The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-05-09

,
f(6IST53 -0IISCFITIl ment the word ldto-
$50 yer has very diff
ferent meaning
from our general usage 1t applied to
those religious teachers Of the Jews
who made special professions Of sane
tty 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 designated Doctors Of
Divinity. Our text, therefore, with
this correction reads, "Woe unto you,
Doctors Of Divinity. for ye have taken
away the Key Of knowledge; you en-
tered not in yourselves, and them that
were entering We hipdered." e..
"The Common People Heard jesus
Gladly"
1T was the custom amongst the Jews
that lessons from the Law and tho
Prophets should be read every day IL
their synagogues. The people were
thus familiar with the letter Of the
Divine Law and promises. The ma
jority of them, Of, course, Were Hitter.
ate, for educational facilities were NOT
what they are now. AS result only
a few claimed to have an understand
ing Of the spiritual part of the Law
and the Prophets. These We're chiefly
Of the literary and wealthy classes.
10 these the common people looked
for, guidance respecting the Divine
will and plan.
AS an illustration. When the COM
mon pccp!e heard Jesus gladly they
were T. willing to trust their own judg-
mems. but inquired, 'Have any Of the
S"".1cs and Pharisees believed on
!-:m?' Have the Doctors Of the Law,
the Doctors Of Divinity, endorsed II i'm
They have made q study Of these
things and we would rely more upon
their Judgment than upon our own.
But none of the Scribes and pharisees
endorsed Him, and hence comparative
~ few Of the people believed Him and
became His disciples.
The common people were hungry for
the Message which Jesus brought. 1t
is recorded that they said Of Jesus
teachings, Never man spake like this
Man." The nation would have gone
over promptly to Jesus had the Scribes
and PhariseeS, the Doctors Of the Law,
set the example and given the word.
Moreover, the teachings of Jesus har-
monized the message Of the Law and
the Prophets over which the Scribes
and the Pharisees and the Sadducees
had long wrangled and disputed. Had
the Doctors Of the Law been as hun.
CRY for the Truth as were the people,
undoubtedly all Of their differences of
Interpretation Of the Old Testament
Scriptures would have speedily been
solved in the light Of the then present
Truth and knowledge of. God, which
was shining upon the Bible through
the Holy Spirit, Jesus and the Apostles
being Jehovah's mouthpieces.
Tho Key of knowledge Buried.
In our text Jesus charged the Jewish
Doctors Of Divinity with the responsi-
pity OF haYing taken away the Key Of
knowledge, refusing to use it them
selves to enter into the great appreeia.
ton Of the blessings then due, and hid.
Ing it from the common people who
trusted them SO implicitly. We charge
that the same thing is true today. Not
only. were the Jewish people tUpical Of
spiritual Israel, and their Age typical
Of this Age, and their Harvest typical
Of the Harvest or closing time Of this
age, but additionally, now as then,
GOODS people perish for lack Of knowl-
edge" Wosca ", g. Now. as then. the
Doctors Of Divinity will not use the
Key Of knowledge themselves. to en-
fnf, >,,t;I, to-