Middletown transcript., 1900-02-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. II.


Text of the Lesson, John iii, lis.
Memory Verses, 14-17-Go1den Text,
JOHN i'll, 16-Commentary Prepared
by the Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.
copyright, 1900. by D. NJ. stearns.l
1. Reading from the revised version
and connecting the closing words of the
last chapter we read: "He needed not
that any one should bear witness con-.
cerniRg man, for He Himself knew what
was in man. Now there was a man Of
the Pharisees named Nicodemus, ruler
of the jews" After calling His first dis
ciples, as in last weeks lesson, He at
tended the marriage at Cana and wrought
His first miracle; then, with His mother
and brethren and disciples, He spent a
little season at Capernaum, after which
He went to Jerusalem to the Passover,
cleansed the temple, foretold His death
and resurrection, wrought miracles and
had this interview with Nicodemus.
2, 8. Here is the second of the 25 dou-
BILE verilies Of this gospel: The first Il, 5D
speaks of the glory Of the kingdom, the
second and third (verse 81 tell of the only
way to enter it. The great topic Of
Scripture is the kingdom and its glory,
when Jesus shall be acknowledged by all,
not only as King Of Israel, but as King
of Kings and Lord of Lords. The most
important thing for any one to know is
that he shall share the glory of that
kingdom.
4, 5. Nicodemus being only a natural
man, although very religious one, could
not understand spiritual things. They
were foolishness unto him, just as the
Spirit says in I Cor. ii, IA. In this third
double amen, or verify, the Lord Jesus
speaks of the manner Of this new birth
as being by water and the Spirit, which
is fully and clearly explained by few
other passages. The Spirit, through both
Peter and James, testifes that we are
born again by the word of God q Pet. ii,
%; Jas. j, 18), and through Paul He says
that the water is the word (Eph. V, 26).
Then our Lord says that His words are
spirit and life John vi, 63).
6, 7. The flesh or self or natural man,
old man, carnal mind, however religious
or moral it may become, is still and only
flesh and cannot see or enter the king
dom. The carnal mind dislikes God, is
not and never can be subject to the law
Of God Rom. viii, Z, 81. There is not, as
some teach, a spark of the Divine nature
in every one which only needs to be fan.
ned into fame.
8. As water suggests the Spirit and
the word, so wind suggests also the work
ing of the Spirit, as in Eek. xxxvii, 8, IA.
Its workings are manifest, but its whence
and thence or whittier and thither not so
easily understood. In the first chapter
or section of Genesis q, 1, to ii, 81 it is
written that "The Spirit moved" Then
1t is written ten times, "And God said,"
and so the work was done. All the work
of God is done by His Spirit through His
word.
8, 10. 1t would seem as if Nicodemus
might have known and grasped some
thing of that which our Lord was teach
ing him if he had been familiar with
Eek. xxxvi, 25-27. And it is difficult to
imagine a master in Israel not being fa-
miliar with the writings Of the prophets,
but it is possible, for tradition had very
largely taken the place of Scripture.
II. Here is the fourth double amen
and emphasizes the truth of that which
He was saying, and mans slowness to
receive it. One of the most wonderful
things is that God hath spoken to us
Heb. i, 1, 2; Isa. i, p, and another is
that those to whom He speaks refuse to
hear what He has to say (Ps. lxxxi, l3).
This oft repeated II say unto thee" is the
same as the Old Testament "Thus saith
the Lord" and when the Lord speaks it
is becoming in us to keep silence and let
our hearts say, "Amenr to all He says
CHab. ii, 20). 1t is for US to believe and
thus know and, believing, see by faith
that which others cannot see and testify
the same whether others receive it or
not.
II, IL. "The Son of Man which is in
heaven" While He was on earth in His
humiliation He was at the same time IN
heaven, as now in heaven at the Fathers
right hand He is also on earth wherever
two or three meet in His name, and to
the obedient believer He says, "Lo, l am
with you aIway" (Math. xviii, 20; xviii
2O). Whenever He speaks upon any sub
ject, earthly or heavenly, there is only
one thing for us to do and that is to re-
ceive meekly all He says. Let US ever
make Him glad by receiving His words
| (John xvii, s..
IA, Is. Since Nicodemus did not seem
! to be familiar with prophecy the Great
| Teacher takes him to the more simple
lessons of the picture book of the law Of
| Moses. He must have been familiar with
| this incident, and as the Lord spoke of it
he would see it all as a living picture be-
| fore his eyes. He would see the bitten,
dying people. and on the pole the likeness
of that which had bitten them, which
when they saw they lived. The cure
came not from within them nor by apply
| ing remedies to their wounds, but by
looking upon the representation of that
| which had bitten them. About them
they saw the living destroying serpents.
| On the pole they saw the representation
| of dead serpent Sin is that which has
| slain us, but on the cross We see Him
| who knew no sin made sin for us.
16. do not know any better way to
use this wonderful verse than to write
| your own name instead Of 1.-The world"
| and "whosoever" and heartily believe
| that it means just what it then says. and