The Oakes times., 1910-03-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson xII.-First Quarter, For
March 20, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

tx, eCommentary Prepared by Rev.
D. NJ. Stsarns.
In Luke viii. 40. we rea6 that when
Jesus returned from Gadara the people
gladly received Him. for they were all
waiting for Him. In Mark ii. 1. 9, we
read tina: many were gathered to-
gether, filling the house and leaving no
room even about the door, and He
preached the word unto them. In
Luke y. II. we read that there were
Pharisees aud doctors Of the law pres
ent from every town in Galilee and
also from Judea and Jerusalem and
the power Of the Lord was present to
heal them.
Then came four men, bringing on
bed palsed friend of theirs, and
when they could not get even near the
door because Of the crowd they car
ried him to the roof, made an opening
aud let him down through the tiling.
with his couch. into the midst before
Jesus. Compare the records in Mark ii
and Luke with our lesson in Mat
thew. and in each you hear Jesus say
ing to the sick man. "Thy sins are for
given thee" Matthew adds that He
said. "Son. be Of good cheer" In Matt.
ix, %, He said to sick woman. 'Daugh-
ter.be Of good comfort" Re,ncmbera!so
His BE Of good cheer" of Matt. xiv, %;
John xvi. :;;;. and Acts xiii. II. 1t is
the same word in each case. just one
word. used only by our Lord and on
these five different occasions. 1t is
used once by the people to the blind
man In Mark x. 40. The word used by
Paul In Acts xvii, %, 2j. is differ
ent word. but one of great encourage
ment. There can be no lasting comfort
or good cheer apart from the forgive
ness Of sins. Jesus did not treat SYM
toms, as many physicians do, but went
at once to the root Of the difficulty.
The four men brought their friend
that lie might be cured of his palsy.
but Jesus began by forgiving his sins.
He saw the faith of those who brought
him and determined to heal him. but
He began by cleansing his soul. He
once said to Simon Peter, "If wash
thee not thou hast no part with Me"
Gohn xiii. 81. and that is truly say
ing of great import. If we are cleansed
from our sins we shall III due time
have perfectly who.e bodies; so. having
saved this man, He also gave him a
healed body. and he arose and depart
ed to his house. The four earnest men
who brought their palsied friend to
Christ to be healed of his disease
were quite sure that If they could get
him to Jesus they would not need to
carry him away. and they were not
disappointed.
The question of the Pharisees, "Who
is this?" G.uke v, 2D repeated in Luke
vii, 40; Matt xxi. 10, carries us back to
lisa. xiii, 1;.Jer. XXX. 81. Moses said.
''Who am IL" (Ex. iii. 1D but the only
pertinent question is. "Who is Hep
"Whom say ye that am?" 1t is
blessed thing for all who know that
He is the Son Of Man who hath power
on earth to forgive sins and that He
has forgiven them. Luke says that
Jesus perceived the thoughts Of these
men, or, as it is III our lesson, Jesus,
knowing their thoughts, said, Where
fore think We evil in your hearts?"
We do we'll to remember the words of
Eek. XII, 5, Il know the things that
come into your mind, every one of
them"
As Jesus went forth He saw publ.
can named Levi or Matthew sitting
at the receipt Of custom, and, having
To hi I,o 10ft oil
rose up and followed Him. Compare
verse and Luke v. 27, %. Matthew
speaks only Of Jesus sitting at meat in
the house, but Luke tells us that this
was Il great feast which Levi made for
Jesus in his own house and that a
great company of publicans and others
sat down with them. Jesus calls whom
he pleases (AIark iii. 13). The Father
gives unto Him whom He will Gohn
vi, 81; xvii, p. and yet there are none
among those who hear who may not
come If they will John lii. 16; Rev.
xii. In. The fault finding. self right
eous scribes and Pharisees are always
on hand with their murmurings, but
they said a fine thing one day when
they said. This man receiveth sinners
and eateth with them Q.uke XIV. p.
They were the destructive critics of
their day. and those of our day would
do we'll to lay to heart some things
that Jesus said to them and of them.
They considered themselves whole and
righteous and had no use for such as
Jesus. and He told them plainly that
He had not come to call such as they.
but that they had better 20 and learn
the meaning of these words: II will
have mercy and not sacrifice" Christ
Jesus came not to patch up an old and
ruined nature nor to attempt to put
new wine. the wine Of the kingdom.
into the old hotties of the carnal mind.
but He came to give new nature to
penitent sinners and to make them
new creatures from within outward.
He came to have mercy upon the lost
and to give Himself and His righteous.
ness to those who receive Him: He
does not ask anything from us until
He has first given Himself to us. God
gave His Son: the Son gave Himself;
the Spirit also is given. The gift Of
n 1sA