The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-01-04
The
Sunday School.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR JANUARY 8.
Subject: The Baptism and Tempta4
ton Of Jesus, Matt. 3:13-17, a:
1-11-C Commit Verses 10, In.


to succor them that are tempted. g
Heb. 2:18.
TIME.-A. D. 81. PLACE
Bethany beyond Jordan and Wilder
ness.
EXPOSITION I. Jesus Baptized
With Water and With the Holy Spirit.
S:13, II. Jesus Himself, the Bap-
tier with the holy spirit and fire.
comes to John to be baptized with
water. Could anything make more
plain the great Importance of water
baptism?s Jesus was baptized with
water 10 fulfill all Righteousness =
God commands water baptism as the
form byswhich sinful man shall pub
licly confess his Remuneration of SIM
Jesus was not a sinner, but He took
the sinners place, was made sin for
us a( Rom. s. 3 3 Cor. 5.21) at Jor7A
dan ssthe wateEs,y and Calvary ("th&
bloc" y. comp ] no. 5 6, R. ",
\ The two occasions on which God Dor,
testimony to- the Sonship Of Jesus wasH
here when He humbled Himself to-
take the sinners place in baptism,
and when on the Mount of Transfgu-
ration He hl1mbled Himself by turn-
ing His back on the glory that was
then becoming His, to come back and
take the sinner 81 place on the cross
istcf Luke. 9s:31, 35s Phil 1868, 81.
That God thus spoke is settled by
competent testimony and is conclu-
sives proof of the divinity of Jesus.
III. Jesus Tempted in All Points
Like as We Are, Yet Without Sin, l.
IL. The temptation Of Jesus fol-
lowed Immediately upon His baptism
with the Holy Spirit Comp. CHI. S:16,
~; Luke 1921, %; AL Id, IS; Acts
1888. 1t was the Holy Spirit who
led Jesus up to be tempted by the
devil (cf. NIX a 12). The temptation
was a necessary preparation for
Christ's work, Just as necessary as
(Heb. 2:1G, l8; AIS, 16). The
not within The personality, cum
ming and malignity and defeat Of
Satan all come out in this lesson. He
met temptation in such state Of
physical weakness as would make re-
sistance to temptation MOTT difficult
and failure most excusable," but He
did not fail, and so no man can now
plead adverse circumstances as a Just
ification for wrongdoing. The temp
tation was most real, because Jesus
was most human and most hungry.
The devil introduces his temptation
as he did that of Eve in the garden,
by suggesting a doubt of Gods word
(cf. oh. BID. Where would have
been the harm in Jesus doing as Satan
suggested? (1) 1t would have been
to have doubted Gods word and to
have sought confirmation of 1t by a
token (namely, His ability to perform
this Iniracle) "a It would have
been to have taken Himself out from
under those human conditions under
which He had voluntarily placed Him-
self for our redemption (Phil. 2:U-8;
Heb. 2:14. 1t would have involved
the giving up Of the redemption OF
man by divine Person who had
really become man Many commit
essentially the same sin to-day when
they take themselves out from the
sphere of sacrifice and suffering in
which it is necessary that one live If
he is to have saving power with his
fellow-men. CD 1t would have been
to have distrusted God. Jesus would
rely upon God to supply His needs in
lawful ways Comp. v. A.. Whenever.
we resort to unworthy means for the
support either Of self or of Gods
work, we are guilty of the same dis
trust. Jesus met every attack with
the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God" (Eph GID. All
of Christ's citations of Scripture are
from one book, and that, too, book
that the higher critics have made the
most strenuous efforts to discredit
(comp. Deut. 8:3; 6:16, 10; 10:2O)gN
The devil can quote Scripture upon
occasion. He is never more danger
GUS than when he quotes and misap-
plies Scripture. The devil omitted a
very important clause in his quota
lions (see Ps. 91:11, 12). One needs
to watch the DEVILS quotations of
Scripture very closely. He is likely
to quote nearly as 1t reads, but not
Just as it reads. Where would hava
been the wrong in Jesus doing
Satan suggested? % 1t would -
been to doubt Gods word by max,
an experiment to see If it would con
out as God said. 1t would have bel
tempting God ". ~. This form
sin is very common (2) 1t would
have been an act of spiritual pride,
mere display of trust in God, wheIiV
no end was to be accomplished by 1t.
The devil appears at last in his true
colors ". 81. He would have the
Son of God render to him that wor-
ship that belongs to God alone. Could
the devil give what he promised2 !
Ono. 1880. The anti-Christ will
derive his power from him. Satan Of
fered Jesus the dominion by another
road than the cross. The temptation
was real. but it was utterly ineffec-
tive. We yield to this temptation
when we seek that which God has for
us by some other path than the one
God appoints-via Calvary The
three temptations correspond to the T.
three-fold temptation in Eden, and 4
appeal Ito the lust of the flesh"
tthe valnglory of life," and ''the lust
of the eyes Get. Gen. Sc; 1 Jno. w
2:16). Then the angels came andV
ministered unit Him. That was
much better than eating bread made
out Of stones
Young Folks Make Wedding Pact.
A marriage pact among twelve cou- i
pies OF young people living in the
Franco-German settlement of Chin
ney Pierre Hills, Indiana, has resulted
IN Two double weddings, while the re-
naming couples are anxiously aWaits
ing their turn The last double wed
ding took place at the home of Will n
lam Sanneman, as one OF MIS- daugh- p
ters and one son were welded Sew
sral weeks ago the members Of the
marrying club" held secret meet
ing and decided that it would be
nice thing to do to have two couples,
married at time