The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson VIII.-Third Quarter, For
Aug. FL, 1910. !,
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES

Memory Verses, 25-27-GoIdsn Text,
Matt. &w, 2s-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. .. M. stearns. .-.
This lesson may be summed up in
two great truths, His humiliation and
His compassion for the blind. Both
| James and John and their mother were
as truly blind as the blind men by the
wayside, though not in the same meas.
ure or in the same way. The men by
| the waysidc were blind to things tenn
| poral, the others in a great measure to
| things eternal. Again for the third or
fourth time Jesus, on His way to Je-
rusalem for the last time, predicts His
| death and resurrection, events which
were ever before Him, for He was set
apart for this before the foundation of
the world q Pet 4, 20). Both In the
law, the prophets and the psalms II
was many times predicted and typified
| of Him from the time when He Him
self provided redemption clothing for
Adam and Eve by the shedding of
blood Gen. iii, 21). And after His resur-
rection He specially opened these very
Scriptures to His disciples duke xiv,
| 1927, 44-48). But until the Spirit came
! at Pentecost to dwell in them they did
not seem able to receive the teaching.
1t is one thing to have the Lord Jesus
| Christ as our teacher and "Who teach
eth like Him." Job xxxvi, 22), but 1t
Is necessary to have His Holy Spirit
| in us In order that the truth may grasp
us in power and be lived out in us.
We must remember that the sufferings
precede the glory, but If we suffer
with Him we shall be gloriied togeth-
er. The greater part Of this lesson is
found in Matthew and Mark, but the
first portion, which we are now con-
sidering, is found in Luke also. The
account by Mark is the most full, and
he tells us that the disciples were
amazed and afraid. We also win often
be amazed and afraid at many things
unless filed with and taught by the
Spirit. Luke says they understood
none Of these things duke xviii, 81.
The request of James and John, Ell
Their directly or through their mother,
or both, that they might sit on His
right and left hand in His kingdom
led to His question, Are We able to
drink Of the cup and be baptized with
the baptismT EYES," they said, I'VE,
are able" Poor humanity How little
we understand it! Things heavenly
are so far beyond us, and things earth. .
ly are too much for us, and as to our
own hearts they are deceitful and des-
perately wicked. But He who knows
us thoroughly loves us in spite OF all
our weakness and wickedness and ia
able and willing to make new crea-
lures of us If we will but let Him.
Again He teaches that humility is true
greatness and that even He, 1.-The Son
Of Man, came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to give His
life ransom for many" Verse 2S). 1t
is written in Psalm Xix, 6, 7, 'They
that trust in their wealth and boast
themselves in the multitude of their
riches-none Of them can by any
means redeem his brother, nor give to
God a ransom for him." But it is also
written in Job 1xxiii, "a, Deliver him
from going down to the pit; / have
found a ransom" And again In I Tim.
ii, 5, 6, 1.-THE man Christ Jesus gave
Himself ransom for all, to be testi.
fed in due time" His great atone
ment is sufficient for the whole world,
but it becomes efficient only for those
who truly receive Him. 1t is only He
that hath the Son who hath life.
In order that He might become a.
ransom for our sins He humbled Him.
self from heaven, from the glory which
He had with the Father before the
world was, to Bethlehem and Naza-
reth and Gethsemane and Calvary. He
who had no sin and knew no sin hum
bled Himself to bear our sins and snf-
fer for them in our stead. He was
made sin for us that we might be
made the righteousness OF God in Him
QI Cor. v, 2D. We can write it, read
1t, talk about 1t, but we cannot COM
! prehend it. He does not ask us to,
! but He does ask us so to believe It
! that we shall In gratitude to Him live
, O life of ministry unto Him In what
ever way He may appoint-not think
D ing anything of ourselves or seeking
D anything for ourselves, but living just
to show Him to others by a life Of
\ loving ministry.
According to Matthew He healed
two blind men as He departed from
\ Jericho, and Mark gives the name OF
D one as Bartimaeus. Matthews two in
, Guided Marks one, so there is no dis
I crepancy In these accounts. Luke says
In chapter xviii. 35-43. that He healed a.
, blind man as lie entered Jericho and
then adds in xix, /, that He entered
: and passed through Jericho, visiting
the home of Zaccheus as He passed
: through. 1t seems plain, then, that He
{ healed three blind men, one as He en-,
!. tered Jericho and two as He left 1t,
going on toward Jerusalem. There IL
: nothing here to reconcile, but Just
room for simple faith and gratitude
: that three instead of one were 50 bless
= ed and that Zaccheus was saved az He
. passed through. Considering the rec
bird by Matthew, note the cry or these
: men which could not be stopped as
: they heard that their opportunity had
y come They had heard of Him and Of
4 His marvellous power over disease and
d death and doubtless had longed to
II come to Him, but how could they
search Him out--tWo poor, blind beg
-