McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1918-04-05
LESSON FOR APRIL 7.
JESUS SETS MEN FREE.

GOLDEN TExT-If the son therefore
shall make you free. We shall be free In
deed.-John s:ss.
DEVOTIONAL READING-Psa. 72:i-l7.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERs-Matt 15:l-si; II Cor. s:i7. ID:
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR roPIc-Js-
sus and the deaf man.
MEMORY vERSE-He hath done all
things well. he maketh even the deaf to
hear and the dumb to speak.-Mark 7:57.
SENIOR AND ADULT ToPfC-Chris-
tian liberty.
This lesson deals with the last Of
those four events which mark the
crisis In the life of our Lord at Caper-
naum. 1t occurred Just before the third
period of his Galielean ministry and
the time Of his final departure for Jeru-
salem. We have seen what the atti-
tude of Jesus was toward the law OF
his nation. In this lesson we see his
attitude toward the rabbinical tradi-
tons Of the people which were the
opinions OF men and not the law Of
God. Just so many today look upon
tho forms and ceremonies Of the
church as being verify the law Of God.
Moreover. these traditions were made
pretext whereby men evaded the
law. SO today we find men very relig-
ious and punctilious In their churchly
duties, who fail miserably In their mp
plication Of the moral code to conduct.
The analysis falls into four general
divisions: One, the accusation, wv.
To-; two, the answer. wv. 6-1S) three,
the application, wv. 1929, and four.
the illustration, wv. 24-3D,
I. The Accusation. wv. 1-5). The
growing hatred of the -Pharisees, led
them to make long Journeys from Jeru-
salem that they might spy on Jesus
and find pretext for accusation.
While they were studying him, they re-
vealed their Ideas Of the kingdom OF
God. They took special notice that
the disciples of Jesus ate without
washing their hands. We must not un-
derstand this to mean so much the re-
moval of defllement, as the neglect OF
ceremonial observance over which
the Pharisees were punctilious, wv. 8,
A.. Verses three and four illuminate
certain traditions to which the Jews
adhered tenaciously. Thus exempli.
fed we can see that their ideas Of
mans relation to God were largely
matter Of external ceremony. Purity
to them was an outward matter largely
governed by the traditions Of men. ".
A..
u. The Answer ". 6-13). The an
swer of Jesus reveals the very oppo-
site ideal. he begins by calling the
Pharisees hypocrites. A hypocrite IL a
play actor-one who hides behind a
mask. Applying the prophecy Of
Isaiah, Jesus plainly tells the Pharlsees
that they are hiding their true charac-
ter behind the mask Of ceremonial
cleansing. Such play acting Is but q
poor imitation of the real heart con-
dition demanded of God. (Psa. 81 10Y.
Their hearts were far from God. even
though with their lips they professed
to serve him. The love we express to
God consists not In ritualistic worship.
but In doing his will from the heart.
III. The Application, ". 1929.
Jesus takes advantage Of this discus
sion, and, turning to the multitude, up
on whom the Pharisees would bind
grievous burden Of ceremonialism and
falsehood Matt. 23:4). warns them
that It Is not so much that which en-
tiers into a man that deflles him, as
that which issues from him ". 15). 1t
seems quite natural that In their per.
plexity the disciples should ask Jesus
what he meant by that. In his reply
wv. 1929. Jesus shows very clearly
that "the issues Of life" prov. 4 :23),
reveal the corruption which Is within.
(See Matt. 2:34. 35; Gen. 0:5: James
8 :10-12). II the heart be not cleansed.
what will 1t avail II we wash the
handsl What then Is the application
for this present dayf Clearly we are
taught the danger Of lip service with
out change Of heart. Substituting
good for the best Is sin. Forms and
ceremonies are good and have their
place; they are significant for they are
important teaching factors; but they
must not be substituted for a pure
heart. We must beware lest we hide
behind such mask.
There is here also plain teaching as
to Jesus estimate Of the Pentateuch
and inferentially of the prophecy Of
Isaiah. He specifically calls It ''the
Word of God" Surely we can accept
his estimate as contrasted with the
tradition Of the elders or the "con-
sensus of modern thought"
Less talk and more walk.
Less wishing and more doing,
Less preaching and more practicing,
Less organisation and moro Of the spirit
Finally, we have two illustrations
as to how Jesus sets men free. (a)
Jesus silence appears to deepen faith
in the pleading Syrophenician woman
". 2430).
{b) We have the cure Of the deaf
and the dumb man, wv. 31-S7l In
Simultaneous healing, showing divine
power.
Jesus was setting his people free
from their bodily infirmities and at
the same time delivering them from
their sins and imperfections and bring
ing them into his spiritual Kingdom.
This he Is still doing.
EulIness OF Life.