LESSON XI.—SABBATH, SEPTEMBER 9, 1893.
REVIEW QUESTIONS.—(a) How should hospitality be extended to our brethren? (b) What gracious gifts has God bestowed upon us? (c) What does the apostle call these gifts? (d) How are they to be used? (e) Whom are they to glorify? Verses 12-16: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name.- What are we exhorted to do? Note 1.
- In what trials may we rejoice? Why?
- For what did the apostles long? Note 2.
- How should we regard reproach for the name of Christ?
- What spirit rests upon us?
- How is Christ affected by this persecution and suffering?
- Against what are we warned?
- How should we regard it when we suffer as a Christian?
- What does this give us the privilege of doing?
II. In the Judgment Hour.
Verses 17-19: "For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.- To what solemn time does this lesson apply?
- What contrast is expressed regarding the righteous and wicked?
- Who alone could keep us at such a time?
- What should be our attitude toward God?
1. The Fiery Trial.—Our common version makes the fiery trial future, while the above makes it present. When the end is at hand (verse 7), when the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God (verse 17), when "the hour of His judgment is come" (Rev. 14 : 6, 7), then, "beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you." These are a part of our heritage; for "hereunto were ye called" (chap. 2 : 21). The last days will be days of special peril (2 Tim. 3 : 1); every wind of doctrine will be blowing (Eph. 4 : 14); men will put darkness for light and light for darkness (Isa. 5 : 20); false prophets will do great signs and wonders to deceive if possible the elect of God (Mark 13 : 22); Satan himself will appear as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness (2 Cor. 11 : 14, 15); persecution will break forth upon those who honor God's law in the gospel of Christ (Rev. 12 : 17; 13 : 11-17); Satan will work with all power and signs and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2 : 9-12); in short, every delusion of the past, every device of the devil adapted for the present, a very flood of iniquity and persecution, will roll in upon the world and the people of God in these days of peril (Isa. 59 : 19), culminating in the hour of temptation such as the world has never before seen (Rev. 3 : 10). These are the perils.
On the other hand, the Lord Jesus Christ, who conquered Satan, has promised, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." He has given his precious truth to meet all the wiles of the adversary (2 Thess. 2 : 10-12); he has promised that when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him (Isa. 59 : 19); God will keep his people in the hour of temptation which is to come on all the world to try those who dwell on the earth (Rev. 3 : 10); not only this, but he tells his people to "arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee" (Isa. 60 : 1, 2); and through Christ and his righteousness and the power of his grace, lighted by his word, his church shall come forth from the fiery trial, shall go forth in the fiery trial, "as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." Think not the trial strange, but rejoice that ye are partakers with Christ. 2. Partakers of Christ's Sufferings.—Christ "suffered being tempted" (Heb. 2 : 18), and he "learned obedience by [or from] the things which he suffered" (Heb. 5 : 7, 8), and thus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him (verse 9). We, partaking of the same Spirit, are to walk in the same path of self-denial (Matt. 16 : 24), putting to death the lusts of the flesh (Rom. 8 : 13), mortifying every wrong lust and tendency of the flesh (Col. 3 : 5), and living the life which is above, in Christ (verses 1-4; Gal. 2 : 20). This is suffering with Christ, and he suffers with us. For this Paul longed. Phil. 3 : 10. This will also bring persecution; for if Satan cannot destroy us from within, he will endeavor to do so from without, even as he did our divine Lord. John 15 : 20, 21. In all these things we may rejoice that we are partakers with Christ in sufferings which will result in endless glory. 3. WORD THOUGHTS.—Fiery Trial (v. 12), the word means "burning." In Prov. 27 : 21 (Septuagint) it is rendered "furnace." In Ps. 66 : 10 (Septuagint) we read, "Thou, O God, hast proved us; thou hast smelled us, as silver is smelled" (Vincent).—Cometh upon you, literally, which is taking place, actually in progress. If we do not know of the trial, are we among the "beloved"?—Happened, or "were happening;" the trials do not happen or come by chance; they are a part of the discipline.—The Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God (v. 14), literally, "the Spirit of glory and that of God." "The repetition of the definite article identifies the Spirit of glory with the Spirit of God" (Vincent).—Resteth, abideth, and giveth rest or refreshment. Compare Isa. 11 : 2; Mark 6 : 31; Num. 11 : 25, 26. So will God's Spirit rest on those who suffer with Christ.—Meddler (A. V.) "busybody" (v. 14). The original word only occurs here in the New Testament. One who usurps authority. Says Vincent, "It may refer to the officious interference of Christians in the affairs of their Gentile neighbors, through excess of zeal to conform them to the Christian standard." Here is a point worthy of study by those who would compel others to be religious.—A Christian (v. 16), these terms used in the New Testament as applied to the disciples, but never used as applied by them to themselves.—Commit (v. 19), to place in charge as a deposit. See Acts 20 : 32; 1 Tim. 1 : 18.—Welldoing, see chapter 2 : 14 for the opposite idea. We commit or surrender to God that we may do his will.