LESSON V.-SABBATH, FEBRUARY 4, 1899

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 18, 1899

The Sabbath School International Series.

LESSON V.—SABBATH, FEBRUARY 4, 1899.

MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

In the Desert Near the Jordan, Spring of A.D. 27.

Note.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further.

Lesson Scripture, Matt. 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-15, R.V.

1 "And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. 4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan; and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance, and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And even now is the ax laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His threshing-floor; and He will gather His wheat into the garner, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire."

1 "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituræa and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the region round about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7 "He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And even now is the ax also laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." And the multitudes asked him, saying, "What then must we do?" And he answered and said unto them, "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise." And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, "Master, what must we do?" And he said unto them, "Extort no more than that which is appointed you." And soldiers also asked him, saying, "And we, what must we do?" And he said unto them, "Do violence to no man, neither exact anything wrongfully; and be content with your wages." 16 "And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ."

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

While Jesus was yet with His parents in Nazareth, who began preaching in the wilderness of Judea? Matt. 3:1. (Luke 3:1; John 1:28.)
What was the burden of his message? Verse 2. Note 1. (Matt. 4:17; 10:7.)
By what did John prove the authority of his mission? V. 3. (Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1; Matt 11:10.)
What proclamation did he include which was calculated to stir all the people? Luke 3:5, 6. (Isa. 52:10; Ps. 98:2; Luke 2:10.)
Who was then Roman emperor? Luke 3:1.
Who were acting high priests in the Jewish nation? V. 2. Note 2. (John 11:49; 18:13, 24.)
In what garb was Christ's forerunner dressed? Matt. 3:4. (2 Kings 1:8; Matt. 11:14; 17:12.)
What was the nature of his diet?
Who were attracted by the appearance and preaching of John? Verse 5. (John 1:19.)
Upon confession of sin, to what did the people also submit? Verse 6. (Acts 13:24, 25; 19:2.)
How did the leaders of the people regard John's message? Luke 7:29, 30.
In view of their attitude, with what sharp words did John address them? Matt. 3:7. (Matt. 12:34; 23:33.)
What remedy did he recommend for their desperate circumstances? Verse 8. (2 Cor. 7:10, 11; Matt. 26:75.)
Of what were these Pharisees evidently thinking? Verse 9. (John 8:33, 39; Rom. 9:8.)
From what did John tell them God was able to raise up seed unto Abraham? (Luke 19:39, 40; Zech. 9:9.)
What warning did he then proceed to give them? V. 10. (Luke 13:7, 9; Matt. 21:41-43.)
What reply did the people make to this? Luke 3:10. (Acts 2:37; 9:6.)
Of what nature was the work John assigned them? V. 11. (Luke 11:41; James 2:15, 16; 1 John 3:17; Job 29:15, 16.)
What question did the publicans ask concerning their duty? Verse 12. Note 3. (Luke 7:29; Rom. 3:4.)
What very practical answer did they receive? Verse 13. (Luke 19:2, 8; Lev. 6:4.)
What counsel did John give the soldiers who inquired as to their work? Verse 14. (Ex. 23:7; Phil. 4:8.)
What condition of mind did the people find themselves in because of John's words? Verse 15.

Side Lights.—"Desire of Ages," pp. 97-108; "Spirit of Prophecy," vol. 2, pp. 41-57.

NOTES.

"At hand," that is, has come nigh. This was the herald of an expected Leader to take them forth from their wanderings in the wilderness of sin. See note 6 of lesson 3. Those to whom the Baptist preached were like their prototypes of old while in Egypt,—outside of God's kingdom, in the service of another king. Therefore the message to them in the wilderness was to be ready to sustain the better administration which was at hand, and so enter the kingdom of heaven.
Being the high priests.—At this time the Roman emperor claimed and exercised the right to appoint and depose the Jewish high priests, as he chose. All who served in this office must please the emperor. Annas, tho a sagacious and purchasable man, was not able to hold the office undisturbed. Appointed by Cyrenius, imperial governor of Syria, in A.D. 7 (Luke 2:2), he was obliged to resign at the beginning of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, A.D. 14. He managed, however, to secure the office in turn for five of his sons, and for his son-in-law, Caiaphas, with whom he managed to be associated up to and beyond the time of the crucifixion of Christ Acts 4:6. See "Desire of Ages," p. 30.
Publicans, those holding public office, chiefly tax-gatherers. Doing this work under appointment of, and in the interest of, the Roman Government, this class was odious and despised in the eyes of their countrymen, not only as traitors, but extortioners of large profits out of the national degradation. They received, like all the others, an answer just suited to their needs.