er, great excitement at
Jerusalem concerning him and he found it necessary to go into the
temple and boldly proclaim the teachings of his kingdom. These
teachings may be studied under four heads: (a) The teaching of the
first day and the division of the Jews concerning him; (b) The story
of the adulterous woman; (c) His teaching concerning himself as the
"Light of the World." He probably looked upon the great light over the
treasury of the Lord's house which burned each night in commemoration
of the cloud of fire that always guided and lighted Israel in the
wilderness and was reminded of his own service for humanity and was
prompted to this discourse; (d) His discourse on spiritual freedom and
true children of Abraham.
The Perean Ministry. At the close of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus
returned to Galilee where he seems to have gathered around him a
little company of loyal followers and made ready for his final
departure to Jerusalem where he was to meat the death already
foretold. The incidents of this period occurred during the journey.
The material easily falls into three parts marking distinct sections
of time. (1) _From the departure from Jerusalem to the close of the
Feast of Dedication_. (Matt. 19:1-2, 8:18-22; Mk. 10:1; Lu. ch. 10;
John ch.s 9-10). This is one of the most interesting sections of all
and records several incidents of far-reaching importance: (a) The
story of the healing of the man born blind and the investigation of it
by the Sanhedrin; (b) The story of the sending out of the seventy and
their return is told. As the Lord's work drew near its close, he felt
hat others should be sent out to do a like work to his own; (c) The
story of the Good Samaritan and of his visit to Martha and Mary; (d)
The allegory of the Good Shepherd; (e) The report of his visit to the
Feast of Dedication.
(2) _From the Feast of Dedication to the withdrawal to Ephraim_. (Lu.
11:1-17:10; John 11:1-54). This section of the period is even more
crowded with activity than was the former one. It is very difficult,
therefore, to refer here to anything like all that is recorded of the
period. Among The subjects discussed the following are the most
important: (a) The true nature of prayer and the follies and
hypocrisies of the Pharisees, Lu. ch. 11; (b) The danger of hypocrisy,
of denying Christ, of covetousness and of the judgments of Christ, Lu.
ch. 12; (c) The need and nature of repentance, the proper use of the
Sabbath,
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