The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-16

Secretary of the American Society OF Re
Hgious Education.
(Students of these lessons are requested to
send to DR.. Gilbert, Washington. II. a.,
their names denomination and postoffice
address for enrolment in the Office OF the
society, mentioning this paper, that docu-
ments on Bible study may be mailed TO
them.)
CONTEXT-The scene of last Sundays
lesson, Christ and the children, was In
Capernaum. Matt xviii, LID Between
that event and the one before two or
three months elapsed, filled with interest
ing incidents which need not be recalled
here. 1t is enough to know that, leaving
Galilee, Jesus journeyed with His apostles
to Jerusalem to attend the feast Of taber-
nacles which occurred in the autumn before
His crucifixion. He had been absent from
the metropolis nearly two years, during
which time His fame had greatly increased.
His followers had come to believe in Him
the Messiah Matt. xvi. 16), but expected
His kingdom to be temporal, in which they
would hold honorable positions. The rulers
of the Jews, divided concerning Him John
X, 1920 watched His career with jealous
hate. BY far the greater part of the peo-
pie and most of the scholars held Him to
be a prophet or teacher, and called Him
rabbi or master Matt. tx, I'D His re-
appearance at Inc naIlOIdl Capital dt luiS
time intensified the interest. And when,
the observances of the great festival being
over, Jesus retired to the adjacent coun-
try He was followed by many. Our lesson
presents one event in that Judean minis
try
COLLOQUY.-At the close of one of
Christ's addresses lawyer engaged Him in
conversation, assuming the attitude of
learner All others remained silent. Two
questions were raised, How inherit eternal
life?" and "Who is my neighbour" the
second growing out of the consideration of
the first. The lawyer manifested no malice.
Being well versed in the Mosaic code, and
deerning that to be the only authoritative
standard of religious doctrine. he desired
to test Jesus Gor that is the meaning of
the word rendered Tempt, and to determine
the knowledge and skill of this famous
most perplexing question of the time.
Plato born 1870 3. c., and other Greeks By
the light of reason became convinced that
the soul survives the body and scholars
afterward held the same view. Old Tesla
ment writer's assumed a future state III
Sam. xii, %; II Kings Xxx, p; job xix, 26).
but gave nothing very definite concerning
it. Neither philosophy nor Scripture salts
fled the longings of the heart or the qlles-
tions of the mind. Consequently there was
much anxiety Mark X, 10, and some skep-
ticism Matt. xxi, 23), which the rabbs
endeavored to remove by ransacking the
sacred writings Gohn V. 49, The lawyer
naturally sought Christ's opinion, perhaps
because He had alluded to the subject.
GIatt. xviii, s. 81 The interest of the col
loquy was increased by it's form. When
the lawyer questioned or made statement
Jesus did the same. There were two oues-
tions and two assertions on each slde but
Jesus preceded His second question with
the story of the Good Samaritan. This was
very adroit method 1t compelled the law
yer to answer himself, to study his SUBJ
ject under the guidance of Jesus. according
20 to a standard with which, he was familiar.
We must not expect to find the whole truth
III tne lesson, but so much the lawyer
could receive.
MTER Ma. LlFE-The lawyers question,
WAT must do?' put the next life on a
legal basis Jesus might have shifted IT. as
Paul did (Acts XII. 81 to the gospel basis,
1t along that line. BY request the LAWYER
stated what he understood to be the legal
requirement, supreme love to God and self
measured love to ones neighbor, quoting
from Moses Deut. vi, s. Lev. xix, 81 sum
mary of the Decalogue, which, it is said,
pious Jews were accustomed to repeat every
day. BY so doing he was true to his calling
Nsa. viii, 20l showing his acquaintance with
the spirit Il OF the Scriptures: And Jesus ap-
proved his words with admirable frankness
displayed on other occasions Mark xii, 81
Luke vii. 43) In proof that Jesus admitted
that afterward He quoted the same answer
to another lawyer Matt. xxi, 1880 In
Neh. tx. 20; Eek. XIX, ID which He and His
apostles always sought to maintain and
honor duke xvi. II; Rom. ill., 2lo And so
tacle indeed-the Lord of Glory agreeing
with learned man who had spent his life
IN legal studies and pursuits.
hot ha
lawyer and Jesus? If not, why had the lat
ter come into the world? And why did He
this man unlike others of his class? All,
there was a wide and radical difference.
the how. The closing words of Jesus, This
do might have set him right He ought to
have realized his lack of the required love,
the one great lack of his people Oeut. V,
2S>, which the law revealed but could not
supply {Rom Will, -, and he should have in
Gal ill., "a; John iy, ~ Moreover. he might
have learned from his own Scriptures. which
he professed to venerate and study that
the human heart is desperately wicked der.
xvii. 81, and that it is incapable of such love
until renewed Oeut. XXX, g. And that
life-repentance. faith, remission, regenera-
ton duke xiv. 46-41; Rom. viii, A. But,
alas the lawyer knew what was necessary,
and evidently felt condemned by his con-
Rom. X, - and to appear better than he
was. dismissed this subject and introduced
another suggested by 1t. And Jesus allowed
him to make the change
MY NEIGHBOR.-In the treatment of
the former theme the lawyer stated his
opinion and Jesus Endorsed 1t. In discuss
ing the next subject the order was re-
versed. Jesus gave His views and the law
yer approved. This method was more than
an exchange of courteSies-it was the prod
uct of the teachers skill. 1t is sometimes
best for learner to call up his knowI-
edge and sometimes best to get a new
idea. Christ's view Of neighbor was given
in narrative usually called a parable,
more likely history. Samaritan, from
whom, because of ennlity John iv, % no
Jew might expect any favor was repre-
scented as performing an act of charity to-
ward an unfortunate man whom priest
and Levite. set apart to holy service. had
neglected. The details of the narrative are
all interesting, but the chief point de-
manding attention is this-that true neigh
Dor love overleaps the bounds of nationality
and prejudice and is broad as human
ity. 1t even goes out toward enemies.
Matt. V, A. This is Christian, not because
Christ first taught it, for it had been pre-
vious2y fnculcated Deut xxi, i: Lev. xix,
a. l Kings viii, 50). but because Jesus
rescued this doctrine from neglect and
made it prominent in His system CT John
iii, III, one of the fundamentals of His
worldwide mission. Mark xvi, 49, The re-
citai captured the lawyer, who promptly
confessed that the Samaritan had proved
himself a neighbor. Then Jesus, as He did
before, pressed the matter to o personal
and practical issue by exhorting the le-
galist to go and do likewise, bringing him
again to the place where human depravity