Newark post., 1910-09-14
Sunday School Lesson
By K. S. Holmes
Lesson XII. September Is, 1910
THREE QUESTIONS.
Matt 22: 1922 and 344o.)

Golden Text -" Render therefore
INTO Caesar the things that are Gaze
sar's: and unto God the things that are
Gods" Matt. 22: Il.
Jesus had utterly defeated his enem-
les OF the predominant parties i'll. Jeru-
salem in the arguments that ccntered
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 Comntittee omit the sec
ord question OF the series and call
the lesson Three Questions instead
of -Four Questions" does not appear.
There we're three questions asked by
his enemies. One, the first, is in the
lesson, and was about tax-paying.
The second was about the resurrec-
ton, a question which divided the
Pharisees and SaddEfees. This is
omitted fro mthe lesson. The third
was about the great commandment OF
the law. This is i'll 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
derfuly manifested. He parred 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: 1922, Eight
verses.
vs.. Is The Pharsees were the ex-
elusive religionists of the world OF
the day. If they were not religious,
none were. They were the real blue
bloods. of the Hebrews. They were
the children of Abraham. They were
the sons of God. Ii they were not
then there were none. These pious
men formed = company to discredit
this common peasant from Galilee.
They would entangle him in his words
lead him to say something criminal,
or int1ammstory, 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 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
\pirety plain, but they were doubt
IS political adherealts of the Herods,
ho thought that the best interests of
e country would be conserved by
landing for and with the Roman
brty in the State. Ii was crafty
bmbination considering the question
ley were going to ask: The religious
brty. thai would be glad 10 have him
hy, pay no tribute to Caesar that
leasing them he might offend the
domains; aud the Herodian party, that
konld rejoice to have him say, pay
Flute to Caesar, that he might give
Mortal otfense to the Pharisee mena-
bers OF the Sanhedrin. Whatever he
answered would afford one party or
he other ground for accusation TO the
tribunal he Enight offend.
This siteenxth VERSE shows how with
fawning and hattcry and hypocrisy
they began. That speech was one OF
the meanest ever made in the world.
The religious hypocrite is the meanest
man on earth. The great pity is that
after twenty centuries they still live.
VS.. u. Here comes the trap. Us it
lawful. etc If he said it is lawful
he would at once turn the whole pupu-
lace against him. SO they thought if
he said lit is lawful they would ac-
cuse him to tine Romans of treason,
and that aoHid, mean death. ahe
hate of the Jew for the Roman was
intense. The lax WAS the symbol OF
Their snbJugation. The most hated
men OF the day were the publicans who
were the tax collectors.
Vss 1910 Conid this Gaiilean es-
cape so cunningly laid a snare? He
was alert. He saw their purpose They
should have known he would He
made no direct answer. He parried
and laid a counter trap for them
Trying to e13trap me, are you? Why
do ye 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
lie had them then.
vs.. 20 He pointed to the head on
it. He asked, Whose is this coin?
What do the marks on it mean?"
What was the sense Of the question?
What does coin mean today? 1t is
the absolute certificate of government
tai protection. The child that has in
his hand penny which is his own, has
behind hi mthe government OF the
United States. It will protect him in
his right TO his penny. That was what
com meant then to a Hebrew. 1t
meant law, order, security safety,
stable government
VS.. 2I. They answered his ques-
ton They should have lodged as
they did about the baptism Of John.
But they answered, Caesars" Then
how he came down on them. This
means then that Caesar takes care OF
you: makes life and property safe. He
asks a little return for what he does.
You have things OF Caesars He asks
them back. He has right to- Give
them back. And as for your duty to
God, do it Duty 10 Caesar; duty to
God. That is my answer Never was