Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-12-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY I. -
subject: Christ the Life and Light of Men,
John, l., lis Golden Text, John l.,
-Memory Verses, Ia - Commentary
on the Days Lesson,

subject: Christ the Life and Light of Men,
John, l., 1.1s-Golden Text. John L.,
Memory Verses, Id - Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
l. Chrlst's eternal existence Tvs, |, ..
l. I'm the beginning" Before all created
things. In the ages of eternity when only
God existed. Was Not became, lie
existed before all creation. He did not
come into being; He was The Word,
The Greek term here translated Word"
is LOCUS" which has the double mean.
Mg of thought and speech, With God"
In closest communion, yet distinct from
Him. WAS Cod" In substance and es
sence God, The Father is God, the Son
is God; the Holy Spirit is God; God is
One. An unfathomnabe mystery! 1t is
rashness to search too far into it, 1t is
piety to believe it. 1t is life eternal to
know it.
2. "'rhe same was in the beginning God
was eternally Triune, three in one. There
was the Second Person i'll the Trinity be
lore He was manifested in the flesh.
He was not created Divine; He existed d.
vine. was one with God
IL. Christ the Creator Tvs. So 8. "All
things were made by HIM Terrestrial
and celestial. visible and invisible, men,
worlds and angels. All things came into
being through Him, by His agency. He
exists. but all other things were made,
4. I'm His was, life" He was the we'll
spring from which every form of life-phy.
flows. THE light of men," There is
FIRST life, then light. Dead eyes cannot
| zee nor dead minds know.
5. The light shineth.' Christ has re-
vealed Himself constantly by creation,
by providence, by the strivings of the
Spirit, by the course of events, by the
revelations of the prophets and even by
, the dim limitations of heather conscious
ness. And the light still shlneth, clearer
and brighter than in the past. I'm dark.
ness The darkness of sin, ignorance and
unbelef has enshrouded the world in all
ages. "Comprebended it not Did not
receive it or profit by it. But another
translation IN the mary of the Il. V.
changes the meaning-"the darkness over
came It not.
Ill The herald OF Chrlst,s coming Tvs.
so, g. There was a man (See Il. W
Literally. there began to be man." in
contrast with the Word who had no be
ginning. Sent from God" God gave
Him His mission and His message, His
| credentials and His instructions He was
messenger John" The Baptist, An
account Of His birth is gwen in Luke
T.
mony, stronger here than preaching.
stronger, even, than prophecy as hitherto
existing John appeared first as preach
er of repentance. but at the same time
showed himself a prophet, who completed
the Old Testament prophecy IN testimony,
His mission rose into the office of fore.
runner. "All men believe Tn the di'
vine purpose John was to lead over the
faith of Israel to Christ. though the Cos.
pei was not for the Jews alone. no 'rr a
race or class, but for all men, Away. -hd
everywhere
s Not that hight" John was not the
source Of hight, but only 4 reflector Of the
hight, lamp lighted Al this time some
we're still living who were inclined to place
John the Baptist on an equality with
Christ, hence this PLAIN declaration, John
was, indeed. a burning and shining
light or literally, lamp tjohn 5: So,
but he came only TO herald the true
Light" 8 That Christ WAS the
true Light" Not that John was false
sight, but Christ was thc genuine, perfect
ght. the original source OF light aud His
messenger only carried rays OF light from
Him. Which lighteth every man" Not
all men The Light liumines each one
| .ingly, not all collectively. God deals
| with men separately as individuals, not in
mrs ses
". Christ rejected by men Tvs 10. IL
| 10. WAS N the world " In all the past
ages. IN every manifestation OF God. IN
| the history of the chosen nation. but O.
| peclally when He appeared as man
| hrlst Jesus. the Saviour OF the world,
| This Is one reason why the world should
| have received Him. Was made by Him
tie was their Creator and they were His
creatures. made IN His image, and were
| thus under the deepest Obligations to Him.
| This is another reason why the world
should have received HIM. Knew Him
not" They did not recognize Him as
their Creator. saviour. King On the
contrary. they cruciticd Him.
II Unto HIS own" His own property
or possessions His own land. city, TEN.
pie, Messlanlc rights and possessions. His
| own creation, own inheritance Referring
! 70 all people but with D special empha
SIS on the Jewish nation, He created, He
redeemed, He preserved, He blessed, He
! Owed. This Is another reason why they
| should have received Him He came to
his own klndred. The human race de.
| scended from God Adam was a son OF
God. As the landlord comes to his own
| estates, but his own tenants receive him
of things. and His own world of eatures
| did not receive Him. "Recevcth His not.
| Neither by the world at large, nor by
| the leader, OF the temple. nor by the cit.
| i1euS OF Nazareth, were His claims allowed
v The divine son>hlp of believers Tvs
! IL, 49,.
L.. AS received Him" individuals,
| without distinction Of race, nationality OF
condition. As many as accepted Him as
their Saviour and King acknowledged His
claims, and Yielded obedience to His teach
ings. Gave He power" "The right y
| Or. W The original word combines both
true and both should be accepted Sons
| Of God" (See r. W On the divine side
God adopts us az children rom s: l6
~. and makes us children by imparting
TO us His own life (John 3: 3, 81. On the
human side we must be born again, from
above (John 3; g. 81. BY believing. That
believe" Only those are children who
receive the divine life and the divine ma
ture by true faith. 10. born Spirit
ual birth regeneratcd. Not OF blood,
etc No human descent introduces US into
the family OF God.
VI Christs revelation Of the Father Tvs
1919 II Was made flesh" As the
human soul is united to the body but mo-
changed into the BODY, so the Eterna
Word took on flesh. but was not changed
into it. or confused with 1t, "The only be
gotten" We are children of God IN
sense, but only Jesus Christ is His Son II
this highest and special meaning. "Gract
and truth" These were His glory. Grace
includes all mercy; truth. all Justice" HI
was full Of these Is Bear Witness" etc
1t seems probable that this verse describe
the usual character of Johns testimon,
concerning Christ He was continual,
proclaiming Chrlsts superiority to himself