41. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. hour." - Dr. Dods. The "tenth hour " was about 4 o'clock P.M., according to Jewish reckoning (from sunrise to sunset); or 10 o'clock A.M., according to the Roman reckoning, which is the same as that we now use, counting from midnight and noon. This reckoning seems to me much more probable for several reasons, one of which is that it harmonizes John's account of the crucifixion (19: 14) with that of the other evangelists (Mark 15: 25). The Result, as appears from what follows, was that they were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, and were filled with the impulse to spread the good news. 41. Andrew first findeth his own brother Simon. Either (1) the first thing he did after he left Jesus was to find his brother; or (2) (as Godet), "the two disciples set themselves to seek each his own brother; that is, the one Peter, the other James. Of the two, Andrew was the first who succeeded in finding his." And saith unto him, We have found the Messias, the Greek spelling of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning anointed, or the anointed one; or the same as the Greek word Christ. It was by anointing that kings and priests were set apart for their work. The Messiah was the one whom God had promised, and appointed to be the king, the high priest, the prophet, of Israel and the world; and whose coming as their King and Saviour was longingly expected by the Jews, and had been announced by John as at hand. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is founded on this story of Andrew finding his brother Simon. It is an organization of laymen in the Episcopal churches of America, England, and other countries. Its sole object is "The Spread of Christ's Kingdom among Men Especially Young Men." It was begun a number of years ago by a Bible class of 12 young men, who agreed to follow this example in bringing others into a personal acquaintance with the Messiah. They adopted two rules: 1. "The Rule of Prayer is to pray daily for the spread of Christ's Kingdom among men, especially young men, and for God's blessing upon the labors of the Brotherhood." 2. "The Rule of Service is to make at least one earnest effort each week to lead some man nearer to Christ through His Church." They work it out in many ways, as each can best do it, daily Bible Reading, Bible classes, invitation cards, church attendance campaign, etc., etc. There is also a Junior Department of the Brotherhood, for boys from twelve to eighteen years of age. (Further details, and literature, can be obtained from Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Church House, Philadelphia.) 42. Jesus beheld him, as if looking into his very soul. Thou art Simon. That is your present name. Thou shalt be called Cephas. This is Aramaic-Syriac, the modernized form of the Hebrew language, commonly used in Palestine at that time. By interpretation, A stone = a rock = Peter, Greek Petros. "The men standing round, and knowing Simon well, might turn away to hide a smile; but Simon knew the Lord had found him, and uttered the very word which could bind him forever to him. And the event showed how true this appellation was.' - Marcus Dods. Why did Jesus Greet Simon in this Way? Apparently it was to encourage him to become his follower, and to keep up his courage and faith during his training for apostleship. For (1) it showed true insight into Simon's nature. Beneath the shifting sands of impulse lay the solid rock of a possible character that nothing could move from its firm foundation. Jesus saw the true nature and possibilities of Simon. (2) The prophecy would help Simon to reach the ideal, to bring his deeper nature into control of his outward life, to keep up hope amid many failures and discouragements, and become a new man, whose very weaknesses would help the cause, and whose strength and faith would fit him to be a foundation stone of the city of God. The Prophecy of Peter's Future Course. Whatever thou art now thou shalt win the name Peter. Simon was the soft stone like the building stone when it is taken from certain quarries in Ohio, easily carved into any desirable form, but which soon becomes a hard rock fit for building cathedrals and libraries and homes. Then it has become Peter. The same is true of the marl recently deposited at the bottom of Lake Superior. Even precious stones like tremolite and chalcedony have the same quality. This was a vision, a hope, a prophecy, an ideal for Simon. It was a name and a character he could win through many a hard experience, many a struggle, "tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt," long instruction and abiding with Jesus, many prayers" with strong crying and tears," and many a fall from which he rose stronger than before. V. THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST UPON ALL MEN. 1. Christ has done so much for them. He is " the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." (1) This is the object for which he came into the world, to The Way, the Truth, and the Life. The path of the progress of man toward the truth, the ideal church and community; is never directly toward the top, but zigzags its way toward the top, but on the whole moving toward the kingdom of Heaven. "SOME DAY." "I'm going home some day remove sin and change this sinful world into the sinless Paradise Regained. (2) Jesus provides redemption enough for all the world. (3) He pardons past sin, so that it is no longer remembered by him, but is blotted out forever. (4) He is actually removing sin from the world. Wherever he comes sin is in the process of removal from each heart that accepts him, and from the community. And this work is going on till there shall be no more sin in the world. 2. The love and service of Christ is the natural life. All who have left it have wandered from their home into the darkness of the ways without. And we all expect some day to go home to our Father. If I can ever find the pathway back; A wanderer on a strange and alien track; I saw the world ahead and only meant To go a little way beyond- and then "I'm going home some day 1 But every track I face is strangely new; But that in seeking all the long years through, I left the old-time ways of faith and truth. "I'm going home some day' So moves the dream of all the roving world; To unknown lands where they must ever roam - This endless dream, 'Some day I'm going home!"" - Grantland Rice. 3. We are indebted to Jesus Christ for more good, and in more varieties, than we can ever conceive. Think of what it is to live in a Christian land, with its countless mercies and blessings which can be enjoyed only where Christ's religion prevails. "It is hard to down the popular heresy about the narrowness of the Christian life. But in nothing was Jesus more emphatic than in claiming the rounded strength and exuberant life of the Christian. It must be that the common run of modern Christians are not vital enough to prove the point. Certain it is that Jesus expanded life wherever in faith it touched him and sluggish faculties rose up and carried their loads. The Christian should be a broader, deeper, healthier man than his nonfollowing neighbor." Rev. Hugh Elmer Brown, in The Congregationalist. 4. It is a great privilege to take a part in the warfare of good against the evil in the world, against " the principalities and powers of darkness," and "the spiritual hosts of wickedness ; to enlist for life with the Son of God when he goes forth to war. 66 Who follows in his train ? We must be loyal to our King. 5. The work for the salvation of the world brings the claims of Christ upon all men to carry out his plans. "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28: : 19, 20.) This is but a hint at the claims which Jesus has upon each one of us. The class can discuss them and add to them, so that every follower of Christ may find the way in which he can best serve him. LESSON II. - October 12. FISHERS OF MEN. - Mark 1: 14-20. GOLDEN TEXT. — Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. - MARK I: 17. Additional Material for Teachers: Matt. 4: 18-22; Luke 5: 1-11; 14: 15-24; James 5 19, 20; Rev. 22: 17. Primary Topic: HELPING OTHERS TO KNOW JESUS. Memory Verse: He brought him to Jesus. — John 1:42. Junior Topic: PETER AND JOHN BECOME Workers for Jesus. Memory Verses: Mark 1: 17, 18. Intermediate Topic: THE WORK OF A DISCIPLE. Senior and Adult Topic: WAYS OF WINNING MEN TO CHRIST. Additional Material: John 2: 23-25; 4: 5-42; Acts 20: 17-21, 26, 27, 31, 33-35; 1 Cor. 9: 20-22; 1 Tim. 4:6-16. THE TEACHER AND HIS CLASS. The story of this lesson is not a parable, but a picturesque story of everyday affairs, by which Jesus taught his disciples some of the best ways of winning men to God and the kingdom of heaven. The emphasis should be on its spiritual application, what we learn from fishing as to the duty and the method of bringing men into the kingdom of God. It is a call to the teacher himself to study the art of winning children to Christ. Study the story in each of the Synoptic Gospels, to show what light each one throws on the other. From the teachings and examples given in the Bible illustrate and enforce various methods of winning souls. THE ROUND TABLE. FOR RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION. The difference between the call of the Four studied in our last lesson, and the call described in this lesson. Individuals. 14. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, I. THE EVENTS SINCE THE LAST LESSON, Mark 1: 14, 15; Matt., John. THE FIRST YEAR OF JESUS' MINISTRY, recorded only by John, was spent mainly in Judea. The chief events were The First Disciples (our last lesson), The First Miracle, The First Reform, The First Discourse, The First Preaching Tour, and The First Converts in Samaria. It was natural that Jesus should begin his work in the central home of the religion of the Old Testament which contained the prophecies of the Messiah. Here was the national Temple of worship. Here were the greatest number of students of the Scriptures. Here were the most active formal religionists. Here it was expected that the Messiah would appear. Near by, almost if not actually in Judea, his forerunner John the Baptist was preaching the coming of the Messiah. But the work went on very slowly. The humble teacher, without one outward sign of kingship, and yet coming as the Messiah, stood in the minds of the people over against the picture of the Messiah as a glorious monarch, overthrowing their Roman oppressors, with rank and power, and magnificence out-dazzling all the kings of the earth. How could he gain followers rapidly! THE IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, in March, A.D. 28. John had denounced the sins and crimes of the people including the Pharisees. Now came a severer test of John's faithfulness. Utterly fearless, he plainly, bluntly, and openly rebuked Herod Antipas for his crime against his wife, whom he had divorced, and against his younger brother Philip, whose wife Herodias he had seduced and married. As a patriot it was necessary to reprove Herod openly; for (1) his course was bringing untold evils upon the people. Aretas, the father of his divorced wife, indignant at the affront, had declared war; and preparations for war were actively going on. (2) John could not effectively denounce the sins of the people if he let sins in high places go unreproved. The result was that Herod, at the instigation of Herodias, put John in prison, where he remained until his death a year later. JESUS MAKES HIS HEADQUARTERS AT CAPERNAUM, Mark 114, 15. After that John was put in prison, the conditions in Judea would be unsettled. The Pharisees and rulers of the Jews were for the most part opposed to Jesus; the religionists of Judea were very conservative, and tenacious of their own power and influence. It was 15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. better for his mission that he should go to Galilee, where he would find a much more hopeful field for winning followers. Capernaum, a busy city where multitudes congregated, and the home of some who had already acknowledged him as the Messiah and their Lord, offered the widest opening of any one place; and from there as headquarters it would be possible to go out into all Galilee, and even into the country on the other side of the Lake. Galilee and the Galileans. Galilee at the time of Christ was very populous. Estimates differ from 400,000 to 3,000,000 inhabitants. But either would give a wide field for the work of a single preacher. "Galilee at the time of Christ was one of the finest and most fertile portions of the earth, abounding in springs, rivers, and lakes, possessing a rare and delightful climate, presenting features of richness and beauty rarely if ever combined in so small a country in all the world besides. "All matters pertaining to the synagogue service, and to the instruction of children, were faithfully attended to, and here were found teachers, learned men, missionaries, poets, and patriots of the highest order. The Galileans were a moral, intelligent, industrious, and enterprising people." - Hon. Selah Merrill. The Lake of Galilee was covered with vessels engaged in traffic and fisheries, and its shores were dotted with cities and villages." The people were industrious, intelligent, and active. It was a common saying, according to Edersheim, "If a person wishes to be rich, let him go north [to Galilee]; if he wants to be wise, let him come south" to Jerusalem. Moreover, being so far away from Jerusalem, the religious center, and in such frequent contact with other peoples, they were more toler From a photograph. Fishing Boats on the Sea of Galilee. ant and less bound by tradition than the people of Judea. Thus in many ways this was the most hopeful field in all Palestine for gaining a foothold and reception for the new kingdom of God. The Preaching of Jesus here in Galilee was the proclaiming of the Gospel, the good news of the kingdom of God, " to the people which sat in darkness. and in the region and shadow of death." (Matt. 4 16.) This kingdom of God, or kingdom of heaven, as it is often called, is that state, and in that place wherever it may be, where men live in accordance with the principles and laws of God. It is in every heart and in every place where God is the chosen King. For every loyal member of his kingdom has freely chosen God as his King, and therefore "the kingdom of God," and "the Republic of God," are the same thing under different names, with equal and perfect freedom of service. 15. The time is fulfilled. In God's providence, the Old Testament training, the political and religious situation, the development of the Jews, had now come to the point where it was most opportune for the coming of the Son of God and the inauguration of the new kingdom of God, with its new forces, powers, and inspirations. But in order that this kingdom might come the first essential was that it should have citizens, obedient to its laws, filled with its spirit. Hence the proclamation, |