The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-08-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson VIII.-Third Quarter, For
Aug. Fl, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, Matt. Xxx, 1874.
Memory Verses, 25-27-GoIden Text,
Matt. Xxx, 2s-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. D. 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
things eternal. Again for the third or
sourth time Jesus, on His way to Je-
rusalem for the last time, predicts His
death and resurrection. events which
We're ever before Him, for He was set
apart for this before the foundation of
the world q Pet i. 2O,. Both in the
law. the prophets and the psalms IL
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. 2I.s And after His resur-
rection He specially opened these very;
Scriptures to His disciples luke xiv.
1921. 44-4S). 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." dob xyxvi. 22l. but il
is necessary to have His Holy Spirit
in us in order that the truth may grasp
us in power and be lived out in u.s.
We must remember that the sufferin9s
precedc. the glory. but if we suffer
with Him We shall he glorified togeth-
err. 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 NEST full. and
he tells US that the disciples were
amazed and afraid. We also will often
be amazed and afraid at many things
unless filled with and taught by the
Spirit Luke says they understood
none Of these things luke xviii, 34,.
The request of James and John. eli
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 baptism?'' YES" they said, 1--WE
are able" Poor humanity. How little
we understand it! Things heavenly
are so far beyond us, and things earth
~ 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 is
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, "the Son
OF Man, came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to give His
life a ransom for many" (verse 2S). 1t
Is written in Psalm Xix, 6, Z, "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
Ged a ransom for him." But it is also
written in Job xxxiii, a. Deliver him
from. going down to the pit; have
found ransom" And again in Tim
il, 5. 6, 1.-The man Christ Jesus gave
Himself a ransom for all, to be testi-
fed in due time" His great atone
ment is sufficient for the whole world.
but 1t 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
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 10 sin and knew no sin hum
bled Himself to bear our sins and suf-
fer for them In our stead He was
made sin for us that we might be
made the righteousness Of God in Him
III Cor 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
a life Of. ministry unto Him in what
ever way He may appoint-not think
ing anything of ourselves or seeking
anything for ourselves, but living just
to show Him to others by life of
loving ministry.
According to Matthew He healed
two blind men as He departed from
Jericho. and Mark gives the name of
one as Bartimaeus. Matthews two in
Guided Marks one, SO there is no dis
crepancy in these accounts. Luke says
In chapter xviii. 3355-43, that He healed a
blind man as He entered Jericho and
then adds in xix, l, that He entered
and passed through Jericho, visiting
the homie 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 it,
going on toward Jerusalem. There is
nothing here to reconcile, but Just
room for simple faith and gratitude
that three instead of one were so bless
ed and that Zaccheus was saved as He
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