The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-03-04
JESUS AND THE sABBATH.
international Sunday school Lesson
for March 6, 1898.

THE LESSON.-Matthew 121-13 Read
Matthew u, and compare Mark 2:2S-2S and
Lake Gill
GOLDEN TExT.-The Son of Man Is
Lord even Of the Sabbath day.-Matt. 1913.
TIME.-Spring or early summer of A.
+ PLAcE.-capernaum and the fields in its
Ficinity. .r.o.. .ro,una
1t may be well at the beginning to
note the various kinds of opposition de-
scribed in this chapter, which were
brought against Christ to stop His
work.
Then taking up this particular in
stance, we can learn certain great prin-
ciples which will help us to see more
clearly our duty in some difficult cases.
But we cannot lay too much stress on
the principles by which we should be
guided as to the wise and right use of
the Sabbath. This question is one of
several concerning our moral duties,
on the true solution of which depends
our own welfare and that of our state
and nation.
/. The Rising Opposition to Christ
In this chapter Matthew has massed to-
gether the acts of opposition to Christ,
as he previously had done with His
teachings in chaps. 81, His miracles in
chaps. and 8, and His instructions in
chap. 10. Note first the two cases given
in the lesson. Because Jesus refused to
eat the husks and shells the Pharisees
had placed around the corn and meat
of Sabbath observance, they held a
council against Jesus. whose answer
was more miracles of healing and help.
Next they charged Him with casting
out demons through Beelzebub. the
prince of the demons, but Jesus showed
the folly of the charge, and warned
them against blasphemy. Again they
asked sign, and He pointed to sign
which condemned their conduct. Final
ly His own relatives, including His
mother, thought He was becoming in
sane mark 3:2D and tried to stop Him.
Note that the opposition was from
selfshness and blindness of heart, but
in the name of religion.
II. Question as to the Way to Keep
the Sabbath.-Vs. 1, 2. It must have
been during one of the harvest seasons
that Jesus went on the Sabbath day
through the grain fields of wheat or
barley. The English call all grain
corn. They were doubtless on their
way to or from the morning service
in the synagogue, for "His disciples
were a hungered." The rabbinical law
allowed no eating on the Sabbath, ex-
cept in case of sickness, prior to the
morning prayers of the synagogue, and
they began to pluck the ears of corn.
The Pharisees. of course, did not fail
to note that the disciples of Jesus were
doing that which is not lawful to do
upon the Sabbath day.
III. Light on the Question from Two
Scripture Examples.-Vs. 3-5. Christ
replied to them calmly, without any
rough condemnation or sarcasm, but by
two examples from the Scriptures,
which they believed to the letter, and
whose Sabbath law they thought they
were fulfilling; and of persons whom
they revered as peculiarly holy.
9. But He said unto them. Have We not
read what David did when he was a-hun-
gered. and they that were with him,
4. How he entered into the house of God,
and did eat the shewbread, which was
not lawful for him to eat, neither for them
which were with him. but only for the
priests?
The argument was that if David, to
keep himself and his followers from
suffering hunger. could. without blame,
break a ceremonial law in its form,
while keeping it in spirit, ii must be
right so to interpret the Sabbath law as
allow His disciples to do so much work
on the Sabbath as was necessary to sat
isfy their hunger. The Pharisees ad-
hered to the letter, but not to the spirit
of the law.
5. Or have We not read in the law, how
that on the Sabbath days the priests in the
temple profane the Sabbath, and are blame
less?
The Sabbath was the priests busiest
day of labor. They profaned it by per-
forming the whole temple service. The
argument here is that literal cessation
of manual labor without any exception
whatever was never intended by the
Lord when He gave the law respect
ing the Sabbath.
". The Great Principle of Sabbath
Keeping Stated.-ys. G-s. Jesus did not
abolish the Sabbath. He is still its Lord,
He made it for man, and therefore it
must endure as long as man lives on
earth. The fourth commandment is
written in the law of God and in the ma
ture of man. 1t is not mere Jewish
law, but was made for man. This prin-
ciple is given in Mark 2:27: ''The Sab
bath was made for man and not man
for the Sabbath"
v. Sabbath Keeping Illustrated by
the Example of Jesus. VS.. 9-13. On an
other Sabbath Jesus went into the syn
agogue.
TO- And. behold, there was man which
had his hand withered And they asked
him, saying: Is 1t lawful to heal on the
Sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
II. And He said unto them: What man
shall there be among you that shall have
one sheep. and If 1t fall into a pit on the
Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and
lift 1t cut2