The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-12-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER 20.


1a-Goidcn Text, Matt. t., ai-Memory
Verses, 10, 11-Commentary Oh the
Days Lesson.
III, Guided by the star Tvs. /, 81. 1.
| when Jesus was born" The date of the
birth of Christ is uncertain, but the gen.
orally accepted date is December 25. b. G..
,. lie was born four years before the time
from which we count his birth in our
common reckoning In Bethlehem oil
.Iudea," To distinguish it from Bethlehem
IN Galilee, mentioned in Joshua 1915 I'm
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
thrty-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
Pi,iate sent our Lord at the time of His
crucifixion. At this time the sceptre had
literally departed from Judah, and for.
cigner was on the throne. Wise men,"
Or magi. Much learned and interesting
discussion has arisen with respect to the
wise men" and the star Augustine
and Chrysostom say there were twelve
mag, but the common belief is that there
were but three. From the east" Per.
laps from Media. or Persia or. possibly,
rom Arabia. Lew Wallace supposes there
were three men-an Egyptian, a Hindu
md Greek--who were brought together
n, the desert by the Spirit of God and
Who thence lourneyed in company. being
directed by the star until they found the
Christ. ITO, Jerusalem They seemed
20 suppose that when they reached the
capital of the Jewish nation they would
have no trouble in finding the object of
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 a 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" OF. '.sidereal appearance by
conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which
occurred in MAY. B. c. !. and again in De.
cember with Mars added, 1t is, however,
much more in harmony with all the facts
to believe that the star which attracted
the attention of the magi was supernatural.
slmple meteor provided for the occa-
sion. I'm the cast" In the country east
of Palestine, from whence they came. 10
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.
III. Searching the Scriptures Tvs. s-6).
3. Had heard these things" Ihe mari
had created no small stir by their inquiries
which immediately attracted the attention
OF the king. Troubled" Herod now
sunk into, the jealous decreptitude of his
savage old age, was residing in his new
palace on Zion, when, half maddened as
he was already by the crimes of his past
career, he was thrown into a fresh par
oXysm OF a,arm and anxiety by the visit
OF these mogi, bearing the strange intelli-
gence that they had come to worship new.
born king. Herod feared rival. "All
Jerusalem, with him. Fearing that he
his acts of bloodshed.
a, ,,'The chief priests" This expression
probably ,comprehends the acting high
priest. and his deputy. Demanded oil
them.,' Because they would be most like.
y to know. Where the Christ should be
about the Christ, or the Messiah hut only
about the King of the Jews. But Herod
saw that this king must be the expected
Messiah.
s. 8. "By the prophet Micah $50.
Matthew does not quote the exact words
They did not need to take 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
the house of bread, the fittest place for
w pc bOI IL III NHOH is IUe True Drenu
which came down from heaven. Art in
no wise least" Micah says, "rhough 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" ,'The thousands Micah SEQ.
The. tribe had been subdivided into thou
sands, and over each subdivision there
was a chieftain or prince. "A governor
To control and rule. (Which shall be |
shepherd, To, feed and care for as a
shepherd his flock. This governor who
contr3!s rs Is also tender shepherd. Christ
: III, The child Jesus found Tvs. 1-l2). |
I. "Privily called Herod desired to
keep the time of Christs 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
of them carefully."-R. Y.
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
concerning. the new King. And worship
Him also" What hvpocrisy He only
wished to find the child in order to MUIR
der it Tvs; l3 l6): he was crafty and
subtle, saying one thing and meaning an
other. But God did not permit him to
warned of God in a dream. returned an.
other way, and Joseph, warned in the same
manner, took the young child and it's
mother and fled to Egypt
o. The star :. :, wen! before them"
The same star which thev 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
TO- They reioiced." The Greek is very
emphatic. They rejoiced exceedingly be.
:ause they saw they were about to find the
;hi.d and because they had such unmis-
:akable proof of being in divine order.
That alone is enough to cause rejoicing.
IL. Unto the house." They had left
The stable that they were forced to tenn
porarilyr occupy at the time of Christ's
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
the East did not approach into the pres.
snce Of kings without bringing them pres
ints. The custom still prevails in many
Saces. Gold" etc. God would always
he useful while frank incense and ypyrrh |