The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-05-08

those religious teachers Of the Jews VIII.
made special professions Of sanctity OF
heart and earnest desire to know Gods
will. as expressed in the Mosaic Law
and to teach the same to the people. The
corresponding class Of today are desig
mated Doctors Of Divinity. Our text
therefore, with this correction. reads
''Woe unto you, Doctors Of Divinity
Tor ye have taken away the Key OF
knowledge; We entered not in your.
selves, and them that were entering We
hindered." When the common people
heard Jesus gladly they inquired
"Have any Of the Scribes and Phari.
sees believed on Him? Have the Doc.
tors Of the Law endorsed Him."
Tho Key Of knowledge Buried.
In our text Jesus charged the Jew.
ish Doctors Of Divinity with the re.
sponsiblity of having taken away the
Key Of Knowledge, refusing to use it
themselves to enter into the great ap.
probation Of the blessings then due,
and hiding it from the common people.
who trusted them SO implicitly. We
charge that the same thing is true to-
day. Not only were the Jewish people
tvpic0l Of spiritual Israel, and their
Age typical Of this Age. and their Har-
vest typical of the Harvest or closing
time Of this Age. but additionally. now
as then. Gods people perish for lack
of knowledge. "-Hosea ", 6.
1t is this matter Of misleading the
people. deceiving them. that constitut-
ed the basis Of Jesus charge against
the Doctors of Divinity Of old. and we
believe that His judgment is very sim
liar today respecting the Doctors Of
Divinity of Chrstendom-"Ye have
taken away I've have hidden) the Key
of knowledge; We have not entered in
yourselves. and them that were enter
ing We hindered."
Necessity For knowledge.
knowledge Of God, the Bible de-
clares, is indispensable for the attain
ment of the great prize Of the High
Calling. Thus Jesus said, This is life
eternal, that they may know Thee. the
only True God. and Jesus Christ
whom Thou hast sent" John xvii. 81
We are not to understand this to sig
Nifty that anyone who has merely been
made acquainted with the fact that
there is one Creator. and that Jesus is
His Son, is on account Of this knOw'l.
edge to be granted everlasting life.
Our Lords words do not refer to
knowledge about God but to a knowl-
edge or personal acquaintance 'cnh
God and His Son. And such an init
mate acquaintance is not obtained
merely by al introduction, but by com
panionship; it signifies an intimacy
of acquaintanceship. familiarity.
Thus Jesus prayed for us, His fol-
lowers, "Sarctify them through Thy
Truth, Thy Word is Truth" Any who
neglect the Divine Word will fail OF
the sanctifying power and thus fail OF
the acquantanceship with God which
alone guarantees everlasting life.
10 those who have come under the
sanctifying influence of His Word our
Lord says today. as He said to His
Jewish followers eighteen centuries
ago, ITO you it is given to know the
Mystery of the Kingdom Of God. but
to all outside these things are spoken
in parallels and dark sayings. that
hearing they might not understand. and
seeing they might not perceive" The
outsiders-the Doctors of Divinity-are
not permitted the Key of knowledge
even so, Father, for so it seemeth
GOOD in Thy sight, Matthew ri. %. ::,,G
What Constitutes the Key?
The Key of Knowledge consists OF
the faithful study of Gods Word. With
an honest purpose to know the thing:
that are freely given unto us OF God.
This implies Il conservation OF heart.
for none others would really desire
that they might do the Divine will
And this implies also faith in ou'
Lords promise that ''he that doeth tt
will of My Father shall know of the
doctrine" John vii, ~ 1t is this
consecrated, conscientious Bible study
that is lacking today-that is being
discouraged today by the great teach
ers and Doctors Of Divinity.
Everything calculated to help Bible
study, to get rid of the darkness of the
creeds and superstitions of the past. Is
opposed-but not openly. But. oh. what
weeping of disappointment, and what
a chagrin and gnashing Of teeth will
come shortly to the false Shepherds.
to the Key.hiding Doctors of Divinity.
when they find that with all their Ell
deavors to bolster up shams and super
stitions in which they themselves do
not believe. the entire fabric of Csurch-
family will collapse. as the Scriptures
predict