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 VIII.—SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1894. [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 especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.] - AND the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and, By the prince of the devils casteth He out the devils.
- And He called them unto Him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
- And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
- And if a house be divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
- And if Satan hath risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
- But no one can enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
- Verily I say unto you, All their sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and their blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme;
- But whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness; but is guilty of an eternal sin;
- Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
- And there came His mother and His brethren; and, standing without, they sent unto Him, calling Him.
- And a multitude was sitting about Him; and they say unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for thee.
- And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren?
- And looking round on them which sat round about Him, He saith, Behold, My mother and My brethren!
- For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.
Golden Text: "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." John 1:11. NOTE.—The time of these lessons is supposed to be some weeks after the sermon on the mount. The place is Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had been teaching and healing the multitude until the common people had come to believe him a great prophet, if not the promised Messiah. The Pharisees began to think that the whole world had gone after him, and they themselves were losing popularity. This aroused great opposition in their minds, and, therefore, every charge which they could bring against him they did. They sought to know how they might accuse him. Our lesson opens with Jesus in Capernaum, in a house, and the multitude surrounding it and hanging upon his words so that he could not get time to eat, his friends thinking that because of his zeal he was beside himself. - What did the scribes say of Jesus at this time? Verse 22.
- What question did Jesus ask them?
- What did he say of a kingdom or a house divided against itself? Verses 24, 25.
- What application did he make of this to Satan? Verse 26.
- What did he say was necessary before the goods of a strong man could be taken away? Verse 27.
- What sins did he say should be forgiven unto man? Verse 28.
- What blasphemy should never be forgiven?
- Of what sin did he say those were guilty who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit? Verse 29, last clause.
- Why did he thus speak? Verse 30. Note 1.
- When surrounded by this crowd, what did the mother and friends of Jesus do?
- As they were calling to him, what did those sitting about him say? Verse 32.
- What question did he ask in reply?
- What answer did he give to his own question?
- On what conditions could all come to these close relations with him? Verse 35. Note 2.
1. "Hath never forgiveness."—The mighty power of God was manifest in the teachings of Jesus and in his miracles. The scribes and Pharisees had before told him that only God could forgive sins. They knew also that only God could create. But Jesus showed that he had power to forgive sins, and that he could create, for he not only forgave the sins of the sick with the palsy, but bade him to rise and walk. He had cured multitudes of people of every kind of disease before their eyes. He had cast out the unclean spirits which afflicted many, and now the only charge which they could bring against him was in saying that he did all these things by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. In thus saying they ascribed to the Satanic agency the work of the Spirit of God. It was not a mere charge against Jesus as a man. It was a charge against the mighty power of God which wrought through him. Now, the only means which God has of saving men is the power of the Spirit of God. Man is redeemed by the blood of Christ, but he is quickened into new life, and kept from the power of sin by the Spirit of God through faith in Christ. He, therefore, who rejects the only means by which God can save him, makes himself an eternal sinner. He rejects the only means by which he can be saved from sin. It is not an arbitrary act of God to cut him off because he blasphemes against the Holy Ghost. It is his own deliberate rebellion which cuts him off, because he will not be saved by the only power by which God can save him. We learn, therefore, that the sin against the Holy Ghost is in deliberate rejection of the means by which the Lord saves men. 2. "Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."—The will of God is God's holy law. Jesus, speaking through the Psalmist, says, "I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." Ps. 40:8. Man of himself cannot do this, because the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. He only can do it through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ will bring him into the heart, and through the power of his life God's holy law can be kept.