The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-09-08
THREE
QUESTIONS
undsy Sehooi Lesson Tor sept. IL, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper


GOLDEN TEXT.-"Render therefore
unto Caesar the things which are
caesars; and unto God the things that
are Gods. "--Matt 22;22.
TlME-Tuesday. April IA. A. ID. 80.
Ihe same day as our last lesson.
PLACE.-The Court of the Temple In
Jerusalem.
suggestion and Practical Thought.
The rulers OF the Jews had deter
mined on the death OF Jesus MARK
11:1s). and were now seeking some
way OF ensnaring Jesus into express
Ing opinions which could be used as an
accusation for which he could be con-
victed In the courts. But by Jesus an
swers Divine truth was made more
clear.
The question was asked by a willy
combination of two parties. II was. Is
II lawful to give tribute to Caesar. or
not? The Pharisees sent their disci-
pies. learners. students. who would
come as those who wanted 10 learn,
aud not as the teachers who. being
supposed to Know. would appear to be
merely wanting to entrap Jesus, "A
cunning device" These would repre-
sent one side of the question. opposed
20 paying tribute TO Caesar.
Fierce opposition was offered 20
the tribute law which was regard
ed as an impiety. inasmuch as no Lord
could be recognized but God. g.
Others offered opposition TO the legal
ity OF the tax. while one leader. judah
OF Gamala. associated with a Pharisee
named Zadok. formed a party 20 work
solely o, this line OF attack. Then ven
geance was sworn against whomso-
ever should transgress the Mosaic law.
and the Zealots we're pious assassins
who imposed upon themselves the sa-
cred obligations OF killing all trans
gressors OF the law"
The Herodians were adherents OF
the Herods. who owed what power
they possessed to the Roman govern
ment They We'd with the Sadduces
In skepticism. and with the Greeks In
ncentousness. pandered to the vice
and cruelty OF the Herods and truckled
to the Romans" These represented
the other side OF the question. favoring
tribute 10 Caesar, and opposed to the
Messianic hopes OF the Pharisees.
No matter which side Jesus took II
seemed impossible for him not 20 seri-
ously damage his cause. II he decided
for either jarty. the other would be his
enemy. He was sailing between Scylla
and Charybdis. II he said II was not
right to pay taxes. he would be In col
lision with the whole Roman power.
which would regard and treat him as n
criminal. His career would be ended.
II he said 1t was lawful for the Jews.
the great mass Of the people would be
against him. and he would lose his
hold upon them; for they hated the
Roman government. and one OF the
first and greatest things they expected
Of the Messiah was dellyerance from
this subsection 10 a foreign power
1.-THE taxes were n constant cause of
revolt"
They say unto him, Caesars
pronounced Kaisar by Romans and
Greeks. II is the German kaiser and
Russian czar). Render therefore unto
Caesar the things which are Caesars"
The image and superscription on the
coin implied the sovereignty OF Caesar.
The Jews. by using the coins. in so far
were served by the Roman govern
ment. They therefore owed II some
service In return. This service was the
payment OF taxes.
And unto God the things that are
Gods" God as your maker. preserver,
giver OF countless good gifts. one OF
the choicest OF which was the gift of
his Son. their Messiah. had a right to
claim love and obedience from them.
Christians have to live IN countries
where the government Is not perfect.
and II is their duty to be good citizens
in them. the best citizens they have.
This was one of the ways by which
Christianity conquered the Roman EN-
pire. To have fought the empire with
their worldly weapons would have
been ruin: as Christ himself said:
"For all they that take the sword shall
perish with the sword" Matt, 20: SD.
Gods image is stamped in the soul
of man. II is sometimes soiled In the
mire Of sin. dimmed by the friction of
worldly cares, bent and distorted by
wrongs done and wrongs received: but
every man was created In the image Of
God. This makes Il possible to be re
stored, TO receive the fuller. sweeter
more perfect image OF Gods holiness
When Tamerlane was In his wars,
one Of his captains dug up a great pot
If gold. and brought It to him. Tanner
lane asked whether Il had his fathers
stamp upon It; but when be saw It had
the Roman stamp. and not his fathers,
he would not own t.
A lawyer. scribe. student and
teacher OF the law. asked. Master,
which is the great commandment Of
the law" Tempting him. testing him
10 see what kind of an answer the
wise teacher would give to one OF the
stock questions which divided the
Jewish teachers into rival schools. for
he realized that Jesus had answered
wisely the Sadducee's question (Mark).
All we have and are we owe to
him; and the only way In which we
can make any return is to love him
- ohax, him in love That ir oil thot