The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-31
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY 4.

subject: The First Disciples of Jesus,
John L., 35-46-Golden Text: John T.,
37-Memory Verses, 35-37-Commen-
tary on the Days Lesson.
INTRODUCTION. The choice OF His dsci.
oles was matter OF great moment to
Iesus. 1t was necessary that some Of them
should be witnesses Of His life and work
rom the beginning Of His public ministry.
He did not choose those to be His witnesses
who were bound by the traditions OF the
rabblnic schools. Ho chose men Of sim pie,
yet strong mind.
CONNECTING LINKs.-We have here an &C.
count OF Johns testimony concerning
Jesus. AS soon as Christ was baptized BE
hurried into tho wilderness, where He re.
mained forty days. During His absence
John hud continued his work, but now at
last he sees Jesus returning from the vii.
derness.
IS. "Again, the next day after" On the
day before, the day He returned from the
wilderness, John had borne testimony OF
Him. Y. 29. The disciples ofJohn did not
appear to be greatly impressed until John
on the following day (v. 35) repeated his
words. Edersheim argues, with seeming
accuracy, that this was the Sabbath. "Two
OF His disciples" Andrew and John, the
writer, who carefully avoids using his own
name.
&c. "Behold the Lamb Of God" See v.
29, spoken In reference to Isa. 5S:7. All the
lambs hitherto offered had been furnished
by men; this one was provided by God US
the only sufficient sacrifice for the sin CT
the world. His words would be to them
equivalent to command to follow Him.
How faithful John was in his Office as fore.
q did Anf thtpt- ~ Il 10 4
crease, he Is anxious to have his followers
become true disciples OF Christ. He did
not reckon that ne had lost those wko
went over from him to Christ.
81. "They followed Jesus They under
stood Johns meaning and Immediately did
as they were directed. 1t would be we'll IL
all would Immediately follow Christ. We
should follow Him as our Redeemer, Pat.
tern, Gu Ide and Shepherd They nay not
have intended to leave Johns leadership
permanently.
ss. What seek ye." Jesus knew, but
He desired some expression from them.
petition, or reqsestP "i.abbi.' Teacher,
master. among the Jews this title was o
sort CT degree." They thus at once recog.
nizsd His superiority aud their ignorance.
where dwellest Thou" "Where are Thou
staying" He hal no permanent place OF
abode in this locality. In asking this
question they intimate O desire to be bet
ter acquainted with Him. Where is the inn
where you abide? We desire to receive in
struction from you. '.1"
SO. "Coms and ses." A kind invitation
to them to go with Him to His place Of
abode. II those who know not the saliva.
tlon OF God would come ut the command
OF Christ, they would soon see that with
10 kl,a o., Sot IL iJ-h
they would SEQ light. 1.-THE tenth hour"
St. John was so impressed With the arst in.
terview with Jesus that he remembered the
hour. There Is difference Of opinion as
to whether this; was 4 p. M, according tc
the jewish reckoning, or 10 q, M. accord.
ing to the Roman reckoning. II Andrew
and John spent the day with Jesus!it must
have been 10 q. m. This was probably the
Sabbath day. s.r-., ~
Il. "He first fndeth hls.oEn brother"
1t is supposed that at the s8tre time An.
drew went to find his brother Simon, John
also went and found hisbrother James and
Drought him to Christ. THIS was true mis-.
5lonary spirit. Gods salvation Is 80 good
That those who experience His love are
always anxious to bring othors into the
same holy relation. "We have found the
Messlas." He speaks e1ultingly. Aroused
-
the coming Messlahthey were ready to re.
ceive Him when they saw few true marks
Of his Messlahshlp. ".Being Interpreted"
Messlas Is the Hebrew word aud Christ Is
it's Greek Interpretation.
~. "When Jesus beheld him." Jesus Mt
once knew Simon better than Simon knew
himself. "Cephus IA stone." See r. V.
Petros, or Peter, has the same meaning In
Greek that Cephas has In Syrlac. The
name was given him to describe his char.
acter. which was "stiff, hardy and resolute."
43. "The day following" This, accord.
ing to Furrar, was the fourth day after His
return from the wilderness. jesus startel
Oh His return to Galilee, and son the jour-
ney fell 10 with another young fisherman,
Philip OF Bethsaida. "Follow Me-" This
our Lord Himself. It is addressed to but
one outside the circle OF the apostles, the
rich young man whom Jesus loved. Mark
1921. How was 1t that these Gnlllean
youths were brought with one look, one
word, to the Savlor's feet? part by what
He said and by what John the Baptist had
testified concerning Him, and by His very
look.
A. "Bethsaida." "The house OF nets -
so called because inhabited mostly-by- Ash.
ermen. There were two plnces/ by this
name. The town = arc the>three discl.
Piles, Andrew, Pc. s Philip, were born,
was on The west sh1 Fhe sea Of Gal!lee,
Just north OF CapegAdm. The other Beth.
the northeast shore OF the sea. Andrew
and Peter lived at Capernaum. Matt. 8:
Il; 1924; Mark 1:29.
Is. Nathaniel" Elsewhere called Bar.
tholomew. He lived Mt Cana In Galilee:
where our Lord performed His first mir
acle. Cana was about nine miles northeast
of Nazareth. "Ot whom Moses. and the
prophets did write" See Gen. 3:l5; 22:19;
oeut. 1918; Tsa. AZ; TIA; Jer. 23:5; Ezek.
G4:23; Dan. 9:24; Micah. 5:2; Zech. 6:12;
Nal. 81. These men were familiar with
the Scriptures, and surely here was great
array OF testimony with reference to tue
Messiah.
4G. "Good =. out OF Nazareth" The
question sprang from more dread OF mis-,
take fc G matter &C vital. He knew that
Bethlehem (Micah. 5:2) aud not Nazareth
was to be the birth place OF the Messiah. 1t
has been usually considered that bis an-
swer was. provsrbial; bu. 1t may merely
hnve implied, Nazareth, that obscure and
ill.reputed towl In its little, untrodden
valley-can anything good come from
thence2" Nathanael's objection arose from
ignorance. Ordinarily all we need Is bet
ter knowledge OF Christ and any objections
we may have will melt away. Come and
see." The same reply given by jesus: V.
80. Philip could not answer his obJec:.
tions, but still his faith was unshaken; aud
Nathaniel was not 80 filled with prejudice
that he would not investigate for himself,
Some things cacnot be explained that va
can SEQ arc true. He who candldly OK.
nmines the evidences OF the religion OF
Christ will become Il believer. No history
ever published las 80 many internal and
externaI proofs OF authenticity as this has.
Those who have never read the Bible, Oh
have read 1t only with fixed pYrR6S1
gainsny It, are the ones w.
against It.
oROINAHs