477
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
October 1930
“Didymus” is pure Greek, also meaning “a twin.” Some have guessed that his twin brother was Matthew because the two are coupled together in lists o f the apostles. Let us also go. Thomas realized the dan ger o f the journey to Jerusalem. A few weeks before this, when Jesus was in Jerusalem, attempts had been made to stone Him (John 10:31), and to arrest Him (John 10:39). He avoided danger and death until “his hour” had come. Other disciples had protested against the journey. Thomas boldly declared his will ingness to go and die with Jesus. His words indicate love and courage, perhaps mingled with despondency. II. Thomas Inquiring the Way (14:5-7). V. 5. Thomas saith . . . . Lord, we know not. Jesus had been telling the dis ciples of the place in heaven He was going to prepare for them, adding, “Whi ther I go, ye know the way.” Thomas readily confessed his ignorance. He could not rise to the thought of any necessity for the death o f Messiah. V.. 6. Jesus saith . . . I am the way. Thomas had asked where Jesus Christ was going. The. answer pointed him to the way rather than to the goal. He who takes Christ as his Way will not fail to find the right end. Since Christ is “the way,” He is also “the truth.” He not only gives the truth; He is the truth incarnate. To know Him is to know the truth (John 17:3 ; Col. 2:3). Likewise, Christ is “the life.” He gives life and He is life. We receive life by receiving Him (John 5:11, 12). V. 7. I f ye had known me. Jesus Christ is the' perfect revelation o f the Father (John 1:18). From henceforth ye know him. The Lord Jesus was here anticipat ing His death, resurrection, and ascension which would fully convince them all of His oneness with the Father. III. _ Philip, the. Dull Scholar (14:8). Show us the Father. Philip Whs hon est, but dull. Christ had just said, “ If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also.” His blundering inquiry gave Jesus opportunity to more definitely and clearly declare His deity in the words, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Fa ther.” IV. Thomas Seeing and Believing (20: 24-29). ....... : V. 24. Thomas . -. . was not with them. Ten disciples were in the upper room when the risen Lord appeared, showing them His wounds, speaking peace to their troubled hearts, and commissioning them to go in the power of the Spirit to give the Gospel to the world (vs. 19-23). Thomas was not with them. His absence is not explained. Had he given up , all hope? V. 25. We have seen the Lord , They had had conclusive evidence of the resur rection. Except I shall see. Thomas would believe nothing on, the testimony of his best friends., He was a confirmed pessi mist. Was it because the idea o f the resur rection was a thing too good to be true ? V. 26. A fter eight days. A week after Easter Sunday. Thomas with them. The place was probably the same upper room where they had had the Last Supper with the Master. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut. This clearly implies that Jesus, in His resurrection body, could come through closed doors or stone walls. And yet He had a real body. Peace be unto you, ,This was a common Jewish salutation, but it
came into my heart,” is the song that Peter could have sung! Lesson Story.— Peter’s brother, Andrew, told him about Jesus. Peter went to hear
T ill He Come It is only a little while, Christian, Till labors and troubles shall . cease.; And instead o f heartaches and sorrows, There shall be a wonderful peace. The Saviour is coming to claim thee, He is now preparing thy home; When trials b e s e t thee, oh, whisper, ’Twill only be thus "till He come.” ; —Author Unknown.
t h e w o n d e r f u l Preacher, and loved Him with a love that never ceased. Peter was a fisher man f r o m Caper naum. He became one o f the disciples of Jesus, following Him, witnessing His m i r a c l e s , one of which was the in stant h e a l i n g of
Peter’s mother-in-law. As he saw these marvelous things done.by the Man of Gal ilee, Peter believed Him to be that Mes siah for whom the Jews had so long watched. One day Jesus asked Peter a searching question. Peter answered: “ Thou art the Christ.” His confession of faith was promptly given, and from his very heart. Impulsive, lovable Peter! How Jesus must have delighted in that ready response 1 Yet He knew that Peter needed a warn ing, and so He prophesied that before very long Peter would deny his Lord. When that time came the heart o f Peter nearly broke as he met the eyes of that dear Friend whom he had betrayed. Peter wept bitterly, and later, when the Holy Spirit came' into his heart, he became one o f the boldest o f all the disciples, wit nessing for his Lord in danger and even unto death. We, too, need to abide near the Saviour, let Him keep us constantly, fill our hearts with His own strength and courage through His Holy Spirit, that we may “stand up for Jesus” everywhere and always. Peter preached a wonderful sermon at Pente cost that resulted in a great ingathering of souls, three thousand coming to Christ because of the witnessing of one who so dearly loved the Saviour. Jesus came into the world and died, lived and rose again, for you and me as truly as for Peter, and He will use our lives when they are yield ed to Him. If He should ask you today, “Whom say ye that I am?” what would ypur answer be? Prayer. —o— November 9, 1930 Thomas, the Honest Doubter Lesson: John 11:14-16; 14:5-8; 20:24- 29 ; 21:1, 2. Golden Text: “Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God” (John 20:28)... , * * * L esson in O utline " I. Thomas Devoted though Despon dent (11:14-16). 1. The occasion—proposed journey to Jerusalem (7). 2. The protesting disciples (8 ), 3. The plea of Thomas—-“ let us also go” (16). II. Thomas Inquiring the Way (14: 5-7). 1. Igtiorance confessed (5)7 2. Instruction given (6, 7). III. Philip, a Dull Scholar (14:8). IV. Thomas Seeing, and Believing (20: 24-29).
1. Testimony of brethren refused (24, 25). _ 2. Visual evidence demanded (25). 3. Doubts rebuked (26, 27). 4; From doubt to faith (28). 5. A new beatitude (29). V. New Evidence for Thomas (21 :lj 2). ♦ * * A pproach to the L esson 'THOMAS is not mentioned in the syn- optic Gospels except in the lists of the twelve apostles. We are limited to the four passages in the Gospel o f John con tained in our lesson for knowledge of the man’s character. He is very often called “Thomas the doubter.” Perhaps -that title scarcely does him justice. It may be that he was o f a melancholy dis position and therefore inclined to tell out his discouragements. But he did not lack courage and true devotion to his Lord. He was always' honest, never professing to have a faith that he did not possess. ■ * * * H eart of the L esson T. Thomas Devoted' though Despondent (11:14-16). V. 14. Lazarus is dead■ The resurrec tion o f Lazarus occurred two months be fore the crucifixion o f Christ. Word con cerning the illness cif Lazarus was sent to “awake him out of sleep.” V. 15. I am glad . . . I was not there. -The resurrection of Lazarus greatly in creased the opposition of the Jewish rulers to Christ. On the other hand it ¡mightily strengthened the faith o f the disciples. Jesus rejoiced for their sakete that Lazarus had died, because the miri- iacle . confirmed their conviction that Hp ■¡was the Christy Let us go unto him. There is a paradojt nere. Lazarus was dead and buried, and yet Jesus went to him. After all, Lazarus on ly ‘‘slept.” The Lord’Jesus |ibelieved -in immortality. I’ V. 16. Thomas . . . called Didymus. :“ Thomas” is a Greek word derived from the Hebrew meaning “a twin.” The word Jesus when He was in the country east of the, Jordan. He l i n g e r e d for two days, until He knew t h a t Lazarus was dead, and then an nounced t h a t He was going back to
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