Lessons for Bible Students.
(History of the Sabbath, pp. 124-137.) After our Lord's discourse, noticed in last lesson, what is the next mention of the Sabbath? What does this example show? What was the act that enraged the Pharisees? Did the law of the Sabbath forbid either of these things? What, then, was the only thing that the Saviour had transgressed by his miracle? The Lord having returned to his own country, what do we hear of him? What miracle was performed on the Sabbath, not far from this time, and where is it recorded? With what two crimes was our Lord here charged? On what ground was he charged with having broken the Sabbath? Was the man's bed, which he was commanded to carry, such a burden as was forbidden on the Sabbath? What did Christ mean by saying that his Father worked hitherto? Was the work which Christ had just performed of the same nature? Repeat the Saviour's answer to these two charges. What two points does this answer involve? This case of healing again came up for discussion; where is this recorded? What does this scripture contain? Upon what did Christ rest his first defense, already noticed? Upon what does he rest his second defense? His language upon this occasion has an important bearing upon the question of the origin of the Sabbath; what is it? What, therefore, does the language imply relative to the age of the Sabbatic institution? Had the Saviour done anything to justify the hatred of the Jews toward him? Had he left the man in his wretchedness, simply because it was the Sabbath, how would that have been treating the Sabbath? The Lord still further labors to rescue the Sabbath from the hands of those who had perverted its design, what does this show in regard to his abolishing it at the cross? What is the next incident to be noticed, and where is it found? Of what and whom, was this act alike worthy? What class anciently saw in this a violation of the Sabbath? And what class at the present time, answers to those ancient enemies of the Lord? What is the next recorded case of healing on the Sabbath day, and where found? What is meant by the expression, "Daughter of Abraham?" How did Jesus silence the clamors of his enemies on this occasion, and make them ashamed? What is the last of these glorious acts with which Jesus honored the Sabbath, and where is it recorded? What question did Christ put to the lawyers and Pharisees to justify his course? Why did they not dare to answer it? When Jesus had healed the man, what second question, equally embarrassing, did he put to them? What was the object of the Saviour's long continued and powerful effort, in behalf of the Sabbath? Those who oppose the Sabbath are here guilty of unfairness in two particulars; what are these particulars? When and where does the Lord for the last time mention the Sabbath? What does his language bring to view? What does his watchful care over his people lead him to do? What historian records the fulfillment of the sign given by the Saviour? Did the disciples give heed to the warning, and make their escape? To what place did they flee? In view of the fact that the disciples must flee the moment the sign should appear, what did the Lord tell them to pray for? What was the reason for such a prayer? How is this mention of the Sabbath sometimes superficially disposed of? A few thoughts will show the fallacy of this assertion: to what did the Saviour's language have reference? What remarkable fact is stated by Josephus? Where were the Jews required by law to be, at the feast of tabernacles? Were there, therefore, any Jewish enemies left in the country to oppose the Christians in their flight? How did the Jewish nation, thus assembled at Jerusalem, treat the Sabbath a few days before the flight of the disciples? After Cestius, the Roman general, had encompassed the city, thus giving the Saviour's signal for the flight of his disciples, what did he suddenly do "without any reason in the world?" This being the moment for the flight of the disciples, how did the providence of God open the way? Had the retreat of Cestius been upon the Sabbath, what have we reason to conclude the Jews would have done? Were the disciples, therefore, whether in the city or country, in danger of being attacked, had their flight been upon the Sabbath day? What is the only view, then, that can be taken of our Lord's words? In view of this prayer would the early church forget the Sabbath?