Evening journal., 1910-09-17


The Pharisees and sadducees OF
our Lords day were the leaders OF
religion. They hai formed trust OF
federation, so 10 speak, and rarel'
made an attack upon each other. al
though their doctrines we're directl
opposed The Pharisees acknowl
edged God and the prophets and tn
Law, and believed in a future If
by a resurrection from the dead
and believed I'm a coming Messiah e
exait their nation and through Il q
bless the world The Sadducees be-
lieved nothing OF the kind-they we're
agnosics, Higher Critics. They we're
making the best OF the present life,
doubling any future existence. The
Pharisees opposed Jesus because he
did not acknowledge them, but criu-
cised them, and showed the hypocri-
sizes of their claims 10 be perfect and
holy I'm the keeping Of the Law. and
reproved them of their lack OF SYM
pathy with the poor and less preten-
tious.
The Sadducees opposed Jesus be-
cause, from their standpoint OF I'M
belief, he was a fraud. But even as
a fraud they would not have bothered
themselves to oppose him, only that
they perceived that he was gaining
an influence with the people-an IN
fiuence which they feared might,
sooner OF later, lead to some dis
iurbance of the peace and unfava-
bly, influence the conduct OF the Ro-
man Empire towards the Jews. SO
while the Sadducees and Pharisees
both opposed Jesus, their opposition
vvas for different reasons
The triumphal entry OF Jesus into
Jerusalem, and the crying Of the null
titude, "Hosanna to the Son OF Da-
vid" the Messiah! awakened envy
IN the minds of the Pharisees. But
/ In the Sadducees Il produced fear
that the common people should be-
come SO aroused as to involve their
nation IN some strife with the En-
pire. The Pharisees strove to turn
away the sympathy Of the people from
the Great Teacher, and to this end
sought TO catch him in his words by
putting the question, rs II lawful
10 give tribute?''
They reasoned that II Jesus would
say. Il is not unlawful, they would
have little difficulty In having him
arrested as a leader of sedition anc
thus compel PLATE 10 put him e
death. They reasoned further thai
n Jesus should answer that Il was
lawful 10 give tribute to Caesar h
would thereby ALLEVIATE the sympathy
OF the multitude, which cried "Ho-
sannal" after him; for the Jews held
almost superstitiouHly, the idea that
they. as Gods Kingdom, must mol
nav tithes to any earthly Kingdom
= that Il would be irreverent to do so
excepting under compulsion. We no
tice how artfully they endeavored e
engnare the Master by complimentint
, him upon his truthfulness, saying
J master, We know that thou art truel
Not only 50. but they sought 10 i'm
press upon him their appreciation 0
J him as a Teacher-that he woul'
, teach the light, the Truth, at any cost
4 And 80 they said, Thou teachest tn
= wav of God in truth" And further
5 thew fortified their position by say
! ing. 1--WE know that thou REGARDS
a not the person OF men!
y These treacherous compliment
c were intended to ensnare him, but
k promptly answered. why tempt
e me, ye hypocritesT' Why do you ve
b your base designs under guise
4. speaking FOR the TRUTH SHOW \
" the tribute money" This Was, lite
81 ally, the census coin in which the q
le was to be paid. They handed him
n denarius, the usual wage for the d
laborer, corresponding in value
"a about seventeen Of our cents Jes
n asked, Whose is the image and S
m prescription" They answered, Ca
h. sar's." Jesus replied. Render un
ht Caesar the things that are Saesa'
AZ land unto God the things ina, -
hf Gods" 30 wonder the WHY nc
sees we're troubled 70 kno" NJ"