Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-10-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson V.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. 3, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Mark viii, 11-2e.
Memory Verses, IA, 15-Golden Text,
John viii, IL (R. V.)-Commentary
Prepared by Sev. D. NJ. Stearns.

Prepared by Rev. u. NJ Ssearhs'
Having again crossed the sea after
He had fed the 1000, the Pharisees and
Sadducees came to Him tempting Him
and asking Him to show them sign
from heaven He called them d
wicked and adulterous generation and
said that no sign would be given unto
them. but the sign of the prophet
Jonas oversees IL. l.; Matt xvi. ID.
This was his second reference to
Vonah. On the former occasion He
bpOke OF his experience in the belly
of the fish and said that SO He would
be three days and three nights in the
heart Of the earth Matt Xii, 12-40).
The PharisecS believed in angels.
spirits and the resurrection, but were
self righteous Journalists, hypocrites.
covetous and did their works to be
seen OF men.
The SadduceeS did not believe in the
resurrection Mark xii. 49,. His spirit
was grieved because Of them, so He
left them and again went across the
sea with His disciples, having only
one loaf in the boat with them, for the
disciples forgot to take bread as He
charged them to take heed and beware
OF the leaven OF the PhariseeS and of
the SadduceeS and of Herod. They
thought that He was referring TO their
forgetfulness in the matter of bread.
What a suggestive lesson for us who
are apt to think more Of the health of
the body than Of the health Of the soul,
careful concerning what we eat and
drink. but receiving the most poison
Gus things for orr minds in the way
OF doctrine and from the daily papers
and magazines. How they could think
that lack Of bread would be ut all per
picking 20 Him whom they had seen
feed 5000 and 1000 with a few loaves
and fishes seems indeed strange. and
we do not wonder that He reminded
them Of these events and said "Hav-
ing eyes see We not? And. having ears.
hear We not? And do We not remem-
Der? How is it that We do not under
standT' Oversees 1921: Matt. xvi. g.
12) When He said plainly. II spake
not to you concerning bread" then
they understood that He referred to
the doctrine of the Pharisees and OF
the Sadducecs
concerning these two classes Of peo-
pie. II might be added that the Phari
sees denied any necessity for Christs
first coming. and the Sadducees denied
His second coming. saying there is no
resurrection. neither angel nor spirit
nor future rewards and punishments
(Acts xiii. s.. The leaven OF Herod
suggests wOrldiness in every form.
with bit OF religion. for Herod feared
John the Baptist and observed him.
heard him gladly and did many things.
but kept right on in sin and would
rather please sinners than do what
he knew to he right Mark vi, 20, 26l.
Let me again emphasize what I firmly
believe-that there is no place in the
Bible where heaven ever means any
thing good, and therefore to speak of
anything good as the leaven working
Is altogether unscriptural. 1t is easily
so seen in our lesson; in the passover
story OF FIX. xii; in the sacrifices OF
Lev. ii, II; I'm the thanksgiving offer
ing Of Lev. vii. -. 13: Amos (. :
where they We're told that to Offer
leaven WIS lust like them. and In
Cor V. 6-S
Those who think that our Lord
meant something good when He said
1.-The kingdom OF heaven is like unit,
leaven which woman took and hi,
In three measures Of meal till tn
whole was leavened" Matt. xiii. SO
should study carefully the four par
ables of which this is the last AM
note that our Lord was speaking no
of the kingdom when it shall hav
come. but of this present age of tn
mysteries OF the kingdom Matt. xii
III, while He and 1t are both rejecte,
and the church is being gathered. Ne
one Of the four parallels gives any Ell
enlargement to look for a cOnverte
world in this age. and the story of tn
leaven teaches that the woman. tn
processing church. will thoroughly COZ
rupt her food. Let any one conside
the Sunday topics Of the majority q
preachers of the present day and the
say whether the people are gettin
pure water from the fountain of iii
or something from the preachers ow
mind and not from God
The conclusion Of our lesson. foun
only in Mark. is the record of II
healing blind man at Bethsaid
Some one has said that all miracl,
are acted parallels and that all ply
ical infirmities are suggestive. if n,
actually typical. OF spiritual trouble
All blind people suggest the blindne
that holds all who have never see
Jesus Christ as God and as the gre;
tacrifice for their sins, whom He cal
Blind. advising them to anoint the
eyes with eve salve that they may Sc