The Raymer enterprise., 1910-09-08
THREE
QUESTIONS
s-l.v seh..l l.,.,, f~ Ss,s. IL 1910
Specially Arranged for This Pspsr

LESSON TEXT.-Matthew 22:l5-:3,
34-4G.s Memory verses 31-39
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Render therefore
Caesars: and unto God the things that
are God's.'-Matt 22:22.
TIME.-Tuesday. April IL. A. D. 80.
The 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
11:18. 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-
yicted 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. 1t was. Is
It lawful to give tribute to Caesar. or
not? The Pharisees sent their disci-
pies. learners. students, who would
come as those who wanted to learn,
and 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 sids Of the question, opposed
to paying tribute to Caesar.
Fierce opposition was offered to
the tribute law =. which was regard.
ed as an impiety. inasmuch as no Lord
could be recognized but God. Z.
Others offered opposition to the legal
ity Of the tax. while one leader. Judah
Of Gamala, associated with a Pharisee
named Zadok. formed party to work
solely on this line Of attack. Then ven.
geance was sworn against whomso-
ever should transgress the Mosaic law.
and the Zealots were 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 Wed with the Sadduces
In skepticism. and with the Greeks In
licentiousness. pandered to the vice
and cruelty Of the Herods and truckled
TO the Romans" These represented
the other side OF the question. favoring
tribute to Caesar. and opposed to the
Messianic hopes Of the Pharisees.
No matter which side Jesus took It
seemed impossible for him not to seri.
ously damage his cause. II he decided
for either jarty, the other would be his
enemy. He was sailing between Scylla
and Charybdls. II he said It was not
right to pay taxes. he would be in col.
lision with the whole Roman power.
which would regard and treat him a. a
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 deliverance from
this subsection 10 foreign power.
"1rhe taxes were a constant cause Of
revolt"
They say unto him, Caesars
pronounced Kaisar by Romans and
Greeks. 1t is the German kaiser and
Russian carl. Render therefore untt
Caesar the things which are Caesars.
The Image and superscription on thu
coin implied the sovereignty Of Caesar
The Jews. by using the coins. in so IA
were served by the Roman govern
!: ment. They therefore owed 1t som,
service in return. This service was tn,
. payment OF taxes.
} And unto God the things that arr
Gods" God as your maker. preserveI
! giver Of countless good gifts, one o
the choicest Of which was the gift O
his Son. their Messiah. had a right I
claim love and obedience from then
Christians have to live In countrie
where the government is not perfect
.. and 1t is their duty to be good citizen
in them. the best citizens they have
} This was one Of the ways by whic
Christianity conquered the Roman en-
, pire. To have fought the empire wit
, their worldly weapons would hav
! been ruin: as Christ himself said
: For all they that take the sword shal
. perish with the sword Matt. 1853,
: Gods image Is stamped In the SOL
Of man. It Is sometimes soiled In tn
! mire Of sin, dimmed by the friction c
, worldly cares. bent and distorted b
: wrongs done and wrongs received; bu
|: every man was created in the image c
{ God. This makes 1t possible to be r,
. stored, to receive the fuller, sweete
! more perfect image Of Gods holiness
When Tamerlane was In bis war,
. one Of his captains dug up great pc
Of gold. and brought It to him. Tame
Q lane asked whether II had his father
4 stamp upon It; but when he saw It ha
: the Roman stamp. and not his father
a he would not own It.
;. A lawyer. a scribe. a student an
u teacher Of the law. asked. Master
!. which is the great commandment c
i the law?" Tempting him. testing hir
= to see what kind OF an answer th
= wise teacher would give to one Of tn
n stock questions which divided th