Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-07-05
LESSON FOR JULY 7
MALIGNANT UNBELIEF.
SON TEXT-Mark 3:2O-35.

LESSON TEXT-Mark 3:2O-35.
GOLDEN TEXT-"This Is the tudg-
ment, that light is come into the world
and men loved the darkness rather than
the light; for their works were evil
John 3:19.
There are two kinds Of unbelief de-
picted in this lesson, the malignant.
cruel, vindictive unbelief of the Phari-
sees; and the incredulity, the amaze
ment, the unbelief Of the family and
friends of Jesus. There are three nat
ural divisions of this lesson; first
". 90 2D the unbelief CT his friends
who. beholding his marvelously busy
life, SO busy as not to take time to
eat, concluded he must of necessity
be insane on the subject of religion.
as no other explanation would suffice.
Secondly (v. 22-30) the malignant.
malicious, blind unbelief of the rep
resentatives of the rulers in Jerusa-
lem who had come down to ''investl-
gate" the popular Galilee prophet.
that they might find wherewith to "ac-
cuse him" Third (v. 31-35) the unbe-
lief of those his nearest Of kin who
dlSo SOuSuI W ISSlIdlh anu W lui IL
him aside If possible from his ardu"
GUS labors. We have in this first
section another of those wonderful gos-
pei pictures, just touch, but so graph
c, of the eagerness of the multitudes
to see and hear Jesus. Simply to
hear him was enough to draw together
crowd. Yet notice his response. he
would not even pause to refresh him
self but the compassion of a great
mission compelled him to minister
unto them. What cared he for rest
or refreshment?
Miracles Explained.
The multitude had studied Jesus as
ae performed his miracles and ac-
counted him to be the Messiah Matt
1929, but the Pharisees were not
then willing to acknowledge him. for
that would be to condemn themselves.
However. here are these miracles that
demand an explanation, and we must
remember that these men came with
predetermined motive, viz. that
| they might find wherewith to accuse
| him (see v. 2 and g. Not accepting
! the plain common sense explanation
and his avowed purpose in performing
miracles (Mk. 2-10) they gave out that
1t was by the power OF the Prince or
Devils, Beelzebub, that Jesus perform
ed his mighty deeds. The utter fall
lacy of such an accusation is shown
! by Jesus reply. He did not upbraid
them with anger though their accusa-
ton was the utmost limit Of malig-
nifty. Jesus knew that he must needs
endure just such contradictions OF
sinners Qsa. 63:3. AZ. nevertheless he
exposed their folly ". 1920. Jesus
| here gives us a fine example of logic.
which is simply unanswerable. No
more can a divided kingdom stand. or
a divided house stand than for Satan
to fight against himself. No more can
the thief capture his booty unless he
! first finds or deceives the guard, than
for Jesus to fight Satan and at the
same time be his vassal. Satan is
strong" man ". 22) and he, Jesus,
came to break, to overcome, that pow
er, for he is inded the stronger one.
The subjects of Satan are his slaves.
In the revised version we find
the correct translation for verse 20.
"Whosoever shall blaspheme against
the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness.
but is guilty of an eternal SIM" thus
effectually setting at rest any thought
Of future probation after our life
here upon this earth. If when men
love their evil deeds to such an ex-
tent that they refuse to walk in the
light and resolutely set their faces
against the true Light. they commit
the last and irremediable sin.
Sons Of God by Faith.
Lastly we see the kinfolk Of Jesus,
including his mother, seeking to with
draw him from his conflict with the
Jerusalem lawyers, or, as has been sug-
gested, If they were among the friends
mentioned at the outset seeking to
protect him after this interruption by
taking him away to place Of rest
and quiet. Jesus was, however, not
understood by his nearest and dear
est kinfolk; and such has ever been
the bitter grief Of many of his follow
ers, grief that is even harder to bear
than the denunciation of his enemies
with all of their Misrepresentation.
But he who was reviled and reviled not
| again, who was led as a lamb to the
slaughter. answers not this strange
misunderstanding by any flash of an
ger, but in gentleness rebukes their
interference with his plans and points
out that his nearest and dearest are
those who do his will. Jesus as our
Great High Priest is here speaking not
as the Son of Mary. but as the Son OF
Man.
The golden text throws wonderful