The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1910-09-17
Sabbath School
NOTES BY r. S. HOLMES.
Lesson XII. September 10, 1910.
THREE QUESTIONS.
Matt. 81: 1922 and $4,000

Matt 81: 1922 and 34-4o)
Golden Text Render therefore
unto Caesar the things that are Cae-
sars; and unto God the things that are
Gods Matt. 22; 81.
Jesus had utterly defeated his enem-
les OF the predominant parties i'll Jeru-
salem i'll the arguments that centered
around his own person and work.
They were angered and intent at ali
cost to destroy him at the time of the
approaching Passover They changed
their ground from the prophetic to the
political questions OF the day. Why
the Lesson Committee omit the sec
oud question of the series and call
the lesson Three Questions" instead
of -Four Questions" does not appear.
There were three questions asked by
his enemies One, the first, is in the
lesson, and was about tax-payng.
The second was about the resurrec-
ton, a question which divided the
Pharisees and Saddlyees. This is
omitted fro mthe lesson, The third
was about the great commandment OF
the law This is in the lesson as the
second one OF the Three The last
was asked by Jesus himself. There
was no day in all his teaching when
his intellectual acumen was SO won
derfullv manifested. He parried every
attack, and thus he silenced his enem-
les. There is too much given for one
lesson. We will conhne ourselves to
the Caesar question and the David
question.
THE LESSON.
First passage; Matt 22: 1929 Eight
verses
vs. * The Pharisees were the ex-
elusive religionists oi the world OF
the day. Ii they were not religious,
none were. They were the real blue
hoods OF the Hebrews. They were
the children of Abraham. They were
the sons OF God. If they were not,
then there were none. These pious
men formed company to dlscredit
this common peasant from Galice.
They would entangle him in his words
lead him to say something criminal,
or intlammstory, or foolish. They
would turn the people against him by
making him say something he should
not say. and which the populace would
not like The purpose was not noble.
They set a trap for him with words.
VS.. 10 They chose some OF their
own young people C'disciples," Mat
thew calls them). and with them the
Herodians" Who they were is not
entirely plain. but they were doubt
less political adhercnts Of the Herods,
who thought that the best interests OF
the country would be conserved by
standing for and with the Roman
party in the State 1t was a crafty
combination considering the question
they were going to ask: The religious
party. that would be glad to have him
say, pay no tribute to Caesar that
pleasing them he might offend the
Romans; aud the tcrodian party, that
would rejoice to have him say, pay
tribute to Caesar. that he might give
mortal offenSe to the Pharsee mem
bcrS OF the Sanhcdrin. Whatever he
answered would afford one party or
the other ground for accusation to the
tribunal he might offend.
This sitcenXth verse shows how with
iawning and hattery and hypocrisy
they began That speech was one OF
the meanest ever made i'll the world
The religious hypocrte is the meaneSi
man on earth. The great pity is that
after twenty centuries they still live.
VS.. u. Here comes the trap. is il
lawful etc II he said it is lawful
he would at once turn the whole popu-
lace against him. So they thought il
he said 1T is lawful they would &C
cuse him to the Romans OF treason
and that wouldi mean death The
hate 0i the Jew ior the Roman was
intense The tax was the symbol Of
their subjugation. The most hatec
men OF the day were the publcans who
were the tax collectors
NSS 1910. Could this Ga 'iean es
cape 50 cunningly laid snare? He
was alert He saw their purpose. They
should have known he would. He
made no direct answer lie parrct
and laid a counter trap for them
Trying Ia cntrap me, are you? Why
do We tempt me thus: | know you
hypocriteS That is what you are
Show me the tribute money" Some
one found coin and handed it to him
He had them then.
vs. 20 He pointed to the head OF
it. He asked, Whose is this coin
~ nat a. inc lllfkS on II ilcGt.
What was the sense of the question
What does a CON mean today? 1t i;
the absolute certificate OF government
tai protection. The child that has il
his hand pcury which is his own, ha.
behind hi mthe government OF thu
United States. 1t will protect him il
his r;ght to his penny. That was wha
coin meant then to a Hebrew. |
meant law order, security, safety,
stable government
vs.. q. They answered his qucs
ton. They should have lodged a
they did about the baptism of john
But they answered, Caesars" Thei
how he came down on them. "Thi
means then that Caesar takes care q
YOU: makes life and property safe. II
asks a little return for what he does
You have things of Caesars He ask
them hack lie has RIGHT TO Civ