The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-04-10
TIE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL 7.

Subject: The Resurrection of Jesus, Luke
xiv, 1-12 - Golden Text, Cor. xv.,
2c-Memory Verses, 4-.-CommentarJ
on the Days Lesson.
I. "The first day of the week." Christ
was in the tomb part OF Friday, all Gay
Saturday and part of Sunday, which was
called three days according to Jewish
reckoning. He arose very early in tho
morning on the first day of the week. The
manner of the reuniting of Christ's soul
one of the secret things that does not be.
long to US. The first company of women
were three: Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of James, and Salome, the mother
of the beloved disciple, John. They be.
gan their journey to the sepulchre before
dawn, reaching the place at sunrise. At
the appearance of the angel the Roman
guards were so frightened that they fell
as dead men, and it would seem that they
fed from the tomb before the women
came. every ear ly in the morning" They
came at the earliest moment after, their
Sabbath. They probably left their homes
in differen. parts OF the city at different
times, some Of them reaching the tomb
at sunrise. So, in our service of love fo.
Christ, we ought to come early in the
energies in sin. bringing the spices" :"
Powdered aromatic substances and fluid
perfumes appear to have been used in
laying out the dead body for burial. They
proposed to apply these spices to His body
to keep it from putrefaction, which is an.
other proof that they did not expect Hin
to rise again.
Ths stone rolled Piled sway% As he the
81 al he h11t
reached the tomb they discovered the
stone was rolled away. The tomb was
cut in the side of a rock, like cave, large
enough for several persons to enter. The
entrance was protected by a stone, some:
times round, like large milestone, rolled
in front of the opening. The difficulty
was serious one fo- the stone was very
large Mark i6 A.; covering an aperture
of at least three or four feet in height and
two or three in breadth, and it would
take two or three men to move it. Some.
times duty seems impossible, but as we go
on obedientlv the difficulty vanishes, as
it did before these women.
8. "They entered in" Mary Magdalenc
seems to have been in advance of the rest
and only looked in John 20: ~. the otn.
ers entered. Found not tie body" The
linen grave clothes were there, but the
tomb could not hold Christ. The empty
grave was the boundary line between the
old dispensation and the new. The SUD-
limest expectations of the Old Testament
were now fulfilled in the resurrection OF
Christ.
4. "Much pe7plexed." They did no.
know what to do or where to go. Their
thought was, 'They have taken away the
Lord; and we know not where they have
2s: S. Matthew speaks of but one, the
one who did the speaking, and Mark
speaks Of him as young man. Shining
garments" Matthew says his countenance
was like lightning and his raiment white;
as snow. The raiment was emblematical
Of the glad tidings which the angels came
to announce, ana also of purity and fel.
lowship with God. Rev; 5: IS:
S. "They were afraid" It. is no won.
der that the women were afraid: Mat.
thew says that through fear the keepers
,'1I, did shake and became s as dead men men"
They" The angels: .Said;" .s i,a sn "Why ,,
admits Of doubt whether the Greek c..
preston here would not have been more
literally rendered, "the living .one"-tha
great source of life, the life Of the world:
6. "He is-risan." He was cruciied.
but is risen. Instead of anointing Him
ss dead they may rejoice in His being
alive from the dead. Death hath no more
dominion over Him. The resurrection
morn was q time of gladness to the disci-
Piles of Jesus. It brought (D JOY, .(2) vic.
tory, (3) faith, az hope. 1t is the true
comfort of all believers. How mournfuliy
do the women go to the tomb, but how
joyfully do they return. The, risen Christ
direction is the pledge of ours. But that
which causes rejoicing on the part of some
will bring CONSERVATION and despair to
others. The proofs of the resurrection are
ample. l. He appeared frequently at diff
ferent times and places to many. 2. The
apostles believed it so fully that they
based their hope of eternal life upon it..
8. They were completely transformed af-
ter the resurrection and attested their
faith by their own death. T. The very
existence of the Christian church and its
power for good in the world. S: The
spiritual life put in the. hearts of His peo'
men and makes His promises good to
them proves conclusively that Christ is
alive from the dead. Remember" Call
to mind what you have forgotten in your
sorrow over His death. "In Galilec." This
was their home (chap. %: 55), and nearly
a year before He had told of His coming
death.
7. Saying" See chap. 9: @, A, 45;
Is: 3l-33; Matt. l6: 81. "Rise again"
Jesus had tried to impress them with this
truth in order to comfort them in the
hour of their great sorrow, but they failed
to comprehend its meaning; :, .,
9. Returned from the sepulchre. I"
Matthew says the angel told them to SO
risen, and that they departed quickly with
fear and great joy, and did run to bring
the Gisciples word.
10. MARY Magdalene" She was a ma.
tive of Magdala, a town on the Sea Of
Calilee, and was foremost among the hon
orable women who ministered unto Christ
and His disciples. being especially devoted
to Christ for His mercy in casting out
from her seven evil spirits. Luke So, 8.
There is no evidence that she was ever a
bad character Joanna" Wife of Chuza,
the steward of Herod Antipas (chap. s.
81, and hence woman of some Influence
James" Called James the Less to distin
guish him from James, the brother oi
John. She was the wife of Alpheus (com.
pare Mark 8: ls). who seems also to have
been called Cleophas. John l9: 25.
II. Believed them not" They thought
they must surely be mistaken; they could
not understand or comprehend their
words.
r. "Then arose Peter" John went
with Him and reached the sepulchre first.
John 20: 2, 3. They heard the story from
Mary Magdalene, before the women re.
turned. "The linen clothes" This was
the fine linen in which Joseph Of Arima
thea wrapped the body. This small cir
cumstance is no mean proof of the resur
rect;on of our Lord. Had the body been
stolen away all that was wrapped about
it would have been taken with it.
Cable Steamers.
There are over forty. steamers, atoas