ter, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" a The answer was: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart... and thy neighbor as thyself, . this do and thou shalt live." Here is embraced the whole duty of man in every age, for it is recorded, "This is the love of God that we keep his commandments," and His commandments embrace the whole range of human obligation. This sincere This sincere person, who inquires in regard to the same great subject, is a most interesting character. We are told by Matthew that he was a young man; by Luke, that he was a ruler; by Mark, that Jesus loved him; and by all that he was very rich. When Jesus had commanded him to observe the principles of the decalogue which He mentioned, adding, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," he said, "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?" "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the с young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions," preferring his present wealth to the heavenly treasure offered. Jesus used this example to show how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, and succeeding ages have demonstrated its truth. b Luke x. 27, a Luke x. 25. 28. c Matt. xix. 21, 22. CHAPTER IV CHRIST AS A TEACHER Greatness and Humility. Christ Teaching in the Temple. Authority of the Scribes and Their Denunciation. Lament over Jerusalem. Answer to Three Questions. AFTER this use of the expression "eternal life" for the second time, and its sorrowful rejection by the young man, Jesus said unto His disciples: "Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." In both these cases it will be observed that the stated or implied conditions are following Christ, doing His will, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Again, He illustrates the kingdom of heaven by the laborers in a vineyard. Those who came at the eleventh hour received the same wages as those who came at an earlier hour, but it will be remembered that each came when bidden. After this: "Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again." a "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshiping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. . . . She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom."b Jesus here gave them a lesson in regard to the great suffering which He and they were to endure; informed them that the request they made was not His to grant, but would be given to those for whom it was prepared by His Father. "And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." If this teaching had been observed in past ages persecution and suffering would not so darken the pages of history. C After this instruction Jesus left Jericho, healed two blind men on the way, and made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. While a very great multitude spread their garments and strewed branches of trees in the and the multitude that went before and that followed after cried, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of b Matt. xx. 20, 21. c Matt. xx. 24-28. way, a Matt. xx. 17-19. David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." a "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."b c After Jesus had prayed in the Temple, healed the blind and lame therein and received Hosannas to the Son of David from the children, He went out to Bethany. When He returned to the Temple the next day: "The chief priests and elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?" He answered them by asking whether the Baptism of John was from heaven or of men? To answer this question implied either their selfcondemnation or the condemnation of the people. Therefore they said: "We can not tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." But He gave them a parable of a man who had two sons, illustrating how the publicans and harlots would precede them in entering the kingdom. And He goes still further and teaches them by the parable of the householder, who had planted a vineyard and had let it out to unfaithful husbandmen, who had repeatedly abused and slain his servants and finally his son, that they would be b Matt. xxi. 12, 13. d Matt. xxi. 27. a Matt. xxi. 9. a 66 с destroyed and the kingdom given to a more worthy people. "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." This parable and the succeeding one in regard to "a certain king who made a marriage for his son," show conclusively the rejection of the Jews and the reception of the Gentiles. Not only did they refuse the invitation of the king, but they slew the servants sent to invite them. 'But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.' When Jesus had finished these parables the Pharisees and Sadducees each in succession tried to "entangle him and spoke❞ first in regard to paying tribute, second in regard to the resurrection, third in regard to the great commandment, in all of which they were foiled. In concluding He asked the Pharisees: "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions."d The next discourse of Jesus is marvelous, in that it enjoins obedience to the Scribes and Pharisees and a Matt. xxi. 43. c Matt. xxii. 7. b Matt. xxii. 2. d Matt. xxii. 42-46. CF f 北 OF ALIFORNIA |
