The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-08
Sunday School
Lesson
for
September 9.
INTRODUCTION.

CONTEXT. There was but a brief interval
between the events of last son and those OF
| today's study. Luke is tlv chief historian Of
the period. Matthew records in greater brevity
what is found in the third Gospel. Jesus was
all the time slowly advancing on his journey
from Capernaum TO Jerusalem. The seventy
sent to prepare the people for His coming, dis
charged their duty with fidelity and returned
to the Master with great Joy, TO recount what
had transpired, dwelling with much satisfaction
upon their authority over evil spirits. lmme.
diatey after our Lord offered His thanks to the
Father that the mysteries of the Kingdom had
been concealed from the WISE men and granted
TO babes evidently referring to these disciples.
1t was also about that time that He upbraided
the northern cities in which so many wonderful
deeds had been brought, and predicted their ut
ter overthrow and destruction. Then followed
His words of congratulaton and blessing ad.
dressed to those about Him. After which the
narrative is abruptly broken to admit the pass
| age OF our present lesson.
| COLLOQUN.--At the close of one OF Christ's
| addresses a lawyer engaged Him in public con,
| ycrsation, assuming the attitude of learner All
| others remained silent Two questions were
raised, "How inherit eternal lifeY and "Who
| is my neighbour" the second growing out OF the
consideration of the first. The lawyer mani
tested no malice. Being well versed in the
| Mosaic code, and deeming that to be the only
| "u'holitatANe Htdhudlu Oi ItllGlOuS uOtllne, nc
| desired 10 test Jesus (for that is the meaning Of
| the word rendered Tempt, and to determine the
| knowledge and skill of this famous teacher from
| Gallee, lie introduced the most perplexing
| question Of the time, Plato, born 4s0 b. c..
| and other Greeks, by the light Of reason, be-
| came convinced that the soul survives the body
| and scholars afterward held the same view Old
/ Testament writers assumed a future state III
| Sam xii: 23; IL Kings Xxx: 2l; Job xix: Z6), but
gave nothing very definite concerning it, Nei
| ther philosophy nor Old Testament Scripture.
satisfied the longings Of the heart or the ques
tions Of the mind. Consequently, there was much
anxiety Mark KID and some scepticism Niatt
xxi: 2S), which the rabbis endeavored to remove
by ransachng the sacred writings John v: S9)
The lawyer naturally sought Christ's opinion
perhaps because He had alluded to the subject
| (Matt. xviii s-9). SThe interest OF the coloqu,
was increased by its form. When the lawyer
| questioned or made a statement, Jesus did III,
same. There were two questions and two, as
sertions on each side, but Jesus preceded Hi
| second question with the story Of the Coco
Samaritan. This was a very adroit method. Il
compelled the lawyer TO answer himself to stud,
his subject under the guidance OF Jesus accord
| ing to a standard with which he was familiar
| We must not expect 10 find the whole truth il
| the lesson, but go much as the lawyer coulc
receive.
ETERNAL LIFE.
| LEGAL.-The lawyers question, "what mus
! dof" put the next life on legal basis. Jesu
might have shifted it, as Paul did (Aets xvi