Evening star., 1930-06-28

We conclude with this weeks lesson
our studies in the gospel of Matthew
that have occupied our thoughts and
teachings for the past six months. Dur
| ing our studies we have seen how the
writings of Matthew have been charac-
terized by distinctive Hebrew tone,
| thought and diction. Although Mat
thew may have been considered by his
Countrymen to have been disloyal to
! his race and nation when he became a
publican and collected taxes from his
countrymen for the Roman Empire. yet
when he became an apostle of Jesus
Christ Matthew appears to have had a
peculiar desire to convert his fellow
countrymen to accept Jesus Christ as
the Messiah.
In writing the first Gospel Matthew
selected the works and words of the
Master and grouped His miracles and
messages with a view of perSuading the
Jews of his day to accept Jesus as the
king concerning whom the prophets had
spoken. We have observed this atti-
tude Springing out in our lessons
Scholars have found it in his use of
isolated words and phrases. His group
ing of the Masters messages, especially
in the Sermon on the Mount, where it
appears as the Messiah's proclamation
of the principles of His kingdom. his
combination of the Masters miracles
and of his parallels, all show how eager
Matthew was to convince the Jews that
Jesus was their long expected King or
Messiah. Some ca his biographical
record the Gospel f the Kingdom,
while others speak of it as the Kings
Gospel. This fact makes it natural for
this review lesson to be studied under
the theme, The Meaning of Christian
Discipleship."
Essential Christian Character.
Most of our quarters studies have
taken up the essential character that
the followers of Christ ought to pos
seSS according to the Lords teaching.
Our opening lesson contained the chal-
lenge OF the cross. From His birth to
His cruci1Xion, Jesus had faced the
cross. He came into the world that He
might bear humanity's sins upon the
cross. He calls upon all who would be
His disciples Ito deny self, take up the
cross and follow me-" Our Lord does
not request us to do anything that He
would not do Himself. He taught by
practice the meaning of the principles
and ideals that He preached. 1t was
not easy for his followers to grasp the
call to the cross. We frequently fail to
hear its call for us to surrender, sacri-
fee and serve Him, who is our King.
When Jesus found the apostles were
considering the possible positions and
privileges that would be open to them
in the political kingdom that they ex-
pected was about to be established, He
sought to correct their ideals of great
ness by using child. He rebuked their
self-seeking and selfish desires by using
the child to teach them that one of the
greatest graces, If not the greatest, was
humility. Except men possess the child
like spirit they cannot enter the king
dom of God. The child is teachable,
trustful, and can be trained along the
right lines, which is why Jesus longs to
have parents bring their little ones to
Him.
The child is ready TO forgive and for
get when possibly its parents have an
other spirit. Forgiveness is one of the
basal foundations for the possession of
a Christlike character. Unless we pos
sess the spirit of mercy, how can we
pray, Father, forgive us our debts, as
we also forgive our debtors" IAN un-
forgiving spirit reveals an unrepentant
heart, and divine forgiveness cannot be
bestowed without repentance
The rich young ruler, whose moral
life and position in the community was