The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-08-14

INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 10.

5uUJSSt' Aic Ouus5c9 Tue EHarlSec and
the Publican, Luke xviii, lid
Golden Text, Luke xviii, 13-
Topic: Effective Prayer.
I. The judge and the widow Tvs.
l-S). /. fSpake a parable" In re-
Spouse to a question of the Pharisees
as 70 when the kingdom of God
should come. Jesus gave them warn
ings and instruction as to the coming.
ana especially as to the need of being
always prepared (17:2O-37). and
naturally turns to the subject or
prayer as a means of preparation.
Men ought. 1t is their duty to
40 THIS. Always to pray" The habit
Of prayer IN private, in the family and
IN public should be cultivated. Not
10 rant. Not to grow weary and
discouraged because of the delay of
the answer. Why must prayer be inn
Fortunate? 1. Not because of Gods
unwillingness to answer. Q. To cher
ism and cultivate our faith. 8. To in
tensify our desire to receive. Prayer
that is not perseyering indicates a
lack of faith.
2. A judge" According to Dent.
1913, Israel must have in all the
gates of the city judges, who were I'M
der obligation to administer Justice.
without respect of persons. See Exod.
20: 6-9; Lev. 1915. Feared not God
man" He was unprincipled and
cared for no one but himself. g. "a
widow A widow, without influence
and unable to bride, had little to hope
from wicked judge. "Avenge.
The original means ito vindicate
ones right The rights OF this
widow were interfered with and she
was asking the judge for protection.
The widow is often taken as repre-
sentation Of the church after Christ'e
death.
4, 5. For while" These verses
show the abandoned character of the
judge referred to. g. THE Lord. =
That is, Jesus. Z Shall not God. =
We are not to suppose that the char
acter of God is at all represented by
this judge. The great truth which
our Saviour designed to teach is that
men ought always to pray, and not
to faint" The application of the
parable may be made by contrast.
/. God is not compared to the unjust
judge, but contrasted with him. If a
hard-hearted, wicked Judge, who
cared for neither God nor man, but
only for himself and his own inter-
ests, would yet grant justice on ac-
count of the perseverance of the
widow, how infinitely more readily
will God give us the help we need. 2.
And if the unjust judge does this for
poor widow, in whom he has no in
terest, how much more will our
Father grant the prayers of His own
children. 8. And if the unjust judge
will do it for the sake of deIiverance
from some vexation in common life,
how much more will God save His
children from their adversaries.
s. Speedily. Suddenly, unex~
pectedly. "Son of man cometh. ="
Whedon thinks this entire parable
has reference to the second coming
of Christ. He says: The churca is a
widow in Christ's absence; she has
an oppressive adversary, being tho
prosecuting world, OF the devil.
Faith This word is sometimes
taken to denote the whole Of true re-
ligion.
II. The Pharisee's prayer Tvs. 3,
12). 8. Trusted in themselves.
Jesus now proceeds to show another
reason Why many prayers are not an
swered The Pharisees did not trust
to God, or the Messiah for righteous.
ness. but in their own works. They
vainly supposed they had themselves
complied with the demands OF the
law of God 'Despised others Dis
dained. treated them with contempt
10 1.-TWO men" Both Jews. Two
extreme cases are here chosen
rigid. exclusive, self-satisfied member
Of the religious society of Israel; ana
q Jewish officer of the hated Roman
government
Ill. Pharisee stood" The Jews
were accustomed to pray standing
The Pharisee went to the temple to
pray. because it was a public place.
and therefore he would have many
ewes on him. II thank Thee His
praver is a thanking his thanking Il
a boasting, not of God but alone OF
himself. At first he boldly contrasts
himself with all men considering himl
self better than they "Extortlont
ers." Selfish, greedy men who taks
away the goods of others by force Anc :
violence. Unjust" Those VINO ats
unfair and dishonest in their dear
ings. ~. 81 fast" etc. The law re-
auired but one fast day IN the YEAR
the day of Atonement (LeV 1890
'sTithes." A tenth. aOf all that pos.
cess Rather of all that / require
See Revised Version. He was clothed
with phylacteries and fringes, moi
with humility He felt no need OF
confessing sins.
III. The publican's prayer Tvs. Is
141. 10. publican One employed
as collector of the Roman revenue
It was the basest Of all livelihoods
He felt that he was a sinner, anc
shame and sorrow caused him to
lock down 1t was usually the GUS
tom to pray with uplifted hands, anc
with look turned toward heaven q
Tim. 2:S; Psa. 1891, %. "Smote--
breast. A token of anguish and
self-reproach. am sinner and can.
not be saved but in Thy way.
IA Justified" His sins were
hlotted out, and he was accepted.
THAT exalteth himself" Boasts Of
his own goodness. Abased." Shall
be brought to shame That huns
bleth himself. BY confessing his sin
and unworthiness, and pleading fol-
mercy from God Exalted. Lifted
up from the depths OF sin, and mado
an heir of God From sorrow he 10
admitted into the realm OF praise.
niouthfuI OF Gold ard Diamonds.
Alfred Belt was friend Of the