The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-09-01
Two PARALLELS of
Judgment
Sunday School Lesson for Sept. 4, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper

Suegestion and Practical Thought.
Sustaining the Faith of His Disci
pies, which was so soon to be tested
to the utmost-Matt. 21:20-21; Mark
11:20-25. The fig tree on which the
curse for fruitlessness rested on Mon.
day morning, was found withered as
Jesus and his disciples passed by It
Tuesday morning on their way to the
temple.
The Authority of Christ Challenged,
and Christ's Answer.-Vs. 21-27 Mark
11:27-33; Luke 20:1-S) The Pharisees
came to Jesus and demanded by what
authority he took upon himself, to
drive out the money-changors, and the
cattle, and the dealers in them from
the temple. What authority had he
to call himself the Messiah, and to op-
pose those who were the divinely ap-
pointed leaders in the ritual of a di.
vipely authorized religion and TEN.
ple2
It was useless to answer them by
any statement of fact They would
have denied his authority. and made
his claims a means of bringing him be-
fore the Roman court. His deeds and
teachings we're known, and they could
have learned his authority Jesus,
therefore, refused to answer, but said
unto them, | also will ask you one
thing" not to puzzle them, but to lead
them to answer their own question In
answering his
25. The baptism of John, whence
was Il? from Heaven, or Of men? That
is. tell me what was Johns authority
for his teaching, represented by bap-
tism, and I will tell you what mine is,
for both are from the same source.
The rulers were afraid to express
their opinion, and said they could not
tell They could not do so without
making trouble for themselves, or an.
swering themselves the question they
asked Jesus. They were mere politi-
clans and not statesmen, or patriots.
Jesus therefore refused to answer
their question, and they could not COM
plain. II was very wise and true ac-
tion on the part of Jesus.
The Parable of the Two Sons. Good
Resolutions Versus Good Deeds.-Vs.
2S-32. "But what think ye?" He
would not answer their question. but
he would give them parable to think
of, mirror in which they could see
their own characters, and be led to re-
pentance. "a certain man." represent
ing God, our Father in Heaven had
two sons. Compare Luke 1911.
The First Son represented those who
made no pretension to the service of
God, but stood opposed to It In doc
trine, In character and In life.
The Second Son represented those
who had In form at least been carry
ing on the work OF their Father, repre-
sented by the elder son In the parable
OF the Prodigal son. This class In
cluded the Jewish leaders, and al
those who Joined with them as repre-
sentatives of the kingdom of God ir
the world. as his professed servant:
in upholding his true religion. They
we've particular about ritual and form
and outward observances. They sal
in the chief seats of the synagogue.
To both sons was given the same
command, to cultivate their fathers
vineyard. All Gods children are sen
into this world To make 1t bring fortl
the fruits of the Spirit, to make 1t {
kingdom of Heaven, In their own souli
and lives, and In the world as whole
The first son refused to obey. "H'
answered .. will not" Thei
whole conduct said 81 will not" AM
this continued for ages "But after
ward he repented, and went" The sec
ond son answered and said, go, sir
and went not" Those whom thi
son represented had said by their aC
tfons and professions, II go, sir"
Then, before thev saw the applica
ton, Jesus asked them to decide
1Whither of them twain did the will
of his father?"
The only possible answer was. 9Th
first"
Then Jesus made the application
aud they saw themselves as in mil
ror
The Parable of the Vineyard and tn
Husbandmen.-Vs. 33-4l The Vine
yard represented the kingdom of Goo
whtch was entrusted to the Jewi
planted by God with the rich and frui
full vines of the knowledge of God, hi
commandments. the institutions OF RI
ligion, and his revealed word.
They slay the Son, Their Only Hops
Because they wanted to keep thei
places, their honors. their wealth
their own pleasure.
The Result was that they lost al
They killed that they might possess
but II was the shortest road to entir
loss. Those who reject Christ In O
der that they may keep possession
themselves, their pleasures and hope
have taken the shortest and sure;
way to lose them.
LIVE WIRES.
The parallels may seem far ava
from us, but from them there con
1--we wires conveying living truths
our souls and to our nation today.
To go on In sin against all the NOR
-. - nod 10 IN ha IiLa a GRO coh n