January 1931
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have brought consternation to all who be held. When the Master said, “I will,” He cured the leper’s doubt. Straightway the leprosy departed. Ordinarily the disease was slow in its development. On this ac count, the swiftness of the cure was the more remarkable. V. 14. Charged him to tell no man. Various explanations of this command of Jesus have been offered. It may have been given partly for the healed man’s own good, to guard him from vainglory. Perhaps it was spoken in order that Jesus might not have to go through the long and tedious process of “purification” af ter ceremonial defilement. The more like ly reason is that He knew such a miracle would arouse the opposition of Jewish leaders and would thereby hasten His death. Show thyself to the priest. Ac cording to the law, the priest alone could pronounce the man cured and permit him to return to his home. Offer for thy cleansing. Special sacrifices were de manded for the purification of one healed of leprosy (cf. Lev. 14). The Lord Jesus respected the law of Moses. V. 15. Went abroad the report. The leper disregarded Christ’s injunction (Mk. 1 :45). His joy overflowed, and he could not be silent. Great multitudes came.. As is often the case, the multitudes were more eager for temporal blessing and physical healing than they were for the curing of their sin-sick souls. This must have been a great disappointment to the Master; yet He did not withhold His help. V. Jesus in Solitude (5:16). He withdrew himself. Mark (1 :45) states that it was the leper’s testimony of his healing that caused such commo tion that “Jesus could no more openly enter into a city.” He sought solitude but was unable to find it, for the crowds came to Him from all directions (cf. Mk. 1:45). * * * L esson Q uestions 4 :38. What had occurred in the syna gogue just before this time? On what day of the week did it happen? Did the incident catise any commotion? To what place did Jesus go? What need brought Him there? Had He been asked to come and help ? V. 39. Over what powers and forces did Jesus show He had authority? How soon did the fever leave the woman? What did she do after she was healed? V. 40. Why did so many wait till sun set before coming to Jesus? What kind of people came? Were any sick ones be yond His help? Did He refuse help to any? V. 41. How does demon possession dif fer from insanity? What did the demons say to Jesus? Did He accept their testi mony ? Why not ? V. 42. To what place did Jesus go? Why did He need to go apart? Who came to Him there? What did they desire of Him? Were their motives selfish? V. 43. What did Jesus say He had come to do? Was preaching the gospel more important than healing the sick? In what sense was Jesus a missionary? V. 44. Where did Jesus preach? Did His liberty to preach in the synagogues contribute to the spread of the gospel? 5:12. Where had Jesus been preach ing? Who came to Him? What stage of leprosy is inferred by the words “full of leprosy” ? How did the leper show
BLACKBOARD LESSON
8. Since Christ, the true Antitype of all the types, has come, we have no fur ther need of priests, altars, and offerings. 9. The Lord Jesus was never so busy that He could afford to neglect prayer. Strength for public ministry must always be found in private communion with God. 10. Capernaum wanted to keep Jesus within cal}, so that He might minister to the needs of the sick and suffering. Her people were much like modern critics of foreign missions, who say, “There are heathen enough at home.” The. Lord Jesus loves the “other cities” and other lands. * * * G olden T ext I llustration John Vassar had many remarkable es capades in his visitation work. In one village, an Irish woman heard that he was distributing tracts and speaking with the people, and she said: “If he comes to my door, I will not treat him kindly.” The next day he rang her doorbell. Recog nizing him, she slammed the door in his face. He then sat down on the doorstep and sang: “But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe; Here, Lord, I give myself away, ’Tis all that I can do.” This woman afterward confessed that it was those “drops of grief” that reached her heart and changed her life. “Surely he hath borne our griefs.” ♦ * * Jesus and Health Luke 4:38-44; 5:12-16 Memory Verse. —“He healed many that were sick” (Mk. 1:34). Approach.— If you should come home from school and find the breakfast dishes still on the table and the beds not made and none of the housework done, you
earnestness? What expression of faith did he use? What suggestion of doubt is found in his words? V. 13. What was involved in our Lord’s touch of the leper? Was such an action a surprise to the people? Why? How did Jesus remove the man’s doubts? How quickly was the leper healed? V. 14. Why did Jesus tell the man to be silent about his healing? To whom was he told to go ? Why was he sent there? Why was he asked to bring an offering? Did our Lord show respect for the law? Are the requirements of the ceremonial law now binding upon the Christian (cf. Heb. 10:8, 9)? Why not? V. 15. Did the healed man obey the Lord’s command? What resulted from his testimony? V. 16. To what place did Jesus go? For what purpose? * * * P ractical P oints 1. The lesson describes Jesus as a great physician, a thoughtful friend, a compassionate and zealous missionary, and a faithful intercessor. What a Saviour 1 2. The Lord Jesus is always interested in the trials of the home life. Think of His ministry for sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. His ear was always open to any call from a home of suffer ing and sorrow (cf. Mk. 1:30). 3. Although many who sought physical healing did not seek spiritual help from the Lord Jesus, there is no record that He ever turned any one away. 4. The greatest ministry of the Lord Jesus was and is the saving of the lost (Lk. 19:10). The miracles at Capernaum were secondary to this one great purpose, but they did not bring the city to repent ance (cf. Matt. 11:23). 5. When the Lord Jesus takes control in a life, the result is not merely reforma tion, but transformation. The weak be come strong; the hopeless are filled with rejoicing; captives are set free (cf. Lk. 4:18, 19). 6. Christ is never unwilling or lacking in power to help the helpless. 7. Leprosy is a type of sin. It is a living death. Christ saves the sinner who is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2: 1 ) .
would think at once that there must be something the mat ter with your moth er, wouldn’t you ? And if you should find that she was s i c k , y o u r first thought would be to do som e th ing to make h fer better. That is just the way that Jesus felt when
He found some one sick and everyone else upset and in trouble because of the ill ness. Lesson Story. —One day, when Jesus went to the home of Simon Peter, He found the mother very sick. Because Je sus was God’s Son, He had the power to make her well. That was just what He did; He healed her. And wasn’t that mother happy to be well again? But she didn’t just sit around and tell people about how glad she was. She showed that she was glad by going right on with the work she had been doing when she got sick. She made the dinner and served it and took care of her guests. I think that was a good way to show her Lord that she thanked Him for making her well, don’t you? Jesus healed many people, and some of them stopped to say thank you to Him, and some of them didn’t. Some of them
Food fo r the Soul T he K ing ’ s B usiness has been food to my soul. The Lord has blessed me as I have read its wonderful pages. I feel that ev ery reader must be able to say the same thing. —From Marlin, Texas.
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