The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-08-25

LCoooN MATT. Zz.I0-Zl.
GOLDEN TEXT-''They say unto Him,
Caesars. Then said He unto them, rem
der therefore unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars; and unto God the things
that are Gods" Matt 22:21 r. ".
The title Of this lesson suggests
more than the portion of Scripture Sc
lected seems to warrant. We have
seen in previous lessons how the Mas
ter condemned and denounced the
rulers by his teaching in parallels
This led the Pharisees to take coun-
sci how they might ensnare him (v.
15). Three questions were asked, one
political, one doctrinal and one ethi-
cal. Our next lesson deals with the
third question
Secret Methods.
I. The First Question, w. 1922.
This parable of the wicked husband*
man (ch. 21) seems to have been
clearly understood by the Pharisees
". 49,. While it stung it did not
bring them to repentance. The hard
ening effect Of unaccepted truth is one
VI lCS AlOSI lOl11OlO lO0ulIo upOn IAA0
human heart. The record tells US
plainly (ch. :46) why these Phari-
sees were withheld from at once put
ting Jesus out Of the way. They
therefore resorted to secret methods
and endeavored to bring him into con-
flict with the Roman government. The
Pharisees entered into this plot to en-
tangle Jesus with their most deter
mined enemies, the Herodian party
mark 1919. 1t was good scheme
from their viewpoint to get Jesus to
utter something reasonable and then
to turn him over to Herod, who was
a puppet Of Rome These Pharisees
scorned to pay taxes to this same gov
eminent with which they are now con-
niving. They began with words of
smooth flattery (v. 16). The devil is
never so subtitle, so dangerous nor so
malicious as when he flatters. Apart
from Jesus each party would have
given quite a different reply to this
question. In fancy we can see them
as they must have gloatingly ex-
CldlulSu, 1NOW We Will 6S0 AlIn Ou-
trapped" If Jesus declared it Illegal
to pay tribute to Caesar they could at
once formulate charge of sedition
against him. On the other hand, for
him to declare it proper thus to pay
tribute to foreign government would
seem to them for him to deny his mes
sianic claim, according to their under
standing of the messianic program.
Calling for Roman denarius, a
legal taxpaying coin worth about II
cents, he asked, Whose is this image
and superscription ?" 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 it." Jesus first Of
all denounces their hypocrisy and then
exposes the folly Of their question.
His Teaching Is Plain.
III. The Second Question, v. 1898.
The rationalistic Sadducees, 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. The teaching of Jesus
is 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 first 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. 1t is al
ways a favorite way for those who
bubble to imagine suppositious case
and then to put subtitle question. In
this case our Lord, by one sentence
demolished their well-planned attack.
eye do err, not knowing 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 it Is 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 it Is the duty Of Christian people
to support and to obey them. Jesus
would ally himself with neither party.
thereby avoiding completely with any
measure of evil. We may likewise
maintain a similar relationship with
God and speak with authority In the
correction of abuses, and In the direc-
ton Of civic and national life.
We have purposely included the sec
ond question inasmuch as the next les
son concerns the third Of this group.
which ought to be studied as whole
Jesus was ever ready to meet any
question. He never equivoc lted, but
lifts his answer out of the realm Of
the controversial into that Of abiding
principles. Jesus denounced the by
pocrisy OF his assailants. condemned
their ignorance OF the law they so
loudly protested to obey and pro-
claimed at the same time the immor-
tality Of the soul and the resurrection
Of the body. He emphasizes mans
responsibility to his government.