Evening star., 1918-05-25
By Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

By Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.
The enraged and baffied temple ohi-
cials had tried to turn the tide OF
popular favor against Jesus by ques-
| tioning the source of His authority.
He had in turn put>them to confusion
by His question concerning the au-
thority Of John the Baptist. He had
added to their determination to crush
Him by the answer which He gave
them indirectly in the parable OF the
vineyard. The vivid picture of Is
raers approaching doom was clearly
understood by the ecclesiastical rul-
ers. Thus Christ had sealed His own
fate by His claims Of divinity, the
condemnation of ecclesiastical sins.
and the prediction Of the displacement
of the chosen people Of Jehovah by
the Gentiles.
They came to Him with a political
question. seeking to entrain Him. But
first they tried to throw Him of His
guard by a hypocritical profession Of
faith and confidence In His sincerity
and fearlessness. They asked con-
cerning the lawfulness Of giving trib.
tribute giving would ALLEVIATE the
tax-burdened Jew. A protest against
it would bring Jesus into conflict with
the strong arm Of the Roman govern
ment.
Christ was not deceived He met
their attack by compelling them to be
witnesses to their own hypocrisy. He
requested them to produce q Roman
denarius and then answered in q man
ner that baffied them. The Master
emphasized the duty Of all to pay
both their religious and political OBJ
other to the state. This discriminat-
ing answer, which is the golden text
of the lesson. filled the expert law
yers with ama1ement, and He left
them to solve their own problem by
merely stating an evidently just prin..
which was beyond them. Jesus did
not teach that there Is no relation be-
tween church and state. He taught
that ''the state, as a state, has abso-
lutely no religious function: the
no political function; that proper 10y
atty to church and proper loyalty to
state never conflict" Christ did not
come to set up kingdom that would
overthrow or dominate any political
government: But the principle He
enunciated has become a part of our
national Constitution. SO that in ac-
cordance with Christ's answer organ
lied religion and organized politics
are to be kept separate. Yet we must
remember that the stability and sue
working out in its political life Of the
principles Of Jesus.
The Pharisees and Herodians hav-
ing been silenced, the Sadducees next
tried to ensnare the Master with
theological test question that has
been puzzling to others beside this
Jewish sect. which. as a class. de-
MED the resurrection. They presented
for solution a striking case under
the marriage law that then existed
to prove the confusion that would
result in the world to come as a re-
under their assumption that the res
direction consisted of the re-estab-
lishment Of the present physical life,
1t was unanswerable. But Jesus
pointed out calmly and courteously
the two errors in their reasoning:
Scriptures themselves. and, second, q
misconception Of the power of God.
The Masters statement concerning
the form Of the risen dead IL the
only distinct teaching that He has
our bodies will be like that Of the
angels, not earthly nor physical. is
in accord with Paurs exposition Of
the resurrection in Corinthians.
While Jesus did not here anawer all
the questions Of the human heart
concerning the future and life beyond
the grave. yet He unveiled enough
to justify hope in such a life. And
here again His opponents were con-
ouered by His answer and He caused
the masses to marvel.
Now one of the scribes approaches
with the old test question of the
rabbis as to which is the greatest
commandment. His answer cannot
be surpassed as a summary Of hu-
man duties. And It was satisfactory
even to the questioner himself. His
approval indicates that he belonged
| to the progressive spiritual element
which saw that forms and ceremonies
did not constitute all of religion.
The truly spiritual man will not
despise forms as means Of giving ex-
preston to religious impulses. but the
formal ritualist Is apt to fail to look for
| the spiritual. which Is, after all.the es-
| sentfal thing in true worship Of God. The
frankness Of the scribe appealed to the
Christ and He commended him as one
\ who had come very near to the king
dom of God. This recognition was an
encouragement for him to step over the
line into the ranks Of the disciples. By
conviction Is not conversion. One my
be master Of spiritual knowledge and
not possess the spiritual experience Of
l tuS u0W ING 9llSnClnk lnS
scribe closes the efforts to entangle the
Master. for we read that mo man after
that burst ask Him any question"
| After that Christ assumed the offen-
sive. He was not satisfied with merely
| vanquishing his adversaries. for He
makes another effort to win them over
by pointing out their mistaken views
concerning tho Messiah. He was still
seeking to eradicate their false ideas OF
the kingdom He came to establish. He
| tried to have Himself recognized as a
spiritual Messiah He pointed out that
he was not national but a universal
ruler And 1t IL because the world is
today accepting His teaching that there
Is hope in the human heart, rising above
race. creed and color. above the sound
Of battle. enabling US to carry on" no
matter what the burden or the task.
For. after ALL Jesus Christ IL the source
Of help and strength to every individual
who. like the sincere scribe. comes with
the perplexities Of life seeking truth
from the Great Teacher.