Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-03-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH Io.
Subject: Healing of the Man Born Hlind,
John tx, 1-11-Golden Text, John tx.
5-Memory Verses, 10, ,11-Comm entary
on the DAVIS Lesson.

Subject: Healing of the Man Born Hlind,
John tx, 1-11-Golden Text, John tx.
5-Memory Verses, 10, ,11-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
I. A man born blind ". y. l. "As
Jesus passed by" Jesus still fingered at
Jerusalem, and in one of His walks, per-
haps to or from synagogue, lie came to
this blind man. "Ile saw Jesus took
notice of his atflicton; looked upon him
with concern, He anticipated, his his need
That look meant sight to the blind man.
"a man." He was Il beggar; it was his
trade, but among all his petitions he did
not ask for sight. Yet Jesus gave it. An
illustration of free grace. This man was
hopeless, helpless, poor. "Bind from bis
BIRTH Of the six miracles connected with
blindness which are recorded in the gos-
blindness from birth. In this lies its spe'
cial characteristic, for since the world be:
gan it was not heard that any man opened
the eyes of one that was born blind (y. 32l
Blindness is very common in Palestine.
III. Jesus explains the mystery OF prov
dence Tvs. 25). 2, Disciples asked y The
first question that arose i'll their minds
was why this blindness existed. Who did
sin" Scripture teaches that all disease,
and even death, is the fruit OF sin. The
Jewish error consisted in believing that AL
special Affections were divine vistatlons
for special sins. This error Jesus cor
rected Mark the contrast between their
thoughts and those OF Jesus in reply. Re
pcntance calls our own atilictons punish
ments, but love calls the atllictiouS OF 9th.
ers trials. This man. But how corld
the man sin before his birth? The doctrine
of the transmigraton OF souls, by which
the same soul is supposed to lnhabit differ
ent bodies, was quite general among the
Greeks and Asiatics, but there is no clear
proof that this doctrine was prevalent
among these Jews. On the popular suppo-
sition that special calamlties are a punish
ment for special sins, the disciples desire
to know whose sin caused this mans suf-
fering. Was it his parents sin or his own;
If Jesus had replied his own they would
have asked, How?
3. "Neijther:' That is, Sc, as to be Tic
cause of the blindness, Our Lord does not
deny the existence of sin, either IN thls
man or in his parents The disciples
looked to the origin OF the suffering; oNE
Lord looked to its removal. They asked,
'Who is to blame?' Jesus asked, "Who
is to save" Instead of looking TO the
dark abyss, out OF which sin aud misery
originated. the Lords heart looks to the
glory OF God, who, by redemption c%2Ita
fallen man to even higher bcsaCducsS than
that of creature innocence. "Works of
God-manifest' Not that this man wa,
born blind for the sole purpose that 4
miracle might be wrought, but that hs
blindness furnished the occasion for jesus
to perform the divine work OF hca,Ing him
thus to show Himself to be God. God is
not responsible for sin and its conac-
quences, but both afford Him an opporlu-
nifty to show His power and grace.
4. 1--WE must work" Or. W Hy the
plural we" as given in the i. v, Jesus
associates His apostles with Him in the
work; 1t is encouraging to, think that
I'VE, poor weak men, can be "Workcrj
together with Christi To nd the world
destitution and disease is the work Of God.
"Nhilc it is day The day represents op-
;. In the world" He would not be
long in the flesh, but he has never ceascd
to be the light of the world. Sly is ark
ness. He is in bold contrast to SIN. i am
the light" Like the sun, it is My business
to dispense light and heat everywhere; t.
neglect no opportunity to cniightnn ana
save the bodies and souls of men. The case
before them was altogether beyond humaa
means, but Jesus reminded His disciples
that i'll Him We're light and lie.
LII. The blind man was healed Tvs, 6,
y. 6. Made ciay-anontcd. Jesus
shows His power by proceeding, in Ills
There is no connection between the means
used and the effect produced. >. Christ
came into physical contact to attract at
tention and to stimulate faith; where talth
was in lively exercise, lie healed by His
word, and at distance. 3. Christ Appeals
to two of the mans senses, his hearing and
feeling, thereby arousing faith. Christ
gave His personal attention to this case,
even though His patient was bcggar; I.
GO Would lie now prove II is lalth IN
a stranger? Would He hesitate because OF
His lifelong teaching that He must not
wash the eyes incidentally on the Sabbath;
much less at pool of water? Would lie
now do what He could? Here came the
practical test, proving His faith and obe-
walls of Jerusalem toward the cast, be
tween the city and the brook kidron. 1T
is still to be seen. one of the few undls-
putcd sites in Jerusalem. by lntcrprcta-
ton, sent" That is outlet of waters;'
either because 1t was looked upon as a git
sent from God for the use OF the city. or
because its waters were directed or sent
for the same purpose. Some think there IS
an allusion to Gen. 1910; that this foun.
tain was a type of Shiloh, the Christ, the
sent of God, and that it was to direct the
mans mind to the accomplishment of that
prophecy. he might find encouragement OF
faith in this. The pool by its very, name
was a type of Christ. "TIe went" He be.
Gods best gifts because we fail to act III
time. Game seeing The cure was in.
Simultaneous.
". Various discussions Tvs. SID. s.
as not this he?' There was an immediate
stir among the neighbors; they noticed the
great change in the man. The same is true
when Christ gives spiritual eyesght.
"Begged." This is the first mention of the
fact that he was beggar. He must have
been well known. 9. Il am he" Jesus
had met and healed the man on FRIDAY
night. at the beginning of the Sabbath,
and the neighbors had not seen him go to
the pool, so that on the next morning they
were hardly able to believe their senses
But the man himself gave a positive test
mony. 10. ''How-opened." His neigh
bors gathered around him and asked for
an explanation. Many are anxious to know
how things are done. even though they
have no faith. II. "I1e answered. He
had never seen his neighbors before: but
now, looking right at them, he delivers
this wonderful testimony to the power OF
Christ 1t is short, clear, positive. "A
man" First he knew Him only as "the
Man" OR. W called Jesus then as a pro.
phet ". ~, then as a Man with whom
God was Tvs. 3l-33) then He was the Son
of God Tvs. 35-3S).
pnn,TI>-u>-u pE0pJ