Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-05-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY ~.
Subject: Jesus Teaches Humility, Mark
T., 35-45-Golden Text, Mark K, A.
Memory Verses, 43-45 - Commentary
on the Days Lesson.

on the Days Lesson.
|. An ambitious request Tvs. 3537). 81.
James and John" According to Matt.
20: 20, they made this request through
their mother, Salome. She was one OF
the constant attendants of our Lord. and
cow falling on her knees, made her re.
1uest Nothing could have been more i'll.
timed than this selfish petition when He
was going forth to His death. Sons of
zebedee.") The father, though named,
aever appears in gospel history after their
1iscipleship; from which it is inferred that
he was either dead or of an insignificant
character" Saying" However faulty
The conduct of Salome appears on this oc'
,ason, she manifested a true, undylng
owe for the Saviour in the most trying
lines of His subsequent sulferngs She
vas not solely attracted to Him by the
lies of self-interest or hopes of royal boun'
ty She stood by Him to the last at the
ross, and was among the earliest who
,ame to embalm Him at the grave. Mas
,er" Matthew says that Salome came
worshiping Him. She recognized Him as
The divine King-the Messiah. Her rev
,rence was none the less real from the fact
hat she came desiring favor at His
land.
&c. .What would ye:' He could not
promise in o general way to grant their re.
,uests; they must state definitely what 1t
S they desire. Here is an argument IN Ia
7or of special prayer. 81. Grant unto
u.s." This request: /. Displayed their lg
torrance of Christ's plans. They were
cooking for kingdom OF this word ana
emporal Messiah. 2. Was marked by Tor
vardness and presumtion. 3. Was charac
;erized by worldliness. 1t apparently
ooked no further than the present llfe>,,
II. Christ's reply Tvs. 3S-4O). 80. "4e
tnow not" You do not know the nature
If your request, nor what it would lnv0ve.
You suppose that if granted 1T, would be
,ttended only with honor and happiness;
whereas, it would require ,much suffering
md trial. "How often is it that on &c,
iires and perhaps even our prayers, won q
.uin us if granted? Hence Christians are
generally, with much justice, careful now
hey specify before God in prayer the par,
ocular blessing they desire. They, may IN
heir ignorance ask things that God sees
not best. "The cup" TO drink Of a cup
,ften. in the Scriptures, signifies to be ar
iicted, or sometimes to be punished Is
il: II. %; Pisa. Is: 81. The figure Is tax
N from a feast where the master OF the
household distributes to his children ana
,ervants their allowance. The cup ls
1sed to represent the dispensatio1 OF
providence; the Almighty as our common
Father appointing to each OF lis our snare
VI JOY or suffering. =
80. eve can" This was the decision OF
The two brothers. The half unconscious,
ret presumptuous reply was no DOUBT uI'
ered under the impression that the stru5-
yle was to take place at Jerusalem, IN
which. perhaps. they were to fight by His
tide. and they declared themselves ,ready
or the trial. Their reply was simply tie
language of human firmness. "Ie snail,
indeed. ETC." You shall undergo sufferln2s
patterned after Mine. They had yet to
earn how serious their words were; alter
yards they were enabled to drink OF that
.up and to be baptized with that baptism.
| TO st. James was given strength 10 oe
Iteadfast unto death and to be the nrSt
Martyr of the apostolic band (Acts Il: y
| Although John survived all OF the apostle. 8
md died natural death; yet all antlquL.
| ty ascribes to him the glory or living IN
| the spirit of martyrdom Grew. l. 81.
40. "Not mine to give" As special IA
yor. This must not be understood to
| mean that Christ does not reward His TO-
| lowers, for such statement would be at
variance with the uniform testimony OF
the Scriptures Matt. Is: 3l-4O; John .:
| ,2-3O). Rewards and punishments will be
yiven in accordance with certain fixed
rules and principles. In the distribution
Of heavenly honors no favor or par Aanllty
Is shown. "For whom; prepared. Inc
true meaning is that such distinction cou.d
not be given except to those lor wnon'
It is prepared" And for whom Is heav
pnly honor prepared? Not to every one
who saith Lord, Lord; but to the holy IN
heart, to the 'Israelite indeed" to- the
true circumcision Rom. 2: 90, Phil. 3:
81. to the one who enters lii at the strait
cate" Matt. 7: 10. l4) and who presses
Stoward the mark" phil. 3: IA.
| III. ga lesson in humility Tvs. 4l-4o)
al. "The ten." The other ten apostles
"Heard it," Heard OF this bold request
made by Salome and her sons. Much al dis
pleased" Moved with Indignation. Inc
sons of Zebedee had been in better socla
position than most of their brethren, anc
this attempt to secure a pre-emlnence o
honor kindled a storm of jealousy. AZ
"Saith unto them" Our Lord sootheC
their jealousy by assuring them that IL
His kingdom there were no lordshlps. "Ac
counted to rule. ETC." That is, those whc
are in a position to exercise authority ant
dominion. such as princes and governors
use their power to crafty their world.
ambitions and their love of ruling. 49
mot SO among you" (R. W The princi
pies of My kingdom are entirely ditferen
and are peculiar to themselves There ar
to be no ranks and no high sounding titles
All are to be on level-the rich, the poor
the bond, the free, the learned ana the I'm
learned He will be the most distinguish
who shows the greatest humility. Ou
Lord does not here mean that there sha
be no orders in the Christian Church, o
even in heaven. But these church order
are founded on the principle of servic
rather than lordship. The officer of tn
church is truly the servant OF the church
and if he exercise authority from any othe
motive he is guilty Of worldly ambition
He is repeating the misdoings of James an
John. twill be great" There is a, hol
ambition which every true Christian shout
possess. an ambition not for place, but TO
ability to serve. -,
a.. 1.-THE chiefest" The only superiorit
here to be sought is a superiority IN labor
and suffering for the common good.
any would be great let him be the .grea
est servant. As. Game; to minister.
Jesus points to Himself as an example 70
Them to follow. He was not self-seeke
and came not to be ministered unto; bu
He came to minister-to serve. This wa
the character of His life. The Son of Ma
ministers to the sons of men. TO CIV
His life" The Son of Man showed Hin
self the greatest of all by enduring tn
greatest sufferings and making the grea
EST sacrifice Of ALL "a ransom" The Ii
pral meaning is a price paid for the r
demption of captives. Christ died in til
Mace of sinners. For many" This dot
not always mean many. All the gre;
noets of the world are not many. But I'll