The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-02-02

on the Days Lesson.
I. Jesus at the feast Tvs. 1-4). !. "Af-
ter this" After these things r. V.
Some think that when John is telling some
event which follows Immediately after the
last thing narrated, he uses the expression
"after this thing" (chap. 2:l2), but that
when there has been an interval OF time
he uses the expression after these things.
Il feast" There has been much differ.
ence of opinion as to what feast this was,
but it is the opinion now OF the best writ
sheep gate" (R. W We know from Neh.
81. 80; l2:39 that there was a sheep gate;
so called probably from sheep for sacrifice
being sold there It was near the temple.
"The Hebrew tongue" Hebrew here
means Aramaic, the language spoken at
the time, not the old Hebrew of the Scrip
lures. bethesda This name does not
occur elsewhere. 1t means "house Of mer-
cy." The site is not identified with GER
tainty. The traditional spot is near Castle
Antonia But DR.. Robinson thinks 'the
spring in the southeast of the city, near
the pool of Si;aom, was Bethesda. Give
porches." These porches were probably
covered arcadeS. colonades or rerandas.
open at one side to the air. but protected
against the sun or rain overhead. In hot
country like Palestine such buildings are
very necessary. 8. Multitude" The sicl,
congregated here in great numbers.
ii. Jesus heals an imDotent man Tvs.
5-9). 5. ".An infirmity" The original i'm
plies rather loss of power than positive
disease: probably it was nervous disease
of paralytic tyne. Thirty and eight
years. The duration OF the illness is
mentioned either to show how inveterate
ard difficult it was to heal. or rather. ac.
cordinG to verse G, to explain TIE dcen
commission with which Jesus was affected
on beho.ding the unhappr man. From
verse IA we may infer that his disease was
the result OF the sins OF his youth.
6. knew The word knew in the
original indicates one of those instantan-
eous perceptions by which the truth to-
came known to Jesus according as the task
OF the moment demanded. Verse II will
show that the whole life OF the sufferer is
present TO the eye OF Jesus. as that OF the
Samaritan woman was IN chapter J. Satin
unto him" Usually Christ waited until
He was asked before He relieved the sui
fering. but in this and a few other cases
He healed without being asked. He read
the mans past life and present condition
of mind, and saw that he was in a state
to receive spiritual good from the healing.
"Wilt thou" Why does He ask Ques-
ton to which the answer was so obvious?
Probably in order to rouse the sick man
out of his lethargy and despondercy.
Z No man." He was friend,ess as well
as sick. as troubled" This spring. prob
ably the fountain of the Virgin, is inter
have seen it suddenly rise from five inches
to foot in five minutes Whedon thinks
that the moving of the waters arose from
an underground connection OF the pooi
with the city water works. The occasional
and intermittent disturbance OF the water
is not to be understood as a regular occur.
renee. but as something sudden and quick
w passing away Hence the mans waiting
and complaint: Put me into the poo.
Literally. "in order to throw me into the
pool; perhaps implying that the gush OF
water did not last long, and there was no
time to be lost in qaiet carrying. "Whi.e
haste and rapidity with which the favor
able opportunity was seized. There was
rush and scramble for the one chance.
s. Rise etc. Commands like these
would test the mans faith and obedience.
AS in the case of the paralytic Mark 2:9l.
Christ made no enquiry rs to the mans
faith. Christ knew that he had faith, and
the mans attempting to rise and carry his
bed after thirty-eight years OF impotence
was an open confession of faith. BED"
Probably ONLY mat or rig, still common
in the East. g. And walked" With the
command was given the power of ooe-
dience. So the sinner who is bidden to
commit himself to Christ need not wait
for any compulsion. As he makes the ef-
fort he will find divine power within HIM
self. Sabbath" The seventh day OF the
week, the Jewish Sabbath
III. Persecution OF the jews Tvs. 1913.
10. Not lawful jeremiah had com
manded, Take heed to yourselves. and
bear no bnrden on the Sabbath day" il6:
2l). and the Jews interpreted this as for
bidding the carrying OF the hghtest weight.
But Jeremiab's meaning is made clear by
Neh. 1915. @'Treading wine presses on the
Sabbath. and bringing in. sheaves. and lad
ing asses" etc. "To forbid this man from.
carrying his bed was like forbidding mod
ern man TO move camp stool or chair"
II. "He-said7 UnQuestionably the
words seem to say that one who could do
such wonder as healing me must certain
" have the right to tel me what to 90.
He had been authorized by one endorsed
as sent from Cod And this was indeed
the very ground which Christ Himself
took. IL. Who is the man. (R. W
command. They ask not who cured
e.
thority?" but. "Who told thee to break
,the Sabbath. and therefore could not have
:t" l3 knew not7 fR W Jesus had
been in Jerusalem but little. and the man
who was healed had probably never seen
Him. Conveyed himself away. Better,
withdrew. Literally, Slipped aside be
cane suddenly lost to sight. ga multi
tude." etc. This may be understood as
explaining either WHY he withdrew.to
avoid the crowd. or the manner in which
he withdrew-by disappearing in the
crowd. Either explanation makes good
sense.
". Jesus gives advice and warning tv.
l4). A. "Afterward" Probably soon af-
terward fin day or so. "Findeth him."
Jesus had His eye on the man; His work
with him was not yet finished: this meet.
ing was not accidental. 'In the temple"
A good place for the man to be. "Sin no
more" God asks fhis of every sinner.
And yet there are those who insist that it
is impossible to live without sin in this
life. but if such is the case then Jesus
asked this man to do the impossible "a
Il.