The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-08-13
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDMSQ1OOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR AUGUST 16
THE WICKED hUssANoMAN.
OBy r. q. SELLERS. Director OF Evening
Department. The Moody Bible Institute,


LESSON TENT@MMt n Sa
GOLDEN TExT-"rhe stone which the
head OF the corner" Matt 7i:0 r. ".
Tuesday morning Of this his last
week MARX li:20) the disciples saw
the fg tree withered away from the
roots Passing on they enter the
temple where Christ's authority Is
challenged. Following his discomfort
ing reply (2i:23-27 Jesus taught
three parallels OF warning OF which
this lesson Is the second.
I. Tho parable, w. 1850. II is q
story Of Gods long suffering goodness
and Luke (20:9) tells US that II was
addressed 10 the people. We need to
keep In mind the previous parable OF
the two sons (vv. 2s.32D In order TO
understand perfectly the method no
employed In answering the chief
priests. In tho FIRST he states a case
and appeals to them for verdict
without hesitation they replied and by
10 doing condemned themselves. In
this parable he states n case and asks
for a reply. v. 40. This they gave and
in so doing declared a righteous judg-
ment which must fall upon their mo-
tlves. In both parallels Jesus en-
ploys the figure Of a vineyard. In
the Old Testament this stands for
Israel, Ps. s0:s-il. lisa 81.
Kingdom Committed to Us
In this case II stands for the King.
dom OF God which is no longer identi.
fed with Israel but taken away from
It and given TO the Gentiles ". 49,.
The Lord was dealing with tho re-
sponsible rulers OF Israel. those ia
miliar with the prophetic writings.
His reference TO the digging and care
suggests that for his vineyard he had
done all that could have been done.
lisa. ga. Being fully equipped, he
places II FIRST OF all in the care OF
Israel. verse "a. Today II is In charge
OF believers, l Peter $40 The hus-
bandman did not own the vineyard. II
was only entrusted 20 his care. SO
In a sense. God has committed the
kingdom to US. does his work through
us, and OF a right expects an account
ing by US. see Matt ASIA. Is; Mark
1894. Luke 1917.
In these parallels We can trace the
whole history Of Israel according To
Isaiah. The fruits he looked for from
the vineyard "let out TO the husband
man" were those OF judgment and OF
righteousness. Their response had
hal ~ nnraATnftnU tho
prophets. III treatment OF those that
were sent, and q selfish appropriation
OF the blessings he had given. These
servants sent TO get an accounting
were God commissioned and Godin-
spired. hence Il IL small wonder that
such people would accord a like treat
ment OF tho king when he came.
This Is still the way the world uses
godly men. II Tim 3:l2. II reveals
the worlds natural hatred TO God.
John l5:ls. 10. Rom. ST..
Appeal to Hearers.
u. The application, w. 4o46. Jesus
then appeals to his hearers as to
what should be done to the husband
man. v 90. They declared. he will
miserably destroy those miserable
men and will let out the vineyard 10
other husbandmen. which shall render
him the fruits In their seasons" At
this Jesus reminds them OF their
Scriptures and what they taught con-
corning tho fact OF the stone rejected
by the builders becoming the head OF
the corner.
The masters question ". +O) sug-
gests the one found in Heb. 1925.
20. Historically. God did "miserably
destroy these miserable men" That
happened at the destruction OF Jerusa-
lem, one OF the most appalling sieges
recorded in military history. II was
then that the doom pronounced by
Jesus was executed when he said.
1.-THE Kingdom OF God shall be taken
away from you. and shall be given to
a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof" see Acts 1914: / Pet $50;
Rev. 60. In these words Jesus for
mally and authoritatively passed sen
tence upon the nation and rejected II
from a place OF service. II is signifi-
cant 10 OOstINo tlt VI iehT
ing upon the stone and being broken
or OF having the stone fall upon and
crushing all 10 dust. In the erection
of the temple one Is the keystone OF
the whole. On that stone the build
ers were now failing" and being
broken" lisa. s:16. Soon In their
corporate capacity. as ones entrusted
with a vineyard. the stone should
fall upon them" In the destruction
of the city. and individually and per
sonally as unbelievers. In q more aw-
full sense.
Once again In this lesson We face
the fact that the chosen people were
rejected because OF their unfruitful-
ness. that Is. they had failed 30 fulfil
the purpose for which they were
created. The sin OF these rulers was
that of their failure TO administer
tho affairs OF the people In the In
terests OF Gods kingdom. The fall
ure OF the people was that they sub
mitted 10 such false rulers. The su-
preme value OF this lesson is In the
revelation OF the wonderful power and
wisdom OF God. This is shown by his
a