Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-01-15
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
January IL.
Subject: The Baptism and Temptation OF
Jesus, Matt. Ill 10 to w., ll-Golden Text,
Matt. ILL.,, I7-Memory Verses, w.,
3. documentary on tho
DAVIS Lesson.

Aenon near to Salim John 3: 2, -, day 8
Journey from Nazareth. unto John =
Although John was His cousin we are told
John !: 33) that he "knew Him not; :"
which NAV mean that John did not know
Jesus TO be the Messiah. $40 be bap-
tized" Any confession of sin was OF course
put Of the question. There was only a
profession on the part OF Jesus that as
III Eraelite lie became subject to the
law, and that He was connected with hu-
mainly by the ties of blood, Of suffering
and of love. This act was an endorsement
of John and solemn Inauguration OF his
ministry.
II. "Forbad" Earnestly and pressing
" opposed Him. 81 have need," etc. Al
though John was filed with the Holy
Ghost from his birth (Luke j. l5l, yet
he needed the baptism of the Holy Ghost
and fire. He NEEDED to receive a larger
measure of the gifts and graces of the
Holy Spirit. Is. "Suffer it to be SO now"
These were the first words of Christ
public ministry. Tn this Jesus humbled
Himself at the very outset. Fulfil all
Righteousness" TO leave nothing undonc
which would be honoring to the require.
ments of God. 'Hc suffered Him" The
same modesty which led him at first 10
decline the honor Christ offered him now
caused him to perform the service Christ
enioined upon him.
IS. "The Heavens we're opened" Luke
saws that Jesus prayed as soon as Tic vas
baptized duke 3: 2ll Here is the first
recorded prayer of Christ and its answer.
II was when Ue was praying that the
Shirt was sent down upon Him. and IN
all probability it was this that He wa'
praying for. A threeiold sign was given:
]. The Heavens opened 9. The dove
descended 3. The Father snake. He
saw" Christ saw it Mark /: 10Y, and
probable that all who were present saw lt,
for this was intended to be His public
Inauguration. Like dove" There h"'
been difference of opinion as 10 whether
this was a real, literal dove. Luke says
il was in a "bodiiy" shape like a dove
luke 2: 22l u. ''Mv beloved Son"
Jesus Christ is the Son Of God from et"r'
nifty. He never began 10 be His Son. lie
was also His Son because Of His SuDer-
/ natural birth, and He was His Son "hy
| special DESIGNATION to the work OF the
worlds Redeemer."
IT. The first temptation Tvs. l-4). |.
| Such are the violent alterations Of human
experiences; baptized and tempted: ap-
| proved of God and handed over to the
| devil. "Of the shirt" Luke says lie was
full of the Spirit" Mari, says, the Shirt
drivcth Him. A divine influence led ] Tim
on, "Into the wilderness" Tradition has
fixed upon a hioh ridge called Quaran iana.
near Jericho. Mark says He was with he
wild beasts. "ro he tempted Christ
begins His work with a .pcrsonal cncoun'
ter with Satan To temnt is, literally, to
stretch out, TO try the strength or.
Temptation is the testing Of Il person.
Lord could fast forty days because they
were in communion with God and living
heavenly life. Luke SAYS He was telNnt-
I'd during the whole forty days. he
struggle was powerful. personal and III.
| .enselv real. Christ for our sakeS met
md conquered the tempter'S utmost
strength. "Afterward an hungered;"' After
The forty days were ended 3. "Iempter
anne" How Satan appeared to Christ
we do not know, but II he came
n bodily form it must haye been
Is an angel of light; IF Ihou De,
Beware of temptation that comes Will, an
{ in its mouth. ''The Son of God. ." The
consciousness of His divine Sonshlp may
low in measure have been withheld;
Alone in the wilderness and weak and
worn from fasting. Satan saw his chance.
Stones bread" You are hungry;
now If You are the Son of God use the
power You have to supply Your neces5''
ties, and thus prove Your divinity. IN
his first temptation Satan tempts our
Lord, as he did Eve, by the bodily appP-
tte. lie appeals to the animal nature
first. by this avenue he approaches ana
,onquers the great majority OF mank'nu.
Beneath this temptation of bodily appetltes
all cluttoDs, drunlards and debauchees
have fallen and become the devils prey
/ of is written" Deut s: 3. Jesus
answered the devil by using the sword OF
the Spirit. "Not live by bread alone. ,
Human support depends not on bread, but
anon Goods lmfaling word of promise
and pledge OF all needful provldentIal
care"
iII. The second temptation Us. 80.
5. Pinnacle of the tempe" The scene
changes from the wilderness to Jerusa lem.
Some well known pinnacle must have
IN The southern side of the temple. q.
Cast thvself down" In His first reply
to the devil Jesus had shown His ua'
bounded confidence in God. Now. Satan
! takes Him at that very point. II Ihoi
/ he the Son of God cast ThyseI from this
| pinnacle. All the world will wonder at
30 grand an exploit This was tempta'
! ton 10 presumption. or as Mr.. farrar
/ says, to spiritual pride. For, 1t Is writ
ten" The devil has a Bible. but he mis-
quotes and misappies. Give his angels
| charge" A mutiiated quotation OF Psa'
! d: il. 7. Tempt Deut. 6: l6., 10
tempt God is to put Him to the prooI-toi
| demand evidence of His power and OF
| His will to fulfil His promises, instead OF
waiting patiently and trusting. This temp
| tation appealed to the love of show. those
| carried away from God by worldly pleas
ures or the vanities of fashion fail here.
". The third temptation Tvs. SID: s.
Exceeding high mountain" Some high
! mountain in Judea, where genera! view
| could be had of the country. "Shewetil
kingdoms of the world" The
root of She third temptation Jay in the
supposition that the Kingdoms of the
world were the devils kingdoms and that
he could dispose of them. 9. Worship
me-" Here the devil appears in his true
| character. Christ was probably asked to
Worship mot by an external act or hom'
age. but by using force and establishing a
temporal Kingdom"
To- "Get thee hence" Jesus parieys
with him no longer, but with authority
commands him to 90 to his own place. The
! third temptation appealed to the ambl'
| fion. By this temptation the great men
Of the world have fallen in myriads. IL
Devil lcaveth Him." Satan had made
the strongest effort RI winch nc was capa'
bic and had been baffied at every, point
angels minlstered. Brought tha'
food that was necessary to support nature.
Good Uses for Paper
Tho usa of naDer as an excellent