The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-21
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON
May 81, 1sss-Matthew XIV, s1-4e.

When Michael Angelo would picture the judg-
ment he took the whole end of the Sistine Chapel
and peopled it with a great throng, in which the
| contrasts of bliss and misery appear. 1t is an
acknowledged masterpiece. Its colors still
| radiant in spite of candle smoke and centuries.
To most. however, it is disappointing. 1t is
grandiose AS Hawthorne turned away from it he
| called it a sprawl of nakedness."
Jesus description presents marked contrast to
the Vatican fresco. He dsdains scenic effects and
| treats this Incompatible event with marked
! simplicity. What could be artless than His
description of himself under the familiar figure of
shepherd? Division is the key to the whole
judgment scene, as Jesus describes it. The shep-
herd separates one kind from another-sheep from
goats. So in the great assize the King shall part
the good from the bad. For the first time in the
history of the world a complete and irrevocable
separation will be made as preshadowed in His
parallels: wheat from tares, good fish from bad,
wise virgins from foolish profitable servants from
Improbable.
Character is the crux of the judgment. The
sheep stands for innocence gentleness, teachabIe-
ness; the goat for ill-savored obstnacy. And
deeds the vocabulary of character. No COM
plete inventory Of good deeds. however, is at
tempted. Only few are given by way of ex-
ample. And these are named not in them
selves emitting those who have performed them
to be the heirs Of eternal life, but only as the
preston OF the hidden principle of life"
The alternate protest of the righteous and the
wicked give a thoroughly natural and human
coloring to this otherwise dread scene. The King
shows how completely He has identified himself
with His loyal subjects when He aff1rms deeds of
kindness done to or withheld from them done
to or withheld from himself. The protestation on
the part of the righteous of the inadequacy of
their desert for such inconceivably glorious
reward offsets in natural way the disclaimer on
the part of the wicked of all knowledge that their
ungenerosity towards Christians ungenerosity
toward Christ.
Though simplicity characterizes this description,
there are not wanting touches of sublimity. For
throne of His glory" 'All angels all nations"
nifty of the Kings address alternately to the
righteous and the wicked.
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES.
Son of mani. Lord assumes this title in order
to identify himself with the Son of man of Daniel.
-Whedon.
Before Him gathered: A personal. public, final
judgment on men according to the treatment they
have given Christi. F. b.
All angels, all men: How great publicity!-Ben-
gel.
He shall separate: The separation previous to
the decentralization.
Then shall the King Magnificent title here for
the first and only time given to the Lord by him
SELF. f. Is. A title full or majesty, and Joyful
only to the godly-Bengel.
I hungered: NO complete enumeration,
only few deeds of physical benevoence.-
Whedon.
Ye gave: Vast recompense! an eternal kingdom
for such trifling kindness-Bengel. Eternal glory
is the thanks He returns tor personal favors.-
Whedon.
Lord, when saw? Righteous not conscious they
had done such acts of kindness to Him. Their
humble reply no empty phrase of modesty.-Stier.
The surprise expressed is, that Christ himself
the personal object of all their deeds.-J. F..
b.
does He measure the infinite demert of their sin.
-Whedon.
When saw we Thee? The faithful do not esti-
mate their good deeds the wicked their bad, as
the Judge does.-Whedon.
THE TEACHERS CULVER.
| There is reasonable ground for belief in a gen.
eral judgment. The justice of Gods dealings is
not manifest in the present course of events. The
lots of the righteous and the wicked unequal.
The former unrewarded. the latter unpun-
ished. A fearful looking for OF judgment
dwells in human consciousness.
Scriptural proof Of the judgment is abundant.
Enoch David, Paul. Peter, Jude. John and Jesus
all affirm it in too literal to be set aside
poetical or parabolical.
The Scriptural order is the second appearing of
Jesus the resurrection, the call to judgment. The
entire human race obeys the summons. The "Son
of man. is the judge of man. He is seated upon
a white throne, emblem of His immaculate char
acter. AS mercy is the dominant attribute
opening of the books may be figure OF the
colating of memory and omnscience.
The decisions final There is no higher
| court to which appeal be taken. reversal
Conscious forgiveness through the atonement is
the only adequate preparation for the ordeal.