Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-12-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER 20.
Subject: The Birth of Christ, Matt. ill.,,
19-Golden Text, Matt. t., a1-Memory
Verses, 10, 11-Commentary on the
nay,a

Subject: The Birth of Christ, Matt. ILL.,,
12-Golden Text, Matt. t., 21-Memory
Verses, 10, 11--Commentary on the
Days Lessen.
I. Guided by the star Tvs. |, q. l.
"When Jesus was born" The date of the
birth of Christ is uncertain, but the gen.
orally accepted date is December 2j, b. &.
5. He was born four years before the time
from which we count his birth IN our
common reckoning In Bethlehem OF
Judea" TO distinguish it from Bethlehem
in Gallee, mentioned in Joshua 1915. in
the days of Herod." Herod the Great.
He was an Edomte, and, although prose
lyte to the Jewish religion, was notorious
for his wickedness and cruelty. re relgned
thirty-scven years in .Judea and died few
months after the birth of Christ. lie 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
crucitixion. At this time the sceptre had
literally departed from Judah, and for.
cigner was on the throne. Wise men.
Or mag. Much learned and interesting
discussion has arisen with respect to the
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-
,aps from Media, or Persia, or. possibly,
from Arabia. Lew Wallace supposes there
we're three men-an Egyptian, Hindu
md a Greek-who were brought together
II the desert by the Spirit OF God, and
who thence journeycd in company. being
directed by the star until they found the
Christ ITO Jerusalem They seemed
20 suppose that when they reached the
,aptal 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 a general expectation throughout
the East that one would be born IN Judea
who should possess universal DOMINION
This was title unknown to the earller
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 ''sidereal appearance, by
conjunction of jupiter and Saturn, which
occurred in MAY, B. G. :. and again in De
cembcr 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 east
of Palestine, from whence they came. TO
worship Him" God had influenced these
wise men to take this journey to lind ard
pay '.S. hoiii"rN w ~ -, '''i' ','N''
We're bod to confess the object OF their
coming.
II. Searching the Scrlptur.s Tvs. "-6):
3. Had heard these things. ! he maEi
had created no small stir by their inquiries
which Immediately attracted the attention
OF the king. "Trouhled.' lierod, now
sunk into the jealous decreptltude OF his
savage old age, was residing in his new
palace on Zion, when, half maidcned aS
he was aire1dv Inv thp crimes OF his past
career. he was thrown into Il fresh par
oxysm of alarm and anxiety by the visit
of these magi, bearing the strange intelh-
anqf that they had come to worship new
Jerusalem with him" fearnyHl lnoc" All
would make this an occasion Of renewing
hi, acts Of b,oodsbed
d "Thc chief priests" This expression
nrnbohlv comnrehends the actinr high
nr;nst and his deputy. "Dcmauded of
tho,n Racnuso thev would be most like
u. ineil'' IN lau. ..Ivboro tho Christ sbourd he
Ern y 10 e"1M Tho vse e',u MON ,' had sa;d rotbna
a5out oSl NJ the Christ CT or the Messiah but only
about The King Of the Jews. But Hcrod
auU0t "an ,bat t%e HI" Lima must be thc exnpctcd
NiO,.;ah ;na' '"'' A''7
MeSs,H"' "p,, ,ho n,,,hotv N;c,b SO
,,oi..p, H. iO, is ,m nj p," pnnpo tLo eyact words
tna1'nem NJ W. 10y t I"otb No W" uo,.s ,s T;yan
l,'d i"ulid ~ M.t"n' od u"' ~ t,lo ,nnr tm,,
Ihey uld hou "tTu h 10 o,.or ."Mv 80 ''I IIcrod :
10 search oua tnu anSMtt l ~ ',,,ti, r0'Ih th,t
.ues1,oh, lpr IL was @ "oetpor" fro.,, Rotheba,n