Feb. 22, 1953 CONQUERING DECEIT WITH TRUTH Matt. 22: 15-22, 34-40 Pointers on the Lesson
former group gathered together to try to think up some other way to catch Jesus in a trap. Then one of their num ber, a lawyer, tempted Him with a ques tion about the law. “ Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (v. 35). There were various disputations among the Jewish lawyers in those days as to which was the greatest of the commandments. Our Lord does not enter into this controversy at all. Rather, in His two statements, He gives the gist of the whole law. The law in its entirety deals with man’s relations to God and His relation to man. Jesus’ answer to the lawyer summarizes these two re lationships. It also sets forth the unity of God’s law. His answer manifests perfect wisdom and the lawyer was greatly moved, as we see by the Mark account. The Lord told him, “ Thou art not far from the king dom of God” (Mark 12:34). Not far? No, for he recognized the wisdom and the truth. But not far is not in. A per son must receive the Lord Jesus person ally, and put his trust in His finished work. The enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ were constantly trying to trap Him into saying something that would dishonor God. One day some of these enemies planned a trick question which they believed that He could not answer with out lying or deceiving them in some way. The men came to Jesus pretending that they were honest and truly wanting an answer to their question. They did not know that He could see the thoughts of their hearts and that He knew their wicked purposes. The men asked Jesus whether or not they should pay their taxes to their ruler, Caesar. Jesus saw their wickedness and said, “ Show me some of the money.” When they gave Him a penny, He asked whose picture was upon it. As they answered, “ Caesar’s ;” God’s Son replied, “ Render [give] therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things which are God’s.” So perfectly had He answered their question, that they went away without being able to find any fault with Him. Sometimes those who are not Chris tians try to trick or trap Christians into saying and doing things that will not honor their Lord. The Lord Jesus can give His children wisdom in the answers they give to questions or in the decisions which they must make. How wondarful it is that we may quickly ask Him to help us when we are in need! He has told us to do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord. Only He can help us to obey that commandment. Are you not glad that everything that He has told us to do He will help us to do if we only ask Him? Helps for the Children Jesus Answers Hard Questions Matt. 22:15-22 Memory Selection: “Thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord . . . ” (Deut. 6:18a).
yOURSFREE rn — Inter'°doPfed j n9re^ on ' r T,0l>ol 09 ° ' * . / f r op e cy • o, <,°e«»ni, n » o .. S ïssÉâ 'Üen>6e' * Ce/ ""« « i . . ? w Ao / r w : on^ o n° - c°py ¿, * * ///. rTHE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JEWISH EVANGELISM, Inc., Dept. K Winona Laite, Indigna j&hdtoti (TToIlecie Formerly The National Bible Instifufe offers a liberal arts education free from denominational bias and all entangling alliances with modernism, more and more churches and mission boards are demanding college trained candidates. Shelton provides high college standards on a sound Bible-believing basis with strong theological and pre- theological departments. Write for cat alog. SheltonCollege Dr. J. Oliver Buswell Jr., President 340 W. 55th Street New York 19, N. Y. Z/VDJVIDim ® c fflu c e Dr. Hyman J. Àppelman, President 1 Rev. A. B. Machlln, Field Secretary
The Memory Selection for this week’s lesson is John 7:46, “No man ever spake like this man!” This is well chosen for in our lesson we have a splendid example of our Lord’s ability to answer any and all questions that were put to Him in a way absolutely conclusive. The enemies of our Lord are seen in the passages before us trying to entrap Him in their net of hatred. In the section, verses 15 to 40, there are three distinct attempts to ensnare Him in His talk. However, our lesson considers only two of these attempts since verses 23 to 33 are omit ted from the lesson. It would be well for the teacher to acquaint himself with the section omitted in which the Sadducees employ the method of trying to make the truth of God seem absurd. The Trap of the Pharisees and Hero- dians vv. 15-22 Ordinarily the Pharisees and Hero- dians were enemies of each other. The Pharisees were a strict Jewish religious sect which most of the time thought themselves so far above others that they would not even associate with them. The Herodians were a group of Jews who had given special allegiance to the Roman government and were content with Roman overlordship. It is strange that these two groups which had no love for each other would get together to attack Jesus. And yet not so strange! Both of them hated Jesus. A common enemy ofttimes makes strange bedfellows. Thus these two parties connived to humiliate our Lord. “ This is the only unity in the devil’s kingdom—its citizens are against the same God” (McClain). Note their question: “ Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar?” They thought they had Jesus now. If the Lord should answer “ No,’.’ then the Herodians, who favored Roman authority, would accuse Him of conspiracy against the govern ment. If He answered “ Yes,” then the Pharisees, the religious leaders, would have claimed that He favored subjection to Rome and therefore could not be the Messiah. But Jesus knew their thoughts and had the right answer for them. Upon taking into His hand a denarius (twenty cents), He said, “ This is Caesar’s image on the coin you are using; therefore give tribute to Caesar. But ye hypocrites, render also unto God the things which are God’s. This is where you are missing the mark. You are failing to render to God His due.” When they heard this they marvelled. They were speechless. The Trap of the Pharisees Alone vv. 34-40 In the verses just previous to this section the Pharisees had witnessed the Sadducees being put to silence. Now the
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