The Brinkley argus., 1918-05-24

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR TEA EACHERs-Matthew 21:23-26; 22:1-45.
 PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus and the wid- ow's gift.-Mark 1241-44.
 JUNIOR TOPIC-The two great com mathematician 12:2s-34; Luke 1o:25-37.
 SENIOR AND ADULT ToPIC-Religion and citizenship.
 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Romans1 13: I-7: Timothy 2:1 g.
 |. The Parable of the Husbandman (vv. 1-12).
 Having put the scribes, chief priests and elders to confusion by skillful counter-question when they demanded his authority, Jesus, by means of lit tie story, lays before them his claim of divine authority, and charges them with betrayal of trust and plotting to murder the very Son of God. His teaching in this parable cut them to the quick, and they sought to lay hands upon him, but desisted for fear of the people. This parable is simple, yet very comprehensive.
 II. The Tribute Money (vv. 13-1O.
 They already would have gladly talk en him by violence and killed him, but they feared the people. In order to destroy him. they geek to discredit him among the people. To this end they send the representatives of both l factions-"certain of the Pharisees i and of the Herodians to catch him in his words" (v. 13).
 III. The Resurrection of the Dead 1 (vv. 1S-2O.
 The Pharisees and Herodians being silenced the Sadducees came with a question which involved not only the 1 immortality but the resurrection of the l body. The Sadducees were the ration alists of their day. They denied the reality of the resurrection. and be- lieved not in angel nor spirit (ACts 23:8).
 1. The case proposed (vv. 19-23).
 The law of Moses made it not only legal but morally binding in the case of a man dying without children for 1 his brother to take his wife (Deut. 22:5). They propose the case of a woman married successively to seven l brothers. They ask whose wife she fshall he finsethe resurrection. This w"S doubtless Hypothetical case. This is the way the successors of the Sadducees do today. They deal large ly in hypotheses.
 9 Jesus reply (vv. 24-26).
 By quotation from the Mosaic law l (Ex. 3:6) he proves the resurrection of the dead, and their continued ex- | istence beyond the dead as human be- i ings. The immortal spirit clothed with q deathless body is his thought. He shows that marriage is only for this present lifc-does not belong to the resurrection life. Some of the func- tions of the body will cease with this life. Since there will be no death af- ter the resurrection. there will be no necessity for births. In this respect humankind will be as the angels in the resurrection life. He points out to them that their great error was due to two things:
 l. Ignorance of the Scriptures (v. l 24). In the very Scriptures which they professed to believe was positive proof of the resurrection (Ex. 3:6). 4 Rationalism and infidelity today, as then, are due to ignorance of Gods Word.
 2. Ignorance of the power of God (v. 24). God Is able to provide life where there is no death, no births or marriages. In heaven. life will be on a plane infinitely higher than the most blessed relationships of this life. Our chief concern is to find out what is written, and then believe that God is able to accomplish. that which he has promised.
 ". The Great Commandment of the Law (vv. 2S-34)
 The code of morals among the Jews was very complex. The question as to which of Gods commandments was first was frequently debated. Christ's answer shows marvellous insight. He sums up mans whole duty in one word Hove. love to God and love to man. The first and great commandment Is supreme and undivided love to God. The second is like unto it in that love is it's center, but love Is for our neigh Dor in the measure that we love our selves. Love for God Is to be supreme. He Is worthy of all our affections. Love is the actuating power behind all our service. Having put his question CTS to silence, Jesus now puts to them question which involves the central doctrine of the Christian faith-the person of Christ (vv. 35 :40).
 Is he human or divine, or both? Whose Son is he? is the supreme test of mans orthodoxy.
 V. The Widows Mite (vv. 41-44).
 This is picture in striking contrast with that of the Pharisees and Saddu- cees. This poor woman was doing that which in the sight of the world was insignificant, but in the sight of the Lord was of great moment. The words of the Lord discover unto us the fact that in Gods sight a gift is moo curad hv tha haar+ motive oyd no+