The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-05-19

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Scripture: Mark ~: 1917, 2S-
81.
Golden Text: Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself.--Mark
1891.
In the conflict between CHRIST
and the ecclcsiastics in the Tenn
pie on Tuesday of cruciflXIon
week, he answered three captious
questions designed to entrap HIM
and discount his teaching. Two
of them we study today: The po-
litical question of paying tribute
to Rome; and the theolo.s zeal
question of diffcrcntiatinG divine
commands.
THE PAYMENT OF TRIBUTE
TO CAESAR mark l2.13-1O
THE GOOD CITIZEN energies
from the discussion Of the poll
tax due to Caesar, the Roman
ruler of the Hebrew world. CD
The questioners were two con-
flicting parties: The PharisccS
who chafed under the Roman
yoke; and the Hcrodians who
were truculent partisans of Rome
bad citizens, all of them. They
united against Jesus. Their evil
dent purpose was to entangle INN
so as to get charge sufficient
to place him in the hands of the
Roman authorities. (2) The qucs-
ton brcathed a wrong civic spirit.
1t opened with words designed "S
the baldest of flattery, rang with
a condescending tone, and sought
triumphantly to place Jesus in a
political dilemma. He saw and
scored their hypocrisy. But he did
more. 60 The answe" was a two
edged sword, one edge cleavjng
in twain the net that was spread,
and the other c]eawing omen a
knotty public problem. First. he
made his inquisitors bring Ro-
man coin and confess that their
currency bore the stamp of Gaze
sar. Having. thus barred the vul-
ncrable point, he thrust in the
blade of truth, Phsrisecs and He
rodians alike wincing under it.
Render to Caesar what belongs to
him. Render to God what belongs
to him. That is, be a good citizen
Of your government. and be a
good citizen Of the kingdom Of
heaven. We ought to be loyal to
both the commonwealth and the
Kingdom. No bad citizen is a good
Christian and no good Christian
is a bad citizen. (4 The victory
Of Jesus was complete. His amaz-
ed advcrsaries skunk away. And
no wonder! n....... 49,
THE GREAT COMMANDMENT
IN THE LAW (M-' l2:2S-34)
THE GOOD CHRIS A N
energies from the discussion of
the great commandment in the
Law of Moses. (D The inquirer
was well versed in both civil and
theological law. He seems person
ally to have been sincere, for he
observed that Jesus had answer
ed former questions wisely and
was commended by Jesus in this
conversation. But his question was
calculated to arouse antagonism
against Jesus, particularly if he
should set aside the oral law and
thus invite runture with the mass
es, OF if he should magnify GER
tain favorite commands and omit
others equally as important. In
stead of splittin~ ethical hairs
and differentiating divine COM
mands, Jesus based every duty
upon love. (2) The first great
commandment requires supreme
love to God. 1t is love from the
whole heart, gathering into one
all the strands of affection. 1t
is love dominating the entire
soul as the seat of the will. 1t
is a love absorbing the whole
mind, BRINGING the rays of intel
ligence to a focus in burning love.
And it is a love twining together
every strand of our strength for
the expression of that love in ev-
cry way possible. 49, The second
great commandment is built on
the same basis. The love which
reaches upward to God is sure to
reach outward to man. And as
love to God summarizes the First
Table of the Law flour command
ments) so love to man summar-
ICES the Second Table of the Law
(six commandments. Is there
any other commandment greater
than these? Jesus says there is
not. And our own hearts tell us
that he is right. Indeed, his in
quirer that day commended his
answer declaring that love is
above whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices. So discreet a comment
met instant approval from Jesus
who averred that the Scribe was
not far from the kingdom of God.
SERVE GOD AND COUNTRY
(1) The Teacher of Civic Ser
vice. "Thou art true" Jesus was
the best citizen. earth ever had.
TIE was true. He was dependable.
There was not one atom of falsity
about him.
(2) The Truth for Civic Ser
vice. "Teachest the way Of God"