The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-04-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson III. Second Quarter,
For April II, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Matt. XII, 1-1e.
Memory Verses, q, 5-GoIden Text,
John v, 36-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.


both Jesus and His disciples departed
and went through the towns preaching
the gospel and healing everywhere.
See verse 1, with Mark vi, II, 10: Luke
IN, 8. We may imagine the result from
such passage as Matt. iv, "a. In
Luke vii, 1918, we read that after
Jesus raised the widows son to life
the people glOritied God, saying that a
great prophet is risen up among us
and that God hath visited His people.
And this rumor of Him went forth
throughout all Judea and throughout
all the region roundabout. And the dis
ciples of John showed him of all these
things. This explains how, according
to verse of our lesson, John heard in
the prison the works of Christ We
learn from chapter xiv that John was
put i'll prison because he had fearleSSly
rebuked sin in high places. a danger
Gus thing to do if ones own comfort is
considered when the powers that be
are i'll league with the devil So Mi
caiah, son Of Imla, found it when for
speaking the truth he was put in pris-
on and fed on the bread and water of
atfliction. Iechariah. son of .IehOiada.
was stoned to death because he teSti-
fed that the people were in trouble be-
cause they had forsaken the Lord III
Chron. xviii p. 26; xiv. %. 2n. The
haired of the world. however. is not
strange, for the devil is the god of this
age, and he is the great adversary Of
COD and man. But when one is suffer-
ing fer Righteousness sake and our
God, whose we are and whom we serve.
seems not to hear us and sends no de-
liverance then it becomes very perpleX-
ing to any but the strongest faith. See
Joseph as slave and prisoner Martha
and Mary with a sick and dying broth
er and John the Baptist seemingly
neglected and forgotten. In reply to
Johns question by his two disciples
Jesus in that same hour wrought many
miracles ana said to the messengers.
eco and Shew John again those things
which We do hear and see" oversees
SO; Luke vii. 20. 2D. He also said as
much as do not be offended John. if
| do not come to see you. and do not
think it strange if | do not release
you We must remember His words
in John xvi. l-3: Isa /. TO-
The messengers from John having
departed, Jesus said to the multitudes
concerning John that he was the one
foretold by Isaiah and Malachi as the
messenger who would prepare the way
of the Messiah lisa. Il. 3; Nal. iii, H.
He also said that among them that
are born OF women there hath not
risen a greater than John the Bap-
fist Verse III. We remember that
Gabriel said. He shall be great in the
sight of the Lord, he Shall
filed with the Holy Ghost,
shall 20 before Him in the spirit Al
power of Elias" luke i, 1J-17l-not
great in the sight Of men, but ready to
testify or suffer or die that God may
be glorihed. In connection with Johns
greatness our Lord added, He that
is least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he" verse IL. This has
perpleXed many because. perhaps. they
have nos noticed that Jesus did not
say the least in heaven but the
least in the kingdom of heaven. or
kingdom of God duke vii, 2Sl, which
means the kingdom to be set up on
this earth when Jesus shall be king
over all the earth When the kingdom
comes John himself shall be greater
than he ever was when herein humilia-
ton. The least in the glorified body,
like Jesus Himself Il John iii, y, shall
be greater than the greatest here in Il
mortal body. There is more light for
us upon this in due time. but let us con-
slider the greatness Of being like Him
and 50 continually behold Him as to
be more like Him now.
The kingdom suffering violence Verse
~ evidently refers to the violence
which John was now suffering and
which Jesus, the King. was soon to
suffer at the hands of the rulers. See
Luke xvi. Ii, Il. V. They killed the
herald and also cruelty murdered the
King. They they violently pressed
against the Kingdom and caused its
i'OSt t''il'liltllt III ne Nlletll N'iiN dsSdAL
in His glory Stephen summed it up
in his discourse when he said. "Ne
stiff necked and Uncircumcised in heart
and ears, ye do always resist the Holy
GhOSt-as your fathers did. so do We.
Which of the prophets have not your
fathers prosecuted? And they have
slain them which showed before of the
coming of the Just One; OF whom We
have been now the betrayers and muir
derers" (Acts vii, 81. 52).
John the Baptist came in the spirit
and power Of Elijah. and had they re-
ceived him and the Messiah whom he
heralded the kingdom would have
come Verse IL; but. having acted as
they did the real Elijah must come to
herald the return of Christ in glory
Matt. xvii, 1913. Let those receive
it who can.
They said that John had demon,
and Jesus they called a glutton and
winebibber and a friend of publicans
and sinners. We must not therefore
think it strange if we receive similar
treatment and are numbered with trans
gressors, reviled and Prosecuted for
His sake We must consider Him who
endured lest we become weary. He
giveth power to the faint, and to them