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1273 above the attainm en t of any Scribe or Pharisee. In th e effort, th e whole race from Adam down, has made a spectacle of itself and stands self-convicted, a to tal failure. (Rom. 3:10) “A s i t Is w r itte n , T h e re is n o n e rig h te o u s , n o , n o t one.” Jesus Himself, in the m idst of the temple th a t day, was the only answer to th e law’s demands. He fully loved His God and F ath e r w ith His whole be ing, and was m anifesting His loVe for H is neighbor in coming to the rescue of a lost world. (3) THE H E A R T - S E A R C H I N G QUESTION, v s . 29 “Who is my neighbor?” The lawyer is rebuked by th e answer 'of th e Lord. His conscience spurs him. He seeks to ju stify himself by th e ques tion, “Who is my neighbor?” He hopes , to extricate himself by involving Christ, thinking it will be difficult for Him to define th e relation of neighbor. (Luke 16:15) “A nd h e sa id u n to th em , Y e a re th e y w h ich Ju s tify y o u rse lv e s b e fo re m en ; Jm t G od k n o w e th y o u r h e a r ts ; fo r th a t w h ic h . Is h ig h ly este em e d a m o n g m en. Is ab om in a tio n in th e s ig h t o f God.” The Jews had a circumscribed sphere in which they walked in th e treadm ill of obligation. Outside of th a t they had no thoughts. To them th e re was no neighbor Which was not a Jew. Jesus was to illum inate th e subject for all men and for all tim e; to give an answer once for a(l to the questions: “W hat is the sphere of my obligation? Who is worthy of miy sympathy? To whom shall I m inister in loving sacrifice?” He will show th a t real love knows no bounds bu t th a t of earth , and he th a t . speaks of defining th e lim its of love, denies th e life pf love. The sphere of the h ea rt must be the world, and the sphere of th e hand.-^w hom it 'can reach. (Matt. 5:43,44) “Ye h a v e h e a rd th a t It h a th b een said , T h o u s h a lt lo v e th y n e ig h b o r, a n d h a te th in e en em y .
THE K I NG ' S B U S I N E S S duty it is to transcribe the law and also to. expound and teach the law. As a class, these scribes were cold, calculat ing, self-seeking hypocrites, thorough ly instructed in the law. They loved th e chief seats and were fond of parad ing th e ir knowledge. This scribe stood up to a ttra c t a tte n tion. He proposes to te st th e qualities of th is young teacher. His question is one of th e deepest importance, “What shall I do to in h erit eternal life?” It is framed in legal form , as a scribe would natu rally pu t it. E tern al life was, to him, something to be attained by hum an effort, a re ward for service or sacrifice. Although the Subject was so vital, the scribe was not in earnest. He no doubt thought he already had eternal life by virtue of his being a Jew and a scribe. The question is the equivalent of “W hat must I do to be saved?” and its answer is to be found only in Jesus Christ. (2) THE LEGAL ANSWER, vs. 26- 28 “W hat is w ritten in th è law ?” The Lord answers his question by ask ing one. He throw s the scribe back upon the law. He will give him an opportunity to show his knowledge of the law. The scribe was in ten t on te st ing 'Jesus but Jesus tu rn s th e tables on him and makes him prove his acquaint ance w ith th e Scriptures. Thè scribe answers well, summing up th e whole law by bringing together two widely separated passages which contain the tru th in a nutshell. He quoted Deut. 6:5 ; “A n d th o u s h a lt lo v e th e L o rd th y God w ith a ll th in e h e a r t, a n d w ith a ll th y so u l, a n d w ith a ll th y m ig h t.” and Lev. 19:18: “T h o u s h a lt lo v e th y n e ig h b o r a s th y s e lf”. ■ All the faculties of man are (o be swayed by love to God and love tfl man. I t is stated in a few words. The ob ligation, if kept, would entitle .any man to a seat in th e kingdom, but, aias! simple as it seems, it is heaven-high
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