The International Sunday School Lessons By J. H. S. LESSON V IL—February 15. — C hrist ’ s H atred or S hams .— Luke 11: 37-54. G olden T ext : Be not deceived, God is not mocked. — Gal. 6:7.
k He Strove to Save H is Host. For this, chiefly, He dined with the Pharisee. Proper to preach at the social board? Jesus did so (2 Tim. 4:2). A man was seized with death at a banquet. An English bishop bending over him said, “Gentlemen, you would have called it unseasonable had I urged salvation on this man at your table. It is now too late.” 2. How Jesus Tried to Save Him. (1) By unmasking his error and himself, his folly and his hypocrisy. For this Jesus “passed” the finger-bowl, that washing with water might give place to washing with the Word (Eph. 5:26). Note how, referring to "the cup," he passes from its outside to “your” inward. It is not of cup and platter, but of the man he speaks. The man is the cup whose contents are abomination, how ever manicured his hands. The platter may be full of delicacies from the corners of the earth, but if they are the proceeds of wickedness they infringe the pure food laws of the Kingdom. See the Pharisee’s menu (Matt. 23:14,. 24; Prov. 19:28; Luke 11: 39). Not the proceeds of wickedness CKrist condemns, but the heart from which the wickedness proceeds. To their sinful.folly Christ adds their rational folly. . “Fools,” did not He who made the outside make the inside? Think you He regards material but disregards moral filth? (v. 40). The law and the prophets he boasted should have taught the Pharisees better (1 Sam. 16:11; Joel 2:13; Isa. 16:17; Ps. 24:4; Micah 6:8). But they were .self-deceived yet not wholly. They knew better. There fore He said, "Hypocrites!” They pro fessed righteousness, peculiar holiness, but practiced wickedness. Like the Quaker liv ing back of his store who after breakfast looked out of his door and asked, “Andrew,
I„ J esus A ccepts an I nvitation to D ine . 1. The Lord Was Social —Truly human, no ascetic. The child erred which said of a minister, “He must be good, he is so sad.” Jesus often in the social circle (John 2:2; Luke 7:36; 19:5; John-12:12; Mark 11:19; Rev. 3:20). 2. H is Host —a “Pharisee,” of a Jewish sect (Acts 26:5), some were good men (John 3:1), most were bigoted religious formalists; ostentatious sticklers for the letter and traditions (Matt. 23:24) ; bitter opponents of Jesus, stern rebuker of sham. They claimed to be righteous, “despised others” (Luke 18:9-14). "Besought him to dine ” —His motive? (1) Friendly?'- We trust so. Who could see H im and not wish to see more? (2) For H is Doctrine? Who could hear H im and not wish to hear more? (3) To "catch” H im? We fear so (vs. 53, 54). So critics try to “catch” the Bible. Many meaning to “ catch” Him have been themselves caught, who “Came to scoff and remained to pray.” 3. H is Omission —He did “ not first wash." Why not? (1) Indifferent to dirt? No. Decency is a department of divinity. There is deep truth in “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Though soap makes no saints, soap and sanctity go together. The baptized bathe. Clean up spiritually and you will physically. Witness: the con-, verts from the slum. (2) Indifferent to so cial proprieties? No. Boorishness is not a Christian grace. Christians are consid erate—“all things to all men.” Courtesy is a fruit of the Spirit '(1 Peter 2:8). A true’ Christian is a true gentleman. Jesus has been called “The first true gentle man,” (3) To make an opportunity? Yes. II. How J esus U sed the O pportunity .
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