1.
The King’s Triumph and Tears
Luke 19: 29-48.
Scripture to be committed, Luke
15: 24.
REVISED VERSION*.
[* The
1881 translation.]
(Note changes in verses
31, 37, 40, 42, 43, 44, 46, 27, 48).
Luke 19: 29
And it came to pass, when he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called the
mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30
saying, Go your way into the village over against you;
in the which as ye shall enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever
yet sat: loose him, and bring him. 31
And if any one ask you, Why do ye loose him? Thus
shall ye say, The Lord hath need of him. 32
And they that were sent went away, and found even as he had said unto
them. 33
And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to
Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon. 36
And as he went, they spread their garments in the way. 37
And as he was now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the mount
of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God
with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen: 38
saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the
name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39
And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy
disciples. 40 And
he answered and said, I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the
stones will cry out.
41
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, 42
saying, If thou hast known in this day, even thou, the
things which belong unto peace! But now
they are hid from thine eyes. 43
For the days shall come upon thee; when thine enemies shall cast up a bank
about thee, and compass thee around, and keep thee in on every side, 44
and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall
not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest
not the time of thy visitation.
45
And he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold, 46
saying unto them, It is written, And my house shall be
a house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of robbers.
47
And he was teaching daily in the temple.
But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the
people sought to destroy him: 48 and they could not find what
they might do; for the people all hung upon him, listening.*
[* See Footnote
on THE REVISED VERSION by M. D. CHITTY.]
THE SETTING OF THE LESSON
TIME – A.D. 30. The Sunday and Monday immediately before the
Crucifixion.
PLACE. – Olivet and the
PARALLEL
PASSAGES. – Matthew 21: 1-17; Mark
9: 1-19; John 12: 12-19.
SUGGESTIONS
TO TEACHERS. – Study the lesson’s teaching on 1) DIVINE KINGSHIP OF JESUS
– certainty of His triumph – fulfilment of prophecy – what He needs for that triumph
– His triumph yet to be – what He needs
from us for it, etc. 2) DIVINE
LOVE OF JESUS – He weeps for them about to crucify Him. 3)
DIVINE WORK OF JESUS – Cleansing –
Healing – Teaching.
PLAN OF THE LESSON
1. WELCOMED (29-40).
(a)
JESUS AND
DISCIPLES (29-36).
(b) JESUS AND THE MULTITUDE (37-40). The multitude. Their doings.
Their cries. Pharisees
Growl. Jesus’ Answer.
2. WEEPING (41-44).
3. WORKING (45-48).
(a)
CLEANSING THE
(b) TEACHING.
LESSON EXPOSITION.
Introduction. In the study of all our lessons for the rest of this
year, with one exception, we shall be occupied with incidents, all of which
happened in the week in which Jesus died and rose. “Christianity,”
says Stalker,
“has no more precious possession than the memory of
Jesus during the week when He stood face to face with death. Unspeakably great as He always was, it may be
reverently said that He never was so great as during
those days of direst calamity. All that
was grandest and all that was most tender, the most human and the most divine
aspects of His character, were brought out as they had never been before.”
After
speaking the Parable of the Pounds, Jesus journeyed from
Hints for lesson study. Read the account of the events in the four
Gospels, and get a clear idea of them all in order. Find out what [is] omitted by Luke, what [is] recorded by
him alone. Form a mental picture or a
series of mental pictures, of the scenes in the lesson: Jesus sending disciples
– Jesus riding on the ass – crowds rejoicing, praising – the Pharisees growling
– Jesus as He beholds the city weeping aloud on Olivet – the next day in the
Was
it not strange Jesus should act as He does in this lesson? He had shunned display – left the people who
would make Him King – forbade His disciples to tell He was Messiah. Why act as He does here? What central truth in lesson? Is it found in verse
38 – Jesus a King? What about Him
as King, about His Kingship, [about His millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20: 4, 6, about those who will reign
with Him, (verse 5)], about the results of His reign: [what] do we learn?
What
persons
in the lesson? What do
the multitude do? What did the
multitude do before the end of the week?
Were they the same persons? Why
the change? What does the change
teach? Think on the thoughts of the crowd and
the thoughts
of Jesus during the Entry; on what the crowds saw; on Jesus’ acts, His
riding in triumph, His weeping, His cleansing, and what they teach about Himself, about sin, punishment, worship, &c.
Under
what heads would you gather lesson’s truths so as to be easily remembered and
easily told to others? Plan should keep
central truth prominent. Can you think
of a plan which will keep the Kingship of Jesus in the foreground?
Read
over lesson and think into what sections you would break it up for
teaching. Do this before reading any
further in the notes. Get a firm grasp
of the persons, deeds, facts, words spoken, truths
taught in each of these sections.
We
divide the lesson thus – verses 29-40; verses
41-44; verses 45-48.
THE KING WELCOMED.
1) JESUS’DISCIPLES.
a) ROYAL AUTHORITY (verses 29-31). Whom sent? Not
told. For what? An ass’ colt. From Matthew we learn they brought the mother
ass also. Ass in the
East a nobler animal, held in high esteem, than with us – used by princes,
judges. (Judges
5: 10, 10: 4, 12: 14; 1 Kings 1: 33).
Horse the animal of war and pride, the ass of humility and peace. The colt never used before, therefore could
be used for a sacred purpose –[i.e., Divine control and
provision]. (Numbers 19: 2;
Deuteronomy 21: 3). Ass Jesus
rode on, as well as tomb He slept in [i.e., the tomb His body lay in], borrowed.
Jesus’ instructions shew four things – 1) The King’s
Authority; 2) The
King’s Knowledge. Knows where the ass is; its owners, what they
will do. Compare other instances of His
knowledge, (Matthew 17: 27; Luke 22: 10-13; Luke 5:
4; John 21: 6. 3) The King’s
claims. They are to take,
not ask, the ass. Lets the owner know
His wants; does not explain why, for what He takes. Does He do this still? 4) The King’s
Need. Must borrow a donkey for His use the only
time He rode. Does the Lord need
anything we have? For His work in saving SOULS [ See Matthew 16: 25, 26. cf. Revelation 20: 4, 5; 1 Peter 1: 9-11, 13; Hebrews 10:
37-39, See, A.V, R.V. and Greek.]? For His riding in triumph
through the nations? For His coming as King into human hearts? [For His Millennial Reign
upon this earth?] Are we refusing
to supply the Lord’s need? Owners learned
His need how? From His
own lips? No. From [His] disciples. We learn His need from His messengers [and
followers]. He has sent His servants to me. What for?
My heart, myself, my talents, my time, my money, etc. Have I given [and used it wisely]? He has a right. He is the real owner.
b) LOYAL OBEDIENCE
(verses 32-35). Disciples
go, find everything just as Jesus
had said they would. If we
were obedient we would find His words true. Owners
send. They ask what?
Disciples answer what? “Even
as Jesus had commanded.”
We are to repeat exactly the King’s message, not to alter it. We are to
do as Jesus commands us. Christ’s
servants going on Christ’s errands are sure to succeed if they do as He bids.
The
owner honours Jesus by giving, the disciples by doing. The owner’s part to give,
the disciples’ who get the gift, to see that the gift is brought to Jesus. Note lessons here for those who give for
Christ’s cause, for those who receive the gifts. Was not the ass of more value when
returned? We don’t lose by lending to
Jesus – [Keep in mind: There is
a just recompense of reward.] Our King needs and accepts little gifts. Little gifts help on His Kingdom. He took the ass, the garments, palm leaves,
children’s praise, the barley loaves, the little fishes. But we are not to put Him off with little if
we can five larger.
2) JESUS AND
THE MULTITUDE (verses 37-40).
“Procession an object lesson setting forth the fact He is
KING, His KINGDOM at hand, and also that His reign was a reign of peace,
humility and meekness, because of love.”
Procession has reached the summit of Olivet, where the first glimpse of
the city is gained – the crowd shout with loud rejoicing. We note –
a) THE MULTITUDE. Why so many?
Jews from all nations present at Passover Feast in
b) THEIR DOINGS. Spread their garments in the way. We hang flags out the windows, along the
streets in welcoming the king [or Queen].
In
the East they spread them as a carpet on the way. “Rejoicing, Praising.” Why? “For
all the mighty works.”
Two but lately.
[Blind (See 2 Corinthians
3: 4: ‘In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the GLORY of Christ … should not dawn upon
them.” (R.V.)] Bartimeus
healed at
c) THEIR CRIES. See them in
all four gospels. Taken
from Psalm 118: 25-26, which was sung at
Paschal Supper and the Feast of
Tabernacles. This psalm was
wont to be applied to Messiah. “In
the hightest.” Invoke
heaven to ratify their recognition of Jesus as Messiah. Compare the shouts of the multitude here with
the angel’s song (Luke 2: 14). “there the voices spake of ‘peace on earth:’ here the multitude, prophesying unconsciously, speak of ‘peace in heaven.’” Jesus accepts this recognition of Him as
Messiah now, refuses to rebuke
them. Why? He would publically proclaim to all His Messiahship. No danger now when His death so near that His
claim would be perverted for a political purpose.
That
procession typical illustration of Jesus’ triumphal progress. HE
WILL YET BE KING OVER ALL THE WORLD. His
coming triumph prophesied is certain.
He uses men, the little gifts, the enthusiasm
of His [enlightened] disciples to accomplish it.*
[* Always keep in mind: The
fifth Kingdom (in the Book of Daniel) to
rise on the ruins of all the rest (on this earth) is the MILLENNIAL Kingdom of Christ/Messiah in
immediate and universal victory, and which (1) never has yet so risen, (2) never can, and (3) never will so
rise, TILL THE SECOND COMING of the
Son of Man in the clouds of heaven, to put down all Gentile politics and power, and introduce His
universal reign of righteousness and peace throughout this earth.]
Think,
too, of the multitude. Did not understand the meaning of their doings. Even disciples did not (John 12: 16).
In a few days other shouts would be heard in the city. To-day ‘Hosanna’;
to-morrow ‘Crucify’. Why the change? Mob always fickle – most are carried away by
the excitement of the moment. They
thought that Jesus would take the throne that day – [at
His first
advent]. But He went back to
d) PHARISEES GROWLING (39). Had mingled with the crowd to see what was
passing. Angry (see John 12: 19) – they sneer at the crowd; reprove
Jesus. May, as Godet suggests,
have pointed to the Roman garrison of Antonia as if this proclamation of Jesus
as King would bring destruction upon the Jewish city.
e) JESUS’ ANSWER. Perhaps a Jewish proverb.
See Habakkuk 2: 11. Means that Jesus will be
praised whether men praise Him or no.
His [past, present and future] Messiahship cannot be
concealed.
2. THE KING WEEPING (41-44).
Procession
has reached the brow of Olivet, where the sight of the whole city bursts upon
the view. Jesus weeps aloud amid the
rejoicing throng. Why? Think what Jesus saw and what the crowd
saw. Multitude ate thinking of a
throne. Instead there is to be a cross
and a grave. That city
outside beautiful. Jesus sees the
wicked hearts – wicked deed of the coming Friday – the city doomed – that city
in a few years destroyed – the Roman legions gathered around it – encamped on
the very place where the procession was now passing over. His words literally fulfilled 40 years later
by the destruction of
Jesus’
tears show His love, the awful power of man to destroy himself, the terrible doom of sin.
As
Jesus enters the city what happens? See Matthew 21: 10.
The coming of Jesus stirs the city, the soul.
3. THE KING
WORKING (45-48).
Two works mentioned by Luke. This on the following day. See Mark 6: 11-15.
1) HE CLEANSES THE
Jesus
came to cleanse the temple of the human soul.
His cleansing of the
Jesus
quotes from Isaiah 56: 7 and Jeremiah 7: 11.
We know from Mark that the cleansing of the
2) JESUS TEACHES (47-48). Having cleansed the
From
Matthew we learn that Jesus healed the blind and lame in the
QUESTIONS
1. Where was
CHILDREN’S HOMEWORK
1.
What did Jesus say about the builders and rejected stone?
2.
Where are the words from?
EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE
When
the apostle Paul wrote his first epistle to the church at
God’s
future
millennial inheritance (on this earth), is likened by Paul to
the inheritance in the Land of Canaan which many of the Israelites, under the
leadership of Moses, lost through disobedience to God’s command
at Kadesh-Barnea, (Num. 14: 21-23). Let us read his account of Israel’s past
history, and of his interpretation of the consequences of possible apostasy of
some of the redeemed people of God:-
1 Cor. 10: 1, R.V: “For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, how that
our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud
and in the sea; 3 and did all
eat the same spiritual meat: 4 and did all
drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that
followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well
pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”* [* That is, they were overthrown on the right side of
the lambs’ blood after leaving Egypt, but on the wrong side of
entering into their earthly inheritance in the Promised Land.] 6 Now THESE
THINGS WERE OUR EXAMPLES, to the intent WE should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 Neither be YE idolaters, as were some of them; as
it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let US commit
fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty
thousand, 9 Neither let US
tempt the Lord, as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither
murmur YE as some of them
murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11
NOW THESE THINGS HAPPENED UNTO THEM BY
WAY OF EXAMPLE:* [* That is, they were types
of
us: and what happened to some of them (during their pilgrimage to the
Promised Land), can also happen to some of us, if we are careless and
disobedient to God.] “and they were written FOR
OUR ADMONITION upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 Wherefore let him that
thinketh he standeth TAKE HEED
LEST HE FALL.”
See
also: Matt.
5: 20; 7: 21; 22: 14; 24: 48-51; Luke 10: 62; 12: 45-48; luke 18: 24, 25. cf. Luke 20:
35; 22: 28-30; John 12: 26; 13: 14, 15, 17; 15: 20;
-------
FOOTNOTE
on
THE REVISED VERSION TRANSLATION
This
letter in a contemporary is an excellent answer to criticisms of the Revised
Version. The master-purpose of a
translator of Scripture should be to reproduce the exact meaning of the Holy
Spirit: all else – language, style, literary appeal – though important, is
strictly subordinate; and all that conduces to this master-purpose – textual
criticism, correct grammar, exact language – should, for the translator, be
supreme. Nothing is vital but to know
exactly what God has said. – Ed.
Attacks
on the Revised Version often appear to be based on a misconception of the central
aim of that great body of scholars and divines known as “The Revision Committee”, who for
eleven years devoted their skill, time and exact scholarship to the task set
before them by the Convocation,
which was to produce a version of the New Testament suited to their own
times. They determined first of all to
restore (so far as was then possible) the actual text
of the words spoken by our Lord, and also of the history and letters written by
His first followers to the earliest Churches.
Purity of the English text was their main concern, not the production
merely of a master-piece of English literature, such as everyone admits the
Authorized Version to be, largely owing to the fortunate fact that earlier
version (A.V.) of three centuries before the revisers’ day was written in an
age which represents the high-water-mark of English literary prose. As Bishop
Lightfoot pointed out … years ago, “It was the
misfortune of the scholars from Tyndale downward,
to whom we owe our English Bible, that the only text accessible to them was faulty
and corrupt. All textual critics
are substantially agreed on this point.”
The
text on which the Authorized Version was based had been modified by glosses and
notes, incorporated in its later versions, and also by deliberate alterations “influenced by the curious purposes of men, by the deeds and
tastes of Churches, or by the scruples of scholars” (Canon Nairne). The revisers had the heavy task of purging
the English text of these errors, and also of modernizing archaisms
throughout. Thus, the search for truth
and textual purity was their prime motive, yet they kept in mind also the
beauty of diction and rhythm of the splendid ancient version, and spent many hours
in dispute when the claims of strict accuracy conflicted with those of literary
charm and deeply-loved passages.
It
is also important to remember that the
Revised Version of 1881 was largely based on the W. H. Greek text, the final result of 28 years’ continuous toil by Westcott and Hort. It is used to-day in all public schools,
colleges, and clerical institutions of any distinction. Of the W. H. text the late Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge
wrote … years ago:-
“Since 1881 I have always used it and am
satisfied that it is the best text we have, and in essentials represents the
apostolic originals. Its true text
constitutes the irrefragable claim of the Revised Version, which is also the
best translation ever made of the New Testament into any modern language.”
Modern
attacks on the Revised Version recall even fiercer attacks on the texts
produced by Jerome, Erasmus, and the revisers who issued the
cherished Authorized Version (New Testament), the vast number of copies
sold in the last … years are sufficient proof, and this in spite of obvious
defects in many minor points. For at
least twenty-five years it has been on the lecterns of schools, colleges, and
parish churches, wherever the desire for truth at all costs has prevailed over
a pardonable clinging to tradition.
Finally,
the use of the Revised Version in family life and public worship does not
destroy the old and treasured Authorized Version, which certainly exists in
most households to-day, a monument to the devotion of
past scholars, a priceless example of English literature, and a great national
possession.
M. D. CHITTY.
* *
* * *
* *
2
Christ’s Authority Questioned
And the Vineyard and its Keepers.
Luke 20: 1-19.
Scripture to be committed, Luke
15: 25. 26.
REVISED VERSION
(Note changes [from
the A.V.] in verses
1, 7, 9, 13, 14, 18.)
Luke 20: 1. And it came to
pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and
preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes
with the elders; 2 and they spake, saying unto him. Tell us: By what authority doest thou these
things? Or who is he that gave thee this authority? 3 And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a
question; and tell me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from
heaven, or from men? 5 And they reasoned with
themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he
will say, ‘Why did ye not believe him? 6 But
if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded
that John was a prophet. 7 And they answered, that
they knew not whence it was. 8 And Jesus said unto
them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these
things.
9
And he began to speak unto the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard,
and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long
time. 10
And at the season he sent unto the husbandman a servant, that
they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: and the husbandmen beat him,
and sent him away empty. 11
And he sent yet another servant; and him also they beat, and handled him
shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12
And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth. 13
And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I
do? I will send by beloved son; it may
be they will reverence him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with
another, saying, This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be
ours. 15
And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard
do unto them? 16
He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto
others. And when they heard it, they
said, God forbid. 17
But he looked upon them, and said, What then is this
that is written,
The stone which the builders
rejected,
The same was made the head of
the corner?
18
Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
19
And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very
hour; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he spake this parable
against them. 20
Ant they watched him, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be
righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to
the rule and to the authority of the governor.
21 And they asked him, saying,
Master [Teacher], we know that thou sayest and teachest
rightly, and acceptest not the person of
any, but of a truth teachest the way
of God: 22 Is it lawful for us to give
tribute unto Caesar, or not? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, 24
Shew me a penny. Whose image and
superscription hath it? And they said,
Caesar’s. 25
And he said unto them, Then render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. 26
And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they
marvelled at his answer, and held they peace.
THE SETTING OF THE LESSON
TIME
– A.D. 30. Tuesday before the Crucifixion.
PLACE.
– The
PARALLEL PASSAGES. – Matthew
21: 23-46; Mark 11: 27 – 12: 12.
PLAN
OF THE LESSON (1-8)
1. CHRIST’S AUTHORITY QUESTIONED.
1.
QUESTION OF HIS ENEMIES (1-2).
2.
ANSWER OF JESUS (3-4).
3.
PUZZLED BY ADVERSARIES (5-7).
4.
JESUS’ REPLY (8).
2. PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD AND ITS KEEPERS (9-19).
1.
PRIVILEGE (9.) Owner plants, lets, leaves.
2.
PLEADING (10-15). Owner sends.
What for? When? Whom? Husbandmen. What they
say? What they do?
3.
PUNISHMENT (15-18). Lord of the vineyard will do two things. Exclamations of enemies.
Answer of Jesus.
LESSON EXPOSITION.
Introduction. Jesus on the Tuesday of the Crucifixion week, returning
to Jerusalem, has taught the disciples as they looked on the withered fig tree
the lesson on faith and prayer (Mark 11: 20-25),
and is now teaching in the Temple, when opens the final conflict between Him
and the religious leaders.
1. CHRIST’S AUTHORITY QUESTIONED (verses 1-8).
1) The Question of His Enemies (1-2). What?
By what sort of authority He did “these things,”
the deeds especially of the previous days, - and the source of His
authority? Put evidently in the hope of finding
ground for accusing Him – put in insincerity.
Did they need to put it? Did not His life, “the works which the
Father had given Him to finish bear witness of Him?” (John 5: 36, 37).
2) The Answer of Jesus (3-4). A counter-question. Not merely to put them in a difficulty. “It was not an
evasion. If they decided whence John
came, they would not be at a loss as to whence Jesus came.” – Maclaren.
3) Puzzled Adversaries (5-7). Their reasoning with one
another given. Shews they were not guided
by love of truth, but by what would
suit their own designs [and false interpretations]. In refusing to answer they abdicate their
authority. It was their business to know the answer.
4) Jesus’ Reply (8) He will not reply to the demands of unbelief
and malice.* The spirit in which we
come to Jesus determines the answer we get from Him. He portrays their spirit in the Parable of
the Two Sons (Matthew 21: 28-32). Then He speaks the Parable of our Lesson.
[*‘They
say; what say they? Let them say.’ – Quoted by Dr. David Clarke. ‘God will give the
strength to resist any opposition that may come: it is forbearance when
opposed that commends the truth professed’ - G. H.
Lang].
2. THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD
AND ITS KEEPERS (verses
9-19).
Purpose of
the Parable. They
had asked His authority. He will show
them His authority – who He is – show them, too, their respect for that
authority, that it is unreal, that they, like their
fathers [in the “wilderness” (Num. 14: 2-4)], disregard and rebel against God’s authority. He will show them themselves as in a glass –
their present feelings towards Himself – the consequences of their rejection of
Him – that He knows their hearts – that their
treatment of Him proves him the Messiah.* Their past history, the outrage against
Himself they were now determined on, their future fate, are all in the
parable. By this last pleading He would
warn, if He cannot win them for their crime.
[* They were looking for a ruling
Messiah; and when He appeared to them at first - as God’s Prophets’ had described Him -
(Isa. 53: 1-5, 7-10; Psa. 22: 1-21),
they
unknowingly fulfilled those prophecies themselves! But Messiah had to purchase our eternal
salvation first! Afterwards
- (at His second advent) - He will literally fulfil the remainder of the
divine prophecies recorded in the same Psalm – 22:
22-31, and by the same prophet of God, Isa. 55: 11-13,
etc.]
Jesus’
illustration would be familiar to His audience and was frequently used on the
Old Testament (Isaiah 5: 1-7; Jeremiah 2: 21; Psalm
80: 10). Our Lord used the figure
at least five times – Matthew 20: 1-15; 21: 28-32;
Luke 13: 6; 20: 9-19; John 15: 1.
The relations of God and
We
put truths of Parable under three topics, Privilege, Pleading, Punishment.
1) Privilege – God giving –
a)
He Plants, prepares the soil, puts in young vine plants. See Mark and Matthew. Hedge needed as a defence against wild
animals, boars, foxes, jackals (See Cant. 2: 15;
Psalm 80: 13) – might be a wall of stone Proverbs 24: 31), more frequently a hedge of
thorn. “A ditch
is dug along the outside of the ground selected, three or four feet in width,
and two in depth, the earth being piled upon its inner
edge. Into this pile stout posts are
finally set, about four feet in height, and branches are
twisted and woven among them, making a thick and solid fence.”
The
Winefat,
a hollow scooped out of the rock, or built of masonry, consisting of two parts,
one below the other with an opening between them. Grapes were put into upper part, trodden, and
the juice flowed into the lower. The tower for watchmen to guard the vineyard from thieves. Husbandmen sometimes lodged in it or the
fruit stored in it. Was built often of
stone, circular in shape, and from fifteen to twenty feet high, with a level platform
on the top where the watchmen could sit and have a view of the entire
vineyard. All these –
hedge, winefat, tower – needful for securing produce
from vineyard.
To
find, as some have sought, in each of these some special signification – e.g., the hedge, the law; the
watchtower, prophecy, etc., is simply fanciful.
The meaning is, God gave to
[* See, Matthew 13: 1-23. cf. 2 Timothy. 2: 6.]
b) He Lets. See Cant. 8: 11.
“Vineyards,” says Van Lennep, “were
often let out to husbandmen for one or several years. The price of hire was always paid in kind.” The owner in the parable denotes God; the
husbandmen,
What
is the vineyard? In Isaiah 5. it is
[*
See also Matt. 13: 21-23. cf.
John 15: 5-10.]
He Let.
c) Owner goes to another
country, for a long while. The husbandmen have control, independent of
the owner’s oversight. God does not
force His presence on us, stands out of sight, as it were, leaving us to our
own will in the use of His blessings. He
deals with us through His messengers.
God gave
2) Pleading – God Pleading
Patiently –
a) The Owner Sends. – Note three questions. What for? Fruit. What on part
of
Contrast spirit of Owner and spirit of husbandmen. He thinks of fruit – they of the honour
and advantages of having the vineyard.
Are Christians better who think simply of enjoying privileges and bring
forth nothing of service to God or man?
When? “At the season” – “time of the fruit.” God not unreasonable – does not ask fruit
when it cannot be, does not ask grapes when grapes could not have grown. When should we bring forth fruit? “God continually seeks for fruit.” Fruit all important
thing. See Matthew 7: 19; Mark 11: 14; Luke 13: 9;
John 15: 2, 8, 16; Romans 7: 4.
Whom? The servants. The prophets. Mark
and Luke both speak of three different servants sent. Mark adds, “many
others.” Notice the increasing
ill-treatment of these servants – “beaten, sent away empty,” “shamefully
entreated,” “wounded,” “killed” – showing
2) The Son. –
Think of Jesus as He uttered this. They
asked His authority – He is the one Son, well-beloved, distinct from and far
superior to all the servants. Note
Jesus’ claims here. Well-beloved,
Jesus thinking of the love between Father and Him. Contrast value set upon the Son by the Father
and by the husbandmen. What is the value
we set upon Jesus? Is He our
well-beloved? There is brought out, too, God’s great patient love – His desire
for fruit. What would a mother give up
her babe for? God gave His only Son (John 3: 16). It brings out the
guilt of Jews. Bad to ill-treat
the servants – but to kill the only Son!
“He sends Him last.”
God has no other argument to use, no other means for saving after His
Son.
Four things very prominent – Jesus’ claims – God’s patient love –
man’s great guilt – rejection of Christ exhausts mercy.
What owner says, “They
will reverence.” Did God not know? Yes.
But He sent. His
pleading earnest, honest. God
foreknows that men will reject, refuse.
Yet His pleading with them is sincere, earnest, that
they may turn. We know both true, His knowledge and His pleading. “Difficulty the same which meets us
everywhere, that of the reconciliation of man’s freedom with God’s
foreknowledge.” “That they are reconcilable
we know, and that we cannot reconcile them we also know.” Little child knows
not all about theist father’s plans, nor can we about the Heavenly
Father’s. Humility, and reverence and
trust become us.
b) The Husbandmen. 1) What they say.
Did the Jews know who Jesus was – the Heir of all things? (Hebrews 1-2.) They might have known. They sinned against light. There was a conviction within, but they
crushed it. Why were they so anxious
about securing His grave? (Matthew
27: 63.) Like Herod when he slew the
[* See Daniel 2: 35; 7: 14a; cf. Rev. 20: 4, 6b; 1 Cor. 15: 23,
24; Luke 22: 16, 28, etc.]
2) What they do. Three things. See
Mark. Prophecy of what occurred on the
third day afterwards. “They cast him out.” Judged Him unworthy to
belong to
[* In the future,
that is: “After
two days” - (i.e., after two thousand years [2 Peter 3: 8, 9]) – “will he revive us” (
All
God’s messengers in the Old Testament and New, prophets, apostles, the Son
Himself, have one and the same object, the getting
fruit. Have we given it to Him? The sending of the Son, God’s crowning
mercy. The Rejection of Jesus, [as
the only
Saviour (Acts 4: 11, 12); and this
earth’s true Messiah, (Isaiah 52: 7-10) is] man’s damming
sin. Parable spoken to bring out
this.
3) Punishment. God Punishing –
Lord
will do two things. What? Compare David’s answer to Nathan’s parable (2 Samuel 12: 5).
Conscience sees punishment just.
Christ repeats the verdict of their conscience. So at last men condemned will feel punishment
just. The judge will ratify the judgment
passed by conscience.
They
said, “God
forbid.” Men will shudder at
punishment, will utter a prayer, “God forbid I shall
be lost [or lose the
millennial inheritance (Galatians 5: 21;
Ephesians 5: 5, 6. cf. Colossians
3: 23-25; Revelation 20: 5 etc.]. “It can’t be true that God will do that to me.” But they will not abandon the sin which
infallibly leads to punishment.
Christ’s Answer verses 17-18. What does Scripture say? That settles the question shows how it is
possible to read with little profit.
They were always reading. He goes
to the Psalm used on the day of triumph (Psalm 118. [See also Psalm 72.]). They had
been angry at its application to Him. He
will show from it that their anger, their rejection of Him proves Him the
Messiah; that not only will punishment be taken, but that He will take it. The stone rejected by them, - the builders
(the husbandmen before) – becomes the head of the corner, and he that falls on
it shall be broken, but he on whom if falls shall be crushed to powder. The Rabbis say that at the building of the
Temple there was a stone examined, rejected, and laid aside by the builders as
useless, which was afterwards found to be the top-stone needed for the
completion and perfection of the building.
This same Scripture is applied to Jesus in Acts
4: 11; 1 Peter 2: 7.
How
men treat Christ determines their doom.
Punishment came on the Jewish nation as a nation forty years after this
in the destruction of
Conscience
and consciousness of sin made these rulers know the application of parable (19).
Conviction is not salvation [nor is it ‘reward’ (2 Thessalonians 2:
14, 15; Matthew 16: 27; Hebrews 2: 2; Revelation 22: 12.]. It led to anger, not repentance. They would have put what He said about
killing Him into execution, but kept from it by the fear of the crowd. Too many kept from sin by similar fear. It is an effectual barrier.
Truths Prominent in Lesson are:- God has given us everything needful for fruit. God expects fruit. Purpose of all His messages – of His sending
Jesus, is to get fruit. The rejecting of
Jesus is the greatest, the damning sin.
God can do nothing else but punish those who reject [and
disobey]
the Son. Compare John 8: 24; 14: 6; Acts 4: 12.
Jesus will be victorious in spite of His enemies.
The
lesson a mirror in which we see: 1) God’s Grace; 2) Man’s sin; 3) Sin’s
penalty.
QUESTIONS
1. What acts of Jesus since those of last lesson are we told of? 2.
What question had been put to Him? 3. What question did He put to the
chief priests and scribes? 4. What parable did He speak? 5.
When, where, and to whom did Jesus speak the parable of this lesson? 6.
What is a certain man represented as doing.
7. What three things is it said He will do?
8. Whom does He represent. 9. What does He ask from the
husbandmen, and how? 10. What is meant by the vineyard? 11.
The husbandmen? 12. Fruit? 13. The servants? 14.
The Son? 15. What in the past history of the Jews is referred to in the
treatment which the servants receive? 16. What plot against Himself does
Jesus speak of under the treatment of the Son?
17. Find three prophecies in the
parable. 18. How was each fulfilled? 19. What Scripture does Jesus
quote? 20. What does it teach about Himself, and by whom else was it
applied to Him? 21. What Apostle speaks of Jesus as the corner stone? 22.
Explain what this figure means. 23. Why did the chief priests and
scribes seek to arrest Jesus? 24. What prevented them? 25.
Where in the parable are we taught a)
that we are but stewards of the privileges God gives; b) the purpose for which God gives us privileges; c) the longsuffering of God; d) Jesus’ omniscience? 26.
What is the greatest proof of the Divine love?
27. What is the greatest sin
of man? 28. What determined the fate of the Jews? 29.
What will determine ours? 30. What about the audience, not told
by Luke, does Matthew tell us?
* *
* * *
* *
3
The Day of Questions
and the
Widow’s Mites
Luke 20: 20 - 21: 4
Scripture to be committed, Luke
15: 27.
REVISED VERSION
Luke 20: 20. And they watched
him, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be righteous, that they
might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the
authority of the governor. 21 And they asked him,
saying, Master [Or, Teacher], we know that thou
sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest
not the person of any, but of a truth teachest the way
of God: 22 Is
it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 23 But he perceived their craftiness,
and said unto them, 24, Shew me a penny.
Whose image and superscription hath it?
And they said, Caesar’s. 25 And he said unto them, Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and
unto God the things that are God’s. 26 And they were not able
to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marvelled at his answer,
and held their peace.
27
And there came to him certain of the Sadducees, they which say that there is no
resurrection; and they asked him, 28
saying, Master [Teacher], Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother
die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take a wife, and
raise up seed unto his brother. 29 There were therefore
seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died childless; 30 and the second; 31 and the third took her;
and likewise the seven also left no children, and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she
be for the seven had her to wife. 34 And Jesus said unto them, The sons
of this world [Or. Age] marry, and are given in marriage: but THEY THAT ARE ACCOUNTED
WORTHY TO ATTAIN TO THAT WORLD [AGE], AND THE RESURRECTION FROM
[Gk. OUT
OF] THE DEAD, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 for neither can they
die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are SONS of God, being
sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are
raised, even Moses shewed in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth the
Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for
all live unto him. 39 And certain of the
Scribes answering said Master [Teacher], thou hast well said.
40 For
they durst not any more ask him any question.
41
And he said unto them, How say they that the Christ is
David’s son? 42 For
David himself saith in the book of Psalms,
The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right hand,
43
Till I make thine enemoes
The
footstool of thy feet.
44 David
therefore calleth him Lord, and how is he his son?
45
And in the hearing of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations
in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at
feasts; 47 which devour widows’ houses,
and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.
21: 1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting
their gifts into the treasury. 2
And he saw a certain widow casting in thither two mites. 3
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they
all: 4 for all these did of their superfluity cast
in unto their gifts: but she of her want did cast in all the living that she
had.
THE SETTING OF THE LESSON
TIME
– Probably the Tuesday of the last week
of the Lord’s earthly life. Three days
before His Crucifixion.
PLACE
– The Court at the
PARALLEL
PASSAGES – Matthew 22:
15-33; Mark 12: 13-27; 12: 41-44.
PLAN OF THE LESSON
1.
A POLITICAL QUESTION.
2.
A THEOLOGICAL QUESTION.
3.
A PERSONAL QUESTION.
4.
A FININCIAL QUESTION.
LESSON EXPOSITION
1. A POLITICAL QUESTION – That of the Pharisees and the Herodians (verses 20-26).
This
lesson is clearly linked with the preceding one. Verse 19
shows the connection between them.
The
Chief Priests and Scribes
perceiving that the Parable of the Vineyard was spoken against them, were
greatly enraged at Jesus, and at once sought to have revenge. They would have had recourse to violence –
have seized Him, and put Him to death, but they knew that popular feeling was
against them. Jesus was as yet a general
favourite, and the people counted Him, as they had counted John, a prophet.
There
was another means, however,
whereby they thought they could accomplish their purpose, more safely and
easily. They would prepare a trap for
Him. They would get Him to commit
Himself to a principle and a policy which would lead certainly to His
ruin. The plot which they hatched was a
clever one.
They
will put a question to Him, and ask Him to give them a plain and straight
answer – Yes or No. If He [will] reply in the
affirmative, He will have blackened His reputation in the eyes of [the]
multitude. If in the negative, He will
throw Himself into conflict with the civil authority. He will be between the horns of a dilemma,
and is certain to be impaled on one or other.
a) The Questioners. Who? Not the Chief Priests and Scribes
themselves. They hatched the plot, but
put it into other hands to carry it out.
They either did not which to be associated with the Herodians, or they
feared to face Jesus, lest He would expose them. The Pharisees were sent. They were a sect of the Jews bitterly opposed
to the Roman rule. They were the
Nationalists of Palestine, and hated the foreign yoke. Along with them the
Herodians. They were the first
partisans of Herod the Great, and then of his family, in the Jewish
community. They favoured the paying of
tribute to Caesar.
Between
these two there was the most bitter enmity. But they forgot their animosity in their
mutual opposition to Christ. It was not
the first time they had joined hands against Him (Mark
3: 6). Common hatred sometimes
makes strange bedfellows.
“They feigned
themselves just men” – pretended to be scrupulous persons – not only
greatly exercised in their minds, but troubled in conscience about this tribute
money difficulty. They wished to do
right.
They
looked at Him for guidance. They are sincere
inquirers, willing to sit at His feet and receive His instruction. They pay Him the most lavish complements as
to His character and capacity, as a Divine teacher (verse
21). This was all pretence. They wished to throw Jesus off His guard, so
that He might open His mind freely to them, and commit Himself
thoroughly.
b) The Question (verse 22). Having thus cleverly baited the hook, they
cast it. “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or Not?” They want to know is it proper for them, as
Jews, in accordance with the Law of Moses, to pay a foreign tax, to recognise a
foreign ruler.
“Can we acknowledge Caesar without disowning
Jehovah?” If He answer, Yes, the
Pharisees will have grip of Him. They
will use His admission with the excited paschal crowds who, from being
friendly, and looking up to Him as their Leader and Deliverer, will turn and
rend Him. If He say, No, the
Herodians will act – report Him to the civil authority, and have Him arrested
as a rebel. He cannot escape. So they think.
c) The Answer (verses 23-25). Before replying directly, Jesus lets them
know that He can read their hearts (verse 23). He rudely tears the mask from their face, and
exposes their wicked duplicity. What a
shock this would give His interrogators!
Now He asks for a penny, and holding it up, and pointing to the stamp on
it, He enquires, “Whose is this image and
superscription?” Being told “Caesar’s,” He said “Render therefore unto Caesar the things that
are Caesar’s.”
“The production of the denarius
(the penny), with Caesar’s image and superscription, answered the question
raised, so far at least as concerned persons who had no conscientious scruples
as to using such money for ordinary purposes.
They thereby admitted the fact of the Roman rule. The right to coin and the right to tax were
inseparable. If the former were
admitted, the latter could not be denied.” (Maclaren).
Jesus
says to these Pharisees, You are using
2. A THEOLOGICAL QUESTION – that of the Sadducees (verses
27-40).
No
sooner had the Pharisees and Herodians been silenced, than there came unto Him
certain of the Sadducees. According to
Matthew it was the same day (22: 23). The very same day on which He had been
attacked by the Chief Priests and Scribes, He was set on by another sect who
had no sympathy with either of the other two.
All His enemies united their forces at last to crush Him if possible.
The
Sadducees – Who? They were a “liberal” materialistic, aristocratic party, showing
sympathy with foreign influences – a small but influential body confined
chiefly to
[* See also footnote on the Christians’ ‘hope’.]
What
was their aim at this time? “They were not in so murderous earnest as the Pharisees. Whichever way Jesus
answered their grotesque case He could not come into collision with
b) Their Question (verses 27-33). It bore on the doctrine of a
future state – [i.e., immediately after death in Hades/Sheol
(Luke 16: 22-31; 23: 43. cf.
Matt. 16: 16); upon this earth, if ‘accounted worthy,’ after ‘the
first resurrection’ in Christ’s
millennial ‘kingdom’ (Rev.
20: 5. cf. Luke 22: 28-30); or
afterwards in either ‘a new heaven and a new earth”
(Rev. 21: 1) or ‘the
lake of fire’ (Rev. 20: 15)] – which they denied. They think they can expose the absurdity of
such a doctrine by a concrete example.
Take a case, they say. Here is a
woman who has been married to seven brethren in succession. There are no children. According to the teaching of Moses she was
lawfully wedded to each of them. Whose
wife shall she be in the resurrection?
This was their theological puzzle, and we may be sure it had done duty
on many former occasions - [and, it would
appear, on many latter and present occasions also!!] By making this doctrine thus appear
ludicrous, as they thought, they fancied they had utterly demolished it.
c) Jesus’ Reply. He deals with
their question with that grave seriousness which was characteristic of all His
utterances. This is no matter of jest
with Him. Matthew tells us (chapter 22: 29) that Jesus prefaces His reply by
accusing them of ignorance of two things – the Scriptures and the
power of God. He deals with that
latter point first.
1)
In the statement of their case they forget the power of God. They imagine that the other world - [i.e.,
the underworld, in the ‘heart of the earth,’ and
after resurrection, conditions] - will be just like this one. He demolishes their position by declaring
that in the spirit world, the conditions of existence, and the relation between
individuals there [and
then], will be altogether different from
those which obtain here [and now]. There, - [in the underworld, and after resurrection] - they neither marry nor are given in
marriage. Moreover corporeity then will
be unlike corporeity now, in that it will not only be exempt from death, but
incapable of it. There being no death,
there will be no birth, nor any marriage in its
physical aspect. Thus their argument
fails utterly. It doesn’t really touch
the point. They have forgotten the divine
resources, the power of God.
2)
Ignorance
of the Scriptures. They based their case on the teaching of Moses. They claim that their position is Scriptural
and therefore cannot be upset. Jesus
shows that they don’t understand the Book which they pretend to quote. They
have failed to find the doctrine of a future state in Moses. He bids them open that book again and read (Exodus 3: 6).
“The Sadducees based their denial of the
resurrection on the alleged silence of Scripture. Christ demolishes their premises by showing
that the Scripture is not silent, but teaches the reality of existence after
death.” Int. Crit. Com.
God
proclaimed Himself to Moses as the “God of Abraham, of
Isaac and Jacob.” These
patriarchs have passed away [into the place of
the dead.]
Had they ceased to exist [in the
intermediate place and state], God could not be
said to be their God still, as He declares to Moses. He is not the God of the dead, but of the
living. Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob must therefore be [brought back from the
place of the dead] alive, [at the time of resurrection]
wherever they are. Had He said I was the
God of Abraham, &c., the Sadducees would have had ground for their
view. But His words are “I am (still) the God of Abraham.” This statement establishes the patriarch’s
existence still. This proves the fact of
a future life [in an immortal, glorified body upon this earth and for eternity], and subsequently of the RESURRECTION as the means to immortal life. The resurrection [of
the dead] means the continued existence [of body and soul]
beyond death - the
bring into conscious living those who have died on earth.
[Note. “Scripture, in
speaking of death, describes it as the time of the separation of body and soul [and spirit]. “It came to pass as
her soul was departing, (for she died,) that she called his name Ben-oni:”
Gen. 35: 18.
Hence in the restoration of life, the soul (or
spirit) [must]
return again into their abode. The son
of the woman of Sarepta dies. Elijah seeks to restore him again to
life. He prays, “O Lord my God, let this child’s soul come into him again:”
1 Kings 17: 21. It had left the body: but God restored the
lad to life. “The
Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came
into him again and he revived.” (22.)
“See, thy son liveth.” Paul says of Eutychus,
“His soul is in him:” Acts 20: 10.
In the New Testament the departure [at
the time of death] and return [to life] are
sometimes spoken of as being that of the [animating] “spirit”.
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,”
is Stephen’s prayer [when dying]: Acts 7: 59. When Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus [back to life], He says, “Maid arise!” “And her spirit came again, and she arose
straightway:” Luke 8: 54-55.
But our Lord
traces for us the flight of the souls of both good and evil to the place
prepared for them: “The beggar (poor man) died, and was carried (away)
by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.”
This refutes the assertion, that
the soul is not the man. We call
both the corpse and the soul, in common speech, ‘the
man.’ So does God. This is seen in what follows. “The rich man also died, and was buried. And in
Hadees (Greek)
he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus
in his bosom.” This was evidently
designed to refute just such unbelief as that manifested by Christadelphians:” (R. Govett.)]
3. A PERSONAL QUESTION. (verses 41-44).
Jesus
now turns on His assailants and carries the war into the enemies
camp.
What
was Jesus’ object in throwing down this challenge to His adversaries? Was it to give difficulty to difficulty? “No; the similar
question which He had put to them (verse 4) proves to us that Jesus was acting
in a wholly different spirit. What then
was His intention? He had just announced
His death, and pointed out the authors of it (parable of the husbandmen). Now, He was not ignorant what the charge
would be which they would use against Him.
He would be condemned as a blasphemer, and that
for calling Himself the Son of God (John 5: 18;
10: 33; Matthew 26: 65). And as He was not ignorant that before such a
Tribunal it would be impossible for Him to plead His cause in peace, He
demonstrates beforehand … the divinity of the Messiah, thus sweeping away the
accusation of blasphemy which was to form the pretext of His condemnation.”
(Goder). According to Matthew He asks the Pharisees, “What think ye of
Christ, whose Son is He?”
According to Luke, “How is Christ David’s Son, and yet David, in one of his
psalms, calls Him Lord?” They
cannot reply for they do not understand.
Jesus’ object clearly was to make them think – to lead them to
see that the Messiah promised in Scripture was both divine and human. As to His human nature He was David’s
Son. But as to His divine
nature He was the Son of God.
After
all we have been taught, may we not hear Him
asking us, “What think YE of Christ?” This
is most vital of all questions. It is a
question for the conscience, penetrating to the roots of individual
character. A question
of faith only to be solved, not merely by the light of revelation, but by the
inner illumination of God’s Holy Spirit (1
Corinthians 12: 3).
His
name implies that He is the Great
Prophet, the true High Priest, the Eternal King. What do WE
think of Him? Some do not think of Him
at all. Others have low, unworthy views
of Him. But to those who believe He is
precious (1 Peter 2: 7).
What
do we think of Him? Of His Person? Of His Offices? Of His Life? Of His Death? Of His Resurrection, Ascension, Intercession
at God’s right hand? Do we think of Him
that we love Him, trust Him, obey Him, serve Him, copy
Him? Can we truly say,
He is my Redeemer, my Saviour, my Teacher, my Shepherd and my Friend? Shouldn’t we be able to say this in view of
all we have heard about Him?
The chapter closes with a scathing indictment (verses 45-47). Openly, in the audience of all the people, He
bids His disciples beware of these Scribes.
“They
ought to be guides and examples to you, but they are rather enemies to be
watched and dreaded.”
He
expresses their emptiness, hypocrisy, and wickedness, and warns His disciples
to be on their guard against them.
There
are three counts in the charge which He brings.
1) They are proud and haughty.
He paints them to the life – walking abroad in their long robes, bowing
and smiling, to salutations in the marketplace – perching themselves on the
high seats in the synagogue, where they could see and be seen – appropriating
the chief rooms at feasts, where, we may suppose, they would be likely to get
the largest share of the good things served.
We see vanity and selfishness stamped on every feature of their
portrait, as drawn by His unerring hand.
2) Rapacious cruelty is characteristic of them too. “They devour widow’s houses.” Widows are the most defenceless class of
Oriental poor, but these sharks had no pity in their hearts for them. The more defenceless they were, they were the easier prey.
3) The blackest feature in the picture is the last. All this is done in the garb of
religion. “For a show they make long prayers.” “With the widows
(Matthew Henry suggests) when they were in sorrow, as if they had not only a piteous
but a pious concern for them, and thus endeavoured to ingratiate
themselves with them, and get their money and effects into their hands.”
Such,
Jesus declares, “shall receive greater damnation.”
4. A FINANCIAL QUESTION – a money
matter. The Widow’s
mites (21: 1-4).
Is
there any connection with the foregoing?
Jesus had just denounced the barbarity of the Scribes, who devoured poor
widows. He here shows how He regards
them, and He points out that they were the most liberal contributors to the
Three
or four lessons may be drawn from this interesting passage.
a)
Jesus watches our ways and doings. He took up His position in the vestibule of
the
b)
Giving to religious objects is a Christian duty, and has the Divine approval. There was a
treasury chest in the
c)
In estimating our gifts, Jesus regards not merely what we give, but what we
have – the proportion our
offering bears to what we keep for ourselves.
Very few ever give such a large contribution as the Widow’s Mites. To do that we would require
to give all that we have.
QUESTIONS
1. What enraged the chief priests and Scribes against Jesus? 2.
What would they have done? 3. What prevented them? 4.
What means did they then take to attack Him?
5. Show the craftiness of
their question? 6. How did Jesus answer them?
7. Who were the Pharisees,
Sadducees, Herodians?
8. What question did the
Sadducees put to Jesus? 9. What was their object? 10.
Of what did Jesus accuse them? 11.
How did he prove from Moses that the patriarchs are still living [in the underworld]? 12.
What question did Jesus now put to His enemies?
13. What was His object? 14.
How can we show what we think of Christ?
15. Of what did Jesus accuse
the Scribes? 16. How does He show that the poor widow gave more than the rich
men?
EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE ON THE CHRISTIANS’ ‘HOPE’
To
hope
for something which God says we already have (‘by grace,’ i.e.,
our eternal
salvation, Eph. 2: 8, 9), is unbelief; and to assume that we
will, if we die ‘in the Lord,’ receive what we
must ‘attain’ (i.e., a share in ‘the resurrection out
from the dead,’ Phil. 3: 11,
Gk.), by being judged worthy ‘to receive (as overcomers) an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward,’ (Col. 3: 22),
is also unbelief.
During
the past year’s attendance at local Presbyterian Churches, I have not
heard the adjective ‘millennial’ mentioned once! Not just by those placed in the pulpit, and
well paid to teach the Lord’s redeemed people about running the race of the
faith to ‘get the
Prize’ (1 Cor. 9: 24), and the ‘Crown’
(1 Tim. 2: 19; James 1: 12; 2 Tim. 4: 8),
but not even from amongst any redeemed member in their congregations!
Such
a deliberate silence and a glossing over of divine warnings to regenerate
believers against the loss of their ‘inheritance’
during the millennial reign with Messiah Jesus in ‘the
kingdom of God,’ (1 Cor. 6: 9; Gal.
5: 21; Eph. 5: 5) as a ‘reward’
according to ‘works’ (Col. 3: 25. cf. Heb. 10:
35, 36); and a future salvation, ‘ready to be revealed in the last time’
– ‘the salvation of souls’ (1 Pet. 1: 5, 9) -
from the underworld presumably, (Matt. 16: 8.
cf.
Luke 16: 19-31; Rev. 6: 9-11) - “as we WAIT EAGERLY FOR
OUR ADOPTION AS SONS” –
(Note. Our adoption as sons has not yet taken place, as some
suppose!) – “the redemption of our bodies. For in THIS HOPE WE ARE SAVED. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what HE ALREADY HAS? But if we HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT YET HAVE,
we
wait for it patiently” (Rom. 8:
23-25): and that future ‘salvation’ and ‘hope’ will be revealed at the time of the ‘redemption of our bodies’ from corruption; and that cannot
occur until the Son of Man returns to this earth to raise the dead and
establish His millennial Kingdom! 1 Thess. 4: 16; 1 Cor. 15: 23, 25;
Luke 20: 35. cf. Heb. 11: 39, 40;
Rev. 3: 21; Rev. 6: 9-11; Rev. 20: 4-6.
It
is a major doctrinal mistake for anyone to neglect the divine warnings of God’s
righteous judgment on His saints’ behaviour; or to undermine, suggest, or teach
His redeemed people that ‘the resurrection is past already’ (2 Tim. 2:
18)! It destroys a desire to
please Him each and every day of our lives, in order to win the ‘Prize’ and the ‘Crown’
- (not our eternal salvation which Christ purchased upon the cross, and
paid the price in full for us) - which He will give to all who are prepared suffer
with Him, and for the doctrines He and His apostles
taught His disciples, (Matt. 5: 20; 7: 21; 2 Tim. 2: 12, 13;
Luke 20: 35; 22: 28-30; Rev. 3: 21; Rom. 8: 17b; etc.).
May
Jesus our Lord and Saviour, through the Holy Spirit’s strength and
enlightenment, give us a greater understanding of these truths,
and the necessary boldness and courage to proclaim the whole
counsel of God – no matter what the personal cost such action may bring. Acts
19: 8, 9; 20: 32. cf. Acts
24: 21; 26: 6, 7; 18b; Col. 3: 24, 25; Heb. 11: 35b.
It
may be fashionable for multitudes of Bible Teachers today to be
conservative – (i.e., ‘liking established ways and opposed to change’) - with
the beliefs and teachings of the majority within their denominational
parties. By their refusal to disclose
certain unpopular teachings of Christ to His disciples - the Judgment
Seat of Christ (and before the time of resurrection) must take effect; and the
consequences of such actions today, and the divine warnings of the loss of the firstborn’s
inheritance – (i.e., a double
inheritance and rulership within the family.), must take effect upon all such as
behave today as Esau did of old: “Afterward, as
you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing,” when he
wanted to receive the blessing which he bartered away to Jacob to satisfy his
natural hunger, “HE WAS REJECTED. He could not bring about on change of mind”
– on the part of his father – “thought he sought the
blessing with tears.” … “See to it that you
do not refuse him who speaks. If they”
– Israel of old presumably – “did not escape when they
refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will WE, if WE TURN AWAY FROM
HIM WHO WARNS US FROM HEAVEN:” (Heb.
12: 17, 25. cf. 1 Cor.
9: 24- 10: 10 with Num. 14: 20-23).
The
apostle Paul, could not threaten the disobedient and carnal Christians at
* *
* * *
* *
4
Doom of the
And the Coming of the Son of
Luke 21: 5-38.
Scripture to be committed, Luke
15: 28.
REVISED VERSION
(Note changes in verses 8,
9, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 34, 36).
Luke 21: 5 And
as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and
offerings, he said, 6 As for these stones which ye
behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone
upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
7 And they asked him, saying,
Master [or, Teacher], when therefore shall these things be? and
what shall be the sign when these things are about to
come to pass? 8
And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my
name, saying, I am he: and, The
time is at hand: go ye not after them. 9
And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not
immediately.
10 Then
he said unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: 11 and there shall be great
earthquakes, and in divers places famines and
pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on
you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons,
bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13
It shall turn unto you for a testimony. 14
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer: 15
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your
adversaries shall not be able to withstand or to gainsay. 16 But ye shall be delivered up even by parents,
and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some
of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all
men for my name’s sake. 18
And not a hair of your head shall perish.
19 In your patience
[perseverance] ye shall win your souls.
20 But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know
that her desolation is at hand. 21
Then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are
in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter
therein. 22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are
written may be fulfilled. 23
Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath
upon this people. 24
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all
the nations: and
29
And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees: 30
when they now shoot forth, ye see it and know of your own selves that the
summer is now nigh. 31
Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye THE THE
34
But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting,
and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a
snare: 35 for so
shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. 36
But watch ye at every season. Making supplication,
THAT YE MAY PREVAIL TO ESCAPE all these things that shall come to pass, and to
stand before the Son of man.
37
And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and
lodged in the mount that is called the mount
of Olives. 38
And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.
THE SETTING OF THE LESSON
TIME. –
A.D. 30, Tuesday of the Crucifixion Week.
PLACE. – Olivet.
PARALLEL PASSAGES. – Matthew 24: 1-45; Mark
13: 1-37. See also Luke 17: 20-37.
SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS. – Many curious and
puzzling questions might arise in connection with this lesson. Teachers should, however, avoid dwelling on
these, and fix attention on the Certainties in regard to the coming of Christ,
the [conditional] Promises given by Jesus, and the Duties enjoined by Him on us
in view of that Coming.
PLAN OF THE LESSON
1.
DOOM OF THE
2.
DISCOURSE ON OLIVET. Disciples’ Questions. Jesus’ answer (7).
1.
EVENTS FORETOLD.
e)
Dangers before Fall of
b)
Doom of
c)
Coming of the Son of Man (25-33). Signs; Manner of; Work for Christ.
2.
DELIVERANCES OR [CONDITIONSAL] PROMISES (13, 14, 18,
19).
3.
DUTIES.
Beware, Endure, Watch, Pray.
LESSON EXPOSITION
Introduction. After the incident of the last
lesson, of Jesus watching the people casting in of their gifts into the
treasury, some Greeks approach desiring to see Him (John
12: 20-36). Jesus predicts His death, receives the
approval of a voice from heaven, speaks a few last words to the people, and
leaves the
1. - DOOM OF THE
It
was dear to Him, it spake of Him. He the true
2)
What
stones! What buildings! Built of white marble exquisitely chiselled,
with huge stones some thirty feet, some over sixty feet long by twelve feet
thick and twenty broad; its roof and turrets overlaid with gold, nine of its
gates overlaid with silver and gold and one of solid Corinthian brass, as it
shone in the evening sunlight it must have seemed to the disciples the very
embodiment of strength and beauty. Shall
all that strength and beauty perish?
3) The
Very improbable then. World at peace, yet within forty years, not withstanding the strength
and glory of that House, Jesus’ words literally fulfilled. His words certain. See verse 33. Christ rejected, ruin certain. And the fairer and more beautiful the house –
temple of human body beautiful – the ruin the sadder.* Temple was
destroyed, 1) because its rulers
rejected the Lord of the Temple; 2)
because when the true Temple, “the One greater than the Temple,” came, the type
must pass away; 3) because it was needful that it should perish in order to the
upbuilding of the Spiritual Temple, formed of all
true [regenerate and obedient] believers (Eph. 2:
20-22; [See
also Rev. 3: 1b.]). The destruction of the temple served an
important purpose in the growth of Christianity.
[* See John 15: 6; 1 Cor. 5: 32b. cf. Judges 16: 20; 1 Sam. 16: 14, etc.]
2. THE DISCOURSE ON OLIVET (verses 7-36). The Disciples’ Question (7).
Four of the disciples. Who? See Mark 13: 3. Troubled at Jesus’ words. Want to know three things. See Matthew 24: 3. 1)
When “these things” – the destruction of the
Jesus Answer. The Discourse.
See
also Matthew 24., Mark 13. His answer very practical – does not fix the
dates, does not tell “the when.” God never does lift the veil of the
future. It would be for our hurt. See Acts 1: 7. Jesus does not satisfy curiosity. He teaches what is needful for daily
life. We might put the teaching of the
discourse under the topics, Events Foretold.
Deliverances or Promises, Duties.
1. Events Foretold. a) Dangers
before the Temple’s Fall (verses 8-19).
1) From False Christs
and False Prophets (8). Danger of being led astray, deceived by
them. In the years after Christ died,
many appeared claiming to be the Christ.
We find reference to these impostors in the New Testament. See 1 John 2: 18,
Acts 21: 38. Josephus tells us
many such impostors arose and deceived many.
We, too, are in danger of being led astray by false teaching, false
example. “The warning of Jesus is that ye take heed that
no man lead you astray, in doctrine or morals, through holding up a false
standard of conduct, or a false interpretation of God’s Word.”
2. From Political and Physical Commotions (verses 9-11). Danger of being led from these to suppose the
end of all things was at hand (Compare 2 Thess. 2: 2).
Danger of neglecting duty, work through excited expectations that the
end of the world had come. “Be not terrified,”
“the end is not
immediately.” Perhaps, too, danger of being troubled, as if everything were going to
ruin. Jesus would have them calm,
tranquil, trustful. The period between
the crucifixion and the destruction of
3) From Persecution (verses 12-18). a) By Enemies (12)
Peter, John, Stephen, before the Sanhedrin.
Acts 4: 7, 7: 12. Paul, Acts 22: 30.
Paul before Felix, Lysias,
Agrippa, Nero. Acts 16: 23, 2 Cor. 11: 24. b) By Kinsfolk (16). The Gospel received excites the greatest
love; rejected the greatest hate.
Converts in heathen lands still experience the fulfilment of this
prophecy. “Hated by all men.” See the reason given by Jesus in John 15: 18, 19.
b) Doom of
c) Coming of the Son of Man
(verses 25-33). He came to the Jews, to the men of that
generation at the destruction of
1)
Signs Preceding His Coming (verses 25, 26).
What are we to understand by these?
Are we to take them literally of figuratively? May express in prophetic
imagery the terrible calamities, disasters, sufferings which shall precede the
coming of the Son of Man. Compare
the similar figurative representations in Isaiah
34: 4 about Idumea; in Ezekiel 32: 7, 8 about
2) These
signs will show His coming near (verses 28-31).
Possibly Jesus pointed to a fig-tree close beside Him with its first
tender shoots. These shoots show summer
near. These signs are like the fig-tree
buds they will show the nearness of the coming of the Son of Man – that He is “at the doors”
(Mark) as if He was knocking for entrance, that “the
3) His Coming Certain (33). “Heaven
and earth, &c.”
4) His Coming Sudden. Unknown (verses 34-35). Shall come as the flood
came, as the thief comes. (Matthew 24: 37-43),
come as the lord returning to his servants (Mark
13: 35, 36), shall come as a snare (Luke 21:
35). Who does Jesus say knew not
the time? The time of His coming is not
even His as Son of Man to reveal. It was
no part of His mission to reveal it.
Note the bearing of this on the calculations of those who would fix the
date of the millennium or of the end of the world. “Fools rush in where
angels fear to tread.”
5) The Manner of His Coming (26). “The clouds –
fitting symbols at once of the impending crisis and the impenetrable mystery
that surrounds the throne of Him who rules over it, - will be, as it were, the
sublime drapery of His presence, illuminated with the brightness of His coming.” See 2 Thess. 2: 8, Psalm 97: 2, 104: 3. The Son of Man once despised shall come [to rule in righteousness and peace] in ineffable glory and might.
6) Work for which He shall Come. See Mark 13: 27. Doubtless this refers to His final
coming. “There
shall be no disciple so obscure or too far off to be sent for. The shepherd knows his sheep by name. No dusky heathen disciple [judged worthy to rule with Him (Rom. 8: 17b; 2 Tim. 2:
12; Luke 20: 35; 2 Thess. 1: 4, 5, etc.] to be left out.” He will come as the Master of the house to
reckon with His servants. Serious consequences, reward or punishment, await us when Christ comes. How important then [for
us] to be ready! (See Mark 24: 45
– 25: 13.
2) Deliverances or Promises. a) Their being brought before kings would be a
testimony for the Gospel [of
the Kingdom] (13). So it was in the case of Paul before Felix
Agrippa. See Phil.
1: 12-20; [also, 3: 10, 11, 14]). b)
The
[Holy] Spirit’s
help in their need when brought before tribunals (14). Jesus
had given this promise before Luke 12: 11.
For the fulfilment of it see Acts 4: 13, 6:
10. It was meant to preserve from
disquietude, and to give them calmness in danger. c)
The
certainty of FINAL SALVATION
(18-19).
They shall win, WIN THE PRIZE OF THEIR SOULS, their lives. THROUGH ENDURANCE
AND TRIALS [EVEN
THROUGH DEATH ITSELF] they shall gain their lives. “The graces of the
true [overcoming]
Christian hold out in all sorts of weather, in winter
and summer, in prosperity and adversity.”
3) Duties. “The four moral keynotes of this discussion on the Last
Things are Beware, Watch, Endure, Pray”
– Farrar. Find out where each of these is
required. Beware of being led astray (8), of being troubled, losing your faith,
calmness (9, 14, 34; see also Mark). Endure (19). Watch. How often
repeated by Jesus? What does the
repetition teach? What the words “Take heed”? Look to it.
See that ye watch. Temptations to neglect watching many and great. Hard to keep awake. This implied in the word to watch. Watch “at every season.”
Temptations to spiritual sleep many.
Great danger in being found asleep, yet we are prone to it. The influence of the world seductive. How are the temptations put in verse 34?
Sinful pleasures and cares. What are the temptations to which the evil
servant in Matthew 24. yields? What is sleeping seem
to be in these cases? In
the case of the foolish virgins? False
security, worldliness, self-indulgence
is sleep. What is it to
watch? Not straining the eyes to see the
first sign of His coming: but active,
wakeful, doing of every duty. The
house should be in such order, and we to be so employed, that as the porter
when he hears the knock opens immediately to his master, so we would be glad to let our Lord
in (Matthew 13: 34-35; [see also Rev.3: 14-20.
cf. Acts 5: 32b.]) We ought to take care of our Lord’s
interests, so do our Lord’s work, that His coming would not be unwelcome, that
we would not have to keep Him standing outside until we would get things in
order for Him to see. To neglect our
work, and stand gazing to catch a glimpse of our Lord’s return, is not what He
requires. It is working watchfulness. Servants not
to stand outside looking for their master, but to be busy at his work left them
– that [is]
true watching. “Suppose
you were to die at twelve o’clock to-morrow night,” said a lady once to John Wesley, “how
would you employ the intervening time?”
“Why just as I intend to spend it now,” [came Wesley’s answer.] Why
watch? Lord may come at any time, will
come suddenly, we know not when He comes, and when He comes [at the end of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24: 29, 30. cf. Luke 13: 35.] – what then?
We should always be like Count
Von Moltke.
“A messenger rapped loudly at his door late at night, announcing that
Pray. Watch, but also pray. We [“who are left unto
the coming of the Lord” (1 Thess. 4: 15, R.V.)] need Divine help [and strength]. “Watchfulness is
like the hands of the clock that point; prayer is the weight that keeps the
machinery in motion.”
REVIEW THE BLACKBOARD.
PROPHECIES
OMISES.
ECEPTS.
QUESTIONS
1. What incidents have taken place since those of the last lesson? 2.
Where is Jesus in this? 3. What did the disciples say to Jesus
as He left the
* *
* * *
* *
5
The Teacher and His Recompense
1. THE TEACHER’S PERSONALITY.
“It is not so much what you study: the question is, With whom you
study.” Such was the counsel
given by Ralph Waldo Emerson to his
daughter when she was leaving home to attend a famous school. In this he rightly estimated the value of the
personal element in the make up of the teacher.
“Never man spake like this Man,” was the testimony given regarding Him who “taught with
authority.” Was it not that
the uniqueness of His teaching came largely from the strength and beauty of the
personality of the Teacher? His teaching
was Himself. He was “the Word made flesh” – truth personified.
The
primary concern in education is its power over conduct. What the child can do rather than what he knows, is the thing that counts. Especially should religious education aim at
developing capacity for behaviour. It derives its great value from its directive
and impelling power. If it does not
influence conduct and become a guiding force in controlling the life, it sadly
fails of its object.
The
personality of the teacher largely determines the dynamic effect of his
teaching. Words may be received and may
be retained in the memory with little or no apprehension of their meaning. Ideals even may exist in the mind simply as
abstract truth, without any notion of their relation to practical life. As the head of the woodman’s axe gives
effectiveness to the keenness of the edge, so it is the man or woman behind the
Teacher that emphasizes the [His] teaching and [He, i.e., the
Holy Spirit,]
gives it power to influence the
conduct and mould the character of the learner.
Personality
is a complex thing. In part it is
character, but it is more than character.
It comprises all the various personal elements of the man or woman,
physical, intellectual, emotional, moral, and whatever else makes up the
individual. It is a subtle force. It goes from the person, not as part of a
plan or purpose, but as an undersigned and unconscious influence, pervasive and
irresistible. Children are generally
keenly sensitive and impressionable.
They instinctively feel where they cannot reason. They yield to this force of personality as a
lower animal surrenders to the fascinating eye of the charmer.
Personality
is the man or the woman. Hence it is not
a thing that can be put on or off at will like a garment. Yet it does not follow that the individual
self is inflexible, or unyielding to modify influences. It is quite practicable for one to become
something very different in character and personality from what he is to-day.
Sunday-school
teachers desire a large measure of the forcefulness and winsomeness of the
great Teacher. External manifestation is
not the thing to be concerned about. We should
give heed rather to the enrichment of the sources that lie back of the power of
personality, and the power will then take care of itself. Let us cultivate in ourselves the spirit of
Christ, and strive to mould our inner life from His image. The teacher, who, like the great Teacher, is
earnest, patient, and ready to subordinate self to the well-being of others,
will approach most closely to the ideal of excellence. “Take heed to thyself.”
-
The Teachers’
Monthly (
2 WHEN TO BE POSITIVE
The
true teacher will always remember that in teaching there is a time and a place
for positiveness. The
Great Teacher spoke out as one having authority. A
prime qualification for successful teaching is the conviction that there are
truths about which no question of doubt can be entertained, and that these are
to be declared clearly, firmly, without hesitation. This is of special importance in dealing with
[adults as well as]
children. A tone of doubt is sure to be
detected by them. If you would have them
hold the truth never let them question whether you believe it yourself. This, of course, does not mean that one is to
be positive and dogmatic in regard to everything. In the interpretation of Scripture and
regulation of conduct there may often be room for difference of opinion, and to make positive affirmations which cannot
be maintained is to run the risk of forfeiting the confidence of those we would
instruct. But it is what one can lay down as certainly true, divinely authoritative,
which will produce conviction in their minds. And the highest things lie outside the region
of peradventure. Faith in God and in the right, loyalty to Jesus Christ, the
imperativeness of duty, the beauty of unselfishness, the obligation of fidelity
to purity and truth, be the results what they may –
positiveness on such matters as these
always means power; doubt here spells defeat.
-
3. HOW TO QUESTION.
A
question should be brief. It has been
said that brevity is the soul of wit; it might be said that brevity is the soul of the question, giving
it its vital spark. The short,
snappy question wakes up the mind of the class like an electric shock. The slow, long-drawn, involved question winds
a kind of cocoon about the mind of a class, and tends to make it inert. Teachers
talk too much, and let their pupils talk too little. This is probably the besetting sin of the
profession. A part of this too much talking
is taking too much time in stating the question. The
well-aimed, quick blow tells. It is
evident that brevity also assists
clearness.
- The Messanger.
-------
RECOMPENSE
What shall we have who toiled all night through the tempest,
At nets let down in vain, or labouring oar?
Yonder, the morn breaks, and, beyond the breaking,
A Watcher and a welcome on the shore!
What shall we have whose little hoard of twilight
Came nearest to the light of others’ day?
God gave to all the blue dome of His building –
Only earth’s clouds between were sometimes gray.
What shall we have who missed life’s loveliest
meanings –
Who bore the burden of the incomplete?
There is a wider room for our probation,
And we shall know our missed things when we meet!
What shall we have on whom Time laid for guerdon
The pricking brier and the grieving thorn?
How many an earthly trial of piercing shadow
Hedged up in bud a heavenly rose unborn!
What shall we have whose ghostly galleons foundered,
No man may know in what unfathomed seas?
All seas give up the dead things in their keeping;
Even our ships of dream? Yea, even
these!
-