The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER TO-

Subject: The Birth Of Christ, Matt. H., 1.
12-Golden Text, Matt. f., 21-Mennory
Verses, 10, 11-Commentary on the
Days Lesson.
T.. Guided by the star Tvs. i, p; l.
"When Jesus was born" The date of the
birth of Christ is uncertain, but the gen.
orally accepted date is December 25, B. c.
S. He was born four years before the time
from which we. count his birth in our
common reckoning. I'm Bethlehem OF
Judea;" To distinguish it from Bethlehem Be IA .A
the days Of Herod:" Herod the Great
He was an Edomite, and, although prose
lyte to the Jewish religion, was notorious
for his wickedness and cruelty. He reigned
thirty-seven years in Judea and died few
months after the birth of Christ. He was
the father. of Herod Antipas who put to
death John the Baptist, and to whom
Piliate sent our Lord at the time Of His
crucifxion. At this time the sceptre had
literally departed from Judah, and for;
eigner was on the throne. Wise men,"
Or magi. Much learned and interesting
"wise men" and the "star." Augustine
and Chrysostom say there were twelve
magi, but the common belief is that there
were but three. From the east" Per.
haps from Media, or Persia, or, possibly,
from Arabia. Lew Wallace supposes there
were three men-an Egyptian, a Hindu
and a GreekLwho were brought together
in the desert by the Spirit Of God, and
who thence journeyed in; company, being
directed by the star, until they found the
Christ. ITO Jerusalem" They seemed
to suppose that when they reached the
capital of the Jewish nation they would
bora Nh {rorh1a IN HoIiDp tho ohiont nj
their search. -
2. king of the Jews" There was at
this time general expectation throughout
the East that one would be born in Judea
who should possess universal dominion"
This was title unknown: to the earlier
history of Israel and applied to no one
except the Messiah. 1t reappears in the
inscription over the cross. "His star"
Many interpreters, especially those who
seek to eliminate the supernatural, explain
the "star," or "sdereal appearance" by
conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which
occurred in May, B. G: 7, and again in De.
cember with. Mars added. It is, however,
much more in harmony with all the facts
the attention of the magi was supernatural.
A simple meteor provided for the occa.
sion. 'eIn the east" In the country east
of Palestine, from whence they came. "To
worship Him" God had influenced these
wise men to take this journey to find and
pay their homage to the Saviour. They
were bold to confess the object of their
coming. ...-.,.... ....-..... .. ....-
II. Searching the Scriptures Tvs. 38).
3. "Had heard these things" The magi
had created no small stir by their inquiries
which Immediately, attracted the attention
Of oft; the ang e. HeFSd of now Ss
palace on On ZION, Zion when, half smaddened as
he was already by the crimes of his past
career, he was thrown into fresh par.
oxysm of alarm and anxiety by the visit
of these magi, bearing the strange intelli-
gence that they had come to worship new.
born king. Herod feared rival. "An
Jerusalem with him" Fearing that he
would make this an occasion of renewing
his acts of bloodshed.
4. "The chief priests" This expression
Priest % and his deputy. SDen .nded Of
them" Because they would be most like
ly to know Where the Christ should be
born" The wise men had said nothing
about the Christ, or the Messiah, but only
about the King of the Jews. But Herod
saw that this king must be the expected
Messiah.
S, 6. "By the prophet" Micah So
Matthew does not quote the exact words
found in Micah, but the sense is given.
They did not need to take long time
to search out the answer to Herod's
question, for it was accepted truth that
Thou Bethlehem. Bethlehem signifies
the house of bread, the ,.fttest place for
Him to be born in whom is the true bread
which came down from heaven. "Art in
no wise least" Micah says. Though thou
be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of these shall He come forth unto
me that is to be ruler in Israel" The
princes" "Thel thousands" micah 5:2)
The tribe had been subdivided into thou.
sands, and over each subdivision there
vas ehieftain or prince eutas "A soyserInortn SsII H.
shepherd" To, feed and care for, as a
shepherd his flock. This governor who
controls is also tender shepherd. Christ
III. The child Jesus found Tvs. 7-l2).
7. "Privily called" Herod desired to
keep the time Of Christ's birth as secret
as possible lest the Jews who. hated him
should take occasion to rebel. A short
time before this 5000 Pharisees had refused
to take the oath of allegiance to him.
Inquired Of them diligently. Learned
of them carefully ."-R. V.
8. "He sent them" He assumed con.
troll, but they followed the directions Of
the Lord. Search diligently" Herod was
honest in making this charge, to them; he
greatly desired to receive definite word
Him also" What hypocrisy! He only
wished to find the child in order to mur.
der it Tvs. l3, l6): he was crafty and
subtle, saying one thing and meaning an.
other. But God did not permit him to
carry. out his purpose. The wise men,
warned of God in a dream, returned an
other way. and Joseph, warned in the same
manner. took the young child and its
mother and fled to Egypt. =,
The same star which thew had seen in their
own country now again appears. The star
had disappeared for time, and this led
Ge To- " "They rel reioiced." The Greek is very
emphatic. They rejoieed exceedingly be-
cause they saw they were about to find the
child and because they had such unmis
taxable proof of being in divine order.
That alone is enough to cause rejoicing.
II. Unto the house." They had left
the stable that they were forced to tenn.
porarily occupy at the time of Christs
birth (Luke 2:7), and were living in a
house. Fell down" They prostrated
themselves before Him according to the
eastern custom. Gifts" The people OF
ence of kings without bringing them pres
ents. The custom still prevails in many
places. "Go!d." etc. God would always
be useful, while frankincense and myrrh
we're priced for their delicious fragrance.