Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-10-31

SODDEN ZEN JcSuB Spake unto
them. saying. l am the Light OF the
world He that followeth Me shall not
walk in the darkness, but shall have tho
light of life."-John S:12 r. V.
In order properly to understand this
lesson we ought to study carefully
the parallel passage in Matthew 1888
to 1912, also to read carefully John
S:12 to 32. The persistent Pharisees
were ever upon his track eeeking to
find wherein to accuse him. Claim
ing to come from and to represent the
Father, they ask Jesus to show them
n sign from heaven. Turning upon
them, he says, You observe the con
dition of the sky and foretell what
weather to expect the coming day
and yet you cannot discern the sign
of the times" AS though to say. %
have come and performed those things
that have been prophesied OF me as
the Messiah and yet you cannot read
in my life the fulflllment of these
signs of my Office" In Luke T..
54.56 Jesus makes a similar state.
ment: when We see a cloud in th,
west, straightway ye say, there com.
eth shower: and so it cometh to
pass; Ye hypocrites. ye know
how to interpret the face of the earth
and the heaven; but how is 1t that
We know not how to interpret this
timer"
He Ideal.
Their question involved a sugges
ton that his works might be account
ed for in many ways other than the
rightful Interpretation John 1884
$50, but their demand was for some
particular demonstration. They were
not looking for a spiritual manifesto
ton and so far at their request he
sighed, because they did not conform
to his ideal; he rebuked them by tell
ing them that their wickedness should
have one sign that would be an cter-
nal seal upon his deity.
Reaching the other side of the LAKE
the disciples realize their hunger and
discover that they have but one loaf
OF bread among them. Jesus SEXES
| the occasion to warn them OF the evil
| which he had combated with the PhaT
isees whom they had just left.
II anyone has any question as tC
/ the scriptural teaching upon the sub
| ject of heaven, this passage ought to
answer their query. Mark tells us
| that Jesus warns them against the
leaven Of the Pharisees and OF Herod
while Matthew records the leayen OF
the Pharisees and of tho Sadducees.
! There is no difference in the two, for
/ Herod belonged to the Sadducees.
/ There was, however, quite differ
ence between these two parties. The
! teaching of the Pharisees lail great
! emphasis upon the ceremonial observ-
ance of the law and the traditions OF
the elders. The Sadducees laid great
emphasis upon the denial OF the su,
pernatural. they did not believe in
the resurrection from the dead There
was this in common, however, that
they both substituted the false for
the true.
Answer to the Question.
The misunderstanding OF this warn
ing upon the part of the disciples
was a common occurrence and con
tinued until after Pentecost. In this
case, however, Jesus tells them plain
ly why they did not understand w..
ID. Jesus knew and could read their
hearts (Heb. 4:13). How like the
disciples OF old are we today.
The disciples had been with Jesus
long time and observed his mighty
acts, yet they confused the material
with the spiritual. It was against
this sort OF leaven he warned them,
rather than some kind of bread.
We now turn to the third section oil
our lesson the healing OF the biihd
man Wv. 1926. There are four cases
OF restored eyesight mentioned In the
gospels, three OF whom are brought
and one came alone. In this case
others brinS the man and intercede
for him ". 22). Last week we Oh
served case of progressive cure
and here We have another. Jesus leu
the man by the hand outside the VII
lage and making clay with spllue
opened his eyes. Again we WoulH
emphasize the fact that they OBJ
served him. that they might accuse
him." and hence every act on ea'"
separate occasion had significance
and suggestiveness for that parti''
ular occasion, a meaning entirely IT
relevant at any other time. why th's
man did not see at first we are not
told. but surely twas through no iau''
on the part of Jesus. Nor was 1t the
mere use Of the splttle that ehecle"
the cure, bst rather a demonstratloh
of the fact that Jesus can heal VIII"
or without means.
The Golden Text seems to be ~
variance with the facts revealed 'u
this lesson and yet when We 'n..
from examining the disciples VIE
their lack of perception and from 10.
Pharisees whose hard hearts deTA.~
ed a sign and gaze upon Jesus a. N.
deals with these two CLASSES aud VIII"
the blind man we see the truih .'
the text. He is the Light anl
his patient dealing, by his rebuH'. ~
: his instruction, he led them L" .".