Evening star., 1923-01-06
nY REV. HUGE .. srEvnNsoN,

We viii complete our study Of Luke's
gospel during the coming quarters
study. Our lessons will be drawn
from the last three months Of the
Masters ministry. The nearer Jesus
approached the cross the more in
tense became the activity of His
enemies, especially the Pharisees.
They had succeeded In closing the
synagogue pulpits Of Judea and Cali
lee by their bitter opposition 70 the
Lord. They followed Him into the
remote sections of Perea, where the
privilege of presching was stiii open
to publicly meet their attacks BY
analysing and unyeliinK their spirit
and proclainfng His doctrine con-
eerninx the use OF privileges The
antaEonfsm between Christ and the
Fharisees was along three lines.
from the manacles OF ceremonial and
traditional religious laws, He showed
friendship with discredited classes.
He made free use of the Sabbath for
healing men and women. Some stu
to believe that His death was largely
due to the freedom with which He
used the Sabbath.
Christ. assumed, the position OF q
reformer In reference 70 the lawful
that he deliberately performed mir
acles OF healing upon the Sabbath
day, 30 that He could deliberately
protest against the hard spirit OF
Judaism of His day. Early in His
ministry our Lord met with opposi-
tion from the Pharisees' because OF
His radical and iconoclastic views In
references to the Sabbath. In His con
troversles over the proper use or the
day Jesus sought TO condemn the ex-
ternal and conventional uses Of the
sabbath. The Master was not seek
ing TO undermine the Sabbath that
was founded upon the unwritten law
of nature He sought to restore the
day TO its lawful use for rest, rehec-
tion and reverence, as IL was original
ly planned in the divine economy fol-
the teaching OF salvation and the
spiritual upbuilding of men. Christ
aimed to recall His countrymen tc
place OF the Sabbath In the life OF
men, which required that all should
rest one day In seven from theii
toll.
The shameful neglect Of the Sabbath
was the germ of the Jewish captivity
The modern tendency of our times tc
disregard the Sabbath Is a menace 10
civilization. The liberty OF rest foI
each depends upon the liberty of rest
IL, not as a duty toward God, hut to
themselves to see to 1t that the toilins
masses of humanity shall have pre-
served for them as rest day one DAY
In seven. II we do not curb the splri'
Of commercialisIn. that compels men &c
labor every day without rest, we will
lose our place among the nations OF the
earth. Cessation. from labor that. mar
may recuperate. repair and restore the
muscular. mental and moral parts oi
k.;s e f0 resi-
secured during the night Is not sufncieni
| TO preserve the fullness OF ones
strength for service. France tried &c
change it's Sabbath to one day In ter
| with disastrous results. 1t can be easily
demonstrated that man, beast ane
machinery win produce larger results
and remain in a state Of efficiency FOL
! a longer period by observing one DAY
| in seven for rest than by working con
tinuously.
4 iah's revival had laid special stress upor
the observance of the Sabbath. Witt
| them it was more than q rest day, while
/ with the Assyrians, there was onl,
| q cessation from labor. The Jews OBJ.
served 1t as a memorial OF their deiiv
| erance from Egypt They sanctified
| spiritualized and sustained the Sabbath
| as a religious day The experience o
1 the Babyionian. captivity caused tht
| Jews upon their return to. concentrate
| their attention upon tne proper cpserV
1 ancei of the Sabbath. The small nucleu!
of legal requirements grew into q sys
4 tenn that became burdensorne and op
| pressive, until they became q curse In
| stead Of a blessing.
l Jesus, in His love for humanity, "se
At defiance the Sabbatarianism Of Hit
day" His attitude In reference 70 th'
| Sabbath was determined by three prin
4 ciples, which the Master used In this
l His last recorded synagogue service a
/ a preacher, viz: life Is before laws
\ racaszitv is heyoud laws: service Ia be