Middletown transcript., 1914-09-05

\ In this connection we studied last
week It was not SO much a ques-
ton Of placing one commandment in
competition with another, but rather
which commandment most clearly
epitomizes or reveals the final prin-
ciple in law. 1t was the business Of
this scribe to know the law and to
interpret the commandments. Jesus
in his reply quotes from Deut. 5:4,
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 be
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 is the inspiration Of
the 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, 9. g., in sin
cerity and uprightness; (b) with the
soul, with the warmth Of the emo.
tions, and the feelings; (c) with all
thy mind" the intellect, not as blind
devotee; (d) with strength viz,
with intensity Of service, with energy.
ITO love God with all the heart and
soul and mind and strength is to have
supreme desire for and delight in
Gods glory, making everything else
second to that" This statement is
but half, for the complement Of our
love of God is to love man. Man
created in Gods image was 80 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 first is to break the
greatest of the commandments and
therefore to be guilty of all, Rom.
1928. Notice the order is not man
then God, but God first. First in busi-
ness, in social life, in pleasure, in
everything, and not to do so is sin.
The similarity of these two is in that
the same principle Of love governs in
both cases. From 1 John 4:20, 21, it
would seem that the second is really
involved in the first. If we love God
whom we have not seen 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 is the very essence
OF the answer of Christ. This is also
the teaching of the Old Testament.
{see 1 Samuel 1922. Church going.
psalm singing, saying prayers, or even
reading the Bible are not a substitute
for love, either to God or man. We
are justified in Gods sight by our
faith but in the sight of man by our
works. Many who profess to. be
Christians do not seem to manifest as
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 service
must go hand In hand AS this scribe
recognized this truth he confessed his
recognition with candor and earnest
ness.
Human and Deity.
II. The question Of Jesus, w. 35-
81. Our Lords question in return
was a Messianic one and he grounds
his argument on the 10th Psalm a
Messianic one Jesus is inferior to
David as his son according to the
flesh but superior to him as lord Of
the kingdom of which David himielf
is a subject and not the sovereign.
Christ is both human and deity; his
kingdom is spiritual and earthly SOW
ereigns are honored If they are his
subjects.
III. The teaching Of Jesus, w. 80
40. The word doctrine" in verse SS
Is translated teaching in thu re- |
vision. These words of warning are
full of solemn significance. The
scribes, and they have their imitators
today, sought the places of prefer
ment, the seats Of honor in ths 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 covetousness and dishon-
esty by long prayers and a pretense
of piety. This brought upon them the
greater condemnation" Matt. 24:51.
Law and love is here again in con-
trast. Law must become life.
w. The View Of JESUS, w. -41-44.
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 as
a master teacher that Re saw right
at hand an Illustration for his les
son, an application Of the truth in the
case Of the widow who give out Of her
penury and because of her love for
God, supporting these Carping, selfish
scribes. She had two mites (about
fourth-ffths Of cent? and might have
withheld one except that the rabbis
forbade the Offering Of a single one.
Her love, however, went beyond the
tenth" and she gave "aIl," therefore
In proportion to their means she "cast
more than they all, see II Cor. S:12.
Offerings are needsd still for the
Lords work. Jesus is "over against
the treasure" and "isees" who it is
that casts in" how much they cast
and the motive behind the gift. The
standard of a commendable
offering is not according to our super
fluffy, but our deficiency, not what
will be missed but what Of sacrifice
and in proportion thereto. Not to
please man, but God. Read II Cor.