Pointers on the Lesson H om er A . K e n t , T h .D .
Luiui a n a White; 12 Black and minutes. CHRISTIAN BUSINESS MEN’S CHORUS—Color and Black and White; 30 minutes.
Helps for the Children A l l iso n A rrowood
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Jan. 4, 1953 THE ROOTS OF CHARACTER Matt. 15:1-11, 18-20
a specimen of the sort of thing that had been added to the written Word of God. Certain prayers must be said, certain garments must be worn, certain fasts must be observed, certain feasts must be attended, etcetera. These traditions were so numerous that they practically obscured the Word of God. They ten ded to make religion altogether a matter of form. Jesus responded to the question of the scribes and Pharisees as to why the disciples failed to observe the washing ceremony by showing how they had made their traditions an excuse for not obeying the pure Word of God. The latter is very plain with respect to treatment of fathers and mothers on the part of children. However, by their traditions these Jews were enabled to evade their responsibility to needy parents. Faced with such responsibility, they could simply say Corban (Mark 7:11), or the money has been dedicated to God as a gift (v. 5), and the indi vidual no longer was obligated to dis charge his filial responsibility. Surely such conduct is utterly out of harmony with the heart and will of God. The Teaching of Jesus w . 7-11, 18-20 Jesus clearly disapproves of the atti tude of these scribes and Pharisees. He shows it to be hypocritical (v. 7). By all of their outward rites and cere monies they presented an outward veneer that covered up what was actu ally in their hearts. Their pretensions did not accord with their inner life. It was superficial (v. 8). All that these people really possessed was on the sur face. They had no deep love for God or man. It was vain (v. 9). It got them nowhere as far as God was concerned. So important was this matter in the
Pointers on the Lesson .This lesson begins the second of two quarters’ study of the Gospel of Mat thew. It will be remembered that the emphasis in this Gospel is upon the King and His Kingdom. One day the King will set up His Kingdom upon the earth and then many of the things as yet unrealized, as set forth in Mat thew, will become a reality. However, there are many principles set forth in the book which are of tremendous prac tical value for the children of God at any time. This fact is very evident in today’s lesson. The outstanding lesson to be gathered from the assigned por tion for this study is that mere out ward form in religion is meaningless. There is nothing in it to gain the favor of God. It is an empty bubble. The Tradition of Men vv. 1-6 In this passage the disciples of Jesus are being criticized because they were not adhering to “the tradition of the elders” (v.2). The Jews believed that there were two sets of laws given to Moses at Mt. Sinai, namely, the written law and the oral law. The oral law was handed down from generation to gener ation until it finally was transcribed into the Talmud. In the Talmud are found many additions to the Mosaic law. It was from these additions that the scribes and Pharisees based their question about the washing of the hands. We are not to suppose that in fail ing to wash their hands before eating that there was uncleanliness on the part of the disciples. The point is that they had failed to go through the inter minable round of washings that was required by the Rabbis. This was just D E C E M B E R , 1 9 5 2
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