The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH 5.

Subject: Jesus AT the Feast OF TaDern3cless
John VIII, 37-4s-Golden Text, John
VIII, 46-Memory Verse, 3s-Commen-
tary ON the Days Lesson. .
I. Christ teaching in the temple Tvs. 81
39). During the closing days of the feast
great opposition was stirred up against
Jesus, and the Jewish rulers sent officers
to apprehend Him, but notwithstanding
this He taught boldly in the temple. 81.
Last day." There Is a difference of opin-
ion as to whether this was the seventh or
it was the seventh day, which was really
thej last day of the feast. The eighth day
was kept as a Sabbath, when there was no
ceremony of drawing water from Sloan.
Jesus stood" In the temple court, prob
ably in Solomon's porch. Sand cried"
Spoke with a voice loud enough so all could
hear. IF any man thirst" 1t was burn
ing autumn weather, when the sun had
for months shone in a cloudless sky, and
the early rains were longed for. Water at
all times is a magic word in a sultry eli
mate like Palestine, but at this moment it
had q double power. The ceremonies of
pouring water commemorated that part of
the wilderness wanderings when the peo-
pie were suffering from a terrible thirst,
and Moses at Gods command brought
water for them from the rock Mum. 20:
LID. Now Jesus invites all who were
suffering from spiritual thirst, ike the
burning thirst of the people in the desert.
Thirst is emblematical of spiritual necessi-
ties; an intense need and desire. for par.
don, for help, for Righteousness, for love,
worthy life, for immortal life. "Iet him"
Freely and without hesitancy or reserve.
Come" a very precious invitation. This
word ought to come with great force to
every soul thirsting after spiritual life. To
come to Jesus is to believe on Him, to &C.
cept His teachings, to repent of our sins,
to yield to His commands, to submit to
Him fully. Unto Me and drink" Here
we see the absolute suf6ciency' of Christ
for all human need. Jesus confronts the
sin and misery and heartache of the. world
and deliberately declares that He is the
panacea for it all. ~
SO. "He that believeth." To believe has
the same meaning as to come, as used in
the preceding verse. Scripture hath
said" The reference is not to any one pas
sage; but to many passages and promises
combined. See lisa. 58:ll; ALB; Jer. 3l:l2;
Eek. 4:G-l2, etc. "Out of his belly" The
innermostspart of man, the soul, the heart.
Shall HoM." This clearly implies some
thing received that it may. flow from the
recipient :.unto others. Rivera" Denot-
ing abundance, freeness, continued supply,
in contrast with the small, golden pitcher
Living water" Pure, running water,
ever-aowing streams; the opposite of stag
nant, malarious, poisonous water; also life.
giving water (chap. 4:l0). The gospel Of
Christ, which is the truth of God received
into the heart by the Spirit, brings life,
health and joy.
SO. NThis spake He." This is Johns
explanation of Christ's words. "Of the
Spirit" etc. The Holy Spirit and His in
auences were the living waters, abundant,
free, purifying, bringing life, health, saliva
as rain to the parched earth, and making
every Christian a source of the same infu-
ences which ne has received from the Holy
Spirit. This is q prophecy of the dispense
ton of the Spirit which, was to commence
with the outpourning of the Spirit on the
day of Pentecost, and continue through
! the ages till all the world is brought to
Christ. We need to lay more emphasis In
Dur day upon this wonderful gift, both for
our individual growth and usefulness and
for the salvation of the world. "Not yet
had not been ushered in, and He had not
yet been poured out upon the hearts of be.
levers in all His fitness. This cannot
mean that the Spirit did not exist and
was in no sense present with believers IN
the Old Testament dispensation.
Tvs. 4O-43). 40. "Many-said." Those
who heard the powerful declarations of
the great prophet predicted by Moses
(Deut. 1879, "whom some identified with
the Messiah, and others supposed would
be the forerunner of the Messiah" From
the next verse we see that here He was
distinguished from the Messiah. Al.
"Others said" etc. These believed Jesus
to be the Messiah-the Christ, the Anoint-
ed One-whom all pious Jews were expect
ing at this period, and to whom their re-
ligious rites all pointed; though for the
most part they were expecting only q ten,
poral hing or Redeemer. "Out Of Gallee;"
Christ seemed to them to come from Cali.
much of His ministry had been there.
AZ. 1.-THE Scripture said," etc. The Jews
knew that the Messiah was to be of the
family of David (Psa. 1921; lisa. 9:6, Z;
ILLS; Jer. 1850 and was to be born in
Bethlehem (Mic. SO; / Sam. 1871, S, 49,;
but they did not know that in Christ these
! Scriptures were fulfilled. All the trouble
with this argument was that they did not
take care to ascertain the facts. Their quo
ldLlOIS VI DCIlpIulC "SlC Oil olSoLlShc ~
favor of Jesus being, the Messiah, for He
fulfilled the Scriptures. Many another ar
gument against religion is of this same ma
ture. Men set up a caricature of religion,
and arguing against that really presents
arguments in favor of true religion as it
is in the gospel. where David was"
David was born in Bethlehem and lived
there until he was called into the service
of Saul, Israers king. 43. "a division"
1t means a serious and possibly violent d.
! vision.
III. The Jews seek His arrest Tvs. "A.
46). a.. "Some of them" Some OF the
people, provoked by the controversy would
on their own responsibility have carried
Him before the Sanhedrin. The reference
here is not to the officers. But no man,"
etc. Not even those who had been com,
manded to do it (see vs.. 49,, 49,. They
the adherents of Jesus and on the other by
the secret power of God, impressing them
with an involuntary awe, so that they
dared not proceed.
45. The officers" Not Roman soldiers.
but temple police, answering to the mod
ern constable. They had been directed by
the members of the S%anhedrin to arrest
Jesus ". 32). "Why," etc. The officers
had returned without fulfilling their mis-
sion. and the authorities were c~hagrined
Sc. Never man so spake" lR. W Chr1s'
spake % with authority; (2) with direct
ness to mems hearts; (3) with power; "a
clearly and distinctly.
New Discovery in Bees.
At the recent meeting Of the Acad-
envy Of Science, Paris, NJ. PhiSalix
desc.:hed certain researches upOn bee