The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-12-13
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER lo.


1O-Golden Text; Luke xix, IO-Mem-
ory Verses, S-10--Commentary ON the
Days Lesson.
]. "And passed through" "Was mass.
ing through" (R W Zaecheus evident.
ly lived in the city. Tidings of the an.
proach of Christ and His apostles must
have preceded Him. Since the raising of
Lazarus, short time before this. the
fame of Jesus had spread throughout this
part of the country, and many were anx-
ious to see Him.
2. "a man named Zaccheus." He was
jew by birth ". 9), but because he had
engaged in business so infamous in the
eyes of the Jews, he was considered as a
mere heathen. V 7. Zaccheus is the
Greek form of the Hebrew "Zaccai" and
means pure The meaning of his name
was in sharp contrast with his character,
which seems to have been bad for he con.
iessed to Jesus that he had, at least in
some cases, taken money from his fellow
townsmen by swearing falsely against
them before the magistrates "Chief
among the publicans." At Jericho was
located one of the principal custom-houses.
The trade in balsam was extensive. and
Iaccheus was evidently superintendent of
the tax collectors who had the oversight
of the revenue derived from that article.
He was rich" And like many rich men
had not always come honestly by his
money. II was no credit to him that he
was rich.
3. Sought TO see Jesus" At this time
Iaccheus must have had conviction of sin.
| lie was not satisfied with riches and his
| dishonest, wicked life. "NNho he was"
| Reports OF the miracles and teachings of
| the Great Prophet were current, and there
was great excitement ON all hands. But
probably the thing that interested Zac.
| cheus more than all else was that Jesus
| was paying especial attention to the pub.
| licans. Gould not for the crowd" (R.
| W This was the crowd that surrounded
| Jesus after He had healed blind Barti-
meus; the people were all praising God
| Luke Is: 43. Jesus was walking among
them with nothing to distinguish Him
from the others. Little of stature" Be
cause of this Zacchcus could not see over
| the heads of the multitude. Zaccheus is a
| typical character, the type of many who
are wanting to see Christ, but who are
| spiritually too short TO see Him.
4. And he ran before" lie laid aside
his dignity as "chief publican" and ran
along the road over which they were COM
ing. Climbed up into n sycamore tree"
Properly "sycomore" as in Il. V. A tree
with short trunk and wide lateral
branches. II grows TO large size some.
times to a circumference of fifty feet and
is evergreen. The sycomore tree is a type
of the means which are provided by which
we may overcome difficulties. Iaccheus
was in earnest and did not allow the
| crowds to stop him.
8. He looked up and saw him. While
Iaccheus had secured a place where he
might see Jesus he was made so prominent
that Jesus could at once see him. It was
natural enough for Jesus to look at Zac.
cheus but the truly divine part was in
that He fathomed his heart and understood
its longing better than Zaccheus himself
had done. "Zaccheus.' Whom lie had
never seen in the flesh, and of whom lie
had probably never heard. Make haste
and come down. Zaccheus had desired
to see Jesus, but now he is permitted to
converse with Him. lie that has mind
to know Christ shall be known of Him.
To-day" Ii is not known whether He
stopped merely for a midday rest or tar
ried over night. 81 must" A divine plan,
fixing every event in our Lords ministry.
Christ applies the greatest principle to the
smallest duty. What was this "must?"
To stop for an hour or two on His way to
Jerusalem and save sinner. Nothing is
too trivial to be brought under the domin.
ion of law, and to be regulated by the di
vine will.
g. "He made haste He had not cx.
pected to have the honor of being noticed,
much less to entertain the Royal Guest.
He hastens with joy to show Him all due
respect and receive Him into his house.
Receiving Him into his house bctokens
his receiving Him into his heart.
| T. When they saw it, The crowd of
Jews murmured 1t required courage to
meet the prejudices of a nation, but Jesus
always had courage to do the right "To
be guest" Thus recognizing Zaccheus as
an equal, socially, "a sinner" Publican
was synonymous with sinner and heathen
The jews did not keep promises with mur.
derers, thieves and publicans. The syna.
gogue's aims box must not receive their
aims. 1t was not lawful to use riches re.
ceived by them, nor could they judge or
give testimony in court. Hence we see
what breach of Jewish notions it was
for Jesus to cat with a publican, or be a
guest at his home.
s. STOOD" Before Christ and the
apostles and whatever guests were pres.
ent. "The half OF my goods" etc. Some
consider this to mean that he had already
done this, but it is far more probable that
he now determines to use his property for
God and humanity A few days before
this Jesus had shown how difficult it was
| lOI u ilCl man W tlltT lut hllHuOU OF
heaven, but, difficult as it is, here is n
rich man entering in. Contrast this with
the action of the rich young ruler. A
strong evidence of change of heart is
this change of practice. Liberality would
not lead to repentance, but repentance
leads to liberality. "If-by false accusa
ton" The ''if'' does not imply doubt I;
he has taken money wrongfully.
o. "ls salvation come" Zaccheus was
saved, delivered from his past sins and
made "a new creature" Proof was am.
pie: /. He had received Jesus gladly
2. He had repented and contested. 3. He
had pledged himself to make restitution
4. He had turned his riches over TO God
to be used for the good of others. "Son
of Abraham" Inasmucl as he has re.
pented and is forgiven, Zaccheus is as
good a son of Abraham as though he had
never been n sinner.
10. SIS come to seek" While Zacchous
was so desirous of seeing the Saviour
Jesus was more desrous to see and save
him. He had made journey to Jericho
for the purpose of seeking him out and
saving him. (Which was lost" A man
may be lost in more senses than one. Lost
in sin, lost in the crowd of men, lost in
doubt and fear, lost to his proper use
and joy in the world. In whatever sense
we may be lost, His purpose is to find a--l
save us.