Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-02-12
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
Internatieusl Lesson Comments For
February IA.
sgkiseh Jesus rorglves Sins, Mark H., l. Il
Geiden Text. Mark H., l0-Memory Yer
ses. J.S-Commentary on the
Days Lesson.

4 palsicd sinner brought to Christ
Ns lN. /. "Aud again" At the close
of the missionary tour in Gsllee. cap
ernaum.' Which was his home or neau.
quarters. ut was noised." The news
spread very rapidly. Gin the house,
Either the house which He occupied with
His mother and His brethren Matt. 1:
l3), or possibly that Of st: Peter
3 "Many were gathered" The audience
included Pharisees and doctors OF the law
who had come from the towns of Galilee,
,Judea and Jerusalem (Luke s.: ~. They
had come to inspect and criticlsa TINS new
Teacher. About the door" There Wes
a great concourse OF people SO that the
house and court were both filled. 'freachea
the word" The doctrine OF the oon OF
God. They had come partly to crltlcse
and partly out of curiosity, and now Jesus
SEXES the opportunity to preach the eos,
mel. We should be instant IN season and
out of season to point Others to Jesus;
Preaching and healing went together anu
made a powerful impression.
;. Come unto Him" Access to Jesus
seemed impossible. There were many, OBJ
stacles in the way. Should they n, maze
waited for convenient season. NO. lney
must force their way to Christ. Bringing
one" He was young, for Jesus calls nlm
son. but he was full grown, Tor IL re-
olired four to carry him. There are many
SO weak and discouraged that they cannot
90 to Jesus without assistance; we We, should
always be ready to help such. Sick OF
the palsy" Palsy, contraction OF the
word paralysis. is disease that deprives
the part affected of sensation, or the pow
or Of motion, or both. This patient I.
utterly helpless. The disease Is conSid-
cred incurable. Borne of four, Each
one holding o corner of the pallet, OF
4. ,,,aro1tr a thIClylV ha06ed
| quilt or mat There was cooperation III
| this work. One could not have done 1t;
| it needed four In the union. OF hearts
and hands there is strength United they
n"a a n ei, press 1t seemed quite impos-
sible for the crowd to make an opening
sufficiently large for them to pass through
Uncovered the roof Luke says
through the tiling' In the Eastern coun
tries the houses were hat,rooied anu
Joined together, so one could walk upon
them from one end of the city, to the
other. These housetops were places OF
prayer and meditation, and from the
! housetops criers proclaimed the times OF
| public worship. Outside stairs always led
! fo the roof, Broken it up They took
w the thing. They determined that moth,
ing should stand in their way Le1
down" Imagine the surprise OF tha
crowd as this opening through the tues
appeared, and pallet was let down before
| them. =,
II. Christ forgives sins Tvs. SD. o;
"Saw their faith" Many OF the quits OF
healing and restoration were obtained
through the faith and prayers OF the the
friends of the sufferers. See Matt: 8: u;
Mark 5: Sc: John A. 80. Jesus saw their
faith. Real faith acts. Their holy boldnesS
pleased Him. :Thy sins are forgiven u
W Our first great need IS the forgive
ness of sins. Jesus rightly puts thls
ahead of the healing Of the body. we can
not doubt that this paralytlc was con
science-stricken young man. Inc cohoi
tions necessary to forgiveness are repent
ance. confession forsaking sin and faith.
g. Certain of the scribes." The scribea
~rare me leaders Of the nation, the the
come up from Jerusdrrilr They had
for the purpose of opposing him. III
their hearts" They had not spoken open
ly. 7. "Blasphemies." To blaspheme /,
to SANDER God or speak impiously against
God. In this case they supposed thai
longs to God only. He is intruding on thu
divine rights. The blasphemer was to b.
put to death by stoning. But God only.
They rightly understood that all sins are
sins against God. and therefore only Coz
could forgive them. See Psa. 81: d.
ILL., Christ heals disease Tvs. S-i2). 8
"Jesus perceived" In telling them The
thoughts of their hearts Jesus gave then
the fullest proof of His divinity. Ht
"searcheth all hearts and understandetf
all the imaginations OF the the, thoughts. ~ y.
Matthew says Wherefore think We evil?'
on my words? 9. Whether it is easier
Both are equally easy and equally difficult
Everything is equally easy to that powei
which is unlimited. A universe can be a.
easily produced by single act of the di
vine will as the smallest part OF matter.
10. That we may know" External mira
cles are the proof of internal ones: CHRIS
was conscious of divine power. If failur;
had been the result His humiliatio would
have been overwhelming and final. He pre-
poses now to prove His divinity beyond qucs
ton. "Son of Man" This is the title wbicl
Christ most frequently applied to Himself
sometimes interchauging 1t with the SOL
of God" He appropriated to Himself th'
pronhecy of Daniel Matt. 90; 90, 81: Dan
T: 49, 1t is applied to Christ more tina,
eighty times in the New Testament. |
and that He, the Son of God, became. I
true man rom. 8: 81. 2. That He was tn
one perfect man, sinless, and complete II
every human virtue. g. That He was th'
representative man, elevated above indl
yidua, class and national prejudices.
Tha lie was, officially, the Representative
OF the human race in His life and death TO
man. Power on earth They wer'
thinking of God az being i'll heaven, ant
Jesus calls attention to the fact that ther
is power on earth now so forgive sins
The San of Man has come TO earth ant
has brought this power with Him.
| II Arise" Here is the test. Chris
shows it's ability TO forgive sins by ID,
ability to heal. II. He arose" The mar
mad a part to perform. Had he not acte'
at the word of command he could no
have been healed. lie exercised the pow
or OF his will and put forth the uecessar!
effort to arise, believing that strength ant
healing would he given him. Before then
all" This thing was mot done in cor
ner." Christ's miracles were performed II
the most public manner and we're neve
questioned by those who witnessed them
Amazed" Luke adds: They were iillet
with fear" "Glorified God" They had
high degree Of reverence for God and wer
filed with admiration for His power ant
goodness. ION this fashion" Chsist'
works are without precedent. He act
independently and advises with no one
They had seen three marks OF His divinity
l. Forgivins sins. ? Perceiving thought,
3. Healing disease The works Of Chris
arc astonishing the world to-day. He
the same mighty Saviour as ever, and