The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL ~.

Subject: Jesus Transfgured, Mark ix.. 2.
13-Golden Text, Mark ix., 7-Memory
Verses, 2-4-Commentary on the Days
Lesson.
I. The TRANSPORTATION Tvs. 2, 81. 2. All
ter six days. That is, six days after the
sayings of the last lesson. Luke says,
About eight days after" There were six
full days and the fractional days at the be.
ginning and the end, making about eight.
Edersheim supposes the great confession
occurred on the Sabbath, and the trans
fguration on the night after the Sabbath
one week later. There is no intimation
as to how the Intervening week was spent.
Peter, and James, and John" These
garden. He took these three % because
He needed witnesses to prove the fact
when the time came to reveal His glory to
the world, and (2) for the purpose of en-
couraging and establishing them in the
truths Of His kingdom. Into; mountain"
The place of the TRANSPORTATION scene IS
unknown, but it was probably Mount Her
mon, not far from Caesarea Philippi. This
is the opinion of nearly all modern author
tiles. WAS transfgured" Matthew says:
"His face did shine as the SUM-" 1T would
appear that the light shone out of Him
from within; it was one blaze Of dazzling,
The face of Moses had shone, but as the
moon, with a borrowed, reflected light;
but Christ's shone as the sun, with an in
nate, inherent light. May this not be a
hint as to the appearance of our resur-
rection bodies? g. ''Raiment; shining,
etc." His face shone with divine majesty,
and all His body was so irradiated by It,
that His clothes could not conceal His
glory, but became white and glistened as
the very light with which He covered Him.
self as with a garment.
II. Heavenly visitants Tvs. 49,: 4.
ELIAS" Inc Greek form of Elijah.
with Moses" Moses was a representa-.
tive of the law; he was the founder Of the
Jewish dispensation, which for centuries
had been preparing the way for Christ;
His coming lDeut. IS: 1919; and through
him had been instituted the sacrifices
which Christ fulfilled and which explained
His coming death which so troubled the
disciples. Elijah was the representative
of the prophets. They had foretold the
coming and the suffering of Christ, and
Elijah was the one who was to prepare the
way of the Lord by his character and
spirit reappearing in John the Baptist, the
forerunner of Jesus. "Were talking" Luke
tells us what this conversation was about
to which they were permitted to listen.
They "spake of His decease which He
were talking Of Christ's departure from the
world, including, no doubt, His death, res
direction and ascension. This would en-
able the disciples to see the Importance
of the sufferings and death of their blessed
Master. which was to them the deepest
5. "Peter; said" Eager and impulsive
as always Peter spoke just as the heav-
enly visitants were about to leave. 1t was
for him too brief a glimpse of the heavenly
glory. Good; to be here" Peter spoke
the truth. The apostles would be strong
er and more useful because OF the divine
manifestations. 1t is always good for US
when the Lord especially manifestss Him
booths, from the bushes on the mountain;
such as were made at the feast of Taber-
nacles. He greatly desired to have the
heavenly visitants remain with them: 9.
"Wist not" Knew not. How many times
do we speak unwisely because we do not
stop to consider our words. Sore afraid.
They trembled in the presence of the di-
vine manifestations.
III. The voice from the cloud Tvs. !, 81.
7. "a cloud; overshadowed them" Mat.
thew says bright" cloud. A cloud had
frequently been the symbol of the diyins Y
presence. "A voice" The voice Of Goo ;.a
confirmed the old, for it was the same
voice which had been heard at Christ's
baptism. This would show to Peter and
the apostles present that they did not need
to detain Moses and Elijah in order to
add to their happiness. This is My be-
loved Son." Matthew adds, "1n whom
am well pleased" They had Jesus with
them, and He was more than all the hosts
of heaven would be without Him. Hear
Him" He is superior even to Moses, the
great lawgiver. Moses himself had made
such a statement. See Deut.. IS: To-, He
is superior to Elijah and the prophets,
and is the one to whom they r.ointed.
tells US hst when enn the S disciples heard the
voice they fell on their faces, and were
sore afraid; then, recovering from the
shock, they suddenly gazed all around
them and saw no person but Jesus. They
feared as they entered into the cloud, but
when they heard the voice of God. prob
ably as loud as thunder (see j ohm II: 29),
and full of divine majesty such as mortal
ears were unaccustomed 70 hear, they fell
fat to the ground on their faces, being
sore afraid. In this condition the three
disciples lay until Jesus touched them and
raised them up, dispelling their fears.
Nv. The divine charge Tvs. g., lO). 9.
"Tell no man." The charge which Jesus
gave them would prohibit their telling
even the other apostles.
TO- "Questioning, ETC." How could they
properly preach crucihed and risen Sa,
viour, when they were resoluteiy opposed
to His death and questioned what the rls-
ing from the dead might mean? Silence
and discipline were their present duty.
Had they preached Him as a glorious Mes
siah, superior to Moses and Elias, as set
forth in his TRANSPORTATION, the Jewish
authorities would have held them guilty
of treason.
v. A question Tvs. lib. II. why say
the scrbes, etc." What foundation have
the scribes for saying that Elijah must
come before the Messiah? The scribes
and Pharisees may have urged as capl.
tai objection against the Messiahship. of
their Master st that no Eljah Tsnt TS.t before fore
not mean here, and in Matt. II: II, as
some understand these passages, that Eli
jah is to come before the second advent.
"Restoreth all things" To restore is
to bring back to lost perfection,
then to develop, raise, to introduce pur-
er. nobler epoch: here specially to proclaim
the kingdom of God And how is it writ
ten. etc" (R. W Elijah con:eth first and
restoreth all things. But how or to what
purpose is it written of the Son of man
that he conleth? In order that He may
suffer. not conquer like a mighty prince:
l3. "Is indeed come, In the perSon OF
soevrr thHy chose or desired.