The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-07

Crhe author win publish an Examiner,
containing 100 questions, on lessons of
Second quarter, at 2 cents per copy. Or
dcrs for same should be sent at once to
DR.. j. L. Gilbert, Washington, y. c.
INTRODUCTION.-T triumphal en-
try of Jesus into Jerusalem, studied last
week, occurred on Sunday. At night He
went to lodge in Bethany. on Monday He
entered the city again and returned at
night. Coming a third time into Jeru-
salem on Tuesday He proceeded to the
temple and occupied most of the day in
teaching His authority being questioned
by the chief priests, He replied, adding
three parallels, the Two Sons, the Wicked
IIusbandman, and the Marriage Feast,
the latter being set for our lesson today.
The first and second of these parallels
ought to be read with care as a prepara-
| tion for the third. Thereby one will OBJ
tain the order of thought and the state
of the Saviour's mind. Some have erred
| in supposing that the Marriage Feast
| Is only another form of the parable of the
| Great Supper, recorded by Luke (Chapter
| iv, %. They have indeed the same basal
| idea and many features in common, but
were spoken on different occasions, sep
arated by several months. The Great
| Supper was delivered before the enemies
of Christ had manifested their bitterest
| hostility; the Marriage Feast, after it
| was evident that they were determined
| to put Him to death.
| PURPOSE.-The motive prompting this
| parable appears in the opening words.
| 1t was part of the answer which Jesus
| made to the Jewish authorities (verSc u,
| an explanation of one phase of His king
| dom, which He called the kingdom OF
heaven Cverse -. Had lie said kingdom
| of Israel they would have been less dis
| turbed, because all their hopes lay in the
| restoration of temporal power He does
| not attempt here what lie had several
| times done for the disciples MARK \, 15D,
| to make them know the precise nature of
| that kingdom, as a spiritual reign over
| spiritual persons They were not able to
| appreciate any such ConCeption-it would
| have been "a waste of time and effort to
| seek to place it before their minds. But
| lie might set before them by illustration
| their attitude toward the kingdom, and
| what would be the result of their con-
| duct. This was the more important be-
cause in three days these to whom He
spoke would incite the mob, conduct Hin
| before the ecclesiastical and civil tri-
| bunals, and there by clamor and envious
| hate secure His condemnation to the
| cross.
| INVITAT1ON.-The parable opens with
an invitation of a king, sent by his ser.
| wants, bidding guests to the marriage
feast of his son oversees and ~. The
king is the Almighty; the son is Jesus
| Christ; the marriage is the union betweeT
| Christ and His followers. who are fire
quently termed the bride (Rev. xxi, o., th'
feast is that delightful fellowship which
is had between Christ and believers {
John i, y, the servants are the ministers
sent out from time to time to proclaim
Gods mercy, the prophets of the Old Tes
lament and the apostles of the New, rep
| resented here as the earlier and the late
messengers (verse ~ the invitation is the
call of every true minister who urge
men to turn from sin to God; the guest
are the company of these whom God Il
His mercy seeks to save. 1t will appear
that all this is highly figurative, but n
more so than many passages in the Oh
Testament. Two favorite images under
which the prophets set forth the bless
inCs Of tho new cuvcnant-that of a fes
tival Usa. XIV. g, and that of a mar
riage lisa Xxi, 10; Hos. ii, lD, are unite