Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-01-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
TeRNATloNAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY 49,
Subject: jesus and Nicodemus, John ill.,
1-15 - Golden Text, John Ill, 10 -
Memory Verses, II, 15-Comm optary
on tho Days Lesson.


on the Days Lesson.
/, Nicodemus comes to Christ Tvs l.
p. l. COZ the Pharisees" A very strict
and religious sect of the Jews. They were
orthodox and believed in the immortality
of the soul and a future state. They laid
great stress upon their traditions. esteem
ing them as highly "a they did the Scrip
lures They expected the Messiah would
be temporal delivercr and king, and were
generally looking for Him "Nicodemus,'
A rich ruler Of the Jews a Pharisee and
member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme
council of the Jewish nation All we know
of him with certainty is recorded here
and in John $50 and 1929, .. Came
by night" The act of cleansing the tenn
pie had brought Christ into prominence
The plain inference is, also, that He had
performed miracles that are not mentioned
by the Bible writers. He came privately
by night, "as an act Of prudence and dis.
cretion." He had strength of character
and was an unprejudiccd, earnest seeker
after light. Rabbi" This waa showing
great respect to one who had not been ed
ucated in the rabbinical schools, "A teach.
er come from God" This was complete
Endorsement Of Jesus and His work, and
now, having thus indorsed Him he waa
under greater obligations to accept the
truths that Jesus was about to proclaim.
III. The new birth Tvs. 36). 8 Jesus
answered" Not to a spoken question, but
to the deep unspoken question Of his soul
verify, verify These words were used
to express the truthfuiness of what was
about to be spoken ana were considered
OF equal import with the most So'cmn oath,
Il say unto thee" Jesus here entered
into the very heart OF gospel truth. He
did not undertake to preach pleasing ser.
mon in order to make a new disciple 0f
this master IN lsraei, but gay" a p'''
sonal, thorough. hcart-scarchng tax, ~
winch NlcodemuS was made to undrr"!ani
that he was not IN the Kingdom oi .nl
Simply because he was p'ouS J"W 't:N
cept. Jesus meets the ,eNrCnt ct N"o"'.
mus with another 'eXcent. NlcodemuS r''S
do; Jesus SAYS be. we must oc A"torH
we can 40 Born aGaih, from %o'''-
anew, converted, reEeEeralPd Inc on"
born again has new htc, with A new ma
tnre, new principles, new affections. ne"
aims. Cannot see Enjoy, share IN, rn'
ter w, o. Kingdom OF God Inc EIaS
dom OF grace here and OF CORY hHrcaite".
4. HoW-born' etc. 10 be horn a%'n
was q familiar h%u"e with the Jews, hnt
Nleodemus evidently thought 'hr'stS r.
scnpIion OF tins being born again to DC 80
radical and absolute, as to suggest and us
thy the query whether It did no. memo >
re-brth of body. ). "Of water and OF the
Spirit We present three different v'e2SS
as to the meaning OF the term "Wat"r.'
]. Water. washing and C,eanr,n% are iigHr'
ative expressions used in Scripture TO de.
note a spiritual operation Oh mans heart.
1t is not necessary that we should und'r.
stand two different things and this =
probably only an eIlipt form Of sn"ochi
for the Hoy Spirit under the sImliltudc of
water = 4 number of rXpo,tor> think
the "watcr" has reference TO Chr,stan
haDtism 3 The expression refers -
Johns baptism. which WAS unto repent,
ance, and was alone known to Nicodemus.
s "Ot the tiesh Is flesh" Like produces
like with regard to both flesh and spwjt.
We are Thoroughly fallen. and It clean
thing cannot come from an unc,eau.
H. An illustration (vs. :, 81 :
"MarvcI not" Do not wonder at thtS,
there are many things YOU do not under
stand Thou can>t not even understand
fhe blowing OF the wind. "A]rst be "
Thus law Is unchongeablo There is no
other way Of entering the kingdom Of
heaven.
:. wind bioweth." Thus illustration
was likely suggested by the sound OF the
night wind about the house Jesus sNocl
Ges three points IN which the Holy spirits
work IN regeneration is like the wind: |
Indepcndencc of movement, where II list.
9th " Distinctncss of effect "thou
nearest the sound" s. Its SURPRISING our
comnrehension as to its orIrln and It's dcs
inv thon "c1n.t not telI,"clc, 4 fourth
analoov j., certainly worthy of mention,
namely, the varieties III the power. some.
times gent" aI = zephyr AGAIN raging a. a.
'3' '.eoo. ~ lie'.sm inc Term ,ot a ML,!
n,e.o n" 10 ;,lInsfration ali thc more forcibIe
go is every one" The laws OF the spirit.
nal lie are unknown. We can understand
the new g 3ir'n on,F as we receMs f IL. -
! f,,tb Tvs o.lN @ "ITowp etc. In verse
ms question was rea.iy an ooiecIlto,n1, oo'
II H." ar,J ,ot nnnrobonJ snir;t,,,I truth
10. Art thou the teacher (R. W The
! quest ton is reprooi. Have YOU studied
| the t-CrlDtureS NOll arc paOibic Ot teach