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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
December, 1941
INTERNATIONAL LESSON Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Childrens Division Object Lesson Golden Text Illustration By B. B. S utcliffe By G retchen S ibley By H elen F razee -B ower By E lmer L. W ilder By A lan S. P earce Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain , President of Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind.
m . T he S on of M an (L L 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-5) Luke, the writer of the Gospel and The Acts, moved in high circles as indi cated by his friendly address to ’’most excellent Theophilus,” a title bespeaking high official position. The same expres-. sion is used of both Festus and Felix in The Acts. Luke had a scientific knowledge of his subject and wrote after wide re search and thorough investigation had been made, and after he had had per sonal interviews with eyewitnesses such as Zacharias, Elisabeth, the shepherds, and Mary the mother of Jesus. He had “ traced the course of all things ac curately” (v. 3, R.V.), that he might write “in order.” William M. Ramsay says, “Our knowledge of historical Christianity depends more on Luke than any other single man . . . the greatest historian of the world, because his work has not failed under the most minute investigation.” In his Gospel, Luke tells what Jesus began to do and teach; in The Acts he relates what He continued to do and teaá f (Acts 1:1-4). The expression, “he through the Holy Ghost,” indicates that Christ Himself was the worker, the Holy Spirit was the divine Person who imparted the needed power, and the disciples were the instruments used in the work. “Many infallible proofs” of the bodily resurrection of Jesus were given in order to establish this foundation truth upon which Christianity rests. There was no delusion, no deception, no fleet ing vision, no' confinement to just one place, but for forty days the Lord Jesus Christ gave many infallible proofs. Forty is the number of testing, and the physical resurrection of Jesus was fully tested and forever attested by His ap pearances. After establishing the fact of His lit eral resurrection, Christ told the dis ciples that “they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the prom ise of the Father.” However complete was their knowledge of His physical death upon the cross and His bodily resurrection from among the dead—in formation gained through their three years’ association w i t h Him — that knowledge alone would not fit them for their service. The Holy Spirit must come upon them before that service could be rendered. The Christian of today need not wait for the Spirit’s coming, for He
JANUARY 4, 1942 THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS: MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE M atthew 1:1, 17; M ark 1:1, 14, 15; L uke 1:1-4; A cts 1:15
BLACKBOARD LESSON
Matthew 1:1 The book of the genera tion of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 17 So all the generations from Abra ham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Sun of God; 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preach ing the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Luke 1:1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth ip order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye witnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write until thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know th^i cer tainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken .up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whohi also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptised with water; but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. GOLDEN TEXT : «Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’* ( l Tim. 1:15). DEVOTIONAL READING: Psa. 119:33- 40. Outline and Exposition I. T he M essiah (Matt. 1:1, 17) F OR THE JEW, the all-important placed at the very opening of Matthew’s Gospel. In David and Abraham all [ Lesson material is based on outlines of International Sunday School Lessons copyrighted by the International Coun cil of Religious Education and is used by its permission. Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Ver- sion unless otherwise stated .]
'CHRIST JESUSCfimt I(VTO THE WORLD TO 5HUE SinITERS' irun. i*T*
Jewish hopes centered. As son of David, Jesus would be Heir to the throne (Psa. 2:6; 89:20-29; 2 Sam. 7:8-16; 1 Chron. 17). As son of Abraham, He would be Heir to the promises (Gen. 12:1, 2; 22:18; cf. Gal. 3:16-18). And even though He were refused as the Heir to the throne, therg still would be blessing for all who received Him in the second aspect of His heirship. In the record of this Gospel, the gen erations are given in three sections, like great epochs in Jewish history preparing the way for the coming of Messiah (v. 17). The divisions were from Abram' to the coming of royalty in David; from David to the captivity at Babylon, and from the captivity to the advent of Christ. 0 n . T he S ervant (M k . 1 :1, 14, 15) This section gives "the beginning of the gospel,” not the history, of Christ, though the only history we have. of Him is in the Gospels. Mark tells of service which only the Son could render —service because He is the Son, not One who became the Son. Charles R. Erdman points out that the combination of names used here concerning our Lord is peculiar to Mark. “Jesus” is the human name, meaning the salvation of God; “Christ” 'is the Messianic name, meaning the anointed prophet, priest, and king, and “ Son of God” is the divine name, denoting deity in human flesh. 1 In a vain attempt to silence the word of God, John the Baptist was put in prison (vs. 14, 15). But Jesus at once began in Galilee to preach the “gospel . . . of God.” -The kingdom of God was at band, and to receive it required re pentance and belief in the gospel.
question would be concerned with the legal right of any one claiming Messiahship, and this consideration is
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