The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-02-24
JESUS THE
HEALER
Sunday School Lesson for March 6, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper


LESSON TEXT.-Matthew s:2-l7 Mem
DRY verses, 2. 3.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"IIimself took our in
irmities and bare our sicknesses. Matt.
s:l7.
TIME-The summer OF A. ID. Is, soon
after the Sermon on the Mount.
PLACE.-Capernaum and vicinity, Jesus
home. John the Baptist in prison at
Macherus castle.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
This and the two following lessons
teach us how Jesus went about do
ing good, and how his disciples are
to follow in his footsteps.
First. The Facts. - Immediately
after the three chapters stating the
principles and laws of the Kingdom
| of Heaven, there follow two chapters
Of miracles, ten in all, together with
two records of numbers of sick peo-
pie made sound in health.
In this case his object seems to
have been % to show the authority
of Jesus for the truths he had taught,
(2) to illustrate the truths by his own
life and example, go to show us how
to follow his example.
!. The Healing of the Leper An In
curable.-Vs. "a; Mark 1:40-45; Luke
| 5:12-16. Leprosy. Both in Hebrew
and Greek the word translated leprosy
in the authorized version refers in
every instance Except where II is APP
piled to garments or habitations) to
one or other of the various types Of
disease called in medieval and modern
times 1eprosy.' Though leprosy is
rightly considered an almost incurable
disease, yet 1t does, though very rare
ly, become completely cured"
IF thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean" An expression of faith in the
divine power of Jesus; and the very
act of coming proved his faith in
Christ's goodness, while as this was
the first recorded case of the kind he
may have feared lest Jesus should not
be willing to help such a loathsome
outcast as he was,
g. And Jesus put forth his hand,
and touched him." to aid his faith TO
show his friendship in spite of his re-
pulsive disease. and to teach him
whence the healing came. Il will; be
thou clean" Then a marvellous change
came over him. The blessing was
unspeakably great 1t transformed his
body and his whole earthly life.
ii. The Case of a Sick Man of the
Palsy.-Vs. 5-13. when Jesus was en-
tered into Capernaum, there came
unto him a centurion, sick of the
palsy" Jesus consented to go to his
house.
10. He marveled," for his great
faith stood out clearly amid the pre-
vailing unbelief. Only twice do we
read in the gospel that the Saviour
marveled and at only two things:
Once at the unbelief of his fellow citi-
gems at Nazareth MARK 6:6), once
at the faith of this heather. The cen
turion's faith was great 1t was found
ed on facts that he knew. II over
came great obstacles. 1t was unset
fish. 1t was faith that worked. 1t
was faith in God and his son Jesus.
Jesus cured the man by his word.
III. Curing a Fever in the Home Of
a Disciple.-Vs. IA. Is. This miracle
belong to a Sabbath day in the spring
of A. d. 2S, about two months before
the Sermon on the Mount. In Caper-
naum. Parallels: Mark 1:24-31; Luke
4:3S, 49, And when Jesus was come,
from the synagogue where he had
been preaching and where during the
services he had cast fierce unclean
spirit out of demoniac. He went
with four of his disciples, Andrew,
Peter, James and John, to Peters
house His wife's mother"
Is. Touched her hand. To express
his kindly sympathy and courtesy, and
TO make 1t evident that the miraculous
cure came from him. Luke says, he
"rebuked the fever" commanded ii to
go, as If II were an enemy. The fever
left her; and she arose, and minister
ed unto them" showing the immediate
completeness Of the cure.
w. A Sabbath Days Work OF Jesus
for the Bringing Men Into the King
dom.-Vs. 16, II; Mark 1924; Luke
4:3l-41. This was the same day as
the healing of Peters mother-in-law.
when the even was come" as the
sun was setting (Marl1). The multi
! tuue came alter sunset. Many lndt
were possessed with devils" With de-
mons or evil spirits He laid his hands
on them as he did with Peters moth.
er-in-law. All this fulfilled the picture
of the Messiah painted in the book of
Isaiah, chapter SO.
Illustration. The Wishing Gate. In
view of what Jesus did for the people
in his day, and his readiness to give
whatever is best for us, we can i'm
press the truth on our scholars by the
parable of the Wishing Gate. Among
the English lakes, above the beautiful
waters of Rydalmere, there is lovely
spot called the Wishing Gate As
some traveller describes it: An old
gray wall fences in a road which runs
beside the slopes below. shaded by
varied trees and rich with wild flow.
ers. In an opening in the wall stands
! an aged and venerable gate, much in.
scribed by names and initials of many
! generations