LESSON X.—SABBATH, SEPTEMBER 8, 1894.
1. AND he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying,
2. There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, and regarded not man;
3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4. And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming.
6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith.
7. And shall not God avenge his elect, which cry to him day and night, and he is long-suffering over them?
8. I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Howbeit when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
9. And he spake also this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at naught:
10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.
13. But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
15. And they brought unto him also their babes, that he should touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16. But Jesus called them unto him, saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.
17. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in nowise enter therein.
18. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God.
20. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and mother.
21. And he said, All these things have I observed from my youth up.
22. And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet; sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.
We have in this lesson four topics, although the last one is not completed in this. The subjects are: The Unjust Judge; The Pharisee and the Publican; Receiving Little Children; and The Rich Ruler. - To what purpose did Jesus speak a parable?
- Describe the character of the judge.
- Who came to him for justice?
- How did he receive her petition?
- What did he finally say to himself?
- What was it that induced him to grant her request?
- What did the Lord say?
- From this parable, what lesson are we to learn concerning God?
- How will God act in avenging his people, in comparison with the unjust judge?
- For whose benefit did Jesus speak the next parable?
- How did the Pharisee pray?
- To whom did he really pray?
- What was the prayer of the publican?
- What was the result of the two prayers?
- What will be done to everyone that exalts himself?
- What to him who humbles himself?
- What were brought to Jesus? For what purpose?
- How did the disciples like that?
- How did Jesus receive them?
- What did he say?
- Who only can enter the kingdom of heaven?
- What did a certain ruler ask Jesus?
- How did he address him?
- What question did Jesus first ask him in reply?
- Who alone is good?
- Did Jesus mean to imply that he himself was not good? See John 8: 46; 1 Peter 2: 22; 1 John 3: 5.
- To what did Jesus then refer the young ruler?
- What did the young man say for himself?
- What did Jesus then say to him?
- How did the young man receive this word? Why?
1. TOO MANY people make a mistake in reading the parable of the unjust judge. They seem to think that it is an illustration of how God deals with men, and an indication that we shall receive notice only by long effort. We should remember that the judge was unjust, and that God is just. There is no comparison, but contrast, between the judge and God. God is listening to hear before we ask. 1 Peter 3: 12. He has provided the way for us to come to him, and asks us to come boldly. He delights in mercy. Micah 7: 18. The reason why we are to be encouraged to continue instant in prayer, and not to faint, is that God is so kind and ready to give. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 8: 32. 2. THE best rendering of the latter part of verse 7 is, "And he is long-suffering with them." The idea is not that God will finally listen to the cries of his people, although he will hold them off for a long time, but that he will do just the opposite of the unjust judge because he is long-suffering with them. God will not make his people wait long for an answer to their prayers. "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." But note that this is when his people are so much in earnest that they cry day and night unto him, and not only occasionally. 3. "Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is God." As shown by the texts referred to in the questions, and by many others not referred to, Christ is absolutely good. "There is no unrighteousness in him." What then did he mean by what he said to the young man? It is evident that he could not have meant anything else than to impress upon his mind the fact that he himself was God. See John 1: 1-14. If the young man had but recognized that, he would have had an answer to his question; for "this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John 17: 3. If the young man had kept all the commandments, what could he lack? Are there duties that lie outside the range of the ten commandments? "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. 12: 13. But the result showed that the young man was deceived. He had not kept all the commandments. Indeed, he had not kept any of them. He was covetous; he loved himself better than he did his neighbor. Thus we have the second great principle of the law violated. But to break the second principle means the violation of the first. "For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." 1 John 4: 20, Revised Version. 4. WORD THOUGHTS.—Faint (v. 1), to turn coward, or lose heart.—Vincent.—Avenge (v. 3), better as in margin of the Revised Version, "do me justice." "Avenge" is too strong.—Wear me out (v. 5), literally lest at last she buffet, beat, or bruise me. Wycliffe translates, "Lest at the last she, coming, strangle me." The judge seemed to think she might at last do him injury.—Long-suffering (v. 7), God seems to defer justice and to forget his people, but he does not, and he will avenge them speedily.—Publican (v. 10), Greek, telōnēs, from telos a tax, and ōneomai, to buy. A collector of Roman taxes, customs, or imposts. The Romans farmed or let out the direct taxes to capitalists, who paid a certain sum in publicum, into the public treasury. From this these farmers, or gatherers of taxes, were called publicani, or publicans. Under the publicani were the submagistri in the provinces, and under the submagistri were the portitores, or the actual tax collectors of the New Testament. Many of them were extortioners. A Greek saying was, "All publicans are robbers."—Stood (v. 11), standing was the common posture among the Jews in prayer.—Twice in the week (v. 12), the law required but one fast a year (Lev. 16: 29; Num. 29: 7), though other fasts were kept in commemoration of great national calamities. The Pharisees fasted every Monday and Thursday, between the Passover and Pentecost, and between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Dedication of the Temple. They were "righteous overmuch," self-righteous.—A sinner (v. 13), better as the literal margin, "the sinner." He saw only himself. See also 1 Tim. 1: 15.