in the power of
the Spirit into Galilee, and there went out o
fame OF Him through all the region round
about" :" After His baptism He, being full
of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted of the devil
Cverse 1.) He was tempted on the same
three points on which Eve was tempted
the lust Of the flesh. the lust of the eyes and
the pride oflife. She and Adam, with every
comfort OF life about them, sinned and fell.
he. with no earthly comfort, stood and con-
quered by the sword of the Spirit So may
we stand and conquer. See Eph. vi, 1918.
In the power Of the same Spirit, who is also
given unto us. He now goes back home to
begin Bis public work. Perhaps 1t would
be well to read here the whole story OF John
j., 10, to w., 81, and then we will understand
better how His fame spread abroad every
where. Let us ever remember two things-it
WAS by the Spirit that He spake and wrought,
and 1t was the Father whom He always glori-
fed.
15. "And He taught in their synagogues,
being glorif1ed Of ALL" In verse 32 we read
that they were astonished at His doctrine,
for His word was with power. We would see
more OF the power Of the word if We used
more OF the wore, in which alone there is
power, and II our aim was like His that God
In 81! things might be glorifled C Pet. ,iy.,
I'D. He spoke with authority because He
said only what the Father told Him (John.
xii, 49). He never discounted in the least
degree any portion Of the Scriptures. but in,
dorsed the story OF creation, Adam and Eve,
the deluge, Abraham. Lot. Sodom, Jonah,
Daniel and all the rest. Those who make
light OF any portion of Scripture are not
walking In His steps. Pray for then, but
heed them not.
Is. "And He came to Nazareth. where He
had been. brought up, and. as His custom
was, He went into the synagogue on the Sab
bath day and stood up for to read" At the
age Of twelve He returned to Nazareth with
His mother and Joseph from the passover at
Jerusalem, and until the age OF thirty BE
was subject to them. A part Of His subjec-
ton is seen In His being in the synagogue
every Sabbath. Many OF uswould think that
it was poor place to be for spiritual profit,
and that we had better stay at home andread
our Bibles, but our Lord never lived unto
Himself, and the main question with us
should be, not how can get the most fol-
myself, but how can 7 bring the greatest
glory to God and manifest Him to others
See II Cor. ", 16.
II. "And there was delivered unto Him
the book Of the prophet Esaias. And when
He had opened the book He found the place
where 1t was written" II you have ever
watched people looking for a text in the
Bible, You might conclude that not all are
skillful in finding places. It Is good thing
to have people, young and Old, commit TO
memory the books OF the Bible in order so
that they may quickly turn 10 any particular
the contents OF each book, so that I'VE may
know where to. look for what we want.
Compare Isa xxx, II. r., and see if you
are like those or like Jesus Christ II you
would read the Scriptures aloud for the
benefit OF others, see Neh. will, 8.
1S. sThe Spirit OF the Lord is upon Me,
because he hath annointed Me to preach the
gospel to the poor. he hath sent Me to heal
the broken hearted, to preach deliverance 10
the captives and recovering OF sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" J"
Not many preachers would seek for their
congregation the poor, the brokenhearted,
the captive. the blind, the bruised. but
unto such Christ specially came, being
thereto anointed by the Spirit.
10. "To preach the acceptable year OF the
Lord The whole time OF this present dis
pensation until Jesus shall come again Is
here called year, Us In John v. 25, 1t Is
called an hour. the hour or year or period
OF time when the gospel of the grace OF God
Is being preached and all who will may ac-'
cept this grace, or in other words, accept
Jesus Himself and he saved, In IL Cor, VI,
2, we read: Behold now is the accepted
time; behold now is the day of salvation. 1t
is therefore our high privilege in this time
of grace to proclaim it to the ends OF the
earth, not for the conversion OF all, but to
gather out the people for His name who will!
be the rulers with Him In the next age (Acts
xv., IA; Rev. ", 8, 10y. The great motto Tor
,our age Is not, IAN the world for Christ,
but "Christ for all the world" that whose
ever will may come and thus complete His
body, the church.
20. '"And He closed the book and gave It
again to the minister and sat down. And
the eyes of all them that were in the syna-
gogue were fastened on Him." By turning
to Isa. lxi.. /, 2, you will see that He closed
the book, as we would say, in the middle OF
a sentence. The words He did not read are.
''And the day OF vengeance OF our God.
That day had not come and has not yet
come. In Isa. xxxiv., 8; xSXy., 4, xiii: 4,
etc. the day OF vengeance and the year Of Is
raels redemption are associated. 1t will be
at the second coming of Christ; when He
shall come back in power and glory to take
the kingdom and to reign. He knew that the
Nation would reject Him even as HIS own,
townsmen were about to do Oversees 2S, 29).
and that the kingdom then at hand would be
postponed till His return. BE knew how to
QlVlu6 tue NOEu tlutu w
2i. "And He began 10 say unto. them,
This day is this Scripture fulfilled In your
ears" Had He read the next sentence He
could not have said, 'sTnis day is this Scrip
ture fulfilled" He actually did say, If not
In so many words, am He OF whom Isaiah
by the Spirit wrote, and am come to do the
things which I have read to you. Now,
when we consider that those who heard Him
had known Him for thirty years as the Son
OF Mary and Joseph, and for many yesrs as
carpenter in their town, Mark vi, We
may understand somewhat their feelings
upon this occasion. ...... ...z
22. "And all bnre Him witness and won.
dered at the graclons words which proceeded
out of His mouth. and they said, Is not this
Joseph's Son2" He was full OF grace and
truth, and the words He uttered were those
Of the Father speaking through Him (John
l., IA; xii, 49). They actually heard God
speaking, us truly as when he spake to their
fathers from the mount. out OF the midst OF
thu fire, but they knew it not. How little wo
reolize that when We read the Bible the same
God is actually talking,to us. We are apt
TO get no further than to wonder at that
which we read and hear, but there Is no
bsreflt unless we believe and receive. He Is
still the very same Jesus and has loving
message FOR all who will hear Him.-Lesson
Helper.
Nrrrn NAvcI