Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-05-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON WI, SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY 10.
Text of the Lesson, Luke vii. $3.50.
Memory Verses. 44-45-GoIden Text.
Luke vii. 5o-Com,nentary Prepar-
ed by the Rev. ID. M. stearns.
IcoRyrIsht. 70. b D. v. s.earns.l

90 oNHlS IN u x NIflSHG mousse. ululDs
with him. is the picture now before us.
He never thrust Himself where lie was
mol wanted, but often went invited where
He knew they had no love for Him.
Verse 30 says that the Pharisees aud
lawyers rejected the counsel of God
against themselves In Math. xiii. :,
IS we hear oar Lord saying Of the Fhar-
isees that all their good works were sim.
ply To be seen of men; their righteousness
was only outward, while within they
were fun of hypocrisy and iniquity. Our
Lord Jesus, God manifest in the flesh,
knowing what was ID man, did not hest.
tate to come in contact with such and
wss ready 10 give them His righteous.
ness.
81, IS. Here is one who is conscious
that she is unrighteous. conscious also
that others knew that she was one of the
tov.n's unhallowed sisterhood She has
a deep sense Of her sinfulness ard fcitA
in Jesus as the Saviour of sinners She
had quick ear for anything of Him, for
when she knew where He was she quick
iy came lie made her forget all others,
so that she did not hesitate to enter 81
mons house. Her sorrow for her sin
washed His feet; her own hair, her Clio.
ry Il Cor. ri. 15l, she gladly used as u
towel, while her kisses aud her ointment
soothed them. She was wholly occupied
with Him; lie was to her altogether
lovely" If she had exceeded ia sin.
she also exceeds in her affection for
Him.
80, 40. Simon. who saw only the out
ward and judged others by himself
thought in his heart that Jesus could not
be a prophet. else lie would have known
the character of this woman and, know
ing it. would not have suffered her TO
touch Him. But he did not know the
Lord Jesus; he did not know God: he did
not know what was written in the law
about God-that He is the Lord God.
mercifuT and gracious. forgiving iniquity,
transgression and sin lex. Xxxiv. q, ~.
Our Lord read Simon's thoughts. for He
knows everything that comes into our
minds tIzek xi, ~. and He told Simon
that He had something to say to him.
He who was full of compassion must
have been grieved to see none of it in
His host.
Al, AZ. He told of two debtors. one OF
whom owed ten times as much as the
other. but they were both alike in this
that neither of them had anything with
which to pay his debts. Under these cir
cumstances the creditor frankly forgave
them both. and our Lord asks of Simon.
(Which of them will love him mosty'
We can see in the story Simon and the
poor. sinful woman, not that Simon owed
less than the woman. but he thought he
did. In his own estimation he was
very small sinner. if sinner at all. when
compared with this woman.
43. Simon answered that he supposed
the one would love most who had been
forgiven most, and the Saviour said.
"Thou hast rightly judged" Simon did
not speak from experience. Although his
conclusion was right. it was merely a cold
calculation. He knew nothing of the
love of God and the forgiveness Of sins.
He was like those who were present in
the house when the man brought by four
friends was healed. There were doctors
of the law and other self righteous ones
present and the power Of the Lord was
present to heal them. but they were not
healed. for they felt no need Of healing.
44-iG. "SeeSt thou this woman" Wash
ing His feet with her tears, ceasing not
10 kiss them and amounting than with
ointment. such were the outward mani
fcstations Of heart full of gratitude
and devotion 10 her Lord. Jesus had
come at Simon's invitation, but simon
had offered no water for His feet. no kiss
of greeting no oil for amounting. There
was not even a cordial welcome TO his
home for his invited guest and no eyl-
dence whatever of love or gratitude or
devotion. Simon did not know his guest.
nor did he know himself, but his guest
knew him and would have blessed him II
he had been willing to be blessed.
T., .gl4 - fTau-
given. for she loved much" One has
said that the essence of her heart was
distilled to battle His feet. the glory Of
her head was unbound to furnish Him
with a towel. She would have given
kingdoms if she had them. but she did
her best. and He accepted. We are not
forgiven because OF our love or because
of anything in us. but we love because
we are forgiven God, who is rich IN
mercy, loved us even when we were dead
in sins. and we love because He first
loved us tEph ii. 4. 3; | John iv. I'D.
Salvation is to him that worketh not,
believeth on Him that justitieth the I'M
godly. The only justification is that
which is freely by His grace through the
redemptiou that is in Christ Jesus from.
Nv, s. iii. 24.
As And He said unto her. Thy sins
are forgiven" What a burden is forever
gone! What an eternal joy is begun when
we know that our sins are forgiven. When
He said these words TO the sick OF the
nalsy. He added, "SOn, he of good cheer
(Math. tx. p But can we know our sins
forgiven when we cannot see Him nor
hear Him tell us? Though we cannot see
Him. we certainly can hear Him tell u.s.
for in His word He speaks to us as
plainly as He spoke to this woman.
Through Jesus Christ is preached the for
giveness OF sins. and by Him all who be-
lieye are justified from all things facts
xiii. SO, 800. All who truly receive Him.
putting their trust in His precious blood
thus become children OF God tJohn !. ~
40. "Who is this that forgiveth sins
also?' When the sick of the palsy was
healed, the scribes said, who can for
give sins but God onlyT mic. ii, ID
oh, IL they had only said from the heart,
This man must be God-God come to