LESSON VI.—SABBATH, AUGUST 11, 1894.
By Editor
Lesson Scripture, Luke 14: 15-35.
15. AND when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16. But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many.
17. And he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.
19. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.
20. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21. And the servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.
22. And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.
23. And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25. Now there went with him great multitudes; and he turned, and said unto them,
26. If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27. Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it?
29. Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, saying,
30. This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31. Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32. Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace.
33. So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34. Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35. It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill; men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. THIS lesson, which includes the remainder of the fourteenth chapter, may readily be divided, for convenience in remembering, into two subjects: "The Parable of the Supper," and "Counting the Cost." Analyze and review the entire chapter. - Where was Jesus when he gave the instruction that is recorded in this chapter?
- On what day was it?
- What was said by one who sat at the table with him?
- What was it that led to this remark?
- In what manner did Jesus reply?
- Without committing to memory verbally, see how accurately you can relate this parable.
- What did a certain man make?
- What did he do at supper time?
- What did those who were bidden begin to do?
- What different excuses are recorded?
- When the servant returned with these messages, what did the master of the house say?
- When this was done, what did the servant say?
- What was the servant then commanded to do?
- As Jesus went from the Pharisee's house, who followed him?
- What did he say to them?
- Who only can be his disciple?
- What examples of counting the cost did he give?
- What conclusion did Jesus draw from these illustrations?
- What did he say of salt?
- What are we to learn from this? Matt. 5: 13.
1. THE injunction never to guess at the meaning of Scripture is needed in connection with unexplained parables more than anywhere else. In this case the connection shows us some, at least, of the lessons we may learn. Jesus was speaking about the resurrection at his second coming, when he himself has said that he will gird himself and serve his own guests. Moreover, the remark that was prompted by the reference to the resurrection, and which in turn prompted the parable, was, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." Therefore we know that the parable represents the Lord's invitation to men to eat bread in his kingdom. Without trying to fix a location in point of time to the various calls to supper, we may note the following obvious lessons:— (a) God hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, as heirs of the kingdom (James 2: 5), not because he is partial, for he bids "whosoever will" to come, but because the most of those who have great earthly possessions are content with them, and also because whoever has wealth must become poor for the sake of Christ. See Luke 14: 33; 2 Cor. 8: 9. (b) We may learn the danger of making excuses. Those who make excuses now will by and by find themselves without excuse; for the fact that one makes an excuse proves that he has had a sufficient call. Those who believe do not make excuses, and they partake of the feast. (c) We may learn a lesson of comfort and hope from the urgency of the Master of the feast. It was imperative that he have guests at his feast. "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief; again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a time; as it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Heb. 4: 6, 7. God has sworn by himself that his house shall be filled. He has sent the invitation to everybody, but most have rejected it. But his honor is at stake, and his oath cannot be broken, and so the feast must be supplied with guests. God has more at stake than any man can have. And so there is none so poor and wretched but that he will be accepted as a guest. Such are begged and entreated to come. They will make as worthy guests as any, since the robe and all the fitness that is necessary are supplied by the Lord. It is he that "hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Col. 1: 12. 2. "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." The same Spirit that uttered these words also inspired the apostle Paul to write, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Eph. 5: 25); and, "If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." 1 Tim. 5: 8. The Spirit does not contradict itself. Let Christ's own words, as recorded in Matt. 10: 37, be the comment on the meaning of the word "hate" in the text in the lesson. "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." That love which leads a soul away from Christ is to be forsaken.