Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-02-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY rs.

Subject; Jesus Power to Forgive, Mark
H.. l-12-Golden Text. Mark, H., 10
Memory Verse. 5-TopIc: Forgiveness
OF fSin-Commentary.
l.. The multitude gathers to hear
Christ Tvs. /, p. 1. "And again." AT
the close of the missionary tour in Gall.
lee. "Into Capernaum." (Which was
His home or headquarters. AFTER
some days." Some days after the leper
had been healed and the excitement
had quieted down. "It vas noised."
The news spread very rapidly. I'm
the house." Either the house which
He occupied with His mother and His
brethren (Matt. Alb, or possibly that
Of st. Peter. When Christ is in the
house, 1. Good men will be attracted
to it. 2. Bad men will be benefited in
1t. 8. Divine benediction will rest
upon 1t. 4. Beneficent ministries will
flow from 1t. 2. "Many We're gath
ered." The audience included Phari.
sees and doctors of the law who had
come from the towns Of Galilee, Jtdea
and Jerusalem duke $40. They had
come to inspect and crlticise this new
Teacher. 1t was like the gathering Of
Israel on Carmel 70 witness the issue
between Elijah and the priests of Baal.
"About the door" There was great
concourse of people so that the house
and court were both filled. preached
the word" The doctrine of the Son
of God. They had come partly to criti.
else and partly out of curiosity, and
now Jesus seizes the opportunity to
preach the Gospel.
II. A palsied sinner brought to
Christ Tvs. 8, A.. 3. Come unto Him."
Access to Jesus seemed impossible.
There were many obstacles in the way.
Should they have waited for conven-
lent season? No. They must force
their way to Christ. Bringing one"
He was young for Jesus calls him son.
hut he was full grown for it required
four men to carry him. There are
many so weak and discouraged that
they cannot go to Jesus without assist
ance; we should always he ready to
help such. "Sick of the palsy" ]. 1t
takes away the sense Of feeling. 2. 1t
weakens the will so that when men
would do good evil is present with
them. 3. 1t produces fixed condition
of evil, with intense suffering. Borne
of four" Each one holding a corner
of the pallet" or bed, which was mere
ly a thickly padded quilt or mat There
was cooperation in this work. One
could not have done it; it needed four
In the union of hearts and hands there
Is strength. 4. "Thc press 1t
seemed quite impossible for the crowd
to make an opening sufficiently large
for them to pass through. "Uncovered
the roof" Luke say. through the
tiling." Broken it up" Oriental roofs
were made of different kinds of mate
rial. Luke says they let this man down
through the 'tlling" They appear to
have broken up the tiling or thin stone
slabs, sometimes used at this day.
III. Christ forgives sins Tvs. 80. B.
"Saw their faith" Many Of the gifts
of healing and restoration We're ol-
tanned through thcfaith and prayers of
the friends of the sufferers. See Matt.
S:13; Mark 5:3G; John $50. Jesus
"saw" their faith. Real faith acts.
Christ always notices and commends
faith. "Son." He spoke with tender
ness. Matthew adds, "Be of good
cheer" "Thy sins are forgiven" iR.
W Our first great need is the forgive
ness of sins. Jesus rightly puts this
ahead of the healing of the body.
6. "Certain of the scribes." The
scribes were the leaders Of the nation,
the theologians. "Reasoning In their
hearts" Our word dialogue is de-
rived from the same Greek word. 7.
"Blasphemies." "But God only" They
IT. 41,ot nj CT N
sins against God, and therefore only
He could forgive them. See Psa. Ola.
Nv. Christ heals disease Tvs. SID.
8. "Jesus perceived" Jesus knew their
thoughts Matt. 0:4). When Bar Cocav
declared himself Messiah, the rabbins
quoted Isa. 11:3, and examined him to
see If he could reveal the thoughts of
their hearts. He failed and they slew
him. "Why reason ye?" Matthew
says, wherefore think ye evil?" 0.
"Whether it IS easier to say" etc. Some
think that in these expression" Jesus Is
merely asking which is the easier claim
to make. But He evidently means
more than that and uses the term ITO
say" with the farther thought Of do
Ing" He then shows that He has the
power to forgive sins by at once heal
ing the palsied man.
TO- "That We may know" "Son or
Man." This is the title which Christ
most frequently applied to Himself,
sometimes interchanging it with the
"Son of God" This title is never ap-
piled to Christ by the writer's Of the
Gospels. Jesus appropriated to Him
self the prophecy Of Daniel (Matt. 26:
G3, g.; Dan. 7:13). 1t is applied to
Christ more than eighty times in the
New Testament. "Powcr on earth"
They were thinking of God as being in
Heaven, and Jesus calls attention to
the fact that there is power on earth
now to forgive sins. II. "Arise."
Here Is the test. Christ shows His
ability to forgive sins by His ability to
heal.
-. "He arose." "Before them ALL"
This thing was mot done in corner"
Christ's miracles were performed in the
most public manner and were never
questioned by those who witnessed
them. Amazed" Luke adds. "They
were filled with fear" "Glorlfed God"
They had high degree Of reverence
for God and were filled with admira-
ton for His power and goodness. "On
this fashion" Christ's works are
without precedent. He acts indepcnd-
emily and advises with no one. They
had seen three marks of His divinity:
]. Forgiying sins. 2. Percelving
thoughts. 3. Healing disease. The