Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-02-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
TERNATioNAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY IL.

Subject: The Second Miracle I'm Cans.
John w., 43-54-Golden Text. John v"
36-Memory Verses, 49-51-Comm en-
tary Oh the Days Lesson.
]. Jesus received as prophet Tvs. 43
days mentioned in verse 40. "Galilee."
The centre of life and activity in Palestine
at that time. 1t contained 100000 of peo'
pic: There was a large foreign population,
and the Jews were more ready to receive
the gospel than in the south. A. "His
own country" 1t would seem that at this
time Jesus regarded Jerusalem and Ju'
dea, in a very important sense, as His
country" not simply His birthplace, but
the place of His Fathers house and king.
dom, it being the metropolis of the Jews.
They had already manifested hostile feel.
ings toward Him, and therefore He turned
His footsteps northward (John 325). This
proverb which Jesus here uttered He re.
peated at Nazareth and was there rejected
by His own knsmeu. His ''own country"
then, meant Nazareth, where He had
grown up. Read Luke 424; Mark 8:2;
Matt. 1857. As. "Into Galilee." The
country of Galilee He had accomplished
His journey from Judea. His stop in Sa.
maria was for two days only. Received
Him" This does not mean that none re-
jected Him, but where He went He was
welcomed. His first miracle there, nearly
year before, was still in their memory,
and it was only a few weeks after that
when those same countrymen met Him at
the Passover, and there witnessed other
miracles and display of His authority in
cleansing the temple
H.. The nobleman's request I've. 46, AZ,
46. "Again into Cana" Where His disci'
Piles witnessed the first display Of His pow.
er, and where their faith in Him as the
Messiah was confirmed. Very likely He
thanael "a certain nobleman." Literally
zone belonging to the king" Herod Anti
pas was king at this time and this man
was probably some high officer of Herod's
court Some think he was Chuza, Herod's
steward or chamberlain, whose wife, Joan.
na ministered to Jesus luke S3) The
miraculous healing of the nobleman's son
resembles the healing of the centurion's
servant Matt. S:5 and Luke 7:D. but
must not be confounded with it, "Son wae
sick" Very sick with fever ". 52).
Disease and death come alike to high and
low. There is misery in palaces as well az
in novels. "Capernaum," A city on the
northwest coast Of the sea Of Galilee.
Soon after this Jesus made Capernaum
His home.
&. when lie heard" Probably
through the reports of those who had been
at the Passover, if he had not himself wit
messed the miracles there. Capernaum
was not more than twenty miles from
Cana, and the news would quickly spread
that Jesus was again come to Gahlee
tender affection for his son; he spared no
pains to get help for him. We also see his
great respect for our Lord; he came him
self, when he might have sent servant.
and he besought Him, when, as a man in
authority, some would think no might
have ordered His attendance. The great.
est men, when they come to God, must be-
come beggars. Point of death" Times
of sorrow and deepest need lead us to
Christ. When no earthly power can aid
lis we turn to the One who has all power
and love.
III. Jesus demands faith Tvs. 1850.
As. Except We see" Not only did they
demand miracles. but miracles performed
in a striking manner. How totally unlike
the Samaritans, from whom our Lord had
so lately come, who embraced the divinity
Of His teachings without demanding won.
ders. This nobleman came purely alb
sorbed in his dying son, anxious for the
bodily miracle, but thoughtess of the dl'
vine claims of the Saviour of sinners. IL
is this seliishness of spirit that Jesus now
rebules. The words of this verse are. as IT
were, an ejaculation, a thinking aloud of
Jesus. He sees that to awaken this man
He must more than heal his son; He must
to that sign add an additional wonder.
He must so heal him as to arouse the man
to reflection. 49, Come down. etc,
This discussion of faith was as loss of time
to him. He cannot stop to answer the re-
buke, to argue the case or TO defend his
character. 1t is his son alone that Hills his
thoughts But his earnestness shows be
lief III Christs power which will soon
cause him to acknowledge his child's Sa'
yiour as divine.
So Go thy way" This would be a
great test to the mans faith, but he was
ready for it. "Thy son hveth." The heal
ing is granted, but without Jesus leaving
Cana. Until now the father had believed
on the testimony of others Now his faith
is to rest on better superior the per
sonal contact which he had just had with
the Lord Himself "The man believed"
This is an instance of the power of Jesus
to convince the mind; to soothe doubts;
to confirm faith, and to meet our desires.
Had our Lord gone with him, as he
wished. his unbelief could not have been
fully removed God always bestows His
gifts in that way in which His glory is best
promoted and our eternal interest secured:
''The word-spoken.' Before this he had
believed in Christ's power to heal, now. he
believes in His word and acts accordingly:
". Faith rewarded Tvs. 5l'54): 81.
"Going down From Cana to Caper.
naum. "Met him" "While the father
was descending the hillsides with trust and
news" "Thy son liveth Meaning the
hat when He Nend tlA
same words--that he would recover from
this sickness, with the prospect Of length
ened life. 50. "Then enquired he" His
faith was rewarded. He had believed the
word and received its fulfillment. 1t was
his delight to consider the works Of God.
and to note the beauty and harmony be-
tween His word and His work. "At the
seventh hour Definite time. definite
work. This was either l o'clock =. m, ac.
cordng to the Jewish reckoning, or Z
o'clock p. M, according to one Roman
reckoning. The latter explains best why
the nobleman did not 60 home the same
S3. '"The father knew" Everything
was clear to his understanding. II was
while he was beseeching the Saviour that
his prayer was answered, though at the
time he knew it not. Mortals can tell
more of what they have experienced than.
they can claim by faith. The dil'gent com.
pairing Of the works of Christ with His
words will be of great use to confirm our
faith. AS the word of God. we'll studied.
will help us to understand His p,royidenoess.
SO the providence of God, we'll observed,
will help us to understand His word.
Imself--whole house." Believed in the,
divine claims of Jesus. This is the earliest
mention of "household faith" 54. "Sec-
ond miracle" Not the second miracle
Jesus had wrought (chap. 3a; v. 49,, but
the second in Galilee.
Give Wild Creatures Liberty.