Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-02-19
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
international Lesson Comments For
February Il.
Subject: Jesus and the Sabbath, Matt. 1ii.'
l.I3-Golden Text, Matt. Kill, Il
Memory Verses, 6.S-Com.
mentary on the
Days Lesson.

I.Sl /. cat that time" 1t may be well
TO note that there is a difference OF OPINION
here as to time. Some think that Jesus
had attended the feast OF the PASSOVER
Just preceding this, but this u called IN
question by the best critics. through the
corn" To an American reader the woro
corn suggests the idea of Indian corn or
maize, but the word in the text has refer.
ence to grain, such as wheat, rye or bar
le-. Began to pluck" They rubbed it
in their hands duke CID to separate The
grain from the chaff. This was allowable
according to the law Deut. 1920, but
the Pharisees object to their doing it on
the Sabbath day. The plucking and rub.
bling necessary for this purpose were con.
sidered by the Pharisees to be sufficiently
near to reaping and threshing to constitute
them secondary violations of the fourth
commandment.
2. "Pharisees saw it." They were watch
ing for an opportunity to catch Him. "Not
rule not found in the Mosaic law 1t was
q principle with the Pharisees to extend
the provisions of the law and make minute
regulations over aud beyond what Moses
commanded, in order to avoid the possible
lty Of transgression.
3. 'Have We not read" To vindicate
His disciples Christ referred the Pharisees
to a similar case recorded in their own
Scriptures and with which they should
have been familiar. Gan hungered" Our
Lord here is not arguing for an excuse to
break the law, but for its true construc.
ton. The mere fOrmality OF a ritual or
strict letter OF positive precept is to
Weld to the demands of the general good.
The necessities of the disciples justified
them in doing on the Sabbath what was
otherwise unlawful
4. "The house of Cod" The taberna-
Gle. "Did cat" Ahimelech, the priest a t
Mob, gave David and his companions five
iOaves of the shewbread Il Sam. 81: IN.
The law provided that twelve loaves Of
bread should be put in two piles upon the
table in the sanctuary. to remain a week
and then to be eaten by the priests only.
cry, had eaten this bread contrary to the
letter of the law. "Shewbread." Litter
ally. bread Of setting forth, that is, bread
that was set forth IN the sanctuary. Il
was also called continual bread as being
set forth perpetually before the Lord,
hence the Hebrew name, bread of the
presence Twelve loaves or cakes were
placed in two piles on the pure table
every Sabbath. On each pile was put a
golden cup Of frankincense. See Ex. 25:
50; Lev. "a: 6-s."
tinued His argument by showing that even
the law under certain circumstances pro-
vided for the doing of that which had been
expressly forbidden i'll the law. On the
Sabbath days as we'll as on other days the
priests were engaged in killing, preparing
and burning tie sacrifices and in perform
ing the whole temple service. 1t was one
of the savings of the rabbins that there
was no Sabbath-keeping in the temple:
Thus. if all work on the Sabbath profaned
the Sabbath, as the Pharisees maintained,
the priests were guilty OF continual profa.
nation. "Blameless." Not merely does
the sacred history relate exceptional in
stances of necessity. but the law itself Or
dams labor ON the Sabbath as duty. G..
Greater than the temple" Inasmuch as
the one who ,builded the house is greater
than the house. Christ refers here to His
own authority and power. The law;giver
is greater than the law Christ was great
er than the temple because, |. The temple
exists but for Him 2 1t is but place
of assembly where men may meet with
Him. 8. However splendid it is nothing
except He be there. 4. However lowly
the presence Of the great King makes OF it
a heavenly palace.
7. "If We had known" A knowledge OF
the true meaning Of Gods word will pre-
vent rash judgment Jesus here charges
His critics with ignorance Of their own
prophets. mercy and not sacrifice" See
Sam. Is: %; Hosea 6: 6. desire mercy.
[ require mercy rather than sacrifice. 1t Is
r protest by the prophet against the un-
loving, insincere Journalist of his day s.
Lord even of the Sabbath" Jesus now
affirms Himself greater than the statute
law of Moses; nay He is greater than the
Sabbath law established by God at the
creation. Thus does He maintain Himself
to be the incarnate Legislator Of the world.
III. Healing withered hand on the
Sabbath Tvs. 9-l3). 10. Hand withered,"
A case Of paralysis. Such diseases were
considered incurable. "They asked Him."
Mark and Luke mention some points
omitted by Matthew. Luke says, The
scribes and Pharisees watched Him wbeth-
they might find an accusation against
Him" might accuse" They did not
doubt that He was able TO work a miracle;
they expected it, but they intended to
make out that His miracles were contrary
to the divine law and so immoral. They
would then have some ground for saying
that He worked miracles by a diaboiical
power, which charge they did soon begin
to make.
II. HE said" Jesus then proceeded to
answer them 10y drawing an argument from
their own conduct. Of il fall This was
a seif-evident proposition Deeds OF mercy
and humanity did not infringe on the Sab
bath day. Pit" Cisterns dug in the
earth for the purpose of water, into winch
animals often fell.
IL "A man better than a sheep Christ
ALWAYS put an enormous value on man. "A
man is of infinitely more consequence and
value than brute. II they would show
an act of kindness to Il sheep would they
not show mercy to a man; Thus they
are taken on their own ground and con.
futed on their own mdXims and conduct"
The truth implied IN Christ's question is
Drc-emnently scriptual and Christian. II
IS not a discovery, but Il revelation. No
tice a series Of points in respect OF which
man is better than sheep: !. His ply
steal form and beauty. >. He Is endowed
with reason. g. He is endowed with a
moral nature. D. His capacity OF progress.
5. His spiritual nature and his capacity
for knowing God. g. He Is possessed OF
immortality. 1T is lawful" This was
universally allowed by the Jews them
selves. Is. Stretch forth A remark
able command, The man might have rea-
soned that his hand was withered and that
he could not obey, but being commanded
it was his duty TO make the effort; lie did
so and was healed. Faith disregardS APP
parent impossibilties where there is n
command and promise OF God. Restored
whole" 4 little before this Christ had
claimed divine authority; lie now proves
that He possesses it. These two cases de-
termine what may be done On the Sab
bath. The one was case OF necessity, the
other Of mercy.