The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-30
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE 3.

Subject: The Twelve Sent Forth. Matt.
lx., 33 to T., S-Golden Text, Matt. K.
20-Memory Verses. ix., 36-33-Com-
nentary on the Days Lesson.
35. "Jesus went about" This shows that
jesus was actively engaged in the work.
'The gospel OF the Kingdom" He pro-
claimed the good news OF His spiritual
kingdom which He came to set up in the
righteousness, peace and Joy In the Holy
| Ghost" He told them Of O kingdom Of
! grace and glory nov to be set up under the
! government OF Mediator. "And healing
every sickness" To His preaching he
| Joins all works Of mercy and temporal as
slstance to the bodies Of mer. among
the people," He taught not only IN the
wealthy cities, but in tue poor villages and
In the private houses, and wherever He
! found earnest hearers.
So. "When He saw the multltudes." The
country was very densely populated at this
2me. This and the next two verses are IN
Introduction to the account given 10 the
following chapter. Several reasons led to
His commissioning the twelve apostles and
sending them out to preach. U The
growing esgerness Of the people to hear
be satisfied by one preachor.. (2) The
growing opposition OF the Pharlsees made
apparent the necessity OF not only ap-
pointing, but OF training men to preach
Christ's gospel. (3) 1t was because He
pitied the multitude, who were like
harassed and painting sheep without a
shepherd, and like harvest left unreapt
for want Of laborers. "With compassion"
An emphatic word showing how Christ
because they tainted" Distressed and
scattered. +. V. This refers to their
spiritual condition rather than to their
physical ailments. "As sheep" No crea.
ture Is more apt to 60 astray than sheep.
and having gone astray none are more
helpless, They are exposed to hunger,
cold and ravenous beasts. Sinful souls are
as lost sheep. "HavIng no shepherd"
They had many teachers, but none who
cared for their souls, and none who were
able, II they had been willing, to give them
such instruction as they needed. Their
teachers, instead OF serving God, served
their own glory and gain. -
81. Harvest plenteous laborers few"
There are multltudes to be won for the new
kngdom-multltudes prepared to hear,
for their spirits were broken under per-
sonal and national sorrow; but the number @
of right teachers was small. -Gelkle. The
Lord of-the harvest was being deprived OF
His harvest for want OF laborers to gather
1t In. What an accusation against the
scrlbes and priests! -. >
.SS. "Pray ye therefore," Successful la
borers are obtained In answer to prayer.
When things look discouragilg we should
pray more and fear less. ''The Lord of the
harvest" The great, divine Teacher. The
one who Is able to give q harvest OF souls.
"Send FORTH" Prepare and call many to-
preach the gospel. There is something
greater than preaching andkhat Is to nuke
preachers. Those whom God sends forth:
succeed, those who send themselves forth,
sooner or later fall How shall We preach
except we be sent2 "Laborers.p@ Jesus
wants laborers; there are OILY "a very few
who really work. a careless, easy-gofng
minister will always do,actual harm.
/. "His twelve disciples" After spend
Ing the preceding night In prayer the
Lord called the disciples together and
chose twelve, which suggests that he had
In mind the twelve patriarchs, heads, OF
the tribes Of Israel. They were called to-
gether as disciples, but after receiving au-Ij
thorIty they became apostles. BE gave
them power" Luke adds, authority"
Ali rightful authority is derived from Jesus
Christ. All power Is given unto Him, IN
heaven and in earth, and He alone can
dispense power. against unclean spir- q
It's" "Over unclean Spirits" B. The
casting out of unclean spirits Is here re-
ferred to as distinct from healing diseases.
"And to heal" The design OF the gospel
was to conquer the devil and cure the
world. The power and authority thus
given them would enable Them to command
the attention and respect OF even the scrlbes
and Pharlsees. so. "1T. ,,&
Q. Apostles" The only place in this
gospel where the word IS used: It means,
apostles were Simon, Peter, Andrew,
james, John. Philip. bartholomew (Na-
thanaeD, Thomas (Didymus(, Matthew
Gevi), James the son OF Alphens (called
also James the Less, or little, because he
was small Of stature), Jude (Ju das, Leb-
beus, Thaddeus. The brother OF James the
Less, and author Of the epistle which bears
his name), Simon the Canaanite 6cailed
also Simon Zelotes, or Simon the Zealot.
Canaanlte has no reference to Canaan, but
is derived from the Hebrew kama, zeal,
and was applied to Simon because OF his
great zeal In preaching the gospel OF
CHRISTI, and Judas Iscariot. ,, -
S. "Sent FORTH" They were sent two BY
two MARK 6:D In different directions.
They were not to go alone. Each must
have a compantonto give counsel and help
to each other In difficulties. and to cneer
each other on the way. They would thus
reach different classes OF minds, and ac-
complish more real work. Two are more
than twice one. $50 not" Do not take
any road leading to Gentle population.
The time had not come for establishing
missions to the GsntIles., A base OF opera
tions must be secured among the Jews.
This Limitation was confined to this mis-
sion. ENTER ye not" Salvation must hrst
be offered to the Jews, aud to have gone to
the samaritans at this time would have
been stumbling g-block to the Jews.
6, ITO the lost Sheep" The Jewish
church was the ancient fold OF God, but
the sheep had wandered away and were
lost, and unless they were again found
and brought back to God they would be
lost eterually. "House OF Israel" The
Jews, descendants OF Israel. he looked
with compassion upon them because they
had strayed into the paths Of sin and
error, and were In wandering and dan.
gerous condition. "Ths Gentlles also had
been as lost sheep Pet, 2:25.
preachers. "Kingdom Of heaven is at
hand" We should still make the kingdom
OF heaven the subject OF our preaching,
and tell the world that tue kingdom has
come. The King Is now here, and saliva
tIon Is offered freely to all who will re-
pent. Matt. 8; 2; AIT.
8. "Raise the dead" This is wanting in
many manuscripts, and Is believed by sew
eral good authorities to be spurious, al
though retained In R. Y. The first tnstance
In which an apostle raised the dead Is re-
corded In the books OF Acts. 9:36-41. IL
seems very improbable that our Lord I'M
parted at so early period this highest OF
all forms OF supernatural power. "Freely
rive" As YOU have received miraculous
powers without paying for them, exert
those powers without receiving compensa'