The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-04-09
THE SUNDAY-sCHOoL LESSON.
For APRIL ~: ..Jesu. Trnn.6gured."

I'LL SOtvSH WIN
For April II: Jesus TrnnsfGured."
FIRST W~ORDS-There is a very close
relation between this lesson and mat OF
last Sunday. The interview betwe=n Jesus
and his disciples. in which he reterr.d 10
his c~rucinxion, made an impression, with
out doubt. upon their minds that needed
TO be changed. \ whole week passed
away, the events OF which are not record
ed by the evangelist Ii = believed that
during that time he had ~IUuEneyed with
the apostles st:!l further north perhaps
fifty miles from Caesara PalL!Lpi. ana
that he had arrived al Mount H-rTnoE.
the Hottest peak OF the anL-L=oaEon
Mountains. 1his IS probably the mos re-
There he determined TO reveal himself, Is
he had done on previous occasions 10 rs
chosen ambassadors. that their minds ana
hearts might again De liked upon MN, ana
his cause espoUsed by them win greater
fervor than ever before. This inspired 81
lence in the gospel narrative Is broken 70
give US an account Of the most remark
MOUNTAIN PRAfER-Jesus took Pc
ter, James and John apart from the other
disciples into a high mountain (Hermonl;
\ He went fer the purpose Of prayer tLuke
tx, 81 Mountains have been religious
retreats in ali ages. Rev. xxi. 10 An
GENTLY they were regarded as the dwell
ing place of the gods. II superstition orig
mating probably in the feelings or reFer-
ence there excited. Jesus practicsd and
enjoined solitary prayer Mark l.. So. but
I OkI Has NNdotO ~ ~ 49,
sociate prayer. Perhaps ne desired Wit
| nesses. or possibly this was his ideal or a
prayer meeting. The three selected were
favored on other occasions. They repre-
sented three types of character ana be-
came opponents OF three different phases
OF Christianity. Each wrote a gospel, or
was associated with q gospel writer
James with Matthew. Peter with Mark
As Luke was associated WITH PAU, VINO
ais saw Jesus IN ms giorltled state u
this was Chr.sts method OF preparing his
biographies. While engaged IN Iraye: tine
| apparel and counteuance OF Jesus became
white and glistening. The original word.
expressing the change. rendered trans
figured Matt. xvii. p. indicates that the
glory that was previously with Jesus MIS-
him: his real beauty appeared. Com
municn with God on other occasions was
marked by similar though less brilliant
ILLUSTRIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING this
prayer meeting Moses and Elias appeared.
The first t,ourished at the beginning. the
other in the middle of the Lesitical dis
pensation, preceding Jesus by fourteen
and nine centuries. respectively. Both had
remarkabie experiences upon mountains
far distant from this place. eek XIX, 70,
L Kings xix. 81 Both departed This life
in an unusual manner< CDeut. Nxxiv. l;
II Kings ii: IL Their names were rever-
emily Joined by the latter prophets as the
two foremost characters of the gid dis
pensation- Mai. IL, so This meeting
reminds US OF the three and the two who
~ -hbAS tAss4 1AhL - - ~.
xviii, Il; Xix. - Ike frrapd OF Moses
and Elias is briefly stated. They con-
versed with Jesus concerning his decease
az Jerusalem, the very theme over which
Peter had stumbled. as related lin our last
lesson. The lawgiver and the great
prophet Of Israel esteem that = subject
their writings luke xxiy. A. which had
been strangely misinterpre:ed by Jewish
doctors; Now they show that. while sep.
aTated by many centuries. they are in full
accord or this momsntous topic, which is
destined to become fundamental in the
new dispensation. tCOl. i. g; Rev. V. 10
Will speak lightly of the cross? Gal,
vi. - |
PETERS. PRoPosAL-Prior to the
Hence. some have inferred that il was
night time. The slumber may have been
produced by superhuman Influences. as
ence. Gen. ii. ~ They awoke in time
TO see Jesus in the glory which he had
taken en- lex xiii. IS; lisa. ~: l; John |,
~: also to see Moses and Elias. prob
ably to hear the latter part OF their con-
versatior. How they were recognized We
are not informed. The apostles had missed
much. az sleepy Christians de: who en-
ter a meeting at a late hour. Awakening
In the midst OF this unearthlv splendor,
Peter cried out. 1T is COED for us 20 be
here" and proposed. with Chr.st's APP
to make three tabarnaci.s, one
for him and one for each guest This was
the spontaneous outburst OF enthusiasm
and bewildermert. He desired to prolong
the visit and the blessing. But the prop
osition was improper. Jesus might have
answered Peter as he did previously.
(Matt. xvi. 81 Unfortunate man, He was
a duh pupil In the school OF Christ. speak
ing when he might better have been ST
lent. ard cherishing feelings out Of har-
mony with his Masters plans. This was
not the time for heavenly rest. but for
labor and sacrifice. Eight days before
Jesus had declared his sufferinss ard
death. Moses and Elias have affirmed the
would build booths and keep his Lord
from his mission and the guests from
their home. His religion. ike that of
many now. conferred IN personal enjoy
ment. Peter must be delivered from such
notions. But how?
HEAVENLY MEssAGE-whiie the
Swallowed the party. BY this manner on
occasions the approach OF God had
been, announced Out OF the cloud came
in whom I am well pleased. Hear We
Here is a proclamation Of Christ's
divinity as 1t had been taught in Scrip
pressed 1t Gohn III. 16l. and as Peter con
fessed 1t.
The expression Of approval was the same
as that given at the baptism. Matt iii. IL
TO hear Jesus. The design was TO set
forth as the authoritative teacher III
Deut xvii. Is. I,. superior 20
Moses and Elias. Jesus thus displaces the
prophets and becomes the head of the
covenant. The cloud and the voice terri
the people. who fell on their faces.
an act of reverence among OrientaiiSts.
Gen. xvii, 81. Men conscious Of divine
presence are generally filed with fear
Judges. V. q. q most natural and becouI-
InS emotion. But Jesus came and to1ched
he apostles as he touched John (Rev.
|. II. many years after. and said. Arise. !
De not afraid" Then. lifting up their eyes.
hey saw Jesus only. and he was in ordi-
nary apparel. Moses and Elias were gone
The glory had departed. The four stood
face TO face again. In no wise different
Than they had been plain men in the
of Hermon. ready to descend to !
he valley and resume their work.
PROFOUND SECEET-As they came
Town the mountain Jesus charged The
not to mention the vision unit
.fter the resurrection. And Mark tells rs !
hat they kent il close. In their after mir
stry they did record it in their. gospels
IN the epistles. Why this ~silerceo :
should not the other nine know? An
yhat relation was there between the
ransfiguratfon and the resgrrection2
There Is a proper order of truth \ large
of the skepticisn and bewilGerment
,ommon among men Is due to their effort
o grasp things out OF their order. Our
'avior recognized ar inability TO consider
ONE things. The significance of this
n~ountain scene could not appear until Ger i
ain great doctrines were accepted. And