The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1912-10-11
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNl6XS0bOOL
LESSON
By e. o. SELLERS. Director Of Evening
Department. the Moody Bible institute.
Chicago)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER u
CLEAN AND UNcleAN.

LESSON TExT-Mark tia
GOLDEN TExT-"fos the Kingdom Of
God 10 not eating and drinking. but right
eousness and peace and Joy In the Holy
Ghost" Rom. N:i7 r v.
This lesson deals with the last Of
those four events that marked the
crisis In the life Of Jesus at Caperna-
um. II occurred Just before the third
period Of his 0alilean ministry and bis
nnal departure for jerusalem.
Lessons II. and VII. Of the second
quarter Of this year showed Us Jesus
attitude towards the law. Here we
see his attitude towards rabbinical ira.
dition. "a They are the traditions Of
men. and not the law Of God t2) They
were made q pretext whereby men
evaded the commands Of the law.
We see before US three general divi.
sions, 1.-The accusation, v. 1.5; H.
The answer, '. S.13, and llI.--The ap
plication, v. 1923.
Ceremonial Neglected.
The growing hatred Of the Phari.
sees led them to make the long jour.
ney from jerusalem that they might
observe him and flnd wherein to &C.
cuse him. While they were studying
him tbey NJ the same time revealed
their ideal OF the kingdom Of God.
They took special notice that the dis.
ciples OF Jesus ate without the careful
observance Of the ceremonial, cleans.
inr of their hands We must not nm.
derstand this 10 mean 40 much the
removal Of actual unclcanness but
rather tina, the disciples had neglect.
cd the ceremonial oseryance of the
washing Of hands Of which the phari.
aces were 40 punctiIious, Mark ~. q
and A. adds Illumination by calling
especial attention to these traditions
to which the Jews adhered no tena.
ciouslv. Thus We can ace TINT their
ideal Of mans relation IN God was
largely n matter Of external ceremony.
Purity to them was an outward mat.
tor somc,hing largely governed nv the
traditions OF men and which thew had
Of Jesus reveals n very opposite ideal
lie begins by calling the Pharisees
hypocrites. A hypocrite in n play
actor one wbo hides behind N mask
| Then annIyinp the pronhecy NJ Isaiah
Jesus tells the Pharisees that thew
are hiding their true character behind
the mask OF ceremonial cleansing.
Such play acting Is but n moor imi.
tation Of the real heart condition de.
manded BY God ops. 5l:lo,. Their
hearts were far from God even though
with their Inns they professed 10
serve him. and many like things
We do" The service which Is pleas.
Ing To God In the doing of his will. II
consists not in the fulfilling Of n rit.
usl. but In the fulfillment OF life. q. T..
a growing character.
Disciples Pero,exed.
Jesus takes advantage OF this dis.
cussion and turning TO the multitude
upon whom the Pharisees would bind
such grleyous burden OF ceremonial.
ism and falschood Matt 23.A warns
them that II is not 30 much that which
enters into man that deiiles him, but
rather that which proceeds out of a
man. v. 10. II seems quite natural that
the disciples should be perplexed and
should ask Jesus what was meant BY
such a statement. Jesus answer, v.
1923. shows us very clearly that
these things coming forth. reveal the
corruption, within. Read Matthew
1894, IS, Gen. 6:5 and James 3:lO.l2.
Real purity IL purity Of heart, II the
heart be not cleansed, what will II
avail II we wash the hands? What.
then, 10 the application for this pres.
ent day? Clearly we are taught the
danger Of lip service without a change
Of heart. The danger of substituting
the good for the best. Forms and
ceremonies are good and have their
place. They are significant. They
are important teaching factors, but
they must not be substituted for q
pure heart. We must beware lest we
hide behind such q mask.
There ia here also the plain teach.
Ing a. to Jesus estimate of the Pen.