The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-05-09

:
from our general usage. 1t applied to
those religious teachers of the Jews who
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 thepeOple. The
corresponding class of today are desig
mated Doctors of Divinity. Our text.
therefore, with this correction, reads.
Woe unto you, Doctors of Divinity.
for We have taken away the Key of
Knowledge; We entered not in your
selves. and them that were entering ye
hindered" When the common people
heard Jesus gladly they inquired,
slave any of the Scribes and Phari-
sees believed on Him? Have the Doc
tors of the Law endorsed Hlm?"
The Key of knowledge Buried.
In our text Jesus charged the Jew
ish Doctors of Divinity with the re
sponsibility of having taken away the
Key Of knowledge. refusing to use it
themselves to enter into the great APP
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 We're the Jewish people
typical of spiritual Israel. and their
Age typical of this Age, and their Har-
time of this Age, but additionally, now
as then, Gods people perish for lack
Of knowledge. Hosea iv, 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 Christendom-"Ye have
taken away Ne 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 knOwl-
edge to be granted everlasting life.
Our Lords words do not refer to a
knowledge about God, but to Il knowl-
edge or personal acquaintance icith
God and His Son. And such an init
mate acquaintance is not obtained
merely by an introduction, but by com
panionship; it signifies an intimacy
Of acquaintunceship, familiarity.
Thus Jesus prayed for us. His fol
lowers, "Sanctify 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 acquaintanceship with God which
alone guarantees everlasting life.
To 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, %, &c
What Constitutes the Key?
The Key of knowledge consists of
the faithful study of Gods Word, with
an honest purpose to know the things
that are freely given unto US of God.
This implies conservation of heart.
for none others would really desire
that they might do the Divine will.
And this implies also a faith in our
Lords promise that "he that doeth the
will Of My Father shall know of the
doctrine John vii, 10 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.