Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-02-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VII. FEB. 13-MATT:
S-17.
Golden Text: Follow Me''-Matt. D:9
The Call of st. Matthew-Some
Timely Suggestions to Teachers and
Others.

| The section includes merely the lesson
| with its parallels with a glance al,o at
| the course of Matthews story as tod in
| this chapter.
| The lesson belongs in the collection of
| incidents from several parts of Chrsts
ministry, brought together to illustrate
and give the authority for the teachings
| of the Sermon on the Mount.
In the last half of the Second Year of
| Christs Ministry.-The Year of Devd-
opment. II
Time.-The discourses at Mathews
| banquet belong to the autumn of A. d.
| 2S, after the Sermon on the Mount. Mat
| thew's call, given here to introduce the
| feast. took place in the previous sphng
3. And as Jesus passed forth. fom
| his house in Capernaum, where he lad
| healed paralytic Tvs. IS. He wentto
the seashore Mark 2:1S), probably On
| the northeast of the city toward tie
| mouth Of the Jordan. He saw a man
publican duke 5: 20. named Ma. |
| thew" Luke calls him Levi, the name h |
went by when engaged in business, bel
| fore his conversion. Sitting at the
| receipt of CUSTOM" dollhouse tol
booth, in Edinboro), or custom house,
for the collection of the taxes on fish,
or duties on the merchandise which
passed passed along the great roads to
Jerusalem, Tyre and Damascus and the
East, which conferred at Capernaum.
And he saith unto him, Follow me-
both in heart as his Savior, Teacher and
Master. and literally by taking his place
among our Lords constant attendants.
Without doubt, Matthew knew about
Jesus "And he arose." from his place
in the office, land followed him." With
out doubt leaving his business In COM
petent hands. There were plenty to do
the work. 10. And it came to pass
Some weeks after the call of Matthew,
and his subsequent choice as one of the
twelve. Jesus sat at meat in the house
of Matthew Uuke). MANY publicans
(see on v. 81 and sinners" Disreputa-
BILE sinners and outcasts, notorious Of
tenders. The Pharisees were quite as
great sinners, but in another way.
Came" probably at Matthew'S invita-
ton, to meet Jesus and his dis
ciples," in order that they might come
under their influence. and be saved. Sat
down." Reclined at the dining table
with Jesus, and were not mere lockers
on.
II. And when the Pharisees." Who
were also scribes Mark, the authorized
teachers of the law. They were large
and influential sect of Jews, who prided
themselves on the strictness with which
they kept the ceremonial law. which
they often made a substitute for the
morality Of the heart. Saw it" The
Pharisees were not guests, but freely
came into the house and looked on, ac-
cording to the custom of the East. Said
unto his disciples" Who were probably
nearer. And it was easier to criticize
Jesus to his disciples than to the face
of the Master himself. why eateth
your master" teacher, with publicans
and sinnersr' 1.-THE substance of their
charge was not that he taught sinners,
but that he ate with them, that is, min
gled with them on terms of social equal
ity."-Abbott.
u. when Jesus heard that" He
either overheard their words, or the dis
ciples reported them. HE said unto
them" He made two answers to their
criticism. one from analogy ". I'D. the
other from the Scriptures ". 49,. They
that be whole" Strong healthy, hale.
as the Pharisees imagined they were
morally. 1t is only they that are sick
who need a physician. So that the very
things on account of which the Phari-
sees objected and found fault with Je-
sus were the reason why he should go
among publicans and sinners.
13. But go ye'' to the Scriptures, with
which the scribes were familiar; but they
often know more about the husk than
the corn, the shell of the nut than the
meat. And learn Get at the real
meaning. What that meaneth." He
quotes from Hosea 6: 6. Compare its
spirit in l Sam. 10: %: Pisa. so: sis; Isa-
/: Hill; Amos 5: 21-A Il will have" I
wish in my people. mercy" deeds of
kindness to those in need, pity and help
for the sinful, land not sacrifice" the
external forms Of religion, without the
heart and the deeds they signify. For
/ am not come to call the righteous"
those who are already good, but sinners
to repentance" for they need the call.
IA 'oThen came to him." At the same
banquet of Matthew. Mark says that
the disciples of John, and the Pharisees
were fasting at the time Or. W, so that
the banquet was held on a fast day,s
and the contrast between the feasting
of Jesus and his disciples and the fast
ing of the hungry on-lookers naturally
called out the question, why do we
and the Pharisees fast Oft but thy dis
ciples fast not?"
The reply was by familiar illustra-
ton. IL. Can the children of the BRIDE
chamber" The bridegroom's friends who
conducted the bride from her fathers
house to her future home, amid festivi-
ties and rejoicings, to the marriage feast
Mourn" as expressed by fasting, las
long as the bridegroom is with them"
1t was wholly incongruous, and could be
only a form. Jesus reply means that
fasting, to be real, must not be a mere
form, but the outward expression of a
deep and sincere sorrow. But the days
will come" etc., when at Jesus death
they will feel like mourning. so sad and
troubled that fasting will be the natural
expression of their hearts.
16 mo man putteth a piece of new
CLOTH" unfulled, unshrunk, rather than
''undressed." as In r. ", which is an
unfamiliar manufacturers term. But
the cloth, just as finished as 1t ever
would be, would yet shrink in the wear
ing. unto an old garment" as a patch.
"Taketh from the garment" etc. The
patch, exactly fitting the rent in the old
garment would shrink more and more,
till the older and weaker cloth gave way
under the strain. and the rent became
larger than before.
II. Neither do men put new wine into
old bottles" r. V. rightly, wne-skins,
l. e., skins of animals from which the
body is withdrawn leaving the skin
whole. except the neck. which becomes
the mouth of the bottle. and the legs.
which are tied up. ELSE the bottles
break" with the pressure OF the gases
produced by the process OF fermenta-
ton upon leather weakened and cracked
by age.