The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-08-27
LESSON FOR AUGUST 30
A DAY or QUESTIONS
rssoN rrxr-Matt. nm a

LESSON TExr-Matt. MIA
GOLDEN TExT-'-They say unto Him.
Caesar's Then said He unto them, rem
/ der therefore unto Caesar tho things that
are Caesars; and unto God the things
that are Coda" Matt 27n n v.
Tho title of this lesson suggests
moro than tho portion Of Scripture Sc
lected seems TO warrant. We have
seen in previous lessons how thu Mas
ter condemned and denounced the
rulers by his teaching In parables-
This led the Pharisees to take coun-
sci how they might ensnare him ".
l6). Three questions were asked. ono
political, ono doctrinl and one ethi-
cal. Our next lesson deals with the
third question.
secret Msthoda
I. The First Question, w. 1872.
This parable of the wicked husband
man (ch. ~ seems TO have been
clearly understood by the Phariseee
". lb). While II stung II did not
bring them to repentance. Tho hard
enins effect Of unaccepted truth In ono
of its most terrible results upon the
human heart The record tells us
plainly (ch. 21:<O why these Phari-
secs were withheld from at once put
ting Jesus out OF the way. They
therefore resorted 10 secret methods
and endeavored TO bring him into con-
fict with the Roman government The
Pharisees entered into this plot 10 en-
tangle Jesus with their most deter.
mined enemies, the Herodian party
MARK 1919. II was q good scheme
from their viewpoint 10 get Jesus to
utter something reasonable and then
To turn him over TO Herod. who was
q puppet of Rome. These Pharfsees
scorned to pay taxes to this same gov
eminent with which they are now con-
nivins. They began with words OF
smooth nattcry ". ls). Tho devil 10
never 30 subtitle. 30 dangerous nor so
malicious a. when be natters. Aparo
from Jesus each party would have
given quito q different reply TO this
question. In fancy We can SEQ them
as they must have gloatingly ex-
claimed. "Now we will see him en-
trapped" II Jesus declared IL Illegal
to pay tribute to Caesar they could at
once formulate o charge OF sedition
against him. On the other hand. for
him to declare Il proper thus 70 pay
tribute TO foreign government would
seem to them for him 10 dsny his mes-
sianic claim. according to their under
standing OF the messianic program.
Calling for Roman denarius. q
legal taxpaying coin worth about II
cents, he asked. Whose is this image
and superscriptionr Caesars" they
reply. and by those words they have
caught themselves and not Jesus. His
reply was. in effect. Very well, you
accept the money OF Rome. you must
by that act accept the responsibility
which accompanies H." Jesus first Of
all denounces their hypocrisy and then
exposes the folly Of their question.
His Teaching 10 Plain.
". The Second Question, v. 1854.
The rationalistio sadduceea who did
not believe In the resurrection at all.
now try to entrap Jesus by question
ing him along the line Of their particu.
lar doctrine. Tho teaching Of Jesus
Ia plain and unequivocal as to the res
direction Of the body and the immor-
tally OF the soul Jesus seems In this
reply rather to ignore the hrst and
to strike at the second. which is more
fundamental. Their plan OF attack
was very scholarly and philosophical
and was designed TO show the absurd
ity Of his teaching and thus by ridi.
cule discredit his standing. II 10 nj.
ways q favorite way for those who
bubble TO imagine q suppositious case
and then to put q subtitle question. In
this case our Lord, by one sentence
demolished their well-planned attack.
"Ye do err. not moving the Scrip
lures. nor the power OF God"
The Teaching. Jesus here shows us
the true relation OF himself and Of his
people TO political questions. He rec
ognizes the authority OF human gov.
eminent and II IN his will that his fol.
lowers shall enjoy the liberties or
privileges which that government has
to Offer; at the same time they are to
submit themselves to its requirements
under one clearly stated condition.
viz. Gods supreme will. In SO far as
the laws OF the state are Just and
true and In harmony with the law Of
God II is the duty OF Christian people
10 support and to obey them. Jesus
would ally himself with neither party.
thereby avoiding completely with any
measure OF evil. We may likewise
maintain q similar relationship with
God and speak with authority In the
correction OF abuses. and In the direo-
ton of civic and national life.
We have purposely included tho sec
ond question inasmuch as the next les
son concerns the third OF this group.
which ought TO be studied as q whole.
Jesus was ever ready to meet any
question. lie never equivocated. but
lifts HIS answer out OF the realm OF
the controversial into that OF abiding
principles. Jesus denounced the n.y.
pocrisy OF his assailants. condemned
their ignorance of the law they so
loudly professed TO obey and pro-