Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-04-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson IlI.-Second Quarter,
For April II, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson. Matt. ri. 1-t9.
Memory Verses, q. 6-Golden Text,
John v, se-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. NJ. Stearns,


John v, s6-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.
After the commission of last lesson
both Jesus and His disciples departed
and went through the towns preaching
the gospel and healing everywhere.
See verse I. with Mark vi. II. 10; Luke
TX. 6. We may imagine the result from
such n passage as Matt Nv, "a In
Luke vii, 1918. we read that after
Jesus raised the widows son to life
the people glorifled 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 2 OF our lesson. John heard in
the prison the works OF Christ We
learn from chapter xiv that John was
put In prison because be had fearlessly
rebuked sin in high places. n danger
Gus thing TO do II ones own comfort Is
considered when the powers that be
are In league with the devil So Mi
Gaiah. son Of Imla. found it when for
speaking the truth he was put In pris-
on and fed on the bread and water of
af1iction. Zechariah, son of Jehoiada.
was stoned TO death because he testi-
ned that the people were In trouble be-
cause they had forsaken the Lord Oil
Chron. xviii. %. %; xiv. 20. 2iI. The
hatred OF the world. however. IS not
strange, for the devil is the god OF this
age, and he is the great adversary Of
God and man. But when one is suffer-
ing for righteousness sake and our
God. whose we are and whom we serve,
seems not to hear US and sends no de-
nverance then 1t 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 and said to the messengers.
go and shew John again those things
which ye do hear and see'' oversees
SO; Luke vii. 20. 21). He also said as
much as do not be offended, John, If
do not come to see you. and do not
think 1t strange II / do not release
you" We must remember His words
In John xvi. IS: lisa. !. 10.
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. xl. 3; Nal. Iii. u.
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 be
filed with the Holy Ghost. he
shall go before Him in the spirit and
power Of Elias" duke 1, 15-17l-not
great in the sight OF men, but ready to
testify or suffer or die that God may
be gloriffed. In connection with Johns
greatness our Lord added, HE that
Is least In the kingdom Of heaven is
greater than he" (verse III. This has
perplexed many because. perhaps, they
have not noticed that Jesus did not
say "the least in heaven" but the
least In the kingdom of heaven. or
kingdom OF God duke vii. 81. 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 here in humilia.
ton. The least In the glorified body
like Jesus Himself q John iii, q, shall
be greater than the greatest here in o
mortal body. There is more light fol-
US upon this In due time. but let us con
slider the greatness Of being like Him
and so continually behold Him as tc
be more like Him now.
The kingdom suffering violence (verst
12) evidently refers to the violence
which John was now suffering an(
which Jesus. the King. was soon t
suffer at the hands of the rulers. Se'
Luke xvi. 16, Il. V. They killed thu
herald and also cruelty murdered thu
King. They they violently pressed
against the kingdom and caused 1T
postponement till He shall come again
In His glory. Stephen summed 1t VI
In his discourse when he said. .'Y
stiff necked and uncircumcised IN hear
and ears. We do always resist the Hol,
Ghost-as your fathers did. so do u
: Which Of the prophets have not you
fathers prosecuted? And they hav
slain them which showed before Of tn
coming of the Just One; or whom y
. have been now the betrayers and muI
derers'' (Acts vii. 81. 52,.