The Sabbath-school lessons have been discontinued. The Lesson Quarterly may be obtained, containing three months' lessons and notes, for five cents. Address, Pacific Press, Mountain View, Cal. The Sunday-school lessons will continue.
INTERNATIONAL SERIES THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON 7.—FEBRUARY 12.—THE SECOND MIRACLE IN CANA.
(43) "And after the two days he went forth from thence into Galilee. (44) For Jesus Himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. (45) So when He came into Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also went unto the feast.
(46) "He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. (47) When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. (48) Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in nowise believe. (49) The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come down ere my child die. (50) Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way. (51) And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying, that his son lived. (52) So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. (53) So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house. (54) This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judea into Galilee."
Golden Text.—"The same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me." John 5:36.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) After leaving Sychar, where did Jesus go? Verse 43. Note 1. (2) In this connection what testimony did He give? Verse 44. Note 2. (3) How was He regarded by the Galileans? Why? How did they know of His works at Jerusalem? Verse 45. (4) To what city in Galilee did Jesus first come? What notable act had He performed there before? What prominent person is mentioned in this connection? Verse 46. (5) What did this man do when he heard of Jesus? What earnest request did he make? Verse 47. (6) How did Jesus reply to the man's appeal? Verse 48. (7) How did the nobleman reply to this apparent rebuff? Verse 49. Note 3. (8) Then what assurance did Jesus give the suppliant? How was the father affected by these words? Verse 50. Note 4. (9) Before the nobleman reached home, who met him? What news did they bring? Verse 51. (10) What inquiry did the nobleman then make? Verse 52. Note 5. (11) What then did the father know? And what was the result? Verse 53. Note 6. (12) How many signs, or miracles, had Jesus now worked in Galilee? Verse 54.
NOTES.
1. "Two days" after the occurrence at Jacob's well, noted in last week's lesson.
2. Because "a prophet hath no honor in his own country," Jesus did not return to Nazareth, where He had been rejected so summarily on a former occasion. See Luke 4:16-30. This declaration of Jesus "sets forth the natural reluctance which many people have to acknowledge any wonderfully admirable development in one who has unostentatiously lived in their midst, and whom they have intimately known from childhood. At the same time, these same persons might become wildly excited over the pretentions of a stranger and an adventurer."
3. Jesus was not indifferent to the appeal of the anxious father, as His reply might indicate. But He was paving the way for doing more for him than he asked. He wanted to have the nobleman exercise a deeper faith than that based on a miracle of healing. The man had come to Jesus because he had heard of His wonderful cures in Judea, and had Jesus not healed his son, he would not have believed on Him. And this is what Jesus plainly told him, and His words had the desired effect; the reading of his heart convinced him of the true character of Christ, and immediately his faith was fixed upon Him as the Son of God, and his appeal was repeated from that basis.
4. As quickly as Jesus had read the nobleman's condition of heart and merely selfish purpose, just as readily he noted the change of heart and recognized the prayer of faith. He would not prolong the sore anxiety a moment longer than was necessary. So He far more than made up the time by assuring the nobleman that his prayer was answered already without His waiting to travel the twenty or more miles to Capernaum. And He is always able and willing "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Eph. 3:20.
5. The nobleman did not reach home until the next day. When told by the servants that the boy had recovered, he eagerly asked when the change had taken place. This was a test of the Saviour's words and power. And when told that it was at the seventh hour (1 P.M.) yesterday, he knew that it was simultaneous with his interview with Jesus. Evidently one thing that had surprised the family was the fever's abating in the extreme heat of the day.
6. The knowledge that the child's recovery had occurred at the very time Jesus had said, "Go thy way, thy son liveth," greatly strengthened the father's faith. Even had the healing by the agency of Jesus been doubted, there was still His supernatural knowledge of events at a distance simultaneous with their occurrence, which could not be gainsaid. And the rehearsal of the story by the father was sufficient, under the Spirit's impression, to convert the entire household, which, in an oriental nobleman's house, would be a goodly number of persons.
