The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-24
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Luxe li., 4-Mem ory Verses, 3-G-Com.
nentary on the Days Lesson.
ISTRoDucTIoS.-Johnt the Baptist was 81.
months older than Jesus. Their mothers
Mary and Elizabeth, were cousins. John
was born at Juttab, Il city five miles south
OF Hebron, In the hill country OF Judea.
For thirty. years we hear nothing OF him
except that he was In the deserts. Sud
denly be appears as prophet, reformer and
tie forerunner Of Christ. lie was an au.
stere Nazarite in appearance, dress food
and mode OF life. He was like 4 reproduc.
tion OF Elijah OF old. He was priest by
birth. He stands out In sharp contrast
with the spirit and manners of his time.
CONNECTING LINKs.-A little more thar
seventeen years have passed since We saw
Jesus at the Passover feast in Jerusalem
He is still In secluslon at Nazareth but His
forerunner appears on the scene.
/. "In the fifteenth year, Augustus
Caesar died in August, A. D. II, but three
years before his death, in August, A. D. II
he called Tiberias to reign with him, ant
st. Luke evidently reckons from that time
ETIberias was very bad man, given tc
drunkenness and cruelty. "Pontius Pi
late" Plate was governor OF Judea fol
ten years, from A. D. 26 to So. His relgr
was bad. He was finally banshed, aud i:
said to haveklled himself. "Herod being
tetrarch." Tetrarch meant originally the
ruler of fourth part OF Il country, but was
afterwards used with reference to any trl.
hutary ruler AFTER the death OF Heroi tue
Great his donninions were divided. This
WAS Hsrod Antipas, tetrarch OF Galllee,
who beheadsd John, and to whom Jesus
was sent at the time OF His trial. "Ituraa
-. Abilene Two provinces OF Syria
northeast of.Judea.
2. "AnnasAnd Caiaphas." Caiaphas was
the son-in-l8E Of Annas, or Ananias, and II
Is supposed THAT they exercised the high
priests ofic6by turns. The law provided
for only one high priest, and he was to
hold oflce foriife, but surely we have two
here. Clarke thinks that Caiaphas was
only deputy. q" Came unto John" The
Holy Spirit came upon him in the desert
where he was living. "son Of Zacharlas."
See chap. 1858. SIN the wilderness"
"The term wilderness was given to dis,
trictSwhich was not regularly cultivated
and Inhabited ls
8. "The baptism OF repentance" John
was n repentance preacher. TnisS was ia
baptism requiring and representing an In
ward spiritual change; the pied gs oE re-
mission Of o. sins to those whosHste trntyS
4. "As it is written" Luke calls aftenxs
tion to Isaiah's prophecy regarding the
character OF the coming reformation.
THE voice." "The prophecy draws atten-
Lion to the work rather than to the
worker" This voice WAS clear, distinct, ,
loud. "Prepare ye.' The idea is taken
from the practice OF eastern monarchs,
who, whenever they took o journey, sent
harbingers before them to prepare the
way. The Jewish church was the desertx
country. 2 ..... %, .fs1sSt5s,tsssltg
S. every valley, etc." This iss figuNsdisss
tive language. Tue words illustrate ,tbe$
leveling force OF the Gospel" Th3re must
be thorough preparation before a3
our. King, will come to US. Tue self sllif9
must "be brought low" The srooksd4s
dishonest life must be Strengthened. .,x ''x .Lefs
US remove the obstructions OF unbeiiefMpd
carnal desires. M n,
s. "All flesh" Gentiles as we'll as Js5gs.s
"Shall see." I. will not be neeessaf fbs
depend on the testim ony OF otherss5 a
I. "rhe multitude" Matthew m(hff0 Z
Pharlsees and Sadducees. "ToebhHb
tized." This was Il baptism unto&&f6
ance; It was not Christianss ~ 24 =
"Generation ofvlpers." "Brood9 81
'srbis denotes persons decsltl1
cious.' "a terribly exprcx5
Ee called them akssl = <
LET US reIneMber 4
severe. >" ~ John Hash Z
must show theif resgE 61Sj Tx ~
duct. Repentance 81 33t$ y 4 :
tion; (2) coDtrfuo1; S54topS
formations; and 3eadg8 A 4:
Jesus, Peter aud R67EDG r
heart Is to seek out sexeases and
iuges when the conscience is, tope8 81;
John hatters wo common errors. ~
that baptism would be sufficient
tho wrath OF God away. and seebl4 ~
because they ere children 0Gs III
therefore they are safe. 'Thes&
Undoubtedly reference to thege8 fuE
the Gertiies. Out OF these haf3i4 4nre84
crate hearts God is able toslta 5earf
fesh and children OF Abrahdm. 4 "a a
9. "Ths axe is laid." These an alls
here to woodman, who, having mhEk
tree for eXcision, lays hisaxe at stll9|
while he lays of bis outer garmeh -
der that he may wteids g 9xe
blows. The JsyIsI "a Z,
! ! !! ! ! ! ! !
a15f958 3F8f tGEothe the naked andb
tho kahgry. sJas. 1:27. That is the
spirit Of the Gospel. 81
12. .PubIicuns." TaE--athererI. A6 2
fee detastel by the Jews, yet JohhS
not con1emni it. a.
13. Exact no more" These tul-gS n i
ers collected taxes for the Roman; empAt35
and "they exactel more than tkAH6
ment authorized them to do, an{
plus they pocketed.' q
H. "Do violenceto no man." JQt -;
mands three things OF the soldiers.
are not required to quit the business,
they must Ue just and upright' and s833
their wicked life il he baptized them. "H36
exhortation plainly implies the right OF
war under certain circumstances. 1t Is u.
DESTROYER and bErbarizer, but in the over.
ruling providence Of God it may become
civilizer."
15 Whether He were tho Christ John
spoke with such Authority, eloquence ana
power that the people began TO thins LIE
was the Messiah.
16. "Oae migutier than l." "His bap-
tism will effect what mine is powerless to
do" "Nos worthy" John shows his
greatness by selr-abasenent. "With fire.
Fire is the emblem OF tho Holy Spirit.
II. Whose fan" The fun, or the in
strument for purSing, is the Gospel.
Floor" His church. "Wheat.' True
believers. Garner" The kingdom ot
grace hero and OF heaven hereafter. Fire
uuqnenrhable. Sec Matt. 25:G
IEa,rIsGs.--The preaching of tho gos-
pe! includes the announcement o: the most
fearful judgments. Great and goodsmen
are always humble men. True humility is
one OF the marks Of true greatness. "a