The Tupelo journal., 1904-01-22

OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Arrest of John the Baptist. -. Matt. 1875
Arrest of John the Baptist. Mark 6:17-1S
Arrest of John the Baptist. LUX 3:19. 20
beginning of Jesus Galilean Ministry.
4:l2, IL
Beginning of Jesus Galilean Ministry.
Mark TIA, 10
Beginning of Jesus Galilean Ministry -.
Rejection at Matt. 49, a IS
rejection at Mark 6:l-6
rejection at NaZareth...........Luke 1850
Tfme.-His rejection at Nazareth oc-
CURED in April, A. ID. rs. Part of The year
of obscurity."
Place.-Nazareth. In Galilee.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Between the incidents of to-day's les
son and those of last Sundays an inter-
val OF about Is months elapsed, during
which time Jesus was at work mostly in
Judea.
He came 20 Nazareth" In the course
OF a o u through Galilee. Until a little
over O. year before, Jesus had been a
carpenter in Nazareth. Then He had
gone away to the wilderness of Judea
to John the Baptist, and since that time
strange reports had come back to the
home town. Men said hat He had be-
come a great prophet, and was rivaling
John the Baptist himself John Al, p,
and, strangest OF all, news had come
from Capernaum that he had miracu-
lousy healed the son of a prominent
mar there John 4:46-54), and from
Cana, only -four miles away, that He had
turned water into wine at a wedding
feast John 2:1-11). The synagogue on
the day of which we are studying was
full of His fellow townsmen, all eager
to see whether the young carpenter was
really so great, after all.
He entered, as His custom was, into
the synagogue" Referring to His GUS
tom of preaching in the synagogue when
ever possible. That He had always been
an attendant at the synagogue went
without saying. STOOD up to read"
AS a distinguished man whom everyone
wanted to hear, Jesus was invited to con-
duct the service. The prophet Isaiah"
Comparison with the original shows
that this is a free translation, prob
ably taken from a Greek or sAramaic
version. Note the point in the quota
ton where Jesus stopped. If He had
gone on. His next words would have
been, "and the day of vengeance of
our God" John the Baptist would have
gone on, Jesus did not. This quotation
is priceless to us, because it clearly
gives Christ's conception of His minis
try. Note that His mission is not so
much to the strong and the fortunate, as
to those who need help-the poor, the
captives, the blind, the bruised. The
reference is not to physical conditions
alone, but to the heart life. 1.-THE ac-
ceptable year of the Lord" "The well
come year; the time of Gods especial
bounty. "-Adeney. The attendant: The
keeper of the sacred rolls. And sat
down." To speak. This was the GUS
tom. Eyes fastened on him." Not
simply because of curiosity, but held by
the strength of His wonderful person.
atty.
To-day hath this Scripture peel full
filed" Jesus great declaration of Him
self and His mission to His former
townsmen. He probably said a great
deal more that is not reported. "All bare
Him witness" His power was unde-
niable. words of grace" Both mes
sage and manner surprise the people
by their graciousness. as this not Jo-
seph's SON." His fellow townsmen evil
IDENTIFY knew nothing of the virgin birth.
They felt His power, but that He was
really great-as great as had been re-
ported. they could not believe, for was
He not the son of an ordinary carpenter?
If they believed any such thing of Him,
He would have to prove it to them. and
He said unto them" Probably seeing
that they were in a mood to demand
proof of His great claims. Physician,
heal myself" A challenge to do for
His own town what it was reported He
had done for others. Jesus never &C.
cepted such challenges, though they
were often given. Neither the truth
He preached nor His relation to the Fa-
Their depended on the ability to work
miracles, and He would not work them to
satisfy people who considered them the
only convincing proof of His sonship.
His refusal, with the instances in verses
1921 (see l Kings, 1924, and 2 Kings,
5 1-15) enraged the people to the last
degree. Jealousy, hatred and murder
were in their hearts.
But He passing through the midst of
them went His way" This does not as
sert either Cd that Jesus became invis-
ible, or ca that He had miraculous pro-
lection. The temptation scene at the
wing of the temple precludes the idea
that Jesus would resort to such means
of saving Himself. 1t is enough to con-
clude that the mysterious majesty of
the person of Christ overawed the tickle
mob."-Adeney. This is a remarkable
illustration of a fact that we must not
forget in thinking of the personal ap-
pearance of Jesus. Most of the great
painters have emphasized the gentleness
and sorrowfulness of the Saviour at the
expense of the strength and even ma
jesty which the Gospel story sometimes
reveals. Compare with this John 10:3 SO
and 1876.
Grapes from Canaan.
Fools always try to retrieve folly with
falsity.
The wise man fears pride when he
hears praise.
When the door is shut it is an invita-
ton to knock.
TT ic of M uSp depOupcino Gin haforo