Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-12-19
THE SUNDAY SUHOOL
INTERNATIONAL. LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER g.

1.-Gol,icn Te=*, rFatt. t., :i-ATemory
Verses, 10, 1I-COmmentary the
Days Lesson.
l. Guided by the star Tvs. !. y. l.
"W hen Jesus was born The date OF the
birth of Christ is uncertain, but the gen
orally accepted date is December %, j. {.
). He was born four years before the time
from which we count his birth Ill our
common reckoning. I'm Bethlehem OF
]udea. To distinguish it from Bethlehem
IN Galiiee, mentioned in Joshua 1915. I'm
The days of Herod." Herod the Great.
lie was an Edomite, and, although prose
lyte to the Jewish religion, was notorious
Tor his wickedness and cruelty. lie reigned
iirty-seven years in .ludea and died il few
months after the birth OF Christ: lie was
the father OF Herod Antipas who put to
Pi.ate sent our Lord at the time of His
:rucifixion. At this time the sceptre had
signer was on the throne. Wise men
" magi. Much learned and interesting
discussion has arisen with respect to the
wise men" and the star Augustine
and Chrysostom say there were twelve
nagi, but the common belief is that there
we're but three. From the east" Per-
maps from Media, or Persia. or, possibly.
from Arabia. Lew Wallace supposes there
were three men--an Egyptian. Hindu
and Greell-who were brought together
ia the desert by the Spirit of God, and
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
have no trouble in finding the object OF
their search.
,. King of the Jews "There was at
this time general expectation throughout
In Ens hat bo 1,o,, 1n1o
who should possess universal dominion"
This was a title unknown to the earlier
history Of Israel and applied to no one
except the Messiah. 1t reappears i'll tho
inscription over the cross. His star
Many interpreters. especially those who
seek to eliminate the supernatural. explain
the star" or '.sidereal appearance" by a
occurred in MAY. 3. G. 7. and again in De-
cember with Mars added. 1t is, however.
much more in harmony with al the facts
to believe that the star which attracted
the attention OF the magi was supernatural.
A simple meteor provided for the occa-
sion. in the east In the country cast
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 bod to confess the object OF their
coming.
Ii. Searching the Scriptures Tvs. 3-6).
;. Had heard these things" The maei
had created TO- small stir by Their her Inquiries
of the king. Troubled" IIerod. now
sunk into the jealous decreptitude of his
savage old age, was residing in his new
palace on Zioa, when, half maddened as
he was already by the crimes Of his past
career. he was thrown into y fresh par
oSysm OF alarm and anxiety by the visit
Of fl,nc 1>nnp IN 81, to1t
eence that they had come to worship a nav
horn king. Herod feared riya;. All
Jerusalem with him. Fearing that he
would make this an occasion of renewing
his acts of bloodshed
T. The chief priests" This expression
probably ,comaprshends the acting high
them" Because they would be most like
" to know. where the Christ shoad be
born" The wise men bad said nothing
IL bout the Christ. or the Messiah. bat only
about the King of the Jews. But Herod
saw that this king must be the expected
Messiah.
5. 6. "By the prophet" Micah So.
found in Micah, but the serse is given.
They did not need to take a long time
to search out the answer to Herod's
question. for it was accepted truth that
the Messiah must come from Bethlehem.
Thou Bethlehem Bethlehem signifies
which came down from heaven. art in
no wise least" Micah says. Though thou
be little among the thousands Of Judah.
vet out Of these shall He come forth unto
me that, is to be ruler i, Israel" The
princes" ''The thousands" (Alicah 5:2).
sands, and over each subdivision there
WAS q chipffain Or nrInpe "a cOvnYOo, -
TO control and rue. (Which shall be
shepherd his flock. This governor who
controls is also q tender shepherd. Christ
is both Shepherd and King.
III: The child Jesus found Tvs. .,-l2).
keep the time of Christ's birth ay secret
as possible lest the Jews who hated him
should take occasion to rebel. a short
time before this 600 Pnarisees had refused
to take the oath OF allegiance to him.
Inquired of them diligently. Learned
OF them carefully; p; w.
te but Me fsat foo~ed the the dreaans
the Lord. Search diligently" Herod was
honest in making this charge. to them; he
greatly desired to receive definite word
concerning the new King. "And worship
Him also" What hypocrisy! He only
wished to find the child in order to muir.
Ger IL Tvs. Id, loJ: ne was CRAFTY ana
subtle, saying one thing and meaning an
other. But God did not hermit him to
carry out his purpose. The wise men.
warned of God in dream, returned an
other way. and Joseph warned in the same
manner, took the young child aad its
mother and fed to Egypt.
g. 1.-The star went before them."
The same star which thew had seen in their
own country now again appears. The star
had disappeared for time, and this led
them to inquire in Jerusalem for the young
King whom they sought.
10. They rejoiced." The Greek is very
emphatic They rejoiced exceedingly be.
cause they saw they were about to find the
:hi.d and because they had such unmis-
taxable proof OF being in divine order.
That alone is enough to cause rejoicing.
IL. Into the house" They had left
The stable that they were forced tc. tenn
.orariiy occupy at the time of Christ's
rirth (Luke go, and were living in a
house. "Fell down" They Frustrated
themselves before Him according TO the
EASTERN custom. "Gifts.'' The people of
Inc East did not approach into the pres
sDce of kings without bringing them pres
snts. The custom still prevails in many
p.aces. Gold" etc. God would always
ne useful. while frankincensc and myrrh
were priced for their delicious fragrance.
Preren,,isifes n S,eeaee