Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-04-14
he CHARACTERIZATION.
International sunday school Lesson
for April IL. 1895.

Mark s:e-2s: Luke s:2S-42
GOLDEN TEXT.-We beheld His glory,
the glory as Of The only begotten Of the
Father.-John I II.
TIME.-Autumn Of A. d. y: a week
after the last lesson; In the night probably
toward morning.
PLACE.-Probably Mount Hermon. or
one Of its spurs, in the vicinity OF Cesar,
where Jesus and His disciples were the
week before, though tradition dating from
before the fourth century places it on
Mount Tabor IN Galllee.
LESSON NOTES.
l. The Prayer Meeting on the Noun
tain.-N. l. A week after the CONVERSE
ton recorded in our last lesson, in which
Jesus made known 10 His disciples that
lie must ere long suffer and die, and be
raised again, revelation that shocked
the disciples and threw them into the
gloom of the dungeon of giant despair,
Jesus taketh Peter, James and John
apart into high mountain. 1t was the
same favored three who had gone with
Jesus into the room where He raised
Jairus' daughter. A few months later
they were nearest to Him as He prayed
in Gethsemanee, and still later were
recognized as pillars" of the church
(Gal. 2:9). There was no favoritism in
this selection. He simply advanced to
| higher studies those who, by faithful
ness in the lower, had made it possible
for them to understand and use the
higher.
II. The Answer. The Transfgura-
TONY. ?. The word rendered trans
! figured" implies not merely change of
outward form, as when Satan took the
appearance of an angel of light, but u
| real, essential change. ~ foreshadow-
ing or prophecy of his true form-His
distinctive character-comes out in his
TRANSFORMATIONS; "a revelation of
Deity breaking out in that glorified
face, which appealed to something
deeper than sense. M. Il. Vincent. 1t
was the trle nature of Jesus, as de-
scribed by Paul in Acts 9:3, and by John
in r. velations 1:13-16, shining through
Ills flesh and His garments, as by light
! from within, as the sunlight shining
through dull stained glass windows re
1 veals the true nature OF the picture. And
it was in their presence, while they were
awake, as Luke expressly says duke
9:32). And His face did shine as the sun.
/ Nothing less than the brightest and
most glorious of all objects within hui
man knowledge-so bright that it de-
stroys the eye to gaze directly upon it
could express the radiant glories of
Jesus face, when His Heavenly nature
shone through the veil of his flesh.
III. The Conference of the Three
Glorified Ones.-V. 3. ''And, behold,
there appeared unto them ii. e., the dis
J f.fr
! form of Elijah. These persons were real
/ " present. 1t was not a vision, as is
! plain from the account of Luke. The
representatives of the law, the prophets,
/ and the Gospel conversed together. The
! subject of their conversation is reported
/ by Luke. They spoke of His decease,
His departure, Greek, EXODUS" which
included His death, resurrection, and
ascension. This conversation would
enable the disciples to see the i'm
portance and necessity of that which
they most dreaded, and which was to
them the greatest mystery. The atone
ment on the cross, followed by the res
direction. was the great event of the
worlds history; this was the culmina-
tion Of the salvation brought by the
Messiah; this was the great act to which
all the sacrifices appointed by Moses
looked forward, and which gave them
meaning and value.
". The Three Witnesses Y. H.
''Then answered Peters After they
had looked on awhile, and the heavenly
guests were departing. Peter answered
rot IL any question. but the feelings
and questionings that the scene awak-
ened in his mind. And said unto
Jesus" Anxious to continue in such
heavenly company, but mot knowing
what He said" OLulle), not realizing the
full meaning of his proposal or its eff
feet upon the mission of Jesus and upon
the disciples themselves. Lord, it is
good for us to be here" The expert
ence was good, and would make him
a better and more useful man all the
rest of his life. 1t wflened his outlook
Jesus made no answer. The events
that followed were the answer. 1t was
not good to remain there. There was
need for them all in the world below.
Working for Jesus was better than
standing and gazing at His glory.
.. The Divine Testimony.-Ns ST.
Even while Peter was speaking be
hold, a bright cloud overshadowed
them; and behold voice out of the
cloud. which said: This is my beloved
Son, in whom ! am well pleased; hear
We Him" And the disciples fell on their
face, and were sore afraid. The great
manifestations of Gods power close at
hand fill the soul, conscious of weak
ness and sin. with dread solemnity.
But with brotherly tenderness, Jesus
came and touched them, and said:
arise, and be not afraid"
VI. The Return to the World.-Ns. s,
3. And when they had lifted up their
eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
And as they came down from the noun
tain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell
the vision to no man until the Son of
Man be risen again from the dead"