The Western star., 1900-01-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON Nv. JANUARY %,
MATT. 3: 13, 4: II.
Tho Baptism and temptation of Jesus
This Is My Beloved Son, In whom
am We'll Pleased''-Matt. 8: ~
Prepare for the Beat Life.

lS. Then cometh Jesus" Probably in
January, A. p. e. after John had been
preaching six months: from Nazareth, his
nome In "Galilee," being about 80 years
old Uuke 8: 2S. ITO Jordan" Probably
at the ford near Jericho and not far from
Bethabara John L: 2S). ITO be baptized
of (by) him" Why did Jesus wish to be
baptized? 1t showed where Jesus stood in
relation 20 the preaching Of John.
IA. John forbade him" The imperfect
tense in the or ginal implies that John
was about to forbid him, as R. ", would
have hindered him." Il have need"
am the sinful but repentant one 1 an.
the inferior, only the doorkeeper, the IRE
peNer of the way.
10. Suffer" Permit. Thus It beco n.
eth us to fulfill righteousness" For SAe
reasons given above ". 1S). 1t was t1e
right thing to do.
16. Went up straightway out of ths
water" and up the bank OF the river HI
was praying as he went duke 5: 21. TEhus
it was when he was transfgured. The
heavens were opened" In Mark, r. ".
rent asunder." All that had hidden
from him the view of his heavenly home
and his Father above was rent asunder.
and he saw into the very heaven of heav-
ems.
It. 'Lo. a voice from heaven" Three
times during our Lords earthly min stry
was heard a voice from the heaven: q
al his baptism: (2) at his transformation
Mark .: -; 90 in the courts of the tenn
pie during Passion Week John II: 2S).
This is my beloved Son. in whom 1 am
well pleased" Thus God endorsed him
and his miss on, and showed TO the jew
ish natifIl that he was the Messiah. 1t
must also have strengthened and con-
firmed tn human Jesus as to his nature
and his work.
l. Then was Jesus led up Of the Spir-
It." It was just after his baptism and he
was full of the Holy Spirit duke 4: u.
1t was some impulse of this Spirit that
impelled him to go Mark /: l0. Into
the wilderness" Where in solitude he
could be absorbed in intense meditation.
and fight for himself the great battle with
temptation. Mark says he was with the
wild beasts" d. e. without human COM
panionship or help. TO be tempted OF
the devil" For the whole forty days, &C.
cording to Luke. 1t was not merely one
sudden assault The three temptations
were either a summary Of the whole forty
DAYS experience, or the final assaults at
the close.
Q "Fasted forty days and forty nights"
Being tempted all the time Mark. Luke.
He was probably thinking, praying. plan
ming "He was aftcrwHrd an hungered." "
| When the reaction has begun, hunger as
! serts its claims with a force so terrible
| that (as has been shown again and again
! in human exprrience) such moments are
frauCht with the EXTREMIST peril to the
| soul.-Cam Bible.
s. The tempter came to him" In this
| hour, when his desire for food was
strongest. and his powers of resistance
weakest. IF thou be (ar0 the Son OF
| God" If Won reailv are Gods Son. and
hence are possessed of miraculous pow
ers, command that these stones" prob
ably pointing to one of the small round
| fat stones lying near him. which looked
! like their IoaVes ''be made bread, and
thus satisfy your hunger. and at the same
! time prove that YOU have the powers oi
| the true Son of God.
4. 1T is written" In Deut 3: 3. quoted
from the Greek translation. Man shall
not live by bread alone" BY food for the
body.
5. 'Taketh him up into the holy city
| Jerusalem. literally, or in spirit. "On a
| (the) pinnacle" or rather. wing, of the
| temple" "Herods temple had two wings
the northern and southern. OF which th'
southern was higher and grander, hence
probably the wing"
& "Tf thou he the Son of Cod" Thus
] Il
self down" Not into the valley Of Hin
nom. but into the court of the templ
among the crowds For il is written.
in Psa 81: II. Septuagint (Greek) version
then in common use. The devil can cit
Scripture for his purpose" He shall CIV
his angels charge" etc. satan 5 mean
ing is You can DO this act in perfec
safety, for you rest on God's promise
which cannot be broken. and you mono
| confidence in nj
Word.
7 1T IS written Deut. G: 1@ again.
On the other hand as explaining tn
words YOU quote. Thou shalt not temp
the Lord thy Cod" That is, 'distrus
God or test his power presumptuously.
A case is described. Ex. II: 1-'.-Lutnera
| cor, If is to demand that God shoul
fuIfu his promises to those to whom the
are not made, and i'm circumstances
which they do not apply or else appea
to have dishonored his Word.
9 "The devil taketh him up" probabl
IN vision or imagination. as there is n
mountain from which can be seen wit
the natural eye 'all the Kingdoms or tn
world, and the glory of them Not onl
the splendid courts and cities IKE TOM
but the kingdoms of literature, art an
culture in Greece; the 'barbaric pearl
and gold" of the Orient; and possibly
vision of the future.
"Au these things will I give thee.
Tn a measure Satan did have these thins
Christ later called him the prince
This world" On everything he ha
stamped his seal. IF thou wilt fall dow
and worship me-" Satan does not mea
a baId act of worship. bending In on
ward reverence to the grim king OF darl
ness.
10 Get thee hence Satan" It We
nv this proposal that Satan revealed min
self. This was the IthurieFs spear thi
made everything II touched appear in /
true nature. as Milton represents IT
the Temptation in Eden. For it is wri
ten (Deut. 6: 13). Thou shalt worship II
Lord thy God" The first and great con
mandment. There is none other WORTH
OF worship, and there is no other way
gaining the true kingdom of God.
II. "Then the devil leaveth him. Fl
O season" duke 4: 13). He was temple
again and again: at last in Gethsemal
and on the cross. And. behold angels
spiritual beings: probably in visible for
on this occasion. "Ministered" most ma
uallv means supplied him with foods
as In the case of Elijah q Kings 19:
ond with all spiritual support, comic