The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1906-03-09

Lesson I. How to Live in World
of Temptation to Profanity.-Vs. 49,
81.
Temptation from familiarity with
hearing profane swearing, so common
as to cause no shock.
Temptation to irreverent use of
Gods name and religious things.
Temptation to perjury, and to false
ways of pacifying the conscience.
Temptation to strengthen ones as
sertions by the careless, unmeaning
oaths which deaden the conscience
and belle truthfulness. Men might
be misled by untrue statements, back
ed up by the nimble or solemn-sound-
! ing oath; and yet be guiltless of per-
jury"
80. Said by them of old time" The
early law of the nation with an old
traditional Interpretation. Thou shalt
not forswear myself" etc. Practically
one application OF the third command
ment (Ex. 20:7), expressed in other
words in Lev. 1912; Mum. 1912; Deut.
1921. This commandment was linn
tied by the Scribes to false swearing.
They interpreted it to apply only TO
oaths which contained the name OF
God; other oaths were not binding.
They were exceedingly particular
about using the sacred name of Jeho-
yah, refusing to pronounce it even
in the sacred books. Compare Matt.
23:16-22. But shalt perform unto
the Lord thine oaths." The religious
oaths, the oath-bound promises Of
sacrifice or VOW must be kept i'm
plying that laXity and carelessness
as to oath-bound promises to men,
would not make them guilty of per-
jury. So Bishop Carpenter.
"a. But / say unto you" Stating
the true principle and Interpretation
Of the law, its real heart. Swear not
at ALL" Jesus is speaking of common
life and intercourse with men, not of
! public courts of law. Therefore this
command does not forbid what are
called judicial oaths," that is a SOL
emn affirmation, as in the presence Of
God. This is not swearing" and
! does not take the name of God in
vain. The breaking of such aflrma-
ton is punishable by law as perjury.
Neither by heaven" for, that being
Gods throne" is really swearing by
God.
80. so of "the EARTH and "Jeru-
SALIENT" and "thy head" " 36), for
that, too, is made by God, since you
cannot by your will change the color
of your hair.
81. Let your communication be.
Yea, yea" So live, so keep your word,
show such a character, that your
simple statement, especially if repeat
ed, will be more readily believed, than
that of a swearer when confirmed by
an OATH" Whatsoever is more than
these cometh of evil" Has its source
in the evil in the heart and in the
world. 1t increases both lying and
profanity.
Lesson H. How to Treat Those
Who Injure Us.-Vs. 3S-41. So. "An
eye for an eye" A principal for pun
ishment of offenses coming before the
civil court, and founded in justice.
much more so than any modern sys-
| TEN of fines, which favors the rich.
This rule was recognized in the legis-
lation of the Greek Scion. and in the
! laws of the Roman Twelve Tables
! The Pharisees applied the rule to pri-
vate wrongs, to individual action
against others, for private revenge,
with no unbiased Judge, with the re-
suit of untold evils, blood revenge.
and of almost endless feuds and quar-
rels. Most of the difficulty in this
command comes through confounding
civic with private duties.
SO. "But | say unto you. That We
resist not evil" or the evil-doer, him
who has wronged you. Retaliation and
revenge are forbidden. The spirit
with which the Christian is to meet
evil men and the evil deeds they do
to him, is one of love and peace;
seeking the good of the injurer. There
is only one way to overcome evil and
that is with good (Rom. 12.21).
We can see the application best in
the instances Jesus furnishes in the
following verses. "Smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other
ALSO" not literally, for that would be
like the Rabbits Interpretation, but
act in that spirit; exactly as Christ
did to the man i'm the trial who struck
him with rod. He did not turn the
other cheek. but expostulated in
dignified manner, and did not resist
by force, or ask for revenge John
1922, 23).
40. IF any man WILL" will to. pro-
poses TO. "sue thee at the law" has
some quarrel with you or thinks you
have wronged him, and wants to go
to law about It, and would take away
thy coat the undergarment or tunic,
/ implying violence. for he would first
have to take away the "cloke" or large
and more costly outer garment. On
your part avoid litigation, settle the
quarrel even If you have to yield more
than is just Agree with thine adj
versary quickly (Matt. 5:25). Listen
to Paul's advice to the Corinthian
/ g.f II -. F..