The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-30
THE SUNDAY SGH0()l
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY 3.

Jesus Tvs. VS. q, % S. 4e nu The Hassa child crew..
From this verse and verse 81 we learn
that Jesus had human body and soul
He was a.genuine boy and grew like other
boys, but He was sinless. Evil had NO
place in Him. SSStrong in spirit" In mind,
intellect and understanding. "FilledE wsth
wisdom" He was eminent for wisdom
even when a child. "Grace of Cod
Grace commonly means favor. God waf,
pleased with Him and showed Him favoI,
and blessed Him. .
52.. Increased in wisdom and stature" "
there could be no increase, but this if
spoken of His human nature.
II. Jesus in Jerusalem Tvs. Al; AZ. Al
The Passover" There were three prin,
clpal. feasts of the Jews. The Passover in
April, the Pentecost near the first of June,
and the feast of the Tabernacles In Octo.
ber. All males over twelve years of age,
were required to attend these feasts I'm.
less they had legitimate excuse. The
name expresses the design of the celebra.
ton. The destroying angel passed over"
AZ. Twelve years .old.p At the age Of
twelve a Jewish boy became q son Of the
law" and came under the obligation Of
obeying all its precepts, including attend,
ance at the Passover. 1t was probable that
this was the first time that Jesus had been
in Jerusalem at this feast. To boy who
had never been outside the hills of Naza.
reth, the journey to Jerusalem, the ap.
pearance of the city at this time, filled, ac.
cordng to Josephus, with more than two
and half millions of; people, a sight Of
| the temple,, the preparations for the feast
and especially the feast itself, must have
IN snhf
III. Jesus lost ivs. s-45) @Had ful
flied the days" Eight days in all-one
the Passover, and seven the, days of. un,
:eavened bread. "Tafried behind" Luke
neither tells us that Jesus remained be-.
hind at Jerusalem unintentionally, nor
that Joseph and Mary lost sight of Him
through want of necessary care. A circum.
stance must have been omitted, and we
may safely suppose that Joseph and Mary
joined their elder fellow-travelers in the
persuasion that Jesus, who knew of the
time and place of departure, was among
the younger ones. The more Mary was
accustomed to trust to His obedience and
wisdom, the less necessary would it be
always 70 watch Him. SAn involuntary niis.
take, of whatever kind it might be, sep.
arated the child from the parents Jesus
was so intensely interested in the rabbis
that He failed to start with the caravan on
the homeward journey. Knew not of It."
This shews the perfect confidence they
had in the boy. He was probably as
far advanced In Judgment as an ordinary
youth many years I1ls senior. &i,.s
A. lin the company" Jesus had evi.
IDENTIFY been allowed a more than usual
amount of liberty of action, as a child,
by parents who had never known Him
to transgress their commandments or be
guilty of a sinful or foolish deed As.
Found Him not They had probably
left in the night to avoid the heat of the
day, and in the confusion Jesus is lost.
The boy had evidently been in company
with some of their friends, and the time
of the departure Of the. caravan was thor
oughly understood.
Nv. jesus found ". 49,: 46. After
three days." An idiom for ,.:son the third
day." one day for their departure, one foe.
their return and one for the search.
They found Him. Jerusalem was over
crowded with millions Of people packed
into a small area, and they had none OF
the means to which we would at once look
for assistance in searching for lost child
in a great city. "In the temple" Joseph
and Mary evidently knew where they
would be most likely to find Him. jesus
was probably in one of the porches Of the
court of the women, where the schools
Of the doctors" Teachers Of the law,
Jewish rabbis. asking them questions"
ihe questions were no doubt, suggested
by their teaching. ~
". Jesus astonishing His hearers (ys.
e7-5O). AZ. "Astonished." The Greek
word is very forcible The impoik, is,
that they were in transport of astonjeh.
ment, and struck with admiration. ''At
His understanding" He brought with Him
a clear knowledge OF Gods word in which
no doubt. He had been versed from earliest
years: They had never heard one SO young,
nor indeed, their greatest doctors, talk
To see such honor given to their boy, and
to see such boldness in holding a. discus.
sion with these learned men. "Why,"
etc. This was the mildest sort of re-
proof, and was probably given privately
"Thy father" This form of spe ch was
necessary for how else could she speak?
She had probably: never told her Son of the
peculiar circumstances connected with His
birth. Sought Thee sorrowing.." Being
not only troubled that we had lost Thee,
but vexed. at ourselves for not taking more
care of Thee. The word here rendered
sorrowing is. expressive OF great anguish.
,49. How is it that ye sought Mew
This is no reproachful question. 1t is
asked in all the simplicity and boldness
of holy childhood. He is apparently as.
tonished that He should have been sought,
or even thought of, anywhere else than in
the only place which He felt to be prop.
erly His home. Visit Know. About
Nv Fathers business" See R!V. I'm My
fulness of the expression. Better, in the
things or affairs of My Father, in that
which belongs to His honor and glory.
so. Understood not" They, did not
yet understand HIS mission. His first re-
corded ntterance is too deep for them.
Jesus was a mystery to His parents, and
He has been mystery to the world ever
since.
vi. Jesus subject to His parents ".
81. 81. went down with them" II
His heart drew Him to the temple, the
voice. of duty called Him back to Galilee;
and perfect even in childhood, He yielded
areth." Here He remained eighteen, years
longer. These were years of growth and
preparation for His great life work. Was
subject unto them" There is something
wonderful beyond measure in the thought
O; Him unto Whom all things are subject
submitting to earthly parents: No }sucb
honor was ever done TO angels/ss was now
done to Joseph and Mary Great men
lave learned first to obey That general
could not command alr'sfmy if by most Sc
we're discipline he hd not learned to obey
That college president could not fiji his
position if he Mad not learned this lesson;
1t is sign not OF abjectness, but OF
greatness, Rbe subject to law. "In her
heart" Expecting that hereafter they
would be beexpained to her and she would
unders tand them fully.
/Why Bismarck Was Dropped.