certain to hope. In these days when men have lost sight of the glory, happy is he who among all disheartening events, and all self constituted teachers, sees Jesus only! It is enough. With the eye always on Him, we shall not watch in vain to see Him change before us into the visible Lord of glory, transfiguring all our clouds, even the flesh that shrouds us. n . THE CHARGE. 1. He bade them to keep silence as to what they had seen. We can only conjecture that it was to avoid further fleshly demonstration among the people (Jn. 6:15), or premature action on the part of the leaders. This at least: let us obey His instructions without asking "why?" 2. Now He has risen and we are to proclaim all His revelations, and that some of us may not taste of death till we see Him coming in His glory. 3. What the "rising from the dead should mean" they questioned. It was made clear to them by the event; men still question. Rendering the words more fully we read "the rising out from among the dlead ones." Not many see this when they read, that it teaches a resurrection that leaves "dead ones" behind, and Revelations 20:5, says that they li'e there a thousand years, and then rise only to the judgment of condemnation (Rv. 20: 11-15), So the chief question that, con- cerns us about the. resurrection is our relation to the saying "BLESSED AND HOLY IS HE THAT HATH PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION: ON SUCH THE SECOND DEATH HATH NO POWER" (Rv. 20: 6). HEALING THE LUNATIC BOY: THE POSSIBILITIES OF FAITH 4 Lesson IX Dec. 1. Mk. 9:14-29. 1. GRACE AND GLORY. 1. The Lord's grace is His glory. It is not the dress suit but the work suit that honors a man. That Jesus wore the robe of flesh is His chief glory; His min- istration, not His transfiguration. The latter is not so miraculous as the former, but is the reward of it (Phil. 2:1-11). ' 2 . Good and best." Peter said (9:5) "It is good to be here." So it was. But it was better to be at the base of the mountain sharing the conflict against, and the victory, over, wretchedness and unbelief. It will be fine to wear the medal, but it is the mere sign of service. When the glory comes it will be good to be there, but always remember in minis- tering that it is good to be here. If the
nine had won the victory over the devil they would have more to glory in than if they had seen the transfiguration. It will be so with us, but beware lest we who are left behind them who have en- tered glory are as faithless and fruitless as they. II. THE GROUPS IN THE VALLEY. When they came down from the moun- tain it was like leaving heaven for earth. They found 1. The scoffers, "scribes questioning them," mocking their futile efforts, ridi- culing their prayers, scoffing at the Holy Name by which they sought to exorcise the demon. It had not been so with them when they came back and said, "Lord, even the devils are subject to us in Thy name" (Mk. 10:17). Great op- portunity is given men to blaspheme when professing Christians fail through lack of faith to demonstrate the power of salvation.- The devils have been sub- ject to us in other days. Nothing would shut the mouths of gainsayers like a gen- eration of believers who have "power with God," and over devils (Mk. 16:17- .18). 2. The multitude. (1) They stood by ready to follow the scribes, or the twelve, according to which won in the controversy. The masses, so easily led astray by unscriptural leaders and "scholars," would soon be found among the believers if they saw the word pro- claimed lived and ministered in demon- stration of the Spirit, by faith and love and unfelfish service. We must be able to cast out Satan from our lives and churches, before we can convince the multitude that there is salvation in the name of Jesus. (2) When Jesus came "straightway all the people when they beheld Him were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him." No one can explain why they were "greatly amazed" unless it be that His face shone like Moses' (Ex. 34:30), for like Him He had just been in the cloud of glory. But so He will come one day and men will be amazed to see Him. It is a fond be- lief of the writer that, while doubtless, the "scribes" of that coming day, the bitter opponents of the truth, will be covered with eternal shame, the multi- tude will run to salute Him "bringing salvotion." 3. Jesus' challenge of the scribes. "What question ye with them?" The Lord may rebuke His own for their fail- ure and unbelief but He will challenge their accusers (Lec. 3:1, 2; Jb. 1:8; 38: 1, 2; 40:1-4). I well remember a scene
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