The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-19
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESS I COMMENTS
FOR APRIL %.

Lesson Text: "Jesus the Way and the
Truth and the Life," John XIV, LA
Golden Text: John xiv, G-Comnen-
tary on the Lesson.
'sLet not your heart be troubled; ye be-
lieve in God, believe also in Me-"
Peloubet says, "In order to understand
the meaning of the first verses OF this
chapter 1t is necessary to remove the veil
which covers them by their separation from
chapter |. Turn back to viii. 81. Jesus re-
veals to His disciples that He Is about to
90 away and leave them, and that they
shows Peter that, although he thinks he Is
willing to go with his Master even to death,
he is not yet willing or prepared, for be-
fore morning, he should deny him three
times. Doubtless all the disciples felt the
gloomy foreboding that thew also might
fall II the brave Peter could not stand.
There was treachery among their own
number. Their enemies were many and
fierce and strong. II the head OF the king
do2 They could see only danger and dis
aster, and darkness that could be felt"
Then It was that Jesus comforted them
with these cheering words, "Let not your
heart be troubled"
"In my Fathers house there are many
mansions; II It were not 80 would have
told you. 20 to prepare place for
you"
or late, in certain sections, there has
been quite n revivnl Of the worn-out argu-
ment there Ia no heaven or hell In existence
now, but that they will be created in the
last great day.
Those OF US who believe that "To be ab-
sent from the body is to be truly present
with the Lord" cheerfully aud joytully ac-
cept the teaching that our Fathers house
is "both State and a place. It is where
God In some peculiar sense dwells. where
He manifests most fully His goodness and
Fatherly love, where His glory most radi.
antly shines. The thought OF the "many
mansions there, Godet says, may be de-
rived from those vast Oriental palaces In
which there Is an abode not only for the
sovereign and the heir to the throne. but
also for all the SONS OF the king, however
numerous they may be-.
"And II 20 and prepare place for you,
I will come again and receive you unto
Myself; that where am, there ye may be
Also"
The revised version reads, ri come
again." which puts the promise In the
present tense. OF this DR.. Vincent gays,
glorious coming at the last day, nor at any
special coming, such as Pentecost, though
these are all included In the expression; 1t
Is rather to be taken as His continual COM
ing and presence by the Holy Spirit"
Westcott says, "Christ Is, in fact, from the
moment of His resurrection, ever coming
into the world and to the church, and to
men as the risen Lord"
"And whittier 60 ye know. and the way
We now. Thomas said unto Him, Lord, We
know not whittier Thou geest, and how can
we know the way2"
The disciples knew both the way and the
goal, II they would but recall what they
had heard their Master say both In public
~ and In private.
Jesus saith unto him, 1 am the way, the
truth and the life; no man cometh unto the
Father but by Me-"
Jesus Is the truth as we'll as the way, In
Him ""are hid all the treasures OF wisdom"
.-(Col. H., 81. Every greut religion has it's
it is based. Find this central truth in each
great religion, and you will have them
summed up in the highest degree In Jesus
Christ.
III ye had known Me, ye should have
known My Father also; and from hence
forth ye know Him, and have seen Him."
"The English word know represents two
Greek words in the better text, which are
not identical IN meaning" so the proper
rendering Of the first clause OF this verse
would be: "If ye had recognized Me-fully
understood who am-ye would have
known My Father"
After oil these years our conception OF
the mystery of the Trinity Is very dim. so
it Is not to be wondered at (eyen after
Jesus said what He did to Thomas) that We
read:
"Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew as
the Father, and 1t sufaceth US.
"Jesus saith unto him, Have been so
long with you, and yet hast thou not
hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou,
then, Shew US the Father?
"BelIeyest thou not that am In the
Father, and the Father in Me2 The words
that Ispeak unto you speak not OF my
self, but the Father that dwelleth In me,
He doeth the work"
The last part Of the tenth verse in the
revised version reads, II speak not OF Ny
self, but the Father abiding In Me doeth
His works"
"BslIeve Me that am in the Father and
very works sake"
In other words, Jesus said: ."If ye can
not understand My words, at least believe
that and the Father am one, on account
OF the works ye have seen Ne do"
"VeriIy verify say unto you, He that
belieyeth on Me. the works that I do he
shall do also; and greater works than these
shall he do, because go unto My Father"
The promise was fulfilled on the day OF
Pentecost, when In one day the conversions
were more than had taken place in the
whole three years OF Chrlst's ministry: and
many times since the power OF God has
been 30 wonderfully manifested in
spiritual sense or manner, that doubters
have been compelled to admit that "He
Is the Lord" and even In our day the
healing OF the body by divine power has
caused sinners to seek Jesus.
Because l go unto My Father" For
thus Q) He became spiritual king, reign:
ing from heaven. (O Thus he could send
tho Holy Spirit. (3 Because OF His de-
parsure, He was no longer limited in His
work to time and place, but was present
with His disciples, all over the world. ~
By His departure He was exalted so as to
touch the hearts OF men. and draw all ma.
tions to Him in love, and thus fit them to
be His instruments for doing these works.
(5) His disciples were better fitted for their
work, more confident and manly, better
trained in every good work, by an invisi-
BILE but ever-present Lord.
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in Ny
name, that will do, that tho Father may
be gloriled In the Son."
Being led by the Spirit will prevent our
asking for anything that Is not consistent
with His will, and 1t will also enable US to
ask for and receive many temporal, ply
scal and spiritual blessings that we have
never thought were in our Fathers will:
The one condition was that they should
ask in patience and faith, for without this
asking they would not be fit to receive.
The object, the limit, and the result OF their
asking are found In the expression, THAT
the Father may be glorihed In the Son."
"If ye shall ask anything In My name,I
will do it."