The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-08-15
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST t9.

Subject: Tho Man Born Blind, John IL
LII Golden Text: John ix., 20 =
Memory Verses, 4, - Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
l. GAS Jesus passed BY" When the
Jews took up stones to stone. Him (Chap.
S:59) Jesus eluded them and passed out
disciples Saw man." Jesusowas most
observant He also. knew where to look
to find those who needed His help. Blind
| from his birth" Of the six miracles con-
nected with blindness recorded in the .gos-
pels this is the only case described as
blindness from birth. Blindness is COM
mon in Palestine. At GAIA, for instance,
| it is said that one-third of the population
have lost one or both eyes, but it is diff
cult to find any born blind.
2. who did SIM" Scripture teaches
that all disease, and even death, is the re-
suit of sin. The Jewish error consisted in
believing that all special Affections were di-
| vine visitations for special sins. This er-
ror Jesus corrected. '"This man." If this
man had sinned before his birth it must
| have been in "pre-existent" state. The
| doctrine of transmigration of souls was
quite general both among the Greeks and
! Asiatics. The idea is absurd. What the
Bible teaches is that the race is fallen be-
cause or Adam 8 SIN.
3. Neither Our Lord does not assert
the sinlessness of the mans parents, nor
his own, by these words: He denies that
his calamity sprang from the sin of either.
Works of God-manifest." Not that this
man was born blind for the sole purpose
that miracle might be wrought but that
his blindness furnished the occasion for
Jesus to perform the divine work of heal
ing him. God is not responsible for sin
and its consequences, but both afford Him
an opportunity to show His grace and
power.
4. eve must work." etc. (R. W BY
the plural "we," as given in the +. V,
Jesus associates His apostles with Him in
the work. 1t is encouraging to think that
''we," poor, weak men, can be workers
together with Christ" while it is day."
The day of lfe's opportunity is rapidly
passing; the night Of death will soon be
here, and our work will be ended. What
we do must be done quickly.
S. GAS long as am in the world" Christ
was the light of the world while He was
here, and He has continued to be the
light of the world since He went into
both the ability to see and also furnishes
the light by which they see..
6. made clay-annointed." Jesus shows
His power by proceeding, in His own way,
to heal the man. Notice, l. There is no
connection between the means used and
the effect produced. 2. Christ came into
physical contact to attract attention and
to stimulate faith; where faith was in
lively exercise He healed by His word, and
at distance. Christ appeals to two of
the mans senses, his hearing and feeling,
thereby arousing, faith. . .,o. g L.,
faith and obedience. "Siloam." A foun::
tain under the walls of Jerusalem toward
the east, between the city and the brook
Kidron. "By Interpretation, sem" The
pool by its very name was type OF Christ:
''TIe went-and washed" He believed
and obeycd. We frequently lose Gods
best gifts because we fail to act in time.
Came, seeing" The cure was instanta-
neous What wonderful dcliverance!
8. (Which before had seen him." There
was an immediate stir among the neigh
bors; they noticed the great change in the
man. The same is true when Christ gives
spiritual eyesight. "And begged" This
is the first mention of the fact that he was
a beggar He must have been well known.
9.FT am he." Jesus had met and
healed the man on Friday night, at the be-
ginning of the Sabbath (McFarland), and
the neighbors had not seen him go to
pool, so that on the next morning they
were hardly able to believe their senses.
But the man himself gave positive testi-
mony.
10. "How-opened." His neighbors gath
cred around him and asked for an explana-
ton. Many are anxious to know how
things are done, even though they have no
faith.
IL. "He answered" He had never seen
= his neighbors before. but now looking
right at them he delivers this wonderful
testimony to the power of Christ. 1t is
short, clear, positive. "a Man" First ne
knew Him only as "the Man" (R. W
called Jesus, then as a prophet ". ID,
then as a man with whom God was ". q
ssls ga then He was the Son OF Cod Vs.
y. "I know not" Had he known where
Christ was he would, no doubt, have gone
at once to see his Deliverer.
49, Brought to the Pharisees." The
neighbors finding the case involved in mys-
tery took the man to the Pharisees, per-
haps to the Sanhedrin, who proceeded to
Investigate the miracle by questioning the
man and by calling his parents to testify,
IA. "The Sabbath day." They hated
Jesus, and were continually trying to find
something against Him. The hypocrtical
rulers pretended to take great offence be-
cause our Lord performed this act OF mercy
on the Sabbath day, and thus ignored their
traditions.
Is. "Then again" They were cross
questioning him and trying to get him con-
fused, but he knows what has been done
and is able to tell it.
l6. "Keepeth not" Jesus kept the Sab:
bath according to the spirit and letter of
the law, but He did not and would not
keep it according to their traditions: "A
division" And so it will always be; Christ
causes separation between those who re-
ceivc and those who reject Him.
II. "Ile is a prophet" He decided that
He must be a prophet or He COULD not nave
opened his eyes This did not satisfy tho
Pharisees They Try to discredt the facts,
and to prove that the cure was impossible,
because on the Sabbath. But, thanks to
the Jews, they established the miracle be-
yond doubt, and by communicating the
man they opened the way fqf him to ind
Christ.
Teachincs.-This blind man was type
of sinner receiving spiritual sight: Jesus
is the light of the world and is able and
willing to enlightcn the darkened mind
and let the sunshine of His love flood the
soul. We lose a great deal by not obey
ing God at once. Let us always be ready
to bear faithful testimony to Christ. Jesus
used means to aid the faith OF the blind
man, and it is our duty to use the means
God has put within our reach.