THE KING’S BUSINESS
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lem, the most appalling siege in the world’s history. A similar doom awaits those who now reject Christ (Heb. 12:25). Israel, having been destroyed, the kingdom is transferred to the Church, chosen out from the Gentiles, “a nation bringing forth the truits thereof” (cf. Acts 15:4; 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 5:9). Jesus confirmed His teaching by an appeal to the Old Testament (v. 42 cf. Ps. 118:22). He Himself is the stone which the builders rejected. The Jewish leaders were the bungling builders. But God Himself made the rejected stone the head of the corner. Whoso stumbles at Christ will be broken to pieces but on whomsoever He falls, he shall be scattered as dust (v. 44 R. V.). Two classes are represented by this: (1) Those who stum ble and are broken and come afterwards to believe and,are saved, and (2) those who persistently reject and are crushed to pow der (cf. Ps. 2:12, 9; 110:5, 6; Dan. 2:34, 35, 44, 45; Isa. 7:14, 15). The persistent rejection of Christ is the one final and damning sin. Jesus Christ is the founda tion stone on which we may build to heaven, or the stumbling stone over which we may stumble into hell. The chief priests and Pharisees recognized the application of Jesus’ parables, but instead of repenting they sought to kill Him and only fear of the multitudes kept them back from their murderous purpose. International Sunday School Lesson (C oncluded from page 218) of the lesson, the leading lesson and the best verse of the lesson. . The material for a satisfactory review along any of these lines will be found in the notes on the lessons given by the vari ous writers in the January, February and March numbers of the K in g ’ s B u sin e ss . The wise teacher will assign as much work as possible to scholars beforehand. It is not wise, however, to try to cover too much ground, and plenty of time should be taken for driving home the great central truths of the quarter.
demand of each of us the fruits of His vineyard. The servants sent to demand the fruits of the vineyard were the Old Testa ment prophets (2 Chron 36:15, 16; Jer. 25:4). The fruits, demanded were repent ance, obedience, righteousness and benevo lence (2 Kings 17:13; Zech. 7:8-10). The servants whom God sends to the present husbandmen are His Divinely-called and commissioned ministers. The fruits they demand are the same. The husbandmen mistreated all the servants of God; this was historically true of Israel’s treatment of their prophets. The way in which Israel treated their prophets proves conclusively that these prophets were not “the product of Semitic natural character and genius," but God-inspired and God-commissioned men. It is no wonder that such a people should reject their anointed king when he came. The world uses godly men in the same way today (2 Tim. 3:12), and thus reveals its hatred of God (John 15:18, 19; 17:14; 7:7; Rom. 8:7). The householder’s last resource was the sending of his own son. Of course, this “Son” represents Jesus Christ. While all the prophets, even the greatest, were simply “servants,” Jesus was a “Son,” an only Son (cf. Mark 12:6 R. V. Heb. 1:1, 2, 5; 3:5, 6). It seems incon ceivable that the wickedness of the hus bandmen should reach such a point that they would even kill the son and heir (v. 37 cf. Jer. 36:3; Zech. 3:7), but that is exactly what Israel did with the Son of God. We, by 'a continuance of sin, take our part in this appalling, treatment of God’s Son, for in the last analysis it is sin that crucified Christ. Wednesday, March 31. Matt. 21:40-46. It was a tremendously searching question that Jesus put to the Jews in verse'40. It suggests another question that God puts to us in Hebrews 10:28, 29. By their answer in verse 41 they declared their own doom. As an historic fact God did “miserably de stroy these miserable men.” This doom was executed in the destruction'of Jerusa
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