The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-24

versaries."-Mark 12:1-44.
The Warning Christ's Foes.
Some superficial readers of the
Scriptures assume that conflict and
war have no place in a Christians
philosophy. That assumption will not
stand the test OF the fact. At the end
of His life, Jesus fought and died as
a warrior. He was bounded by foes.
Sometimes, He Himself dealt vigor-
tously and physically with evil condi-
tons. His spirit was that of mill
tant hero. There was nothing of the
pacifist about the Master. We see
Him in the present Sunday school les
son, at bay before His foes. the po-
litico-ecclesiastical hierarchy of His
day.
Obviously. this story of real religion
in sharp combat with formal, empty
ecclesiasticism is suggestion of the
gravely important fact that the Son
of Man came not to send peace but
sword; and that the program of war
for the memorable Tuesday of Holy
Week is still the every day program
of the church. The old war still
wages. The conflict between truth
and error, righteousness and selfish
ness, is still as real and keen as when,
all unfearing, the calm-eyed Christ
faced the sinister countenances of the
temple court of old Jerusalem.
1t is mistake to assume that re-
ligion reigns with undisputed sway
in the life of today. The atmosphere
of the Sunday school is not the at
mosphere of the big world; this stu
alton is what first bewilders and then
overthrows many an innocent youth.
The standards of religion and of the
world are Numerically opposed.
Christianity must maintain an atmos-
war nevertheless. It will not do for
good people to retire into their own
exclusiveness and ignore great and
blighting and far-reaching evils. Let
no enthusiast decule himself into the
belief that the insolent and active
evil speech and dishonesty are going
to be overcome by any other means
than the wise and courageous battling
of the forces of righteousness. The
Son of God is, at war; His followers
must fight. That is cardinal truth
underlying this dramatic day in His
life.
A Great Career Crowded Close
The impending crisis which He
clearly foresaw simpelled the heroic
Teacher to an increased intensity on
these closing days of His public min
fstry. The crucifixion was only three
days distant Jerusalem was thronged
with Passover visitors. His name was
upon every lip; He was the outstand-
| ing parsonage of the feast, whom all
l.
is full, beginning with the discourse on
faith, apropos Of the withered fig
9tree, as Master and disciples were on
the way from Bethany where they
had spent the night, doubtless as
guests of LAZARUS. At the very outset
the Pharisees and scribes began to
harry Him with questions designed to
tentrap Him into some admission that
fcould be used against Him in a civil
ttrial. He spoke Several parallels to
ia IF he ;f<
and uttered His excoHating philippic
against the scribes and Pharisees, in
speech that still seems to sizzle and
scar as one reads it. Only a superla-
tive warrior could have so spoken.
There is a dark pathos over the
picture of this day. Jesus was max
ing tremendous efforts to have the
Jews accept Him. 1t was their last
chance Back of all His strong words
lay heart of yearning for the people
He. loved. But in vain. HE came
unto His own, and His own received
Him not" John Significantly says
But tho He had done so many signs
before them, yet they believed not on
Him.
In the soft quiet of eventide. as the
Teacher and His little band of fol-
lowers trudged over the valley to
Bethany. He lifted for them the veil
foretold, in a picture which sets the
reader ashudder, the destruction of
the impenitent city that they were
leaving. The Jews persisted in re-
1ecting their King; therefore the dire
consequences were unacceptable.
A Trap That Failed.
The powerful temple ring during the
day sent certain Pharisees and Herod-
ians, whom they hoped Jesus would
not recognize, in the guise of sincere
seekers after truth. They wanted to
catch Him in His words, that they
m nrrt IT.
twisted into semblance of treasona-
pie utterance, in order to hahe Him be-
fore the Roman courts. What a put
ting OF heads together there had been
IN order to devise the trap that was
sprung! And undoubtedly it was a
clever one.
With the polite palaver Of politi-
clans and schemers, they approached
Jesus with lying words of flattery-
which were as false and reprehen-
uttered in the conventional guise of
the white lies" of society-saying,
Master, we know that Thou art true,
and carest not for anyone; for Thou
regardest not the person of men, but
of truth teachest the ways of Cod
Paradoxically. this was true tho false
On the lips of the men who spoke it
the statement was false; they did not
mean it. Yet, standing alone, the de-
claration was more profoundly true
than they could realize.
Then they sprang the trap. rs it
lawful to give tribute unto Caesar,
or not?" They. thought Jesus was
bound to be transfixed on one horn
or other of the dilemma; if He said
yes" the common people, in whose
favor He was intrenched, would repu-
diate Him., for they loathed the Ro-
man rule: if He said no then the
sharp talons OF the eagles would swift
ly clutch Him. Jesus parted the ques-
ton. He was more adroit than they.
Since they were not honest. and not
open minded to conviction, He treated
them without seriousness or respect,
and as hypocrites deserve. They were
simply foiled by His request for a
penny. and the terse comment. "Ren-
der unto Caesar the things that are
Caesars"