The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-09
LESSON STORY.

Jesus was still at the house of Fac
cheus, the repentant publican. He
could now trust the Roman taxgatherer,
that he would show the same zeal in
serving God and man, that he had
hitherto exhibited in his money getting.
The crowd was waiting around the
house and thronging the court, waiting
to hear any word that might fall to
them from the lips of the inspiring
teacher.
The time had arrived when Jesus
must begin again his march to Jeruse-
lem and martyrdom.
When he looked at the expectant null
titude it troubled him that all the peo-
pie, including even his Twelve, were ex-
pecting that, at the approaching Pass
over in Jerusalem. he was, by an over
turn of the political government, to be.
come visible king. They believed
that, without effort of their own, they
were, as followers of the Messiah, to be-
come the recipients of luxury and pow
er. They expected to receive, simply as
his adherents and friends, the first
places in the coming visible kingdom of
God.
In this expectation the disciples were
destined to come to inevitable disap-
pointment. Jesus would arouse them
from the inertia of such an expectation.
He would have them dedicate their
lives from that moment onward to striv-
ing after the inward realities. He taught
his lesson in parable.
More than any other of his parallels,
this parable is interviewer with the po-
litical history of his period. 1t is not
improbable that the sight in Jericho of
the Roman palace which Archelaus
had built was the occasion of the para
BILE of Jesus assuming its peculiar politi.
cal form.
1. An Aspirant to Throne
Entrusted a Pound to Each of
Ten Servants,-vs lila.
A certain noblenadn acent into far
country, to receive to himself king
dom, and to return. and he called ten
servants of has. and GAGE them ten
pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye
here,cith till 1 come.
What this would first suggest to bis
hearers we can easily conjecture. Thirty
years before, or whereabouts, Archelaus,
the son Of Herod the Great, on the
death of his royal father, had set out on
journey from Jericho to Rome to pray
the Emperor Augustus to confirm his
title to the throne of Judea, which his
father had by will bequeathed to him.
But has citizens hated him. and sent
an enabassage after him. saying, We
aoiH not that this man reign over as.
Here again Jesus touches political
history. The Jews, wearied with the
hard rule OF Herod the Great. had sent
a commission to the imperial city to be-
seech IF Augustus that the reign of the
Herod family might be discontinued
The commission at first, it appears. con-
sisted of fifty representative citizens;
but it was afterward increased to eight
tAOASohN 6hPPAAohOSs AhC pAOd vas tAdt
Judea might be ruled, not by a king,
but by an appointed Roman procurator
or governor. The embassy was partial.
ly successful; yet for itself signally
failed. 1t was conceded by Augustus
that Judea should be governed by a
procurator or ethnarch. that is, by one
who would be at once Romes tax pro-
curer and the peoples leader; but to the
disappointment of the remonstrants, in
deed to their ruin, the imperial power
assigned Archelaus as the ethnarch.
That Archelaus would be avenged on his
opponents was a matter of course.
These things the parable so far,
must by suggestion have conveyed to
the hearers Of Jesus: 1. The orgauized
kingdom of heaven was not. in visible
form, to Immediately appear; there was
to be an absence OF its king. 2. There
was meanwhile important work to be
done by every believer in Christ. 3.