The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-23
THE SABBATH SCH
INTERNATIONAL LESSON coMMENV
FOR JANUARY ~.

1xI.s RE-me"Ory ter8ess oSe4OsNoA4ks
mentary on the Days Lesson.
"a. "The Pharisees." In order to en-
tangle Christ the Pharisees joined them
selves to their religious and political OPP
ponents,, the Sadducees and Herodians.
In Christ's time the Pharisees were
strong party of the jews. While they es-'
teemed the Scriptures, yet they placed
equal authority upon their traditions.
They were outwardly exacting, but inward
ly very corrupt Christ at different times
rebuked their pride, covetousness and hy-
pocrisy in most scathing terms. The
Pharisees were leaders in the movement
which resulted in our Lords death. ITO
silence" Our Lord silenced the opposi-
ton, and He still, in many ways, does the
same thing. When God moves opposing
influences must give way. "Were gathered
together" For the purpose of ensnaring
Him in His talk.
IS. "a lawyer" A scribe. A profess
sonal interpreter of the law of Moses.
Usually suca noted scribe was teacher
and had a company of disciples about
him. Tempting, Him" Or testing Him.
He laid theological trap, but the hoped
for prey walked throughrit and left him
in it.
SO. (Which" Of what nature is the
great commandment in the law? "The
great commandment" This was a. dis
puted question among their doctors of the
law. Some ascribed first place to the law Of
sacrifices, others to the law of circumci-
sion, others to the law of the Sabbath,
while some gave this distinction to the.
law of meats. But Jesus, with much bet
ter reasc decided in favor of COM.
mandmen. inclusive of the whole of piety,
and leading to every holy temper, word
and work.
81. "rhou.Y Christ makes this per-
sonal matter; He does not speak in a gen.
eral way, but He brings the truth home.
to His questioner. "Shalt." There is no,
chance for cavil here; no ambiguous ex-
pressioEs. "Love the Lord thy God"
The religion of the Bible does not consist.
in good external acts. in prayers, in, in our, "
the law, or in being made happy, but in
heart" The heart is the seat of the at
will. "All thy soul" He loves God with
all his soul, or rather, with all his life,
who is ready to give up his life for His
sake-to endure and suffer rather than to
dishonor God. Soul is the individual ex-
istenee, the person himself. "All thy
mind" The intellect belongs to God and
we are to love Him to the extent of Civ
ing all our mental powers in His service.
3s. ''This is the first" In () antiquity,
(2) dignity, (3) excellence, (4) justice, (5l
suficiency, 10y fruitfllness, (7) virtue and
efficacy, (8) extert, (9) necessity, (l0) du-
ration. "And great" This love is also
the best, the noblest, the most elevating,
purifying, enlarging act of the soul. This
is the greatest commandment. !. Be
cause it is the fountain of the obedience
of all the commandments. 2. Because
the commandments are not:obeyed except
the obedience spring from love. 8. Be
cause the commandments are not satisfied
except the whole man, with all his pow
ers of soul and body, obey in all things.
SO. "The second" The first table of
the law defines our duty to God; the sec
ond, our duty to our heighbor: "Is like.
Of a like nature, embracing the whole of
SELF" This love is the principle from
which flows the golden rule" in practice,
and the perfect keeping of all the COM
mandments which refer to our duties to
our fellow-men. If we measure up to this
commandment, /. We will not hate our
neighbor. 2. We will recognize his rights.
3. We will protect his interests. 4. We
will actually love him. We are even re-
quired to love our enemies. Love to our
neighbor should be especially directed to
the good of his soul.
40. Hang all the law" These two
commandments contain the substance OF
all the religious and moral duties con-,
tanned in the law and the prophets, which,
therefore, may be all said to hang or de-;
pend on them. Love is the spirit of the
whole law 1t is the more excellent way
Il Cor. .l2: 81; IL: l-l3); the fulfilling of
the law (Rom. l3: lO); the end Of the law,
Tim. l: S.
Al. "Were-together." During this in
terview, while Jesus was still teaching In
the tenn pie. "Jesus asked them" They
had been asking Him many question and
had tried to entangle Him in His talk,
and now He, in turn, asks them question.
AZ. "What think We of Christ? Whose
Son is He" This was an easy question,
and was answered very readily. The
question is still pertinent: What think
"ye" of Christ ?-As to His Chains to di-
vinity? Was He the ideal: sinless Man;
oodiment of the divine perfections? Was
ne, and is He our Prophet, Priest and
King; our Teacher, Saviour, Sanctiher,
I1edler. Wy answer W tHeoS quSoeiotio 70,
Yes, He is. But what think "ye" of
Christ? To them that 'believe," He is
precious "The Son of David" 1t was
fact we'll known and universally acknowl-
edged among the Jews that the Messiah
was to spring from the family of David.
43. "How, then, doth David?" He asks
another question which is not 30 easily
explained. "In spirit" Under the in
spiration of the Holy Spirit David had
called Christ Lord. The question was ".
45), If the Messiah is to be David's Son,
as you say, how can He be Dayid's Lord?,
Jesus did not desire to ensnare them, but
His purpose was to instruct them.
A.. ''The Lord saith" Jesus quotes
from Psa. ITO: /. That is, Jehovah saith.
Unto my Lord" Unto David's Lord,
or Christ. "Sit Thou" Jehovah here
gives Christ the place OF the greatest emi-,
nence and authority, at His own right:
hand. Chime enemies Thy footstool."
God proposes to subduc the enemies of
Christ both Jews and Gentfles, and cause
them to acknowledge their Sovereign and
Lord. How is it possible for those who
iisbelieve in the divinity of Christ to ex-
plain this Scripture? Christ is Lord,
seated at the right hand of the Father,
md before Him the nations of the world
must bow; willingly if they will, willingly
,r unwillingly, bow they must.
Is. "How is He his SOM" He is Lord
n His divine relation to David, and a
Son as to lis humanity.
46. "To answer Him a word" Not q
nan was able to reply; they simply had
nothing to say; neither burst they ask
Him any more questions.