Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-08-19
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson VIII.-Third Quarter, For
Aug. 20, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Matt. xxi, ia.
Memory Verses, 8, Golden Text,
Luke xiii, 34-commentsry Prepared
by Rev. o. M. Stearns.

Luke xiii, 34-commentary Prepared
by Rev. o. M. Stearns.
This parable of the marriage of the
kings son is found only in the gospel
by Matthew and sets before us both
the present phase of a rejection of the
invitation and also glimpse of the
contamination. but chiefly the former
Miss Habershon says in her book on
the parallels that they cover the whole
period from the first advent of our
Lord Jesus Christ In incarnation to His
second advent in glory. His incarna-
ton is implied: His life, ministry and
rejection are described, and His death
is prophesied, but most of the pictures
represent the time of His absence or
the epoch Of His return. They were
not merely the words of the man Christ
Jesus, great teacher and n God
sent prophet. They were like all that
He said, the words of His Father given
Him to speak. for He said, "Whatso-
ever l speak, therefore. even as the
Father said unto me. so 1 speak" John
xii, 50). He taught also through the
Holy Spirit" (Acts i. 2; X, 3Sl. so that
in all His teaching we have the Trim
ity, even as in the parable of Luke XIV
we see the love of the Son, the Spirit
and the Father.
Some aspects of the lesson today,
such as the treatment of the invita-
tons, are similar to those of the great
supper of Luke xiv, 1924. The king
and His Son and the servants are sug-
gestive of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. The words Behold. I
have prepared. = . and all. things
are ready" of verse 4 indicate that
salvation is of the Lord Jonah ii. 81.
from first to last. Just as in Gen. iii,
81, the Lord God provided redemption
clothing without any help from Adam
and Eve, as neither Noah nor Moses
nor David nor Solomon had any say
whatever in the design or construction
of ark or tabernacle or temple, as the
disciples helped nothing in providing
the food for the five thousand, so the
purpose and the working of it out in
the whole matter of redemption and
the kingdom are wholly of God. Moth
luG Cdu Dt dhued W Tie Aull pItJdId-
ton which He has made. See also
lisa. lix. Is 1t is ours to heed the In
vitation, Come unto the marriage"
verse A, and to accept thankfully all
that the king has so bountifully pro-
vided. The abundance of the Kings
table which We are privileged contin-
ually to enjoy will fill US with joy and
~ nr1lx halinx-inp III
tx. 10; Rom. XIV, 13l.
The story of a marriage takes Us
back to Gen. ii. 22-24. and on to the
marriage of the Lamb (Rev. xix, I, 81,
the former in Eden being type Of the
latter, according to Eph. V, 81. 80. The
brides of Scripture are most suggestive
also, as Rebekah, Rachel, Asenath, Zip
porath, Ruth and Abigail The story
Of Rebekah, being obtained by the serv-
ant for the only son of his master,
who had given all his wealth to Isaac,
is wonderfully suggestive. The ques-
ton put to her. wilt thou go with
this man?' tGen. xiv, So is like the
Come" of our lesson, and all the 9TH
er comes" such as Gen. vii. i; lisa.
i, IS; ", /; Matt. xi. IS; Rev. xxi, II.
We do not read of any of these dis
daining the invitation or making any
excuses nor of their being sorry that
they accepted. Contrast the conduct
OF those in our lesson who were invit-
ed: They would not come.
They made light of it and went their
ways. They took his servants
nd autr Tod tharn cnitnfnltr-
slew them" verses 8. 3, 81. What ig-
norance. what blindness, How often we
are reminded of the pathetic words in
John i, 10, IL: HE was in the world,
and the world was made By Him, and
the world knew Him not. He came
unto His own. and His own received
Him not" 1t seems almost unbeliev-
able that men should despise or make
light of the love and grace of God and
the offer of His kingdom and glory.
but the wicked adversary, the god of
this world, is always doing his utmost
to blind peoples minds. lest the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ. who is
the image of God. should shine unto
them III Cor. iv. A.. The carnal mind
is also enmity against God (Rom. viii.
y, and none but the Holy Spirit can
break it down and convince of sin.
The burning up of the city Verse n
may refer to its destruction by Nebu-
chadnezzar at the time of the captiy-
ity in Babylon or the destruction by
Titus some forty years after the time
of our lesson-probably the latter. The
highway message may cover the whole
of this age. when from all the world
the guests are being gathered for the
marriage of the Lamb.
The bad and good remind us of the
net of Matt. xiii. 1850, and the end of
the age. when there shall be the separa-
ton. We are to gather all who seem
willing and leave it to Him to prove
who are really His and who are mere
professors, who really have and who
only seem to have.