The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-19
THE sUNDAY-sCHooL LESSON.
January 20, 1901: John xii, 20-33-
Greeks Seeking Jesus.


That is altogether superficial view which
looks upon the last day in the temple as
mere heated controversy-a series of dis
connected disorderly scenes. Jesus is conscious
that it is His last opportunity. AS workman
for God" He makes His final appeal to his
felow-countrymen. He calls His nation to re-
pentence, and then stands like rock in the
surf which He has invoked-unmoved, immova-
BILE. Savonarola, Huss, Jerome Of Prague, Lu-
Their, the English bishops, all dauntess REFORM
ers, all holy martyrs. have been nerved to
the last ordeal by the divine bearing of Jesus
He walked in one of the colonnades OF
the temple. like Greek philosopher Of the
porch" Unlike, however. in that He was no
mere dialectician-proposing and discussing nice
distinctions of words. A fire burned In His
bones. He must overturn eccesiasticisrn, and
bring the people to the simplicity OF goodness
He must induce them to love. and fulfill the
law. But the Jewish ecclesiastics. see
ing that the new order Of teaching will be the
end of craft by which, they have their
lving-beholding with horror the venerable fab
ric of the establishment topping to its fall
scurry and hurry to prop it up. and demand
sight of the credentials upon which the young
reforming rabbi is operating. 1t does not
admit of much doubt but that the chief priests.
scribes and Pharsees. the official representa-
tives of orthodoxy and conservatism. met Jesus
in a concerted His entering the
temple Secret word had been given out TO the
faithful. A plan OF attack had been drawn up
possibly to its mnutest detail. No quarter
could be given. 1t must be fight to the finish
They driven TO extremity by Jesus Tear
full arraignment OF them the day before and by
that exemplary and symbolical action. the
cleansing of the temple. which spoke even louder
than His words The mode OF attack
was indirect always the tactics of a coward
First the effort was to entangle Him ecclesiastic-
ally. All religious teachers must be authorized
who avouches for Him? What rabbi or San
hedrist? No shadow of unfairness or disin-
genuousness rests upon Jesus answer-"John
Baptist whom all men counted a prophet. stood
sponsor for Him. Would they accept such ac-
crediting or not?'' Fooled at this angle. they
try another flank movement. They VIII en-
tangle Him with the civil powers. and throw
Him into the iron clutch of Rome. Where are
His sympathizers? Is He Nationalist or He
rodan? OF what party is He? Is tribute to
Caesar lawful? Again there is no evasion in
Jesus answer. Far and above the realm OF
petty and party strife Jesus elevates the mat
ter at issue to the realm Of a divine harmony
of love and loyalty to God and man. the sphere
or living where God and Caesar each receive
their own, and there is conflict between duties
religious and political In the awful
storm OF the last day OF Jesus public ministry
there are three heavenly interudes of calm
First the widows offering, which Edersheim
aptly calls sweet picture an historical NINA
ture" She is only pauper widow; her gift
is the least which IL is lawful to drop into the
treasury, and it is all her living for that day.
She is unconscious of observation. But Jesus
approves her as the very incarnation OF true
religion and transformations benevolence.
Iasrf ia q
happy parentheses in the storm which charac-
terized the last day of Jesus public ministry.
But its significance is much larger than that.
II was more than a mere circumstances cal
cuIated to palliate the feelings of one beset by
persistent enemies. The Greeks were the FIRST
sheaf in the harvest OF the gentle world. Their
coming was a sign that the world outside OF
"Jewry." IL not within 1t. was as ripe for the
gospel sickle as the brown barley fields that
day were for the harvester. The very stages OF
their approach to Jesus are significant.
II was an evolution out OF heathen-
ism into Judaism out Of Judaism into Chris
tianity There also an exempihcation OF
the helpfulness OF human mediatorshp. Philip
must help them, and Andrew must help Philip.
1.-The simple self-unconscious modesty Of their
religious childhood dared not go to Jesus direct
w." There can be no doubt as to the gracious
ness with which Jesus received them. But even
these noyices as we'll as the better-instructed
disciples must be forewarned of the fact OF His
impending suffering. and the nature and effect
of IT, He is TO be glorified. not in coronation.
but in a crucinxon. He is TO die like the grain
of wheat which, by dying. muitiplies itself.
But here the true humanity OF Jesus is evident.
He shrinks from the humiliation and agony OF
the cross His "soul is troubled" He has
pretaste OF Gethsemane: but He has the begin
ming OF His victory well, crying: For this
cause came / unto this hour and Father.
elorify Thy namer The third sweet In
teriude in this moral cyclone Is the inenable
voice OF the Father. assuring the Son that the
Fathers name is bcnored by Him.
THE STUDY LAMP.
There were cycles in the life OF Jesus. For
eigners came 10 His manger and 20 His cross
wise men and Greeks. Fathers voice was heard
at the beginning and close OF His public ministry
His baptism and last day in the temple
minister. entering his church for
the first service. saw a floral motto the pull
pit The words were those that the Greeks
spoke to Philip. '.Sir would Jesus
The superficial reader might imagine that
the Greeks were moved by curiosity. No doubt
OF it-they had nobler motive. Their hearts
were touched 10 deepest depths By the wonder
working and wonder-speaking Jesus Theirs IL
an evolution In truth and character. ''Proselytes
Of righteousness. they come directly 10
..the Righteous One" = In their person
the gehtne world approached Jesus II was q
token of that day when no more stone By one