The Montgomery tribune., 1910-09-09
THE KINGS
MARRIAGE FEAST
Sunday School Lesson for Sept. II, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper


GOLDEN TExT.-"Many are called,
but few arc chosen" - Matthew 22;t4.
TIME.--Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 80. Three
days before the Crucfxion.
PLACE.-The Temple court at Jeru-
salem.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
The Kingdom OF Heaven Like a
Wedding Feast--Vs. 1, 2. And Jesus
answered the unspoken needs, desires,
and questions OF the people. BY para
bles, the most picturesque method,
compelling attention, but not antagon-
istic. The enemy could not easily at
to know 1t was full of light.
The kingdom Of heaven, the new
order which he came to establish on
earth, in which each citizen lived ac-
cording to the laws of heaven. The
king represented God. The son was
Jesus Christ.
This feast represents all the bless
ings which God has provided in his
gospel, enjoyed in large measure here.
and perfected In heaven. The en-
phasis Is on the marriage, the union
between Christ and his people. 1t is
the highest ideal Of love and friend
ship. 1t expresses intimate fellowship
with God, the mutual love and delight
In one another, the protecting care on
the one hand and perfect trust on the
other, the unity of purpose, of char
acter, Of hope, the abiding forever in
: e perfect home, all of which belong
to the union Of Christ with believers.
The Invitation.--Vs. 3, A. And sent
forth his servants to call them that
were hidden. Literally, ito call the
called" to summon those who had pre-
viously been invited; becasse they
had no timepieces, and the hour when
the feast could be ready was very un-
certain. This custom Is not now OBJ
served very strictly among the com-
mon people, nor In cities where west
ern manners have greatly modified the
Oriental; but In Lebanon 1t still pre-
walls. II q sheik begs, or emeeI In
vites, he always sends servant to
call you at the proper time. These
having refused to come, he sent forth
other servants, who were mot merely
to invite to, but to command the feast,
with view to create desire" Be-
hold. have prepared my dinnerc my
oxen and my fatlings, i. e., smaller
animals, as lambs. calves, specially
fed for the occasion. All things are
ready; come.
How the Invitation Was Received
VS.. 3-6. They refused without giving
any reason, they would not come. They
simply did not regard the invitation
as worth attending to. They treated
It with Indifference. They plead other
interests. Their farm duties. their
business gains, weighed more than
their kings service and good will
Others displayed active opposition.
The king was wroth. Any
ordinary earthly king would be angry
at the insult, and indignant at the fol
ly of those that refused, and would
feel the necessity of furnishing those
who openly rebelled In the act of re
fusing. There was no other way oi
preserving his kingdom. Gods "an
ger" is never passion, never desire tc
harm even the worst of beings, but 8
burning Indignation against wrong
Go yet therefore into the highways
Or, "the partings of the highways
the cross-road-, the places where
great numbers meet, "the broad, well
trodden ways of the world"
Gather together all botf
bad and good, whoever was willing K
come and by that very act showed
that they wanted to be good.
The fullness Of the time had come
The preparations were complete
Everything was prepared for the re
demption of man-heaven, love, tn,
atonement, the strongest motives, tn,
power of the Holy Spirit. The worl,
was in the best condition for the com
Ing of Christ Never before or sine
has there been so fitting a time-on
government, one language, peace
roads. synagogues of the Jews every
where. The Staying of the animals
an allusion to sacrifice. Only whel
the Lamb was slain on Calvary wer
all things ready for the marriage. TIL
long preparations for the Gospel wer
completed; the forerunner had don
his work; Jesus himself had com
from Heaven, and had taught tn
Jews the divine message.
The leading Jews had very much a
stake-their country. their holy cit,
their temple, their synagogues. thei
rank and wealth, their leadership c
the people. They were so busy wit
these, they were so afraid they woul
lose them If they accepted the humhl
Nazarene as their teacher. and obeye
his precepts, that they were unwil
ing even to consider his claims.
The kingdom of God was tram
ferred from the Jewish nation to th
Gentiies. The Jews .henceforth. instea
of being the people and kingdom {
God, would be mere Semitic natiol
ality. Many of them then and sine
belong to the kingdom of the Messiah
The Messianic kingdom is today tn
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