The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-08-22

LESSON TEXT-Luko 1.l6-3O.
GOLDEN TEXT-"He came unto his
him not."-John I'LL
Cannon Farrar has said that this
visit OF Jesus to his home in Naza-
reth is "a most striking commentary
upon" the words of John, which form
our Golden Text Those words are
the epltome OF this lesson In a very
real sense The young prophet had
been proclaimed by his counsin John
the Baptist az he who was to come.
He had performed his early Judean
ministry, which includes the visit of
Nicodemus, and the meeting of the
woman of Samaria John had been
shut up In prison and Jesus was about
entering upon that wonderful Gall
lean ministry.
In this lesson we can see him as he
returns to his boyhood home, to those
old and most familiar scenes of his
youth.
Day Of Vengeance.
CAS- his custom was" ". 16) he en-
tered the old familiar synagogue to-
take part In the worship, praise and
discussion, as had long been his GUS
tom in this his home town. Here 1t
was he had learned Of the law and the
prophets, here he had heard the
prophecies discussed. here he had un-
doubtedly participated in the discus
slons In the days gone by, for after
the worship he Is asked to conduct the
reading of the second part OF the
service, a selection from one of the
prophets, undoubtedly that portion for
the regular reading of the day. His
method of reading was very significant.
Finding a portion from the prophecy
of Isaiah, chapter 61, he reads that
portion as we now have II recorded,
comprising verse one and in verse two
to the first punctuation mark, COM
ma. This. said he, Is being fulfilled
before your eyes, implying that the
concluding portion, that which refers
to "the day OF vengeance OF our God,'
is yet to be fulfilled or performed.
Just what his exposition may have
been Luke does not tell us, although
he leads us to believe that he made
a definite claim of being the Messiah
this Scripture hath been fulfilled"
They wondered at his gracious words,
but such an assumption from the
tongue of this son of the village car
penter was more than a challenger 1t
sounded of blasphemY It is one thing
to listen to beautiful platitudes, but
for one to assume authority such as
this at once arouses antagonism.
To make this still more plain, he
makes specific application. To para
phrase his words, he said, doubtless
you are saying. young man perform
here In Nazareth socae Of those mira
cles you performed over in Caper-
naum, but say you would not accept
me even then. for no prophet is ac-
ceptable to his own countrymen." Then
he goes on to illustrate by an incident
from the wife of Elijah, also one from
the life of Elisha.
Graphic Lesson Story.
In teaching this lesson we can en-
phasize the need and the importance
of public worship. the observance of a
day set apart for that purpose and
the public reading and exposition OF
Gods work. We can also lay stress
upon Jesuss knowledge and use of
the Scriptures; also his emphatic ap-
proval of inspired prophecy as ap-
piled TO, and fulfilled in his own life.
In teaching the young scholars these
truths, the graphic lesson story will
be all and probably more than can
we'll be covered during the lesson
hour.
For the older scholars, one question
for discussion would be, why does the
Son OF God speak of or claim the
spirit of the Lord upon me?" OF
course he was anointed after Johns
baptism as an example to all his fol-
lowers, but here we take It as mean
ing that the Spirit is upon him in a
real manner for service and for power
In service. He is to witness and to
minister. He is to teach and to heal.
He Is to preach the Gospel TO the poor
and deliverance to those bound with
the chains of ceremonialism and OF
sin. He is to heal broken hearts and
diseased bodies. 10 set the captives
free and heal the bruised ones. Verse
IS is sad picture of the state of
man without outside help. But Jesus
came into the world for this express
purpose. John S:12, 13; Matt. 1921.
This prophecy means me-" Come
unto me-" was indeed bold proclama-
tion. Did they believe? Are you
making such bold claims for your Mas
ter and Lord? Some will reject. Of
course. but let us remember that "God
giyeth the Increase ours truly to wit
ness. to SOW the seed. I. Cor. 3:6.
Why this hostilityf (1) Jealousy,
"Joseph's Son." (2) Contempt. was
he not one of them7 Was this not
also a slur upon his name? (3) His
allusion to Elijah. going outside OF
Israel for sustenance.
Do not forget the searching fact
that there were those who knew him