T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
410
September 1932
we may learn how terribly distressing such surroundings would be to His pure soul. Then we are given a picture of this Boy when, at twelve years o f age, He was taken to Jerusalem to become a “ son o f the law.” Jewish boys, attaining to this age, were taken before the priest and inducted into membership in the Jewish nation, and from thenceforth they stood upon their own responsibility under the law. It was a great and notable day in the life of each boy, and that it was such in the life of Jesus we need not question. The rite of “becoming a son o f the law” had its origin in traditions concerning both Moses and Samuel. The attendance of all males was de manded at Jerusalem at certain times in the year (Deut. 16:16). Sometimes whole families, from all sections of the country, made an annual visit to Jerusalem. In the midst o f such numbers of people, with families traveling together and the chil dren playing with one another, it was not until the end o f the day on the home ward journey that the absence o f Jesus was noticed. Questions might be asked at this point, such as these: From whom was Jesus lost? Did they know He was lost? Rather, they “ supposed” He was present. The application can easily be made. Is Jesus actually with us, or do we only “ sup pose” He is? Verses 46 to SO tell o f finding Jesus in the temple among the doctors. He was in His Father’s house, hearing His Father’s Word, and learning o f His Father’s busi ness from His Father’s servants. He was not superciliously instructing these old men, but was learning from them. When reproached for His carelessness in remain ing behind, His answer was, “I must be about my Father’s business.” W e note that when Mary said “your father,” she meant Joseph, but when Jesus said “my Father,” He meant the living God. He evidently knew even then who and what He was, and what was His business upon earth. He did not require the years of waiting at Nazareth to gradually become imbued with the idea that He was Messiah. He knew this all along, and He was only waiting His Father’s time in order to be about His Father’s business. II. E n t e r t a in in g J e s u s i n t h e C h r is t ia n F a m il y (10:38-42). The point o f this passage lies in the marked contrast between the two sisters, Mary and Martha. Each of them illustrates > ~vay of entertaining the Lord in the V tie. rerses 38 and 39 reveal that one sister received the Lord first into her home and then into her heart, while the other re ceived Him first into her heart and then into her home. One gave the Lord much service, the other gave herself. One showed action, the other adoration. One was occupied with her duty, and that re sulted only in distress o f mind; the other was occupied with the Lord Himself, and that resulted in delight and rest o f soul (cf. Matt. 11:29; Psa. 37 :4). But we must be careful that we do not suppose that Martha was not interested in the Lord as well as Mary. She merely took a different method of showing her interest, and the Lord says that Mary’s method was the better. Verse 40 seems to imply a rebuke of the Lord as well as o f Mary. Fretfully say ing, “ Dost thou not care that my sister hath left me?” she reveals that Mary had already accomplished all necessary ser-
BLACKBOARD LESSON
volving cylinder. In this cylinder are many openings, small at the left and progress ively larger toward the right. Through these openings, houses are falling, and below the cylinder they are shown lying in three great piles. At the left is a pile of poor little houses, hardly more than huts. In the middle is a pile o f houses slightly better, but still mainly tenements. On the right is a big pile of nice, comfortable houses, with many that are evidently in habited by people o f wealth and refine ment. It is a distinguished-looking heap of homes. It is homes of the last class, the publisher declares, that take his magazine, and that, of course, the advertisers o f the country want to reach through his mag azine. I have been thinking about that graphic appeal to the pocketbook, and I have been wishing that I could make an appeal to the soul. If that cylinder should separate homes, not by their wealth, but by their Christian character, into which pile would your home fall? The three heaps would be motley to the eye. Big houses would jostle little houses and tenements would, in many cases, tum ble into the same pile as Newport cottages and Fifth Avenue palaces. But on the left would be the homes that do not know Christ or practice His loving precepts; in the middle would be the careless half-way homes; and on the right would be such homes as Mary and Martha and John and Joseph o f Arimathaea lived in—-homes to which Christ loved to go, homes where, to this day, He blessedly abides. Ah, that is the real classification. That separation determines the homes that are really worth reaching. And if your home falls into the right pile it is the home of happiness and power, whether it is as sessed for $500 or $500,000. — A m o s R. W e l l s . Memory Verse: “Jesus advanced in wis dom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Lk. 2:52). Approach: When Jesus was a boy here on earth, He lived with His parents and His brothers and sisters just as you do. And from what we read in the Bible about this home, it was a very happy one. L e s s o n S t o r y : Jesus’ Happy Family L u k e 2:40-52
vice, and would now sit at Jesus’ feet and receive from Him. Martha was “cum bered,” or distracted, not with serving, but with much serving. Mary’s service had turned into worship. Martha would not take that place herself, and she grieved if any one else took it. She was too busy doing things for the Lord to receive any thing from Him. Verse 41 shows that service, while good, is second best. Mary knew more about the Lord than any o f the disciples, as later his tory reveals (cf. John 12). “ One thing is needful” for life, growth, happiness, and everything o f value in the Christian life, and that is Jesus Himself. Not giving what we can to Him, but taking what He gives to us is the important thing. It is more important to listen to our Lord than to work for Him. W e must take time to sit at His feet. Verse 42 reminds us that the Lord would not make a Mary of a Martha, nor a Mar tha o f a Mary. Both have their respective places, and Martha’s part was not taken away, nor was Mary’s. The Lord here is teaching that it is better to sit at His feet and to learn of Him than to be feverishly running about trying to please Him with much service. W e are to see to it that ser vice is not neglected, but that overmuch service is avoided. Lesson Questions 2 :40, 4L As Jesus grew to manhood, do you think He resembled or differed from others ? Why do you think the Scriptures are silent concerning so much of the early life of our Lord? Is it their purpose to furnish a complete history, be yond that which is necessary to unfold the plan o f redemption? Vs. 42-45. What was the “custom” men tioned in verse 42 ? What spiritual applica tion do you draw from the fact that the parents supposed Jesus was with them? By what means were unity and communion restored ? Vs. 46-52. Does the scene in the temple show anything o f Christ’s deity? How did the Lord Jesus, in replying to Mary, show that He was conscious o f His divine origin and mission? 10:38-42. In how many ways were Martha and Mary alike? In how many were they dissimilar? Is it possible to re ceive the Lord Jesus into the house and not into the heart? Was Martha reproved for serving, or for overmuch serving? Golden Text Illustration I was greatly pleased with an interesting advertisement with which the publishers o f a certain widely circulated magazine are trying; to persuade advertisers that it fur nishes’ precisely the best medium for their use. This advertisement is mainly a picture, a big picture occupying a large part of a newspaper page. It represents a great re-
Joseph was a carpen ter, and s i n c e Jesus was th e o l d e s t son, His work was to help Joseph in his shop. We. know that He did this, and we are sure that He did His work carefully and well: Jesus was good to
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His mother, too. One o f the last things which He did when leaving this earth was to ask John, His beloved disciple, to care for His mother. So we find that Jesus was a good son, and that is one reason why His was a happy family. There was another important thing which Jesus did when He was growing up. He was busy getting ready for the work which He was to do. When He was only twelve years old, He knew already what God’s plan for Him was. So it came about that, while He and His parents were at Jerusalem attending the feast o f the Pass- over, Jesus went into the temple to study
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