II
THE K I N G ' S B U S I NE S S
January, 1938
IN T E R N A T IO N A L L E S S O N Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children’s Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson By B. B. S utcliffe B y G retchen S ibley B y H elen G ailey B y A lan S. P earce B y E lmer L. W ilder Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain
then and now, get no good from the Lord, they do no good to others, and they at tempt to hinder the Lord when He minis ters to those in need. But our Lord con tinues to be found wherever the need is great, and ministers in the face of criticism showered upon Him (cf. Lk. 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15; Rom. 4:5 ; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:8, 9). III. T he D iscussion with J esus (18-22) The scribes and Pharisees could not well answer our Lord’s argument concerning the reason He ate with publicans and sinners, so they turned to ceremonialism as mani fested in fasting, and found fault because the Lord’s disciples were not taught to fast as disciples of John and of the Pharisees did. Fasting was the sign of sorrow, the absence of self-gratification, and the ex pression of a humble spirit. The disciples of John would fast because their leader was in prison, and the disciples of Moses, who were the Pharisees, would fast because their leader had passed away. Because they would not admit that Jesus was a leader above both John and Moses, the Pharisees claimed that His disciples should fast also. It was caviling, as it was when they ac cused our Lord of being a winebibber and glutton because He was unlike John the Baptist. Jesus at once answered their charge and gave them instruction, if they would take it, through three illustrations. First, as long as the bridegroom was present, there was no need or cause for fasting. In this ex planation, our Lord was claiming to be the exact opposite to what these Pharisees ac cused Him of being. Second, new cloth cannot be added to old without making matters worse. The gospel is not some thing to be added to one’s already existing beliefs. Whenever an attempt to do so is made, “the rent is made worse.” Third, new wine cannot be put into old bottles without causing waste. The “ bottles” were made from skins which expanded with the fermentation of the wine, and when once expanded, they would burst if new wine, as yet unfermented, should be7 placed in them. Through all of his teaching, Christ’s meaning was that in Himself there had come a new Leader, superior to both John and Moses. T o attempt to put into the mold of the Law, that which He provided by grace would ruin both the new and the old. In His use o f illustrations there was a veiled invitation for the people to go be yond the leaders they had followed and to follow Him, of whom their Scriptures spoke and to whom their true leaders had pointed. But the sequel revealed that they were neither ready to wholly follow their leaders nor to accept Him for what He claimed to be.
FEBRUARY. 6, 1938 CHALLENGING THE SOCIAL ORDER M ark 2:13-22
II. T he D eclaration of J esus (15-17) Levi, when he decided to follow Jesus, went all the way and desired his friends to know the Lord also. From verse 15 we gather that he arranged a dinner to which he invited those of his own class, the pub licans, and with them came also “ sinners” to the dinner. Jesus was ever ready to associate with any one to whom He could impart blessing. When the scribes and Pharisees saw the Lord with such a crowd as that which gathered in Levi’s house, they began to find fault with Him. They were more interested in maintaining what they conceived to be a proper ecclesiastical posi tion than they were in seeking to meet the spiritual needs of the people. The Lord Jesus looked upon these com- plainers as being sick with a spiritual dis ease for which He alone had the remedy. But of course He could do nothing for any one who denied being in need. The scribes and Pharisees took the position that they were not in need of help from God, that they were righteous in themselves. They could not understand why they should have need of Jesus. Christ pointed out clearly that “ they that are whole [in their own opinion] have no need of the physician, but they that are sick” do need him. And it was for the sake of this latter class that He, the Saviour, had come. The Lord Jesus Christ was the competent Physician, understanding every case that came before Him, because He knew what was in man (cf. John 2:24, 25). He was the great spiritual Diagnostician (cf. John 3:1-7; 4:1-26). Moreover, He was, and is, willing to supply the remedy and pro duce a perfect cure for all who will ac cept it from Him. He is ever on call, al ways at hand, and never too occupied with any case to refuse another (cf. Lk. 8:41-56). In modern life, the scribes and Pharisees have their descendants who continually criticize those who go where the spiritual need is great in order to bring there the needed help. The scribes and Pharisees, BLACKBOARD LESSON *i come hot to coll the righteous .
Mark 2:13 And he went forth again by' the sea side: and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him. Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physi cian, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him. Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the chil dren of the bridechamber fast, while the bride groom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bride groom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment; else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. Golden Text: “ I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mk. 2:17). Devotional Reading: Isaiah 65:17, 21-25. Outline and Exposition I. T he D ecision for J esus (13, 14) O UR Lord’s teaching was of such a character that wherever He spoke, multitudes listened to His words. Teaching the people from the Scriptures, He would be revealing His own nature (cf. John 5:39; Lk. 24:44-46). Following a period of instruction of the people, the Lord Jesus “ passed by,” saw Levi, and called him to His service. (Levi is the Hebrew name, Matthew the Galilean name.) This man was a publican, or t’axgatherer. So great was the attraction in our Lord that, when He called Levi, the man immediately turned his back upon money and all else and followed Jesus. He “ left all” (cf. Lk. 5:28) for Christ’s sake. The world is full of so-called Christian workers, but the number of those who are “out and out” for Christ, as Levi was, are not plentiful. [These lessons are developed from out lines prepared by the Committee on Im proved Uniform Lessons of the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copy righted by the International Council of Religious Education and used by permis sion. The Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless other wise stated. — E ditor .]
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