Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-04-06
CIIRTSTS LAST WARNING.
LESSON Il, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, APRIL 6.

II. S. Hoffman.
[From Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission of
H. S. Hoffman, Philadelphia, publisher
Notes.-V 81 Hypocrites, persons who act
part not their own Whited sepulchers,
whitewashed, from respect to the dead and to
avoid legal defilement V. 20 Tombs. re-
paired out of pretended respect, garnish,
decorate, beautify. " 80. Fill yeup, Jesus
did not wish them to go on in sim but he
knew they would go on and may refer to
their plots against himself V, 50. Serpents,
vipers, like snakes in CUNNING and deadly
malignity. Can We escape2 implies certainty
Of their doom. v. 81. Prophets, inspired
teachers. Wise men, men of natural WISDOM
like Solomon. Scribes, those who copied and
taught the wisdom of others. " 81. Zach
arias, see II ChrOn. xiv, 20-22, or Xcch. l., !.
V. 80. Generation, age. " 81. Jerusalem,
city stands for its people, V. IS. DeSolate,
was laid waste by Romans a. ID. 20.
V. 27. The sternest words of condemna-
ton that ever fell from Jesus lips are re-
corded in this chapter. They are worse than
any curse from Ebal or menace from fiery
prophet He spoke not in anger, but in grief
that goodness and love had been so i'll re-
Quilted and abused. His holy wrath was now
kindled, since they sinned beyond the limit
of Gods own mercy. He is our worst enemy
who once was our best friend. The bitterest
drop in the cup Of eternal woe is ''the wrath
of the Lambn-of the loving Saviour. His
words are stern and uncompromising, for
they were founded on justice, preceded by
mercy and love.
The Pharsccs as a party date from the
time of the Maccabees Literal obedience to
the written law and tradition was their ruling
principle. The founders of the party were
genuine rotormcrs, but their descendants de
generated into that which was false and evil.
Their hypocrisy prevented their repentance.
The Scl'hcS as a body were organized in
the time of Ezra, they were learned in and
were teachers of the law, and were employed
as judges transcrlbcrs and expounders of the
law.
V. $3.50. Jesus makes distinction be
tween the appearance and reality of godlness.
The pharsocs honored the prophets by deco
rating their graves but would not observe
their teachings or initiate their lives. What
travesty of religion!
V. 80. There is no need of assuming that
the Pharisees did not mean what they said,
but their lives gave the lie to their words
There is a tendency of each generation amid
its own sins to condemn the wrong doing of
the past,
V. L
the same evil traits of character of the l.
fathers. whom they condemned They we, p,
ready to kill the Christ of whom the prophet
had written They were in heart one with
their fathers. walking in their footsteps
And vet to cover their and their fathers
wickedness beautificd the tombs of the mllr-
dered prophets They were self convicted
hypocrites Sin is hereditary and oul. daily
acts and words bctray our SOnship
V. 32-3}. Every mcrciful means exhausted.
the Jewish p,oDle are consigned to their own
WAYS They are left of God-laft to Them
selves. When the Lour of divine abandon
meut comes TO n spui if ,r,3nS ON to fin mn the
measure of its iuiuuity The lan.-ua.ro is of
terrible import. They had committed in
EQUITY upon iniqutv. God had lett them.
Their committal Of one more chastity crime.
and there was nothing left for ,ilcil. country
but destruction. and for themselves. ser
penis. vipcrs" as they had proved thculsclyns
to be. but the examination of he'll" The
severity of our Lords language is a prcce-
dent for rebuke. but no precedent for s,lch
authority and power of rebul,c. He had n
divine attribute to see the character as if
was and a divine authority to pronounce its
nature. and a right to innict punishment
which no mere mortal has.
V. 34-35. Christ undoubtedly had in mind
here the treatment lie was eventually to re
ceive from the Jews.
V. SO. There is a cumulative force in sin.
The final punishment at last succeeds the
long series of sins. Men bv sin can make the
guilt of past ACES their own. .Tosephus nives
a most heartrending account of the fulfill
ment of this prediction, how 100000 dead
bodies were carried out of the gates of Jeru-
salem, and how 1.-THE fires of burning houses
were ouenched with human blood
" 81. The laundering "woes" give way to
plant of tenderest emotion for the doomed
city. The Lord deeply regrets that they had
spurned the offer, of mercy made them NOT
only by himself while in the flesh. hut in MI
ages bv his servants. elbow often - imnlies
the frequent offers of his pardon and Grace
81 would. - is the divine side. and I'VE wouId
not is the human side. The whole scheme
of salvation the comino, Of Christ his min
show that God desires their salvation The
reason that they are not saved is.that they