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JULY, 1946
We turn now to the seventh point in the outline—the Period of Withdrawal. Realizing that the religious leaders have definitely rejected Him and that this attitude of rejection will culmi nate in His crucifixion, our Lord with draws to several different points, tak ing with Him i.",o twelve in order to instruct and prepare them for the com ing events. The student is urged to follow the Lord’s movements during this period by means of his Bible map, noting carefully what occurred at each place. The culmination of the period is the withdrawal to Caesarea Philippi where the Lord draws from the twelve the great confession Peter being the spokesman): “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus starts to move on toward the cross (16:21 through Chapter 20). This section should be read carefully, the reader marking the passages in which our Lord speaks of His coming death, and observing also that He in variably refers also to His resurrection. It is very significant that the record of the “last week” (Chs. 21-27) occu pies one fourth of the number of chap ters in Matthew. This is something of an indication of the tremendous im portance of that week, the events of which deserve the most careful study. The great culmination was the death of Jesus on the cross, where He was “wounded for our transgressions,” and “bruised for our iniquities,” and where He “ bare our sins in his own body." The veil of the temple, which indi cated that “the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest,” “was rent in twain from the top to the bot tom” signifying that “a new and living way” was opened for all believers into the very presence of God with no other sacrifice or priesthood save Christ’s (cf. Heb. 9:1-8; 10:19-22). If perchance any of our readers have not availed themselves of this unspeakably great and glorious privilege provided for all in Christ we urge you to do so at once. Chapter 28 gives the record of the triumph of our Lord over sin, death, and the grave, in His glorious resur rection. This was \ : -odily resurrection, the tremendous importance of which cannot be overestimated. According to the wonderful teaching of 1 Corin thians 15, if He was not raised from the dead, we have no foundation for our faith. This remarkable book closes with our Lord’s declaring, “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptiz ing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit .. and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28: 18, 19, 20 R.V.i.
that the parable of the mustard seed indicates the gradual growth of the true Church. The parable of the leaven is usually interpreted as indicating the gradual spread of the Gospel until the world is converted. But these interpre tations are utterly inconsistent with our Lord’s own interpretation of the parables of the tares and the dragnet. The business of true believers in this dispensation is not to try to convert thè world, but to preach the glorious Gospel of the grace of God, as a result of which the Lord will gather out a people for His name, thus forming “the church, Which is his body” which will be taken from the world at the time of the Rapture. It is commonly ;aught that the para bles of the hid treasure and the pearl
the Jews” (another indication of the kingly character of Matthew). Chapter 3 gives the record of the ministry of John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for the King (note in verse 3 the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3-5). There is also given the account of the bap tism of our Lord. Chapter 4 records the temptation, which was the testing of the King. We have designated Chapters 5-7 (commonly called “the Sermon on the Mount” ) as the King’s Manifesto, that is, an authoritative declaration of the principles of His kingdom. Having made this declaration, we have next in chapters 8 and 9, His Cre dentials. The student is urged to note the ten specific miracles recorded in these chapters, observing the different spheres in which the power of Jesus was exercised. Note also the place of faith, taking as a key to this the statement in 9:29, “According to your faith be it unto you.” Having issued the manifesto, and having presented his credentials, the y King does the next logical thing, namely, He sends out His messengers, the keynote of whose message was, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In the parallel account in Mark 6:12, we are told that “they went out, and preached that men should repent.” In Chapters 11 and 12, the attitude of the people is revealed, and it is one of rejection of the King and His mes sengers. The student will find it help ful to study the chapters carefully, noting the passages in which this atti tude of rejection is clearly seen. Note carefully the words of 12:14: “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.” This purpose, formed at that time by the Jewish leaders, was apparently never lost sight of until Jesus was nailed to the cross. Consider novr the more or less fa miliar Chapter 13, containing seven remarkable parables by our Lord. The place in which they are recorded is very significant and gives, we believe, a key to their true interpretation. The King has issued His manifesto, presented His credentials, sent forth His messengers, and they are rejected. We believe that the parables set forth the conditions which will prevail be tween the time of His rejection and His coming again. It is a picture of “Christendom,” the sphere of profes sion in which are found true believers and those who profess salvation, but do not possess it. This is clearly taught in the parables of the tares and the dragnet. They indicate, not a converted world, but a mixture of the false and true, who are to be separated at the end of the age. It is commonly taught
The Cup of Wrath Psalm 75:8 "In the hand of the LORD there is a cup.” His holy justice holds it up To my deserving, sin-stained lips And from its brim His fierce wrath drips. + + + But, lo, there stood Someone between— An Israelite of lowly mien, Who took the cup and drank for me To bitter dregs, sin’s penalty! + + + It was the Son of God who drank The cup of wrath from which I shrank. I shall forever praise His Name For Jesus drank my sin and shame! —Charlotte E. Arnold.
of great price represent the sinner seeking salvation. But this interpreta tion seems utterly inconsistent with the plain teaching of the Word that salvation is the free gift of God, and therefore, cannot be purchased by the sinner. We understand that the hid treasure represents Israel, and that the pearl is a wonderful picture of the true Church, which our Lord purchased with His own precious blood. Space will not permit a detailed study of these wonderful parables. It is recom mended that the student carefully ponder the notes given in the Scofield Reference Bible regarding Matthew 13.
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