The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-03-02
Jesus at the Feast
of Tabernacles
Sunday School Lesson Tor Mar. 5, 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

like this man. John TAG.
T1ME-October, A. d. 49, at the Feast of
Tabernacles. About six months after last
sundays lesson. 1t was towards the close
Of Jesus third year of ministry and about
six months before His crucifxion.
PLACE. Jerusalem, in the court Of the
temple
NOTE.-Peyton, in his Memorabilia of
Jesus. calls this chapter "A Drama a
Tragedy in Seven Acts. in which seven
characters play their parts" Prof. Dods
entities 1t Jesus Discussed I'm Jerusalem"
talso In seven parts). This was the first
serious development of opposition record
ed by John.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES.-wa
of Life: Psa 1852; 42:1-3; 4G:4; Isa 1913.
95:1, I; 41:17, IS; 44S; 551-3, 1O-13; Ezek.
S6:25; i7:l2; Matt. sc; John 4:1O, IA; Rev.
22I, g.
The Holy Spirit, symbolzed by water:
Prov. 4:23; Ezek. 1926, q; Joel 2:2S, 20; Zech.
l4:S: Luke 11:13: John i:li: 7:37-39; 1916, II;
1913; Acts 2I-4. 1918; 10:iI 45.
Helps on the Golden Text: lisa. 1i:2;
6ll-S; Matt. 1923, 1854 Luke 247; Heb
4:l2.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Feast of Tabernacles. This one
OF the three annual religious festivals
of the Jews was celebrated for week
In the month of Tisri, which corre-
spends with our September or October.
1t was to commemorate the dwelling
of the lsraelites in tents during the
wilderness wandering, and booths
made of branches of trees we're erected
everywhere in Jerusalem-on the
house-tops, In open courts and public
squares. In these all the people, save
those who were i'll or very aged lived
during the festival season, enjoying all
the merriment of a prolonged picnic.
1t was a harvest home and thanksgiy-
Ing celebration combined. Many sacri-
fees were offered. On each of the
seven days the priests, accompanied by
choir OF Levltes with trumpets and
cymbals, went in the morning to draw
water in golden pitcher from the
Pool of Sloan. Amid the blast of
trumpets and the shouts and singing
OF the multitude, this was carried to
the temple and poured out before the
altar into silver basin. This COM
memorated the water flowing from the
rock (Ex. II: 81, and typified the prom
ised outpouring OF the Holy Spirit. On
the oigth day the booths were broken
up and the people prepared to return
home. This was, however, reckoned
as part of the feast, and special sacri-
fees were offered.
V. 81. Jesus stood" Probably
in Solomon's porch, overlooking the
temple courts, whence he witnessed
the great procession of pilgrims in
holiday attire, coming to the sacrficial
service. And cried" At a pause in
the services his clear voice rang out in
the hearing of the great multitude.
V. 3S. He that balievetk." He then
goes on to explain what Come unto
me" means. To come to Jesus is to
believe on Him: not merely to believe
what one has read or heard about
Him. but to entrust ones heart and
life TO Him; to accept His love and
give Him our love, thus coming into
sympathy with Him, and participating
in His life, which is eternal life. "As
the Scripture hath said" etc No di-
rect quotation from Old Testament
writings is given. but such passages as
lisa. So: IL; Joel 3: IS; Zech. IA: s,
are alluded to. "Out of his belly"
Better in Rev. Yer, from within
him, that is, from his heart and
through his life. Rivers of living
water" Jesus alone is the source of
living Qife-giving) waters; His disci-
pies are channels through which this
flows to others.
V. 80. This spake He." etc. John
now explains what Jesus meart. John
lived, and wrote, after the "age of the
Holy Spirit" had begun; had himself
been one of those who, upon that nota-
BILE Day of Pentacost, of which we read
in Acts 2, had received the Holy
Spirit in abundant measure.
V. 40. This saying" This gracious
invitation which Jesus had given.
This is the Prophet" The one prom
ised in Deut. IS: 10, IS.
V. Al. This is the Christ" Argu-
ing, doubtless, as before w. 81, that
none could do more beneficial works,
or speak more gracious words, or show
more clearly that he was representa-
tive of God, than did this Jesus of
A>dLtIttH.
V. A., Would have taken Him. 4"
Wished to have Jesus arrested. AS on
a previous occasion and later, Jesus
passed through the midst of crowds
who wanted to stone or otherwise in
jure Him, yet none lifted hand against
Him (Luke 4: 20, 30; John 8: so. sc
now no one touched Him.
V. iG. Never man spake like this
man" They could explain their
strange inability to seize Jesus only
by referring to His words, whose pecu-
liar force they felt. All through His
life it had been noted of Jesus words
that they were authoritative, and thus
differed from those of the recognized
teachers of the day; that they were
winning, gracious; evidently were the
words OF God, and just such words as
human hearts were hungry for.
Practical Points.
V, 49, God blesses us, not for our
selves alone, but to make us blessings
to others. II will bless thee, and mako
thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing. Gen. 12: 2.
V. "A. Not without the Heavenly
Fathers permission can hostile hands
be laid upon any child of God mo
weapon that is formed against thee
shall prosper. lisa. "a: II.
V. 46, Let the peculiar purity and
grace of our conversation convince al.
hearers that we are Christians "Only
let your conversation be as 1t becom-
9th the Gospel of st."-Phil. /: 27