International S. S. Lessons

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 24, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 46.

International S. S. Lessons.

"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." —Neh. 8:8

LESSON I.—SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1894.

JESUS AT NAZARETH.

[NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses alone are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is specially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.]

Lesson Scripture, Luke 4: 16-30.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah, and he opened the book, and found the place where it was written.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; he hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.
And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country.
And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country.
But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;
And unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.
And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things;
And they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.
But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

Golden Text: "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh." Heb. 12: 25.

It may be queried why so much of our Saviour's life was spent near the Sea of Galilee. But the surroundings of the Sea of Galilee represented at that time more of the real attractive life of Palestine than did Jerusalem, even. In fact, between the two sections of country, Jerusalem and the surroundings of the Sea of Galilee, gathered all the moulding influences of the nation, and here it was that our Saviour spent most of his time. The greater part of the year concerning which our lessons treat was spent near the Sea of Galilee.

After his journey through Galilee, where did our Saviour at last go? Verse 16, first clause.
What connection had he had with this place? —Id., second clause.
What did he do, according to his usual custom? Verse 16.
As he stood up to read, what was delivered to him? Verse 17.
Where did he open the book? See Isa. 61:1, 2.
What did he say was upon him? Verse 18.
For what had this Spirit fitted him?—Id. See also Acts 10: 38.
What had the Lord sent him to do? Verses 18, 19. See note 1.
After reading what he did from the book of Isaiah, what did he do? Verse 20, first part. See note 2.
How did the people regard him as he sat down? Verse 20, last part.
What did he begin to say? Verse 21.
As he began to speak, how did they regard his words? Verse 22.
But as he showed them that that prophecy was revealed in himself, one of their own number, how did they show their doubts? Verse 22, last part.
What did he say they would surely say to him? Verse 23.
What proverb did he say was applicable to the case? Verse 24.
What illustration did he give of a people rejecting their own prophet? Verses 25, 26.
What other illustration did he give in the case of Elisha? Note 3.
As Jesus showed the people how God's messengers had been rejected, how did it affect them? Verse 28.
What did they do? Verse 29.
How did he escape? Verse 30.

NOTES.

1. WE have in this expression of our Saviour, quoted from Isaiah 61, the fulfillment of a still earlier prophecy. He was the One whom God had promised to send in the very beginning. Moses understood this when the Lord told him to go down into Egypt and deliver his people. And Moses said unto the Lord, "Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send." Ex. 4 : 13. In this he no doubt had reference to the One whom God had promised to send in the deliverance of his people. Our Saviour had now come, and the prophecy was in part fulfilled. He preached the good tidings of eternal salvation to all who would believe on him. He released the captives from the bonds of sin which bound them; he renewed the sight of those who were spiritually blind, and to them who had been bruised and seemingly chained by sin he brought liberty.

2. "He closed the book."—Jesus did not quote the entire prophecy from Isaiah 61. In fact, he paused right in the middle of the sentence. It will be seen, by referring to Isa. 61:2, that he quoted simply the first clause of the verse, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," but that was not all of Christ's mission. It was also his mission to proclaim the day of vengeance of our God; but that part of his mission was not due at the time he was here upon the earth. It was simply his mission then to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, that all men could come to him and be saved. That has been the mission of the gospel ever since; but just before Christ comes, it is the duty of the representatives of Christ to proclaim the day of vengeance of our God. That message is due now, not simply to preach the glad tidings, and full and free salvation from sin, but that just before us lies the great day of God's wrath. Our Saviour here rightly divided the word of truth.

3. THE course which was pursued by the people of Nazareth concerning Jesus is one which has been repeated in every land and country since that time. The jealousy and envy of the human heart cannot bear to receive instruction from those who have been brought up with them, and who have improved common privileges much better than they. Elijah was an Israelite, and God in mercy sent him to Israel with the message of mercy which they rejected, and so also they rejected Elisha, but in both cases the Lord sent his servants to those of a foreign nation who would gladly receive. It is thus that God's message comes to us in our days, but, instead of prizing the precious message as we ought, we lose sight of it by looking at the instrument or the one through which it comes, "and thus reject it." It was said of Jesus that "he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." And because of that he was despised and rejected of men. So it is with the messengers who represent Christ. They are oftentimes the poor and despised and the weak things of this world; and if we look upon them instead of listening to the gracious message which they bring, we will reject the message; but we must remember that God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the wise. The golden text should come with remarkable force to us in view of this lesson,—"See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh."