The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-04
LESSON STORY.

In some place in Perea now I'M
known a rich and influential Pharisee
invited Jesus to dinner on the Sabbath.
Jesus was now in such favor with the
people that his enemies the scribes and
Pharisees were prompted to make one
more endeavor to turn him to their
cause. He had just before been speak
ing in one of the Jewish synagogues. 10
invite him to break bread, which in the
Orient is ever pledge of amity; to seek
his company at feast on the afternoon
of the Sabbath after the synagogue SCI
vice, time favorable to thoughtful and
confidential conversation on the
part of the Pharisee, no doubt appeared
to be a generous overture to the new
Teacher.
The rich Pharisee who gave the feast
acted in concert with his brother Phari-
sees. They wished to meet Jesus under
circumstances favorable for close obser-
walton. They may have thought also
that it would strengthen their weaken
ing hold on the people, to make show
of respect for the Teacher, who now
stood high in the popular good will.
Jesus accepted the invitation. He
would have preferred, no doubt, sim
pie open air repast with his disciples on
some green hillside. But the rich Phari-
sees feast was to him door OF opportu-
nifty. He neither coveted nor Stunned
the fellowship of the rich. He was. as
the Son of Man, oblivious of mere ex-
ternalities. But he was especially solici
tous that the religious leaders of his ma
ton should have a clear understanding
of the nature of his Gospel. If they re-
iected him, he would make the rejection
a sin against light. AS to sacrifice
rather than to pleasure Jesus went to
the Pharisee's feast.
At the Pharieees feast we find Jesus
at the time of our lesson. A large room,
with many three sided tables, each tric-
lineunl accommodating perhaps dozen
reclining guests; the central tables, and
the central places at each table, the
places of honor; Jesus near the host,
with the chief Pharisees at the same
table, seated according to their official
rank; the disciples probably somewhere
at the tables; at the outer edge crowd
of unbidden observers, who we're privil-
eyed to behold the feasters and to listen
to the conversation between the notable
guests. In such a strange scene do we
now find the Master.
= Several remarkable things had &C.
Cured at the feast, each of which
proved that Jesus was not designing to
modify his Gospel or his habit for the
sake of palliating the Pharisees.
In the surrounding crowd opposite to
him, or it may be at one Of the tables
near to him, he saw man who was, as
all eyes at once discerned, victim of
dropsy. 1t was the Sabbath, and the
scribes and Pharisees thought it unlaw-
full to heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus,
after telling them that he would do for
the man what they would do for a
dumb animal, gave to the man a sudden
and unmistakable healing.
Jesus had also seen many Of the guests
seek for themselves the chief seats at
the feast. He rebuked this bad fashion.
He advised those who heard him, when
they were invited to a wedding feast, not
each to seek to recline in the chief seat,
but rather to take the lowest place. and
leave the host to determine where among
the others he belonged. This was a
memorable object-lesson against self-ex-
altation.
The sight OF the waiting crowd at the
outer edge Of the room gave occasion to
Jesus to speak some direct words to his
host. The presence of the very people he
described made his words direct and i'm
pressive: When thou nakest dinner
or supper, call not thy friends, nor
thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich
'aeighborS; lest hdply they also bid thee
again. and recOmpense be made thee.
But lrhen thou makest a feast, bid the
poor, the maimed. the lame, the blind !.