Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-04-10
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson ll.-SeCond Quarter. For
April Ia, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson. Mark IL, 20 70 III.
@Memory Verses. 27, 2e-coId.n
Text. Mark ii. 27-Commentsry Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearns

eIMemory Verses. 27. 2e-coId.n
Text, Mark IL. 27-Commentsry Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearns
The record OF today's lesson. two
Sabbath day incidents. the disciples
plucking corn and a withered hand
Matt. Xii and Luke vi. as we'll as IN
Marx. so that It must concern Him
not only as the Jewish King rejected.
but also as the perfect servant. and as
the Son Of Man. to whom all things
will yet be subdued. To understand
Him and His words and works we
must consider Him as Nathaniel spoke
OF Him. the Son of God. the King OF
Israel John 1. 49l. as THE King Of the
Jews" whom the wise men sought
(NIatt. ii. -. and as the Wonderful.
Counselor. the Mighty God. the Ever
lasting Father. the Prince of Peace.
who will yet sit upon the throne of
David and whose kingdom shall know
no end" lisa. tx. 6, 4; Luke 1. 80. 33l.
The late DR.. Weston in his Genesis
OF the New Testament says that the
and distinctive ordinance of the ma
ton. Other nations practiced circum-
cision and had temples. offered sacri-
fees and performed religious rites. but
the Sabbath was the Jewish national
flag. In 1t they claimed peculiar rela-
ton to God as their Creator. Redeemer
and Rest. and, II by this mans treat
ment OF their Sabbath they are to be
deprived Of their distinction from other
nations. what is the use OF being Gods
people? Considering this. It is not so
surprising that the immediate Occa-
sion Of the determination by the Jew
ish rulers to put Christ to death. as
stated In all the gospels. was His rela-
| ton to the Sabbath. He claimed to be
greater than Solomon or the temple
or the Sabbath CMatt. xii. 6, 8. AZ. but
they would not so receive Him. They
honored Him with their lips, but their
heart was far from Him QSa xxx. 10;
Eek. xxxin. 81; Matt. XIV, {. 81. They
had a form OF worship without any
power. Jehovah. whom they professed
to worship. was in their midst and
they knew Him not.
Matthew says that as the disciples
passed through the cornfelds they
were hungry. and Luke says that they
rubbed the ears Of corn in their hands
and did eat. Our Lord Himself was
an hungered on other occasions. as re-
corded in Matt. ". .; xxi. is. Concern
ing Israel it is written that He suffered
them to hunger Deut. viii. 81, but it
was to prove them and teach them.
The wicked are ever watching the
righteous and seeking to Stay them
ops xxxvii. 32). and here they are
finding fault and condemninG the dis
ciples, and the Lord, too. because
they knew Him not. nor the Scrip
lures. which they professed to rever-
ence He referred them to their own
Scriptures. saying. Have ye never
read what David did when he had
need and was an hungered? Verse 25I
There is no word Of condemnation
here for David and his followers He
came not TO condemn. but TO show
mercy. hence His quotation from the
prophets in Matthew's record. Il Will
have mercy and not sacrifice Matt
XII. Z: Hos. vi. g.. The rest OF the
verse in Hosea says that the know!-
edge Of God is better than burnt offer
ing. The primary idea In sacrifice IS
that God gives to us. not that We give
to Him. for in the first sacrifice the
Lord gave TO Adam and Eve re6emp-
ton clothing which He Himself pro-
vided. a foreshadowing OF Christ low
ing the church and giving Himself for
It. purchasing 1t with His own blood
We cannot give anything to God nor
offer Him acceptable service until we
have received mercy from Him as the
One who saves sinners. Before ever
sin entered this world God set apart
one day in seven rs time when man
; might be free from all work and give
himself up wholly TO becoming ac
Quainted with God. for there is moth
= ing that can compare with knowing
, God der. tx. %. pa. The Lord OF the
Sabbath gave 10 man in His own i'm
, age a day on which He might special
; Iy bless him by the revelation OF him
, self as the source OF all being and
blessing and life and love and peace
: The man in the synagogue With the
. withercd hand was strongly suggestive
3 Of the condition OF the nation and OF
s their inability TO do anything for Cos
y until they would accept His mercy
In the record. in Matt. xii. IL. II. HI
: uses the illustration OF the necessity
ef rescuing sheep from a pit. ever
on the Sabbath day. but He speaks
Of the owner OF the sheep doing this
saying. What man shall hare on
sheep" not see a sheep. He LOVED