The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-03-08


GOLDEN TEXT.-The Son of man hath
power on earth TO forgive sins.-Mark
~ NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Mark follows up the narrative of the
Lords life without chronological inter
ruption. Including the interval elaps-
ing between the last lesson and this,
we make this summary:
Preaching Tour in Gaiilee ...........vs S6-39
Healing the Leper ................;:.vs. do,a5
The Sick of the alsy..............,rs VS. 3-5
Questioning Scribes ..................Vs ., Z
The Power of Jesus ..................Vs. e-lZ
Jesus at Prayer.-We note here the
fact that Jesus prayed. Several inter-
esting questions arise in this connec-
ton. The first is regarding the need
of prayer in general. Another is: Did
Jesus. the siness One, need to pray? And
if this is answered in the affirmative,
why? Then is suggested the very in
teresting study of secret prayer, in "a
solitary place."
Regarding our need Of prayer there
is probably very little dispute. Even
the most ungodly utter n prayer when
confronted by sudden danger or meet
some great sorrow. 1t seems involun-
tary, in other words, natural. Did
Jesus need to pray? Surely He did not
depart into a solitary place alone to
pray, simply to set us an example. The
mere fact of His praying seems TO in
dicate His need of prayer. Why? Be-
cause, as we have said, it was natural.
If it is natural for us, how much more
for Him who was infinitely nearer the
Father than we. Then, too, if He were
one with the Father, as He so often said
He was. communion with God was His
very life, as it is also the being of our
spiritual life. Then, regarding secret
prayer, Jesus had spent very busy
Sabbath, surrounded all the day by
large crowds.
Preaching Tour in Galilee.-But the
Saviour was not to be left alone long.
The people of Capernaum clamored for
Him, so His disciples came to tell Him.
But other towns and villages also
needed the Gospel. He went about
from place to place preaching and heal
ing.
Healing the Leper.-At one of the
places where the Lord stopped to preach
a leper came to Him for healing. Jesus,
plying him and seeing his faith, spoke
the word, and the leprosy departed and
lie was cleansed. 1t seems from this
incident that many of Jesus miracles
were done privately and quietly. This
healing of the leper was done so. And
Jesus charged him not to tell people
of his cure, but the man did, and we are
told that after that Jesus could no
more openly (that is, without attract
ing more attention than He wished)
enter into the city," Prominent people
are often unable to do much quiet good
by people who, recognizing them,
claim their entire attention. So Jesus
had to do His preaching outside the
towns, where the people came seeking
Him.
Jesus in Capernaum.-After this tour
Jesus returned to His home by the lake
of Galilee. But here. as formerly, and
in the other towns "straightway many
were gathered together" And in the
house Jesus preached to them. His voice
reaching even those who crowded about
the entrance.
The Sick of the Palsy.-The presence
of Jesus brought those who needed
healing, and one sick of the palsy borne
by four of his friends. But they could
not bear him through the crowd, so
they carried him to the roof. as they
could with those oriental houses, and
through the opening lowered him into
the house right before Jesus. The Jews
believed all bodily suffering came be-
cause of sin. So Jesus said: "Son. thy
sins be forgiven thee"
Questioning Scribes.-The scribes,
learned in the law, were quick to seize
upon this. God alone could forgive
sins.
The Power of Jesus.-Jesus' answer
was direct and to the point. He had
before healed in a miraculous. way diff
ferent diseases. Only the power of God
could do that. Was that, then. less
wonderful than to go TO what they be-
Iieved to be the root of the trouble. and
say the sin was forgiven. Herein was
the power of Jesus shown that BE could
heal the infirmities of both body and
soul.
AFTERTHOUGHTs.
Secret prayer and mediation is the
life of the soul.
Much of the good in this life is done
in quiet. unpretentious manner.
II one way is blocked. try another.
Sin is the disease of the soul which
Jesus came into the world to heal.
The scribes were learned in the law,
but there were some things they had
yet to learn.
The power Of Jesus is shown in the
world to-day by redeemed lives. and a
higher order Of morality and civiliza-
tion.