The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-03-05

departure from Galilee, where He had
labored a year and about ten months
When the time was come that Hb
should be received up, He s~teadfastly
set His face to go o.Jerusalem. 4
The Perean Ministry, '
This occupied a period of five months
from the time He left Galilee in Octo-
Der, A. d. 20, till He arrived at Beth
any in April, A. D. 80. This was o
narrow region on the east side of the
Jordan, extending from the Jabbok to
the Dead Sea- 1t was regarded as a
Jewish province, the Jews constitn-
ting the bulk of the population
In setting out from Galilee to Jeru-
salem for the last time Christ and His
disciples seem to have passed along the
northern border Of Samaria, crossing
the Jordan at a point south of the river
Jabbok. He sent messengers to a
Samaritan village to prepare the way
for Him, and when the Samaritans re-
fused Him entrance because His face
was set towards Jerusalem, James and
John showed their "Son of Thunder"
blood by asking the Master to "call
down fire from heaven to consum
them as Elijah did"
In this vicinity also we have the ac-
count of the enthusiastic man who
said to the Lord that he would follow
Him whithersoever He went and Of
the other two Of whom Jesus called TO
become His followers and who asked
leave, the one to bury his father and
the other to bid his friends farewell.
Passing over into Perea He sent out
the seventy to go two and two before
Him into all the cities and places He
intended to visit, giving them specific
directions as to their equipments, and
how they should demean themselves.
1t was in connection with this event
that He pronounced the terrible woes
against the cities of Galilee that had
enjoyed such exalted privileges and
failed to accept Him. We have no de-
tailed account of the mission Of the
seventy, but only the statement that
they returned with joy, saying, Lord,
even the devils are subject unto us in
thy name" z.
A Lawyer Beat at His Own Trade, .
1t was somewhere on the journey,
we can't tell the time or place, that a
certain lawyer" came to Him with
the most important question that ever
occupied the human mind Master,
what shall ! do to inherit eternal lifef''
There was nothing wrong in the ques-
ton if the man was actuated by the
proper motive in the asking. Being q
lawyer or scribe, he was n man of edu-
cation and high social standing, and
it might be presumed that he would
be governed by sincere motives. We
have a right to expect the proper thing
from men of such standing in society.
In his position he ought to have been a
model of propriety in all high ques-
tions of religion and morals. But
Jesus discerned the heart of this man,
and knew at n that it was a tempt.
ing" question. He was not concerned
about the true answer to his question,
but was only testing the orthodoxy and
ability of this notable teacher OF
whom he had likely heard much. II
was a question of a self satisfied xealot
of the law, who would test every other
man by his w elf-constituted stand
ard Of orthodoxy. He didn't appreci
ate the true significance of the great
question he so fippantly asked This
eternal life" with him was something
in the future, but not a present acQui'
sition to be enjoyed now. Such {
question could never get an answer
direct from Jesus, He never gratified
idle curiosity. He would make thii
man answer his own question. III
was a scribe whose business 1t was Il
know and interpret the Scriptures,
Jesus would answer him by askinl
him a question. HE said unto him,
what is written in the law how read
est thouH' He was caught in his owl
trap, but showed that he was an exper'
scholar in the Jewish Scriptures bJ
promptly answering in the language d
our golden text, verse 81. And Jesui
said unto him, Thou answerest right
this do and thou shalt live" I imag
inc the emphasis was on the "do. :
This was making short work of it
What was written" settled the ques
tion. His own Jewish law met thu
case and he had no need to apply fol
any new doctrine Of eternal life
Love to God and love to. man was TIL
highest measure of mans religion
capacity. He that loves God with tn,
whole heart, and soul, and strength
and mind, and his neighbor as himscl
meets all the conditions that bring If,
into the soul here and now, and per
, petuates it through the eternal here
after. But this lawyer evidently dii
not measure up to his own standard
: There was a sense Of want in his soul
> and he, willing to Justify himself
said unto Jesus, who is my neighbour
The degree in which he kept the Law
Of love would depend upon the answe
to this question And here was
; chance for quibbling again, for thi
was a disputed question Never, hal
it entered into the thought of this Law
yer, however, to carry the definitiol
of "neighbor'' beyond the nationally
of tha Iauu Iasna wonld maka M