The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-11-14
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS.
FOR NOVEMBER ID.


15 - Memory Verses, 17.19 - Com
msntary on the Days Lesson.
IL. Gas He went to Jerusalem From
Ephraim, where Jesus and His disciples
had been in seclusion. Through the
midst" This mention of Samaria before
Galilee is confusing, being the opposite
direction to journey to Jerusalem.
Probably through the midst" is to be
understood as meaning "along the from
tiers Of"
u. "Ten men were lepers." The lep-
rosy was a disease which the Jews sup.
posed to be inflicted for the punishment
of some particular sin, and to be, more
than other diseases, a mark of Gods dis
pleasure; therefore Christ took particular
pains to cleanse the lepers. There were
| ten in this company, for though they were
shut out from the society of others, they
were at liberty to mingle together. The
law pronounced the leper unclean, and he
was obliged to warn passers. by with the
cry of ''unclean, unclean." Leprosy is a
type of sin. The leper was % defiled,
and he defled everything he touched, (2l
extremely loathsome. and (3( shut out of
society. This all applies with equal force
leper were also unclean. Lev. l3: 47-59;
IA: 3347. We must see to it that our sur
roundings are not infected. The clothes
we wear, the books we read, the company
we keep, the places we frequent, the
scenes we visit, if leprous, will cause our
death. Which stood afar off," They
were not permitted to come near to per-
sons in health. Lev. l3: 46; Mum. 5: 2.
13. Lifted UP their voices" Their re-
quest was unanimous. The ten cried as
with one voice; They had evidently heard
of the fame of Jesus and how He cured
the leprqsy. Jesus, Master" Their
do not yet know the Saviour's dignity
prophet, mighty in deed and word "Have
mercy on us" They knew they were lep-
crs, and that no human power could save
them; they accordingly, very. properly,
plead for mercy. Jesus always helps those
who thus call upon Him. It is mercy that
the sinner must have. Justice would de-
stroy him in moment. These ,lepers, l..
See their helplessness. 2. Have faith in
Jesus. 8. Appeal to His s|compassion.,
4 H. "When He saw them" 1t was
sight that might have touched any heart,
for they were smitten with living death.
The pity of Jesus was excited, and He
called to them Immediately. "Show your,
selves unto. the priests" To obtain the
testimony of the priests that they were
really cured and might be released from
mitted into society," According to the
law Lev. H.: 2-32) the priest alone had
authority to declare person clean or un-
clean, and whenever Jesus healed leper
He sent him Immediately to the priest.
See Matt. s: 4. GAS they went, they were
cleansed." Jesus did not touch them as /,
in Matt. g. 8, but caused their faith in
Him to be tested. They were commanded
to- 60 to the priest, and they actually
started on the Journey before they were
healed. 1t was strong test, but their
perfect confidence in Christ was equal to
it. They had heard no words of cleans.
ing, they felt no change in their diseased
bodies; but they went. They acted their
faith. Every step, they took away from
the presence of Christ proved that they
trusted Him. They took Jesus at His
word. This is faith. Many will not be-
lieve until they see what they call a rea-
son for it, but. such are never likely to be
saved. The best reason for believing and
obeying is that we are in harmony with
Gods express command. The person who
acts on God 3 word is safe. II g
Is. Zone of them. d" The Samaritan.
The other nine who were Jews would nat
urally separate from him as they started
to their priests at Jerusalem. The Sam
aritan no doubt started to his own priests. (,
when he saw-turned back" They had
not gone far until they saw they were
healed, and they, should have returned, if
but for q moment, to thank their benetar-
actor for 2deliyeraflce from a disease that
was worse than death. But the nine Jews
were too much taken up with themselves
in their desire to obtain official certif-
Gates from The priests to think OF this.
with q loud voice glorifed God. Be
cause of the wonderful cure that had been
wrought in him. He had been loud in
prayer and now heN is loud IN praise;
Saved souls have aspecid license granted
them to praise the Lord: See Luke 10:
37-4O@ David said. Seven times a day,
do I praise Thee" Psa.t 49,. l64. The
wonder is that. we do not praise Him
more. Se,llsS :.
l6.taOn" his face at His feet" Before
he wasthealed he remained at distance,
but now he draws near, and in a humble
posture he shows all who are present what
the Lord has done, for him. "Giving
Him thanks" The least any one should
do is to express, thankfulness for Gods
rich blessings. Ingratitude is great sin.
It. is said Of the heathen that "when they
knew God, they glori6ed Him not as God,
neither were thankful" Rom. /: 81. "A
Samaritan" One who professed very
corrupt religion, and from whom much
less was expected than fror he other
nine. X, .' ,o,, =,
iTl7. "Were there not ten cleansed" He
knew that He had cleansed the other
nine. How rich Christ is in doing good.
Here was cure by Wholesale. There Is
an abundance Of healing, cleansing virtue
IL &c OF
His patients. "Where are the nine?" A !
sadness of tone is 'perceptible in this
question. The nine received the healing,
but forgot the Healer. However great or Y
numerous the temporal favors God be- Y
slows upon men. few comparatively give
Him the glory due to His name. Jesus
noticed the. slight offered Him, and called j
attention to it. We should be careful
and not be one of the nine. II
IS. "To give glory to God" They had
shown their tingratitude to God. When!
we fail to honor Christ we dishonor Co
1t is the duty of all people to give gES|
to God. Jer. l3: l6. Save this strlI
er"-Or "alien." The Samaritans we're
Genties. Their .relig ion was mixture
of Judaism and idolatry; they worshiped
thew knew not what. In this transaction
the Lord saw foreshadowed the bringing
in of the Gentiles to His church.
10. "Thy faith" His confidence in
Christ was the means, and the power of
Christ the cause, of his cure. The true
nature of faith is here very clearly dis,
played as consisting principally in moral
Qualities of obedience and love-. Hath
made thee whole" Hath saved thee"
(R. v. margin) is much better: There
was more done for him that the mere
healing of his body. His faith had led
him as humble penitent to the Christ,
- NsI.annarW huff a discinle