The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-26
Matt xxi: 34-46.

new and beautiful epitome Of the law in two
parts. One OF them He mentions as first, that
is. it naturally precedes the other, namely. love
to God with all the heart, and soul and mind.
This is in reality a repetition OF what Moses
said (Deut. vi: %, in his second giving OF tie
law Just before his death on mount Nebo CDeut.
X. l2). 1t was the same in folm that Jesus
gave certain occasion to a lawyer who in.
quired the way 10 eternal life duke y: 27).
There was eminent proprety in making this
answer at this time, because it affirmed what
the Master had sad and what all the Iabbis
ought 10 have known. Love 10 God should,
indeed, precede every other grace. There is no
duty equal To this, and out OF this comes all
those good qualities that glorify human nature.
piety then, in point Of time, is first. lie who
would be right should begin here, and whatever
he does aitcrward should harmonic with this.
NEIGHBOR LOVE jVerses 80 TO 4O)-IIad Jesus
paused there lie would have been misunderstood
and serious consequences would have come TO the
church in all time. Love to God, so He went
on to say, should draw after il love to men,
He even used a better word, neighbor, express
sing not merely a human being, but one to
whom we are related. lie had previously ex.
planned the word ncighbor Ouke y: S6) as de.
noting any one who needs our assistance But
here He defines ncighbor love, requiring that II
shall he the same in kind and degree as seli.loye.
That shows that He meant not an emotional
but a voitioral state, a movement Of the heart
that bestows favors. This law not only cnjoins
this exercise toward others, but in reality re.
strains the exercise toward ones self. It places
a limit upon all those acts that otherwise mizht
degenerate into selhshness. But what is partI.
cularly noticeable is the fact that Jesus says
this law Is like unto the other Just given. 1t
has one and the same origin. These two loves
do not spring up and grow separately, but TO.
stroke, Jesus declared that these laws embodied
the whole of Judaism.
CIIRISPS sONSHIP Verses II and i2).--It was
then the turn OF Jesus TO ask questions. That
was the mode of disputaton common in those
days with the learned. Filst one side and then
the other propounded a matter which his antag-
onist was expected TO consider, a very appro.
PIRATE mode Of measuring strength. Jesus in
quiIed concerning the lawyers view of Messiah
Whose son Is lie? OF course that was A leading
question, Upon the answer given another would
be Immediately raised But It was legitimate
At that time nothing more fully involved the
interest Of the Jewish people than the hope Of
king according TO the predictions Of the pro,
phcts dan. II; 40. The kingdom was the one
desire OF all. The question was, therefore, more
important than that put by the lawyer In ask
ing it Jesus had gained decided advantage II
the genealogy of the Messiah could be known
there need be no mistake when lie appeared.
With great prompness the answer came "the
son OF David" This was In iull accord with
The scripture Il Kings, II; ~, showing that the
Pharistcs were not ignorant on this point.