Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-05-14

also cry, but snail NOT De heard. ProV.
2l:lS.
Verses IA and 10 link this parable
with the teaching Of Jesus about cove
t~ousness and stewardship. Verse 10
is a most heart-searching me-. 1t de-
mands that we look well to the stan
dards by which we measure u con-
duct, / Sam. 1877. That the teaching
of Jesus was effective is evidenced by
the statement of verse IA. These
Pharisees were naturally cool, cynical.
calculating and their scotfing shows
that Jesus had probed them deeply.
Their love OF money-seryice of mann
mon-made them unfaithful in their
protested stewardship. In the inter-
vening verses C16-1S) Jesus condemns
their attitude OF seeking to justify
themselves in the sight of men, de-
claring such an attempt to be useless
in the sight of God. The methods men
exalt are an abomination to him. No
jot or title Of the law can fail. This
he emphasizes by an illustration about
the binding nature Of the marriage re-
~lationship. We get our suggested two
fold division of this lesson from l Tim.
AS.
Why He Is Condemned.
/. The Life That Now Is, w. 1922.
The revised version for verse 10. now
there was a certain rich man"-indi-
Gates even stronger than the King
James version that this is the story of
4 historical incident. Jesus did not
mention the rich mans name, nor
does he enumerate his moral delin-
quencies. Even morality cannot save
a man from punishment in the next
life. Nor is this rich man condemned
because he is rich. He is condemned
because he sought to enjoy his pleas
ures in this life, squandering his time
and his money upon sensual pleas
ures, ignoring the need Of those at his
door. Jesus had just told these Phari-
sees how to use money ". 81, see !
Tim 6:17-19. A wrong use of money
damns a man. A few paltry charities
u VNSi SCI Siito SiNSh loi ootCiildf
tious display will not suffice. There
was, however, no real Joy to the rich
man In his life as he sought sensual
satisfaction. Eccl. 1:8. Lazarus lying
at the door was a living rebuke to his
self-indulgence. Here is another Of
those vivid pictures that not alone re-
veals the misery but makes an indeli-
BILE impression on the mind. It Is bet
ter, however, to be a beggar, sore and
hungry in this life and go to heaven
hereafter, than to enjoy the pleasures
Of sin for a season and be forever in
torment In the life to come. The name
Lazarus means God his help" and is
an indication OF his character. 1t did
not look as though God was mindful
of his own" but the sequel a%bundantly
corrects such an idea. Poverty and
distress are not proof that God is dis
pleased with men, and we believe are
not due to any fault Of God. He prom
ises to supply (Phil. 4:19) though we
may sometimes hunger I Cor. ALL; II
Cor. 1927; Phil. Alp. The dogs were
better friends for Lazarus than the
rich mar though he must have known
who Lazarus was ". 24) as well as
having knowledge of his need ". 25).
Contrast the death Of the two. 1t was
a privilege for the poor man to die,
Phil. 1:G1-23, not so for the rich man,
going from this life he left all and
had no deposit in the bank of heaven
to draw upon for the future life, Matt.
1921; Luke 12:20-21. The rich man
had his funeral with leading citizens
as pall-bearers, the poor man was
buried" but angels we're his compan-
ions.
Positions Reversed.
u. The Life Which Is to Come, w..
1881. Unconscious of the need of 9TH
ers here the rich man is very much
conscious Of his own need in hades
when subject to torment and anguish.
There is no need Of trying to minimize
or to explain" nor to deny these
words of Jesus. He'll is for the will
fully disobedient, and was never pre-
pared for man Matt. BEAD. On
earth he saw Lazarus "at his gate"
now with Abraham, resting 'in his
BOSOM" Their positions are reversed,