The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-04-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson In the International Series fer
April 20. 19OO-Jesus end John
the Baptist.
Prepared by II. c. Lenington.l
THE LESSON TEXT.

Prepared by H. c. Lenington.l
THE LESSON TEXT.
duke 71s-2S)
is. And the disciples of John showed him
of all these things
10. And John calling unto him two Of
his disciples sent them to Jesus saying:
Art Thou He that should conner or look we
for another2
20. When the men were come unto him.
they said: John Baptist hath sent us unto
Thee. saying: Art Thou He that should
come? or look we for another?
Fl. And In that same hour He cured many
OF their infirmities and plaques, and of
evil spirits; and unto many that were
blind He gave sight.
%. Then Jesus answering said unto tn
Go your way. and tell John what things We
have seen and heard; how that the blind
see. the lame walk. the lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the
poor the Gospel is preached.
%. And blessed Is he, whosoever shall
not be offended in Me.
"a. And when the messengers of John
were departed. He began to speak unto
the people concerning John, What went
ye out into the wilderness for to see? A
reed shaken with the wind?
20 But what went We out for to see? A
man clothed In soft raiment? Behold, they
which are gorgeousdy apparelled. and live
delicately. are In kings courts.
26. But what went We out for to see? A
prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much
more than prophet
a. This is he, of whom It Is written. Be-
hold, send my messenger before thy face,
which shall prepare thy way before thee.
rs. For say unto you: Among those that
are born OF women there Is not a greater
prophet than John the Baptist; but he that
is least In the Kingdom of God is greater
than he.
GOLDEN TEXT. = He hath done all
things well.-Mark 1887.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The lesson should include all the
Gospel narrative concerning the mes
sage of John and what Jesus said on
receiving it. This is told in substan-
tally the same language in both Mat
thew 11:2-19 and Luke Z: 1895. The story
of the raising of the widows son (being
the connection with last Sundays les
sony should also be read. The follow
ing analysis of the Scripture section
can then be made, all from the seventh
chapter of Luke:
Raising Of the Widows Son.. ...... .vs. I'LL
Johns Message to Jesus...........vs. 1920
The Answer of Jesus. 21-23
Jesus breaches to the People. A-35
Raising the Widows Son.-This is
the first one of the three instances
which we have Jesus recorded as rails
ing one from the dead. The other two
cases are the raising of the daughter
of Jairus, and the bringing forth of
Lazarus. 1t emphasizes anew the power
of Jesus over the forces of nature, and
the promise dear to the Christian
heart) of q life after death
Johns Message to Jesus.-The ac-
count of the miracles of Jesus and pos
sibly of the sermon on the mount
reached John the Baptist in his prison.
He had been imprisoned at Macherus
since the March before. 1t was now
midsummer in the year A. D. 2s. He
had pointed Jesus out as "the Lamb OF
God" but sitting idly in the prison was
a discouraging occupation. He became
gloomy and wondered, perhaps, if after
all he had not missed his calling wher
he had gone out to preach that "the
kingdom of Heaven is at hand" He
had seen, and with his own hand bap
tized, the one he expected was to be
the head of this kingdom, yet this
king was only going about and preach
ing. So he sent two of his disciple.
to Jesus to ask: "Art thou He thai
should come? or look we for an
other?"
The Answer of Jesus. - How like
Jesus it was to make the answer II,
did! 1t was after Gods own method
Out of all the countless cons of silenc,
God has spoken to mortal man but
a few times. But He has not been idle
By the wonders of nature, and in the
world around and about men He ha!
been trying to reveal His purpose. Mar
thinks he can learn by precept, but
history shows that experience is tn,
only instructor man will follow. 81
God has been silently working. Now
when the disciples of John came tt
Jesus, He said nothing directly, bu
we are told that "in that same hour H,
cured many of their infirmities anC
plaques. and of evil spirits; and unto
many that were blind He gave sight
This was the answer of Jesus. The1
Jesus said: go your way, and tel
John what things ye have seen ant
heard"
Following the translation of the re
vised version, the twenty-third vers'
may be paraphrased: "Happy is h
who shall not find in Me an occasion
Of stumbling"
Jesus breaches to the People.-Thi
sermon of Jesus is (D tribute to John
and (2) an arraignment of the Phari
sees. He calls the peoples attention
to the fact that it was the simpl
preaching of John which attracte,
multitudes to the wilderness to hea
him. He speaks Of John as prophet
and the greatest Of prophets. He
more than a prophet; he is the on
who, as it had been foretold. was t.
prepare the way of the Lord. Thos
who had been baptized by John agree'
to this, or as the text says, "Justifie
God" But the pharisees and lawyer
scoffed. Jesus turns upon them. an,
shows them their inconsistency. The,
had evidently said: "John hath
devil" because he neither ate brea
nor drank wine. But Jesus conforme,
more to the customs of the day, an