The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-02-11


hath power ON earth 10 forgive sins. |
MARK 2,IO.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Preaching tour. Matt. 4:23, "a |
preaching our...................Ma Mark l:ab-S9
Preaching tour. Luke 2;42-A
Healing ieper.."...,..........Ma Matt u l.
Healing leper. Mark 40-45
ieaiing leper;..,........'..'''; Luxe 5:lZ-l6
Healing paralytic..r.........M Mark z: 1-l2
fieHliny paraiytic...,.........L Luxe 5'lf-zo
Time.--The early summer Of A. ID. 2s.
early In THE Year Oh Public Fayor.'D
Place.-Jesus' temporary home at Ca
pernaum; probably the house of the former
fisherman. Simon Peter.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Into Capernaum:" Jesus headquar-
ters for about half oil His ministry.
After some days" During which He
was on preaching tour among the
towns of Galilee (1:39). ut was noised
that He was In the house: "Or, at home,
as in the margin. He still had a place
He could call home. II was probably
Peters house. Since Jesus had left Ca
pernaum lie had been much talked
about, both by the common people, who
we're His stanch friends. and the
scribes and religious teachers. who very
naturally looked upon Him with suspi-
cion. New methods and teachings, es-
pecially II they are religious. are usu-
ally looked upon with suspicion. Many
were gathered together" The friendly
common people we're In the majority.
but In the most prominent places were
the scribes and members of the reli-
yious aristocrscy. They considered
Jesus an unauthorized and unsafe teach
er. and meant to watch His movements
very closely. He spake the word unto
them" He was In a private house, and
simply and informally speaking to them
of the kingdom that was at hand, and Of
goodness and faith az conditions Of en-
trance into 1t.
The crowd was very dense. both In the
house and about 1t, SO that those who
were bringing the sick man to Him.
and who were likely to be little late,
could not even get near Him. "They
Gomez" The relations and friends OF the
man. THE palsy" A form OF paralysis
Borne of four" Only four Of those who
came with him actually carried him.
when they could not they uncov-
cred the roof" When they could not,
they did; there was no way, so they made
one; there we're obstacles and they sur
mounted them. Such determination is
magnificent; Of course they accom-
plished their purpose. Broken 1t up"
Remember that the roofs of the small
oriental houses were usually fiat, and
: reached by a small outside stairway.
They were made of rafters laid close to-
gether, then layer of brushwood, and
upon that 10 or IL inches of solid earth,
This. of course, could be dug through
without permanently injuring the roof
Naturally the scribes who sat under the
places where the digging was going on
were not in the best frame of mind by
the time the man was let down.
, Their faith" Men who hew out a
way for themselves, in spite Of all OBJ
stacles, do not do It without faith that
, success is possible, and that the struggle
Is worth while. Those men had faith
in Jesus. 1t was nothing mystical
perhaps not religious, but real. They
had good reason to believe He woult
actually heal their friend, If they CAV,
Him the chance. The sick man. too
, had faith. Som" A sympathetic word
: Matthew adds, be of good cheer; words
n calculated TO increase the mans assur
!, ancc. Thy sins are forgiven" Jesu!
saw in the man desire for more thar
physical cure. He knew the mani
heart, and saw that they were recon
ciled "He blasphemeth:" He insults
God. "Straightway perceiving:
The scribes did not speak, but Jesus in
stantly felt their displeasure and knew
!, what caused It.. He would convince Hi
q critics of the truth of what He said abou
d forgiveness by healing the mans bod.
/, as his soul had been healed. THE Sol
/, of Man hath authority to forgiv
: SINS" When we consider that two ele
O ments enter into the question of for
d giveness, namely, the heart of the sin
g ner and the heart of God, and that Co
II is waiting to forgive the instant the sin
II ner Is ready, we see that the mean
l. ing Is that Jesus could with authorit
e announce forgiveness of sins. Ordinar
J. men cannot do this, because they hav
9, not the Divine knowledge of the heart
IS of men and the heart Of God that Jesu
d had.
Is This incident is important as shown
the beginning Of the opposition Of tn
, orthodox religious teachers. As yet tn
- cloud was no larger than mans hant
,. but within two years 1t would be storr
which should break above His head an
increase In fury till 1t had taken th
life of the young man. Jesus of Nazaretl
J. who went about doing good"
r "And he arose." A demonstration
y the power and authority of Jesus "The
III were all amazed" Including the scribe
he who were probably most surprised {
a. all But demonstrations have little e
feet on those who are most interested /
~ maintaining their old opinions than
n, getting at the truth. "And glorife
n, God" This cannot include the scribe
ne Jesus influence among the common pee
l. pie was growing rapidly; the oppositio
of the religious aristocracy was solidif!
" ing no less rapidly.
'o spear Points.
T. Gods love Is not intensified by OF
limitation of it,
You cannot hide poverty of thoug
l.. with polysyllables.
y, % The best in this world never find the
T., best in this world.
=, 1t is not necessary to be irreverent