The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-09-04
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDYSQlO0L
LESSON
CBy Il. o. SELLERS, Director OF Evening
Department, Tho Moody Bible Institute.
rhICucn
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 6
THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS.

LESSON TEXT-Mark l2:2s-u
GOLDEN TEXT~'"Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with oil thy heart, and with
all thy soul. and with all thy strength.
and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour
as myself" Luke i0;2J.
This lesson considers a third ques-
ton asked OF our Lord: two others
In this connection we studied last
week. II was not so much a ques-
ton OF placing II commandment in
competition with another. but rather
which commandment most clearly
epitomizes or reveals the final prtn-
ciple In law. II wal the business OF
this scribe to know the law and to
interpret the commandments. jesus
In his reply quotes from Deut, b;+,
and from Lev. 1918, which are both
In a sense an exposition of the Deca'
logue.
Love the Basis.
|. The answer OF Jesus, w. 1884
The scribe's question seemed to DO
quite specific and 80 the Lord strikes
at once at the heart and by his quota
ton reveals to US the fact that the
principle which ia tho inspiration OF
tho law Is that Of love. In passing
we have here another illustration OF
the masters ready use and knowledge
Of the Scripture. Jesus makes a
four-fold summary. Man must love
God with (a) the heart, o. g., In sirr
certify and u~prightness; % with the
soul. with the warmth Of the emo
tions, and the feelings; (c) with all
thy mind" the Intellect, not as a blind
devotee; I'D with strength" viz.
with intensity OF service, with energy
TO love God with all the heart n
soul and mind and strength is to have
supreme desire for and delight In
Gods glory, making everything else
second to that" This statement ID
but half, for the complement OF II
love of God Ia to love man, Man
created In Gods image was so loved
by God that he gave his son John
3:16); man can do not less and must
express that love In service to others.
To fail in the Arst is to break the
greatest Of the commandments and
therefore to be guilty Of all, Rom.
1898. Notice the order Is not man
then God, but God first. First In bust
ness. In social life, In pleasure, In
everything. and not to do 30 Ia sin.
The similarity Of these two Ia In that
the same principle Of love governs In
both cases From John 1870. ri, IL
would seem that the second Is really
involved In the first. II We love God
whom We have not g g we must love
men whom we have soon and who are
made In the image and likeness Of
God. This scribe readily saw that
spiritual worship 10 the very essences
OF the answer Of Christ. This Ia also
tho teaching Of the Old Testament.
sec ! Samuel 1922. Church going.
psalm singing, saying prayers, or even
reading the Bible are not q substitute
for love, either to God or man. We
are justified in Gods sight by our
faith but in the sight Of man by u
works. Many who profess to BE-
Christians do not seem TO manifest ~
clear a moral and spiritual discern
ment as this scribe for they place a
greater emphasis upon doing rather
than being. upon works rather than
upon service. Worship and servics
must 90 hand In hand. Az this scribe
recognized this truth he confessed his
recognition with candor and earnest
ness.
Human and Deity.
II. Ths question " Jesus, w. o.
81. Our Lords question In return
wac q Messianic one and he grounds
his argument on the 10th Psalm, .
Messianic one Jesus Is inferior to
David AZ his son according TO the
flesh but superior to him a. lord Of
the kingdom OF which David himself
10 a subject and not the sovereign.
Christ Is both human and deity; his
kingdom Is spiritual and earthly SOW
ereigns are honored II they are his
subjects.
III. The teaching Of Jesus, w. 49,
40. The word doctrine In verse 80
ia translated teaching" In the ~
vision. These words Of warning I'm
full OF solemn Significance. This
Bcribes, and they have their imitators
today, sought the places Of prefer
ment, the seats of honor In the syna-
gogue and the chief places at the
feasts. The motive that governed
them was a selfish one. They de-
voured widows houses. and sought TO
cover their c~oyetousness and dishon-
esty by long prayers and a pretenss
OF piety. This brought upon them the
greater condemnation" Matt 24:b1.
Law and love is here again In N
trast. Law must become life.
~. The View Of Jesus, w. 4f-4%.
Jesus had one look Of love and com
passion for his friends and the needy
and another that was exceedingly ter
rible for his enemies, Thus It was AZ
a master teacher that he saw right
at hand an illustration for his les
son, an application Of the truth In tho
case Of the widow who gave out Of her
penury and because Of her love for
God, supporting these carping, selfish
scribes. She had two mites (about
fourth.ffths Of a cent) and might have
withheld one except that the rabbis
forbade the offering Of a single ne.
Her love, however, went beyond tho
tenth" and she gave all" therefore
in proportion to their means she cast
more than they ALL" see II Cor. 8:12.