Catoctin clarion., 1906-08-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 19.
Subject: The Judge, the Pharisee and
the Publican, Luke xviii, 1.14-
Golden Text, Luke xviii, 13-
Tonic. Effective pravap


the Publican, Luke xviii, lila
Golden Text, Luke xviii, 13-
Topic:. Effective Prayer.
I. The judge and the widow Tvs.
1-S). !. "Spake parable" In re.
sponse to a question of the Pharisee-
as to when the kingdom of God
should come. Jesus gave them warn.
ings and instruction as to the coming,
and especially as to the need of being
always prepared (17:20-3D, and
naturally turns to the subject of
prayer as a means of preparation.
Men ought" 1t is their duty" to
do this. "Always to pray" The habit
of prayer in private, in the family and
in public should be cultivated. "Not
to faint" Not to grow weary and
discouraged because of the delay of
the answer. Why must prayer be i'm
Fortunate? 1. Not because of Gods
unwillingness to answer. 2. To cher
ish and cultivate our faith. 8. To in
tensify our desire to receive. Prayer
that is not persevering indicates
lack of faith.
2. "a Judge" According to Deut.
1918, Israel must have in all the
gates Of the city judges, who were un-
der obligation to administer justice,
without respect of persons. See Exod.
1868; Lev. 1915. Feared not God
man." He was unprincipled and
cared for no one but himself. 3. "a
widow" A widow, without influence
from a wicked Judge. "Avenge."
f.rt,, ,s,&l. 10
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's
death.
4, 5. For a WHILE These verses
show the abandoned character of the
Judge referred to. G. The Lord"
That is, Jesus. 7. 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
a poor widow, in whom he has no in
vt,tll
Father grant the prayers OF His own
children. 5. And If the unjust judge
will do it for the sake of deliverance
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 church is a
widow in Christs absence; she has
an oppressive adversary, being the
persecuting world, or the devil.
Faith" This word is sometimes
taken to denote the whole of true re-
ligion.
II. The Pharisees prayer Tvs. y.
12). 9. 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
yainlv supposed they had themselves
complied with the demands of the
law of God. "Despised others Dis
dained, treated them with contempt
10. Two men," Both Jews. Two
extreme cases are here chosen-a
rigid, exclusive self-satisfied member
of the religious society of Israel; and
a Jewish officer of the hated Roman
government.
II. "Pharisee stood" The Jews
were accustomed to pray standing.
The Pharisee went to the temple 10
pray. because it was public place,
and therefore he would have many
ewes on him. Il thank Thee HIS
prayer is a thanking, his thanking Is
a boasting, not of God but alone or
himself. At first he boldly contrasts
himself with all men considering HIM
self better than they. 'Extortion-
crs." Selfish, greedy men who take
away the goods of others by force and
violence. Unjust" Those who are
unfair and dishonest in their deal
ings. -. Il fast" etc. The law re-
ouired but one fast day in the year.
the day of Atonement Uev. l6:G9).
"Tithes." A tenth. "Of all that l pos"
sess." Rather of all that ! require.
See Revised Version. lie was clothed
with phylacteries and fringes, not
with humility. He felt no need OF
confessing sins. -,
III. The publican's prayer Tvs. Is,
1p, 13. publican. One employed
as collector of the Roman revenue
II was the basest of all livellhoods.
He felt that he was sinner, ana
shame and sorrow caused him to
look down. 1t was usually the Gus
tom to pray with uplifted hands, and
with look turned toward heaven Il
Tim. 2:8; Psa. 1891, %. "Smote--
breast" A token of anguish and
self-reproach. l am sinner ana can
not be saved but in Thy way.
IA. Justified" His sins were
b)otted out, and he was accepted.
THAT exalteth himself" Boasts OF
his own goodness. "Abased." Shall
be brought to shame. That hum
bleth himself" BY confessing his sin
and unworthiness, and pleading for
mercy from God. Exalted" Lifted
up from the depths of sin, and made
an heir of God. From sorrow he is
admitted into the realm of praise.