Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-05-19
Sunday School
Lesson
May &c, l2;l-44.
by BEN NEWsOME-

,''I attempts 10 tTap Jesus into Il
declaration that would either set
ltim against the Mosaic law, put
illu in antagonism to Roman au-
lHority or commit Him to a puzzling
question Of theological technicality.
j" all three ot these he replied open
~ and fully and each time threw
Il reproach upon His questioners by
pointing out their own failure to
ave up to the requirements OF their
own religion. In all Of these he de-
monstrated that, while he was the
Prince Of Peace, he was for war-
iare against evil practices and er-
roneons teaching, more especially
against those who made the law
their instrument for oppression and
wrong.
In the first case they figured on
getting Him to declare Himself an
enemy OF Roman domination. In
that case the road would he easy
10 have the political authorities ar
rest Him as revolutionist. But
Jesus showed Himself not concerned
about political questions. The
money they brought Him was Ro-
man money, and they hoped to, hear
Him say that paying taxes to Caesar
was an Injustice Instead He told
them that what belonged to Caesar
should be returned to him. but ad-
doi that what was Gods due should
be rendered 10 God. This left th-tR
In distress, for they had plainly
failed to fulfll the last condition.
lie advised always loyalty to exist
ing governments. He was not "A
preacher OF anarchy or revolt. He
only asked people to revolt from the
sway Of sin. He taught that fidelity
To government was n virtue on gem
oral principles, and that no man was
doing his full duty as a Christian
who did not do his rightful share
In defending his country when de-
fense was needed But, above and
over yl. no man wae good citi-
zen OF any country who did not rem
der his first allegiance to God
His enemies then sought by a
combination Of pharisee and Sa-
ducC" to ertanEle Him on the resur-
rcction. The Saducees, not believ-
ing in resurrection, thought the
question of man with many wives
having trouble with his marital re-
latiunships in the next life was n
ClinChcr against the doctrine Of res
direction Christ simply told them
they had not read their Bibles else
they would have known that the
future existence was "A spiritual and
not n material one, and that the
marriage tie, made for this life
alone, would have no existence there,
r l. 1 e, l.. 10
in angelic completeness. This is
the error many Of us make in the
present. We measure everything
spiritual by material standards. We
forget that this life IS only the test
ing ground to prepare our souls for
better existence. No comprehen-
sion of spirituals conditions can he
acquired by comparison with NOR
tai things The Bible writer's did
not attempt to give up a literal de-
scription lof things heavenly. be-
cause mNtal language cannot ex-
press It nor mortal intelligence COM
prehend It. We see through n glass
darkly because Of our human linita-
tions. So these writer's attempt to
convey the idea OF heaven and the
angels by the language calculated
to express the highest ideals of NOR
tai understanding, and the reader
who takes such things literally Is
cheating himself Of the. truth.
And the greatest commandment.
greatest because 1t includes all the
others. is that there IL but one God,
and that we should love Him su-
premely and love our neighbor az
ourself. The one means loyalty to
Jehovah and the other the subjuga-
ton Of selfishness. Let any man
live up to this twin commandment
and ne has lived up to all the others
II is the essence Of religion and
the sure guide TO righteousness All
the rest Of the law is but an ampll-
.fication Of this declaration. Even
tho Pharisee was moved 10 approve
Of this answer but II has been tho
hardest one for selfish humanity
through all the ages to put into prac-
tice The tendency Of most people |
is TO regard the love Of God ms an |
occasional esctacv, rather than n ,
rule Of life, and they have been toll |
Grant Of the welfare Of their neigh
bor only so far as # did not con-
flict with their own interests MOST
all Of them, like the questioner,
would acknowledge At once that this
statement Of the twin duty Of man
TO God and to his fellowman was
true, vet II takes quite an effort for
them to understand that this means
not a theory. not a creed, but n
rule Of life, Greed is
stul the great hindrance. II blinds
the eyy 10 the truth; It deadens the
EAR to high claims; It makes us in
different Ia the great moral and
social reforms; II makes towards
NJ MS all The first step. there
fore. is TO root greed out OF our
hearts. and then we caqnbe quali-
lied 30 help the onwTf> progress
II mankind in spirituality All re-
-orms 10 be genuine, must originate
~ reforming the individual, and that
means you and me. BY the time
,e have accomplished our own ref
,rnatiou we will have tenderer
,oarts to begin the reform Of 9TH
re Jesus favored no violence TO
.ccompllsh the betterment of the
ace. his violence was reserved for
hose who were openly defying God
md defillng his holy things; the
l.