ORDINATION OF THE TWELVE; THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
Hill of Hattin.
NOTE.—This Sabbath-school lesson is unreasonably long. No person can get it in a week. No teacher can do an approximation of justice to it in a half hour. Do not try to cover it. Dwell on two or three main points or great truths. The Beatitudes are sufficient for a lesson. Christ's teaching on the law (Matt. 5: 17-20), with illustrations that follow, is sufficient for another. The Lord's prayer is a more than sufficient lesson. The lesson of trust in the latter part of chapter 6 is a lesson by itself. So also is Matt. 7: 13-29. The SIGNS can not print all the lesson scripture, but it prints more than sufficient for any one lesson. We shall not be troubled this way again.
Luke 6:13. "And when it was day, He called His disciples: and He chose from them twelve, whom also He named apostles."
Mark 3:14, 15. "And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach, and to have authority to cast out devils."
Matt. 10:2-4. "Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him."
Matt. 5:17-20. "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in nowise enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Matt. 6:1-15. "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father which is in heaven. "When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee. "And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber; and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee. And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.11Matt. 7:7-11; 21-27. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone; or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out devils, and by Thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. Every one therefore which heareth these words of Mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, which built his house upon the rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall thereof."
NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
1. After spending a whole night in prayer, what did the Saviour do early in the morning? Luke 6:13. (Mark 3:13.)
6. In what position did Christ then place the apostles before the world? Verses 13-16. (Phil. 2:15; Prov. 4:18; 1 Peter 2:9.)
7. Knowing that some of the Pharisees thought His teaching was belittling the law, what did Christ say to destroy this impression? Verses 17-20. (Rom. 3:31; 8:2-4; 10:1-4.)
8. How did He then proceed to expand the law? Verses 21, 22, 27, 28, 31-34, 38-48.
9. What instruction did He give His disciples in regard to almsgiving? Matt. 6:1-4. (Rom. 12:8-21.)
10. In contrast with the formal method, how did He teach them to pray? Verses 5-13.
11. What did He say about forgiveness? Verses 14, 15. (Eph. 4:32; Luke 23:34.)
12. How did He tell them to fast? Verses 16-18. (Isa. 58:6-11.)
13. What did Christ say relative to gathering earthly treasure? Verses 19-21. Note 3. (Luke 12:15-21.)
14. What did Christ show was the proper attitude for His followers to occupy relative to the things of this world? Verses 24-34. (Ps. 37:25; 1 Kings 17:9, 12, 16.)
15. What does Christ say will positively be done for those who trust Him? Matt. 7:7-11. (Jer. 29:11-13.)
16. Who does He say will not enter the kingdom of heaven? Verses 21-23. (Isa. 29:13, 14.)
17. To what did He liken the two classes of hearers of the Gospel? Verses 24-27. (Luke 6:47-49.)
18. How were the people affected by the Saviour's doctrine? Why? Verses 28, 29. Note 4.
NOTES.
1. Twelve disciples.—These twelve had for some time been disciples, i. e., learners. Upon their ordination they were called apostles, or those sent forth. They were sent forth to represent the Gospel church, as the twelve patriarchs had represented the tribes of Israel. See "Desire of Ages," pp. 291, 292. For knowledge of the dispositions of these men, see "Desire of Ages," p. 296.
2. The ordination of the twelve is supposed to have taken place on one of the two horn-like heights of Hattin. These were two hours' journey (from five to seven miles) west of Tiberias, overlooking the mouth of a gorge which opens into the cliffs of Arbela. The plain below these heights, to which the Saviour descended with His apostles, was easily accessible from the lake, yet only a few minutes' walk from the summit. This plain was a level space on the side-hill, well adapted for the gathering of a multitude. See "Desire of Ages," p. 299.
3. Lay not up for yourselves.—The Jews had come to believe that the amount of riches one possessed indicated the favor he had with God. Christ's teaching in this text was to destroy that illusion.
4. Not as the scribes.—No wonder they were astonished. They were accustomed to the verbal trifling of intricate sophistries, and the tortuous windings of tradition and prescription. They now heard these criticized and rejected for the plain, ungarnished Word. The great Teacher came not from any of the authorized schools, yet His teaching was fresh as the morning breeze upon the mountain-side. He appealed to no authority but the Word of God, tearing away from the law the false traditions which obscured its obvious import.
