The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-14
Sunday School lesson for MAY Is.

CONTEXT.--O lesson pcrtnined to
one of the parallels delivered by Jesus in
the temple on Tuesday of the passion
week Following that lie had an en-
counter with the Pharisees and Hcrod'ans
who sought to entangle Him in teaching.
Then came a lawyer who questioned Him
concerning the great commandment.
After that Jesus turned on those about
Him with the question, What think We
of Christ? Then, turning to the people,
He warned them against the Scribes and
Pharsees and pronounced woes against
them Matt. xiii, 1-30. Sitting near the
treasury lie commended the widow s
gift. Certain Greeks, introduced by the
Apostles. had an interview with Him.
Rejecting upon the unbelief OF the Jews,
lie uttered a sad soliloquy. At the close
of this busy day lie left the temple never
to return to 1T, and predicted its de-
struCton Mark xiii, l and -. That pre-
diction was the occasion of an extended
discourse to the disciples, of which our
lesson is part, delivered later in the ev-
cning on the Mount of Olives.
BATE.-EXpositors differ concerning
the scope of the Saviour's thought in that
discourse Some contend that lie had in
mind some far distant event, one that
has not yet transpircd, when lie would
come again in person (Acts /, ID to Judge
the race of men tReV. NX, l2) and to close
up the history of this globe, as the thea
ter of mans probation I'll Peter iii, y.
This they infer from the question of the
apostles CMatt. XXiv, 81, who desired to
know about three matters, one of them
"the end of the world" 1t is more prob
able that in this chapter Jesus referred
to a series of events then near at hand
at an OF OH no
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans
under Titus i'm the year 20 A. ID. That
was certainly the intent of His first re-
mark Vcrse y. The apostles doubtless
alluded to three nearly contempOraneous
circumstances, meaning by the end of tho
world the close of the age or dispensa-
ton. Several considerations support this
view. Jesus was speaking of something
that concerned those who heard Him. He
warned them against deception (verse %
ordered them to watch (verse 42, direct
ed them to regard the time (verse 2O),
and the mode Verse 49, of seeking safety,
and declaring that the events belonged to
that generation Cverse 80. Such words
would have no meaning if they referred
to after centuries. The other doctrines
must be supported by other Scripture
lisa. H. 6; Heb. i, l2 Rev. xxi, u.
PTRPOSE.-The foregoing prepares us
to state the purpose of Jesus I'm uttering
the verses assigned for our lesson. As
the Jewish state and church were soon to
be overthrown; as this was predetermined
in the divine councils, predicted by the
prophets dan. tx, 27; Matt. xiv, 10 and
now publicly announced Cverse p as Je-
sus was now about to remove His bodily
presence and shortly come again in
| Ia
ing and the destruction of the Jewish poll
icy would terminate the age and usher in
new dispensation: and as the apostles
had been set apart to be the ministers
and representatives of Jesus, to lay the
foundations of the new era, therefore
they are called to watchfulness. That
word covered all the duties of a servant.