The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-17
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY 7.


ISTaonUrT1oS.-Six months pass avay
after tho birth OF John, tho f0reruuner, and
then comes the bizth OF Jesus, the Mes
slab. the most important event in tho
worlds history. Our lesson begins with
great majesty rs it reiers to the Emperor
Augustus, ''at whose feet lay the whole
| known world, and to whose command
| obedience was rendered iu every country,
and city, and village" 1t then descends
| to tell OF the obscure birth of IN infant, In
one OF the mcst obscure towns, in IN OBJ.
| scure province; but 1t rises again into
greater majesty as 1t describes the multi
,ude OF heavenly vlstants who announce
the glory and greatness Of the child.
/. "In those days" That is about the
time John the Baptist was born and the
events took place rs related in the pre-
reding chapter. Caesar Augustus" The
| arst OF the Roman emperors. Gall tho
| world" All Of the Roman world. At that
! time tho Roman empire extended further
| than ever before, or than it has since, and
was called "the empire Of the whole earth"
Taxed" Enrolled, or registered, probably
| with view to- taxing:
| two enroliments, s g Cyrenius'' Or Quiz:
| inius.5 There IS a chronological difficulty
here. Quirinius was Governor OF Syria In
IA. D.. Is, ten;ysarslhter than this, and ut
| thatstime he took: a census to- which st.
| Luke refers IN Acts 5: 81. X May eIplana-
tions have been suggested, The most satis-
factory explanation OF the matter seems to
be that Quirintus, was twice Goyernor OF
Syria, In B. c. 4, rs well as in36sD 6. This
yeems to be we'll established fact.
| HInto his own city, The Roman
custom was to enrol persons at the place OF
residence, but the Jewish custom required
| Pho anf total ka MIN frjllfhn tj,,
city. u ~
much more elevated region OF Beth Iehem.
."Citv Of David" Wheres Dayid was born
5."With Mary It is uncertain whether
her presence was obligatory or voluntary,
butlt;is obvious that, aftertwhat she had
suffered (hIatt. 1:19D, she chose to cling to
the presence and protectionsof her hus-
band. tEspoused wife. - Better who was
IS. "WhiIe there j, Ce sars Augustus was
but an Instrument in the hand OF Provi-
hence to tfuthll the prophecy OF Micah
(chap. 5:2) with respect toths birthplace
|. OF the Messiah ~ }sssss
"a. "Her arst-born son, 3 Yhat excellent
and glorious person, who was the lrst born
81 every creature, and the. heir OF all
things; whom all tho lrsts born in the Old
Testament pref gs,rad; WHOM tho angels
|
ibelieye become the irst sborns and the first
fruits OF Gods Great pres. In a manger."
/ Probably some; ,ca5e or grotto used for
shelterlngS cattle, aud perhaps belonging
to the same shephskds to whom the "glad
Etidingssg were 3fsf brought t'God and
mnn; The old and NOV covenants; heaven
and earth, meet lnH II manger." The only
5perspn who had thAipf1vllege OF choosing
His bifthp lace 6se9to be born In a man
cor. inn;E saA squire erection,
open inside, WfiDre travellers put up, and
whose 3rsar portions were used as stables"
tsS tS. t.Same country" Near. probably not
I'D mile away. "Shepherds." 1t was very
+ fproper that the announcement should be
\ fmadeto Shepherds Abraham and David,
4 TO whom the promise OF the Messiah was
Il fret made, were shepherds, and now the
4 Chief Shepherd is about. to appear and tho
!, shepherds are the first to receive the glad
news. "In the field" They undoubtedly
had tents or booths under which they
"keeping nightwutches." They watched
by turns. against wild beasts and robbers
Tue fact that the shepherds we're in the
! fields affords no ground for concluding
that the nativity could not havs taken
! place in the winter. The average tempera.
ture at Jerusalem for Ave years was, ~
December, fifty.four degrees.
9. "Augel." Diyiue messenger. "Came
upon them" Stood over them. "Glory
OF tho Lord" That extreme splendor In
which the Deity Is represented US appear.
ing to men, and sometimes called the She.
chinah-an appearance frequently attend
ed, as in this case, by Il company OF angels.
1t is likely that the angel appeared In the
air at some littlo distance above them, and
that from Him the rays OF the glory OF the
| Lord snone round about them, as the rays
OF light are projected from the SUI. "Sore
afraid.'' "Terraed with the appearance
; of 50 glorious 4 being" There Is no proof
here that tho shepherds were morally in.
pure and afraid that divine justice was
j about to be lneted out to them. Ever holy
! men tremblo when they come in contact
4 with the supernatural.
ing OF Gospel" 1 am come to declare the
4 loving OF the Lord. Ny message
4 will cause great Joy. 1t is n message to you
(Jsws) first. and il also reaches to call the
people," R. V. 70 the whole human race
See, Gen. 1873; Matt. 23:l9; Luke e:2S.32; q
IS. Al; Col. 1:2l-os.
Ill. "Ts born' Isa. 9:6 John lila
'David's greater Son begins his earthly
career in his ancestors hons. Seven hun
dred years before, u prophet had predicted
the Messiah's birth at Bethlehem. Mic. S
| &. u SaSloS. W n ueiiFoloi' Ns) n
restore-. (3) A preserver. Matt. 1:2l
"Not, shall be u Savior, but born aSavior.'''
"Chrlst" The Anointed Oae. Christ 1.
the Greek word corresponding to the He
brew word Messiah. III ancient times pro
phots, priests and kings were anointed
with oil when set apart to their sncred
work. "Christ was anointel for these holy
offices, which We may share with Him by
His amounting US with the Holy Ghost.
| hrio 10 fpio fl1y ar n
these unspeakably important Offices. ...
because He is "The Lord" God, as well
US man."
I 12. "A sign The very thing tha! would
have caused them 10 doub! was made the
sign unto them. Any fear as to whether
they may approach the newborn King and
offer Him their homage is dispc ell by the
intimation OF His lowly condition, while
their carnal views OF the aatuss OF His king.
dom are thereby counteracted.
13. "A multitude" They descended to
honor the Prince OF Peace. Heavenly
host" The army OF angels which is renre.
sented RS surrou lding the throna OF God
See Kings 22:ia: Ps;. lO3:20,2l; 1892.
H. "dlory In the highest Christ Is
the highest glory OF God. On earth peace.
Peace to man: pencs with God; peace ol
conscience. Good will God has shown
His good will by sending tue Messiah
Is. "Let US now go" There Is no time
to lose. Let us so now. This is the Ian
guase OF obedience desiring to receive as
surauce and strength" by seeing for them
selves ''this thing which Ia come to pass.
16. with haste.' Filled and thrilled
with holy Joy they could not inger. "And
found" at is probable that by com munl
ating their experiences toeach oshss tIel!
faith vps greatly strengthened"
RL LoopHouNps FOR CANTON. OHIO.