!■ '!* i i * I tlffl r iliMi T M ' il FREDERICK E. J. HARDER 22252593_Bible_for_Today BIBLE FOR TODAY Part I A Manual for Teachers of Bible in Secondary Schools Frederick E9 Je Harder Andrews University Copyright 1963 kUL /Lcghtb by kndA0JW> UnZve/uZtty .hsi V. I I) 5- J To my academy Btbte teachen, whote bkttt tn the cta^noom and tnAptnatton on the campiu wene exceZZed onZy by htb gentuA tn the homeo I know, fan he ts my beloved fiathcne In appreciation for my colleagues? Earle Hilgert, Sakae Kubo, and William Go Co Murdoch, whose read ing of the manuscript and subsequent suggestions were essential; Shahin liter, whose efficiency, dedication, and creativity were indispensible to the production of these materials0 FOREWORD ’’True education is not the forcing of instruction on an unready and unreceptive mind0 The mental powers must be awakened and the interests arousedo”! It is doubtful that significant learning has taken place unless the student has passed through an experience which has involved: A desire for an answer to a definable problems. The acquisition of information and concepts necessary to a solution. A recognition of how this solution is relevant to his life. Too often the teacher is concerned primarily with the second, perhaps because it can be measured, more or less, by written examinations. Under such teaching grades represent a student’s ability to recall information. However, unless ideas have been acquired within the context of a felt need and have resulted in an applicable understanding, has learning actually occurred? Lasting impressions may have been made0 They can be made also on a recording disk, but no one pretends that a recording disk has learned. ’’The whole aim of good teaching is to turn the young learner, by nature a little copycat, into an independent, self-propelling creature®”2 Teaching method grows out of the teacher’s concept of objective. For the teacher of religion in Seventh-day Adventist schools perhaps no statement of aims could be more concise than the following: ’’The religion of the Bible is that development of our moral nature by which the soul learns to love what God loves and to hate what God hatess”$ The method of Bible study followed in this course has grown out of the aim to make young people independent students by helping them develop certain skills by which they may arrive at basic understandings of the Bible without reference to commentaries, outlines, etc. This does not mean that these will not be used. It does mean, however, that students should learn to use the various aids to Bible study wisely. Too often Bible courses leave the pupil entirely dependent on outlines, text arrangements, explanations, and comments collected by others. Such procedures frequently fail to acquaint the student with the literature and message of the Bible. Too often they merely attempt to demonstrate that the Bible supports the ideas of the compiler. Surely, this is not a satisfactory result for a Bible course. What, then, is the function of the teacher? The teacher prods the students into a recognition of their deepest needs. The teacher assists the pupils in ^Ellen Go White, Education, p® 41® ^Jacques Barzun, Teaching in America, p0 21. Little, Brown & Co® and Atlantic Monthly Press, Boston, 1945O $Ellen Go White, Review & Herald, February 9, 1886® developing skills necessary to find the solutions to these needs from the Bible0 The teacher leads the students into an understanding of how their findings are significant to their personal liveso As in all successful teaching the most important factor is the teacher0 The second is the pupilo The third is the source of information0 In a Bible class there should be a common factor to all three of these? The teacher must be led by God The pupil must seek the guidance of God The source must be the Word of God If these conditions prevail along with diligent and intelligent effort should not the learning which takes place in connection with a Bible course excell quantitatively and qualitatively that which is achieved in any other course in the school? These are not the easiest Bible lessons that have ever been devised, either for the teacher or the pupil0 It is unlikely that very many students will regard this as a ’"snap course”0 Such is not to be expected from any course which has character development as its primary objectiveo At times when pupils (or teachers!) may be inclined to feel that they are being asked to struggle a bit, perhaps the following comment will be pertinent? Character is not obtained by receiving an educationo 0 « 0 Character is not obtained by trying to have others fight the battles of life for uso It must be sought for, worked for, fought for; and it requires a purpose, a will, a determination.;. To form a character, which God will approve^ requires persevering effort J* Others have found the effort highly rewarding0 May this, by the grace of God, be your experience and that of your pupils as you study His Word togethero The making of acknowledgments for a work such as this is a pleasure indulged with the consciousness that of necessity they must be very incomplete,. Certainly^ all the Bible training received at home and in school has had a bearing on this producto However, several individuals should be mentioned particularly because of their very direct contribution to the development of these methods and materials3 First of all, had it not been for the studies pursued under the direc~ tion of Dr8 Paul Fo Barackman, Professor Robert Ao Traina, and Dr0 Emily Je Werner at the Biblical Seminary in New York this attempt at another approach to Bible teaching in the secondary school would never have been undertaken,. What follows is an attempt to adapt some of the procedures for which that institution is so well known to the level of the high school studento ^Ellen Go White, Review Ji Herald, December 21, 1886O ii The work of many students has contributed to the development of these materials0 Special acknowledgment is due to the pioneering spirit of L Hs Cowles, Harold Kuebler, Fred Offenback, As R, Parker, Earle Wright, and Jo He Zachary, who during the past two years have taught their ninth grade Bible classes by these methods and whose criticisms and suggestions have been of great value0 Finally, it is a pleasure to express appreciation to the administration of Andrews University for providing the time and funds for the production and classroom testing of these lessons. It is hoped that their value to the teachers and students who use them will be commensurate with the effort and expense contributed by so manyo iii ANDREWS UNIVERSITY BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN School of Graduate Studies Department of Education Pcoa Teadie/u T/ie moZeAZoZi Zn Z/1Z4 ManaaZ oac 4ZZZZ at a tentatZve Atage o£ deveZopmentB Youa wiZZingneAA to ate. them tn a pZZot Atudy Za veAy much appAeciatedB You oAe, contAZbutZng to the. pAepaAatZon o£ what it Za hoped wiZZ become a. AZg-niiZcant couaac oi BZbZe Atudy ^oa Seventh-day kdventiAt academies. Vue to the expenimentaZ natuAe ofi thiA woAk, the acaouacca ofa time, penAonneZ, and itnance have been Inadequate to pAoduce the mateAZaZA wZth the caAe and pAeciAZon expected tn fteguZoA pubZicatZonA e Youa patience and chaAity aAe AoZicited f)A oua caaoaa and ZnadequacieA B GuZdance Zn the pAobZemA o£ youth and the appZZcatZon ofi baAZc pAZncipZeA to the ZiveA o£ youA AtudentA AhouZd be conAtant objectZveA thAoughout the couAAee In many ZnAtaneeA Apecifie appZZcatZonA aAe AuggeAted Zn the ZeAAon pZanA* HoweveA, theAe can be pZanned £oa beAt by the teacheA who Za peAAonaZZy acquainted with each Atudent0 CZoaa diAcuAAZonA AhouZd be conducted Zn Auch a way oa to make the Atudy o£ the BZbZe a veAy pAaetZcaZ adventuAe, One hundAed twenty-eight ZeAAonA have been pAepaAed ^oa the yeaAa In each eighteen-week AemeAteA you wiZZ avenage AZZghtZy Zzaa than £oua ZeAAonA pen week0 ThiA meant that you wZZZ be abZe to Apend addZtionaZ time on Aome oa-AZgnmentA* TheAe may be occaAZon on which you wZZZ want to Apend a day oa ao at Aome ApecZaZ pAoject, Auch at the finding ofa mateAZaZA oa Znfjnmation io A the AoZutZon oi Aome peAAonaZ pAobZem, oa the appZZcatZon oft Aome pAZncZpZet to eveAy-day ZZ^eo You wiZZ oZao need time foA an oceaAZonaZ examZnatZon, How-eveA, the gZvZng ofi daiZy oa frequent quizzet Za not Aecommendeda ThiA takeA time iAom youA cZoaa which couZd be uted moAe pAofitabZy in otheA way a* WoAk aAAigned AhouZd be coZZected each day at the beginning oi the cZoaa pe-Aiodo li a Atudent getA behind in hit woAk he wiZZ find it aZmoAt impoAAibZe to catch up0 It it AuggeAted that you have a AeadeA check-in the woAk each day ao that it can be ActuAned to the AtudentA on the fioZZowing day* Unfitting pAomptneAA on the paAt ofa the teacheA wiZZ inApiAe pAomptneAA on the pant oi the Atudente ObviouAZy, you wiZZ not have time to evaZuate each Atu-dent1 a woAk eveAy time. You may find it adviAabZe, howeveA, to Apot-check AeveAaZ each day ao that eveAy week oa ao you wiZZ Aee what kind oi woAk each Atudent Za doZng0 ThiA wiZZ be heZpfiZ eApeciaZZy dunZng the ^ZaaZ ^ew Zv week* ivhZZe a/te being introduced to a method of *tudy *trange to . them. Paper* returned to the *tudent* *houtd be preserved by them in their too*e teaf workbook for evduation by you at each grading period. You might atso *ugge*t that *tudent* keep paper in the back part of their workbook* on which they can record note* from eta** di*eu**ion and from the re*utt* of other project* which you or they may devise. Comptete te**on ptan* fottowing a *tandard format with four *ection* witt be found in thi* Manud. Section one *tate* the, objectives for the day6* tes-*ono You may wish to add to or modify these. The important thing i* that you have definite aim* toward which you point your teaching each day. The *eeond *edion is the as*ignment for the fottowing te**on0 Thi* *hodd be read atoud white the *tudent* fottow from their workbook* 0 Care must be taken to a**ure a dear understanding of procedure. It may be nece**ary to exptain and ittustrate0 The third * ection is the introduction. It is recommended that prayer be offered at thi* points After this a brief took at a few item* from the previous te**on *houtd form a bridge teadZhg into the current te**one Section four furnishes an outtine for the day6* di*cu**ion6 Att as*ignment* given to *tudent* are worked outp but the more of them you work out for yours df the more *ignificant witt your teaching be. You witt find it difficult to tead the *tudents into an understanding and application of the thing* they are *tudying unte** you have actuatty experienced a per* o nd reaction to *uch *tudy yoursdf. The longer you work by these method* the more creative you witt become. In mo*t te**on* additiond matter i* provided for the teacher beyond that which ha* been a**igned to the *tu-dent*. No memory verses are a**igned0 However^ I woutd urge you to ptan for two or three of these per week. A routindy as*igned memory verse is usually memorized (if at att) by rote. Thi* is perhap* the teast rewarding and mo*t transitory method of learning yet devised. When a text become* the focu* of particutar interest during a da** discus* ion and after it is understood meaningfully by the *tudent you might *ay *omething tike this, "here is a verse we *houtd hotd to. It6* too good to let it *tip away." By this time they probably atmo*t know it by memory anyway. What additiond *tudy is nece**ary to fix it in their memories witt be motivated by an understanding of it* relevance rather than merdy the desire to get a grade. We *hatt appredate your reaction* and *ugge*tion* at any time you want to give them. IfJ there is any way that we may be of a**i*tance to you6 please call on us. May the Lord btes* you a* you tead your young peopte into a *tudy oi His Wordf and into a persond encounter with Him. Very *incerdy your*6 Frederick J. Harder Profies*or o^ Education Andrew* University FEJH/*hi v TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS Foreword Letter to the Teacher Lesson l0 For Pleasure and Profit i iv 1 UNIT lo THE GIFT OF GOD Lesson 2® Vacant World 7 Lesson 3® God of Action 13 Lesson 4® A Week’s Work 18 Lesson 5 0 It Was Good 25 Lesson 6® Evening and Morning 28 Lesson 70 Magnificent World 33 Lesson 8o Shadow Over Eden 36 Lesson 9® Man in the Garden 40 Lesson 10® Tragedy in the Garden 44 Lesson llo Review of Unit One 49 UNIT 20 THE WAGES OF SIN Lesson 120 Corrupt World 52 Lesson 13® Noah Found Favor 55 Lesson 140 God Remembered Noah 60 Lesson 15® The Rainbow Covenant 62 Lesson 160 One Man Against the World 65 UNIT 3® FAITH AND OBEDIENCE Lesson 17® Abram and Abraham 69 Lesson 18® Isaac9 Son of Promise 75 Lesson 190 Lot’s Wrong Choice 78 Lesson 20® Abraham’s Wrong Solution 81 Lesson 210 Triumph of Faith 84 Lesson 22c A Companion for Isaac 87 Lesson 23® God’s Abraham 92 Lesson 24® Abraham’s God 94 Lesson 25® The Covenant Relationship 97 Lesson 26® Failures and Successes 101 vi UNIT 40 A CHANGE OF HEART Lesson 270 Jacob and Esau 104 Lesson 28O Jacob the Deceiver 107 Lesson 290 Jacob the Fugitive 110 Lesson 300 Jacob--Cheater and Cheated 113 Lesson 310 Flight from Laban 118 Lesson 320 Jacob in Despair 123 Lesson 33p Jacob and God 126 Lesson 34O Israel 130 Lesson 35O Modern Jacobs 135 UNIT 50 PERSONAL CRISES Lesson 36O Through Adversity to Triumph 142 Lesson 370 Master of an Empire 147 Lesson 38O Crises and Their Solution 149 Lesson 390 Joseph’s God 152 Lesson 400 God’s Joseph 155 Lesson 410 Joseph’s Brothers 158 Lesson 42O Testing Character 161 Lesson 43« The Move to Egypt 166 Lesson 44O The Chosen People 171 UNIT 60 THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM Lesson 45O From Slavery to Freedom 176 Lesson 460 The Mountain of God 180 Lesson 470 Fire on the Mountain 183 Lesson 48O Why Obey? 187 Lesson 490 Ten Principles of Real Living 190 Lesson 50» How to Live 195 Lesson 510 I Love Thy Law 199 Lesson 52O Thy Testimonies are My Delight 203 Lesson 53O Teach Me Thy Statutes 206 Lesson 54O Source of Disobedience 209 UNIT 70 THE MAN WHO ARGUED WITH GOD Lesson 55e The Times of Habakkuk 213 Lesson 56O The Argument 217 Lesson 57« Rousing the Chaldeans 221 Lesson 58O The Vision 225 Lesson 59a Five Woes 229 Lesson 60o Taunt of the Captives 234 Lesson 610 The Prayer of Habakkuk 239 Lesson 620 Wrath and Mercy 244 Lesson 63O I Will Quietly Wait 248 Lesson 64O I Will Rejoice in the Lord 252 vii PART II INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS Lesson l0 Preview 259 Preview with Structural Chart 262 UNIT l0 THE KING IS INTRODUCED Lesson 2. The King Is Born 265 Lesson 30 Herod 270 Lesson 49 Conflicts 273 Lesson 50 Baptism and Temptation 276 UNIT 20 THE KING’S PROGRAM Lesson 60 The Kingdom Announced 281 Lesson 70 The Citizens Of The Kingdom 285 Lesson 80 The Law Of The Kingdom 290 Lesson 9® The Law Misrepresented 298 Lesson 10o Righteousness Of The Kingdom 302 Lesson Ils Pray Like This 307 Lesson 120 Gateway To The Kingdom 311 Lesson 130 The Kingdom Of God 315 UNIT 30 THE KING’S POWER Lesson 14o Miracles 320 Lesson 15o Power 323 Lesson 16e Opposition 327 Lesson 170 Discipleship 333 Lesson 18. Spread Of The Kingdom 338 UNIT 40 THE KING IS OPPOSED Lesson 19. The Delegation From John 342 Lesson 200 Woe to The Cities 348 Lesson 210 Brood Of Vipers 353 Lesson 22O Secrets Of The Kingdom 358 UNIT 5® THE KING IS ACCEPTED Lesson 23. He Went Away 363 Lesson 24O Beware Of The Teaching 366 Lesson 25O About Eating 370 Lesson 260 Training The Disciples 376 Lesson 27e Suffering And Glory 382 Lesson 28O Who Is The Greatest 388 Lesson 290 Forgiveness 392 viii UNIT 60 THE KING IS MISUNDERSTOOD Lesson 30o This Is The Prophet 395 Lesson 310 Entrance Into The Kingdom 397 Lesson 320 Rewards And Greatness 402 Lesson 33O Triumph 406 Lesson 340 No More Questions 409 Lesson 35O The Kingdom Will Be Taken From You 415 Lesson 360 They Preach But They Do Not Practice 421 Lesson 370 Woe To You 426 Lesson 38O What Shall Be The Sign 430 Lesson 390 When Will This Be 433 Lesson 400 The Powers Of Heaven Shaken 438 Lesson 410 No One Knows 446 Lesson 42O Well Done 451 UNIT 70 THE KING IS REJECTED Lesson 43O The Last Night 457 Lesson 440 The King is Judged 464 Lesson 45o The King is Dead 470 Lesson 46O Long Live The King 474 Lesson 47O The King is Worshipped 477 UNIT 80 STEPS TO CHRIST Lesson 48O God’s Love for Man—I 480 Lesson 490 God’s Love for Man—II 484 Lesson 50o The Sinner’s Need of Christ 488 Lesson 510 Repentance—-I 494 Lesson 520 Repentance—II 499 Lesson 53O Confession 503 Lesson 54O Consecration 507 Lesson 550 Faith and Acceptance 512 Lesson 56O Test of Discipleship—I 515 Lesson 57O Test of Discipleship1—II 522 Lesson 58O Growing up into Christ 526 Lesson 590 The Work and the Life 529 Lesson 600 A Knowledge of God 534 Lesson 610 The Privilege of Prayer 537 Lesson 620 What To Do With Doubt 541 Lesson 630 Rejoicing in the Lord—I 547 Lesson 64O Rejoicing in the Lord—II 552. LESSON 1. FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT Objectives To prepare the students for a direct approach to Bible study. To introduce the students to the materials, procedures, and objectives for this course. Introduction It is mast important that this lesson be presented clearly and in a manner that will arouse the students’ interest. It introduces a method of Bible study new to the class. The teacher himself should demonstrate an enthusiasm for using the Bible meaningfully without constant reference to comments by others * The adolescent’s awakening desire for independence will respond to such a concept. The wise teacher will make an ally of the teenager’s resentment of authority in motivating him to learn for himself what is true, and to evolve his own governing principles. As the course progresses the sense of accomplishment in personal discovery will become an added motivation. It is imperative that the tone of this entire first class period be positive and provocative. In this introductory lesson the teacher should aim at raising questions rather than at giving answers. Discussion 1. Discuss different ways that people use the Bible, Why should we have Bibles? Ornament? Fet ish? Etc -? Some people have a Bible lying on their end-table, or on the hi-fi cabinet, or somewhere else where it may be seen, as part of the decorating scheme of the room, It is one of the ornaments just like a potted plant or a pretty vase, Others like to have one, or several Bibles around the house hoping that the Holy Book will cast a healthy spell upon them. For them it is a fetish which, they hope, will be more effective than a rabbit’s foot in bringing good luck. One man had a rather unique use for his Bible. Early every morning he reached up to the shelf where his Bible lay, took it down, and carefully wiped off its cover. Then, holding it in his left hand, he proceded to strop his razor on the leather cover! Probably all will agree that none of these users enjoy the intended and potential benefits of the Bible. - 2 - Lesson 1® For Pleasure and Profit Heads-or-tails studyo Perhaps you have tried reading or studying the Bible in a hit-or-miss fashion® This may begin by the choice of a passage—by balancing the Bible on its back (demonstrate) and allowing it to open by chance® You read a passage one or more times8 but since you’re not getting much sense out of it0 you turn to some book which you hope will explain it to yous or perhaps you explain the passage to yourself according to ideas which you have already0 You may go to your father9 to a teacher8 or to a minister and ask what the words you have read really mean0 People who use this approach to the Bible have no method® The outline or commentary approach® If you have attended Sabbath school or church school you have been introduced to a study of the Bible through the use of outlinesc questions? and comments which others have planned for youo You have studied Bible storieSj, Bible historys and Bible topics by reading other peoples" explanations of what the Bible means® Have you ever wished that you could take the Bible yourself and find out what it means without having to ask somebody else? The direct method; If you can read English you can understand the Bible9 but you will need to develop certain skills and follow a plan in your study® When you learned to ride a bicycle you found that it required a sense of balance^ quick response at the handle bars8 and the exertion of effort onto the pedals0 You also learned very quickly that there was a right side up9 a front wheels a rear wheel9 a seat to sit on9 and handle bars to grasp with your hands® You did not get very far with the bicycle upside-down® You found that you couldn’t go very fast if you tried to make the rear wheel go ahead of the front wheel® Sitting on the handle bars and holding unto the seat may be a stunt that you learned to do after you became a skillful cyclist9 but if you tried to learn this way you probably found it neither useful nor pleasant® 2® Illustrations You girls who have learned about cooking9 know that it is not enough just to have the proper ingredients to make a good cake—you must also follow a definite order in mixing the ingredients and in baking them in the oven® A good cook has a method^ even if she does not follow a recipe book® She also has developed some skills® The same holds true in Bible study® In this course we are going to develop some skills and learn some methods which will make it possible for us to study the Bible by ourselves^ for ourselves9 and understand what the Bible says to us® This does not mean that we are no longer interested in what others understand the Bible to say® It does mean, however9 that after we have studied a passage for ourselves we can go to a commentary or to some person whose understanding we respect and be prepared to discuss—not just to be told—what it means® - 3 - Lesson 1. For Pleasure and Profit During the past summer many of you spent some time in or near water. There are different ways to enjoy water. Some people just like to look at it. Perhaps they find it beautiful or they may enjoy watching the swimmers have a good time. Every beach and swimming pool has its quota of LOOKERS. You probably saw others who may have come just to look, but when they got there they wanted to get closer—at least to put a hand in the water. In order to get close enough they may have taken their shoes and stockings off. Instead of putting just their hands in they also got their feet wet, enjoyed the sensation and walked along the beach for a while ankle-deep in water. They were the WADERS. However, the people who were having the most fun, who were doing the hardest playing, who were shouting, laughing—perhaps even screaming with delight, were those who came prepared with their bathing suits and got all the way into the water. These were the SWIMMERS. People who have the Bible in their homes as an ornament to be dusted with the furniture, and who go to church to marvel at what the preacher gets from the Bible are just LOOKERS in Bible study. There are others who may read a morning watch text occasionally, and even study the Sabbath school lesson a few minutes each week. They are just WADERS. The person who really has a good time with his Bible, who gets real spiritual and mental exercise from it, who is refreshed and strengthened by it, is the one who gets all the way in and learns to ’’SWIM” on his own. Just as the swimmer learns to cope with and enjoy the problems of water sport so you can learn to master the difficulties and be thrilled by the discoveries of Bible study. 3. This year we will be studying the relationship between God and individuals. We will try to find answers to such questions as these: Where must we seek to find our true origin? Why are we in the world? What is God like? What lessons did God teach to people described in the Bible? How many of these lessons does He want us to learn today? How can we learn these lessons and apply them to our lives? Of how much value is the Bible in solving our personal problems? What kind of people does God want us to be? How can we become what God wants us to be? We will seek answers to these questions by studying what God has revealed concerning Himself and His will in selected portions of the Bible. During the first semester these will all be found in the Old Testament. Obviously, “ 4 — Lesson l0 For Pleasure and Profit we cannot study thoroughly thirty-nine books in eighteen weeks! Therefore we will concentrate on certain parts which are particularly clear in showing how God deals with individuals and what His will for them is0 The work is organized within seven units0 Let us take a quick preview at these0 Unit Is The Gift of God (Lessons 2-11, Geno 1:1—628) In this unit we will see the characteristics and power of God as revealed in the creation storyo We will also see the great problem which God encountered because of man9s rebellion against Him0 What happens when a creature created in the image of God defaces that image? Unit 20 The Wages of Sin (Lessons 12-16, Geno 6:9—11:32) In Unit 2 we will see a most dramatic and terribly tragic demonstration of the results of sin0 In these chapters is portrayed the death of a planeto However, along with death and destruction we will also see salvation offered by God to any who will accept it0 Unit 30 Faith and Obedience (Lessons 17-25, Geno 21s1—25s18) In the Abraham narrative a beginning of the solution to the problem of sin is foundo In his dealings with the patriarch the Lord showed that man can find his way back to God only through faith and obedienceo Unit 40 A Change of Heart (Lessons 26-34, Gen0 25:19—36:43) The history of God’s dealings with Jacob reveals that a drastic change is necessary in man’s character before he can become truly a child of Godo Jacob encountered many problems, which were of his own making, but which he was unable to resolveo Only God could help him through his difficulties, and the real solution involved a miraculous change in his life0 Unit 50 How to Live in an Evil World (Lessons 35-44, Gen0 37:1—50:26) Joseph had just as many problems as did Jacob, and they were just as severe0 Furthermore, these were not of his own making0 The crises he met were caused by evil people about himc However, the solutions were found in the same way as they had been for Jacob—through the power of Godo The story of his life demonstrates that a person may live in harmony with God in a world that is in rebellion against Him and still achieve success and happiness0 Unit 60 The Principles of Freedom (Lessons 44-55, Ex0 1—3, 19—20) In this unit we shall see the grace of God manifested to bring freedom to a race of slaves0 After giving them their liberty God revealed to them the principles by which they might retain their new-found freedom., We will have three basic concerns in our study of these principles: to understand what they are, to recognize motives for accepting them, and to learn the result of living by themo •“ 5 — Lesson 1® For Pleasure and Profit Unit 7a The Man Who Argued with God (Lessons 56-640 The Book of Habakkuk) We will end our work for the semester by studying the experience of a godly man who thought for himself and who had difficulty in understanding God0s dealings with peopleo We will find that we have much in common with Habakkuk, He was trying to do in his day what we are trying to do this semester—harmonize what is known about life in this world with what God has revealed concerning Himself3 If we can be as successful as Habakkuk we shall have accomplished^ to a large degree0 the objectives for this courseo Assignment With the students read the study suggestions and assignments0 Explain anything that is not clear to them0 Particularly emphasize the importance of praying before beginning their study0 Who can explain what he wrote better than the author? The Author of the Bible is still living9 He makes his home in our towno He will visit and study with any student who invites Him0 It isn?t even necessary to dial the telephone to ask Him! BEFORE YOU START Have, yoan Btbte^ a dtcttonanye thti n)onk.book.f a pcnctt on pcn^ and wntt-tng papcn at hand, CZea/z. e.vcnythtng eJUc the, dah on tabtc ivhene. yoa one. ivonktnge Wtth each tendon yoa ivttt fitnd a ivonhihcet on ivhtch to nccond yoan ^tnd-tng-&0 Fttt thae. tn neatty and conncctty and have, them neady to hand tn at the. next ctai* meeting 0 Vo yoan ivonk. a& qutekty as yoa can^ bat not -iapen^tctatty on canetei^ty0 Mwayt tnvtte God to hetp yoa &tady9 Fneqaentty yoa ivttt fitnd Aaggetted pnayem tn yoan ivonkboobio Yoa may £tnd the&e hetpfiate Whethen yoa at>e thete on not ti not xmpontant, How even, a fieiv moment* *pent tn *tncene pnayen begone, begtnntng yoan *tady one. penhap* the. mo*t tmpontant one* tn yoan enttne pnepanattone LESSOM 20 VACANT WORLV L Read naptdty Gene*t* 1s1—2:39 The. punpoAe. o& thtb t* to get a qatck vtejv o£ the. account ofi eneatton0 Read a* naptdty as you can9 - 6 - 20 Look up these wolds in a dietionaiy and wiite the exptanations in youi woikbook. Toi each. wold undeitine the. meanings that you think fit best in this passage. a. cieate b. void c0 firmament d0 image Be 4u/te to took up any othei wolds whose meanings aie not deal to you. You cannot undeistand -sentences and paiagiaphs if you don*t know the meanings of the wolds used in them. 3. Read Genesis 1t1~-2s3 twice without a bleak. The mole famitiai you become with the passage the easiei it witt be to futfitt the assignments of the next few days. Vid tooking up the definitions of a few wolds add anything to youi second leading? 4. Wiite two oi thiee sentences summaiizing the stony of the passage. Of couiset you cannot inetude att the facts! Sdect those most emphasized in the stoiy so that youi sentences witt state the theme. Make youi statements as deal as possibte. Vo assignments 2 and 4 on the fottowing woiksheet. Onty the woiksheet is to be turned in. Atways fottow diieetions caie fatty. Call attention to the worksheet and emphasize that it will be taken up at the beginning of the next class meeting. Remind the students that the Bible is the textbook for this course, and that it will be needed during class. Each student will be expected to bring the Bible to every class session.. UNIT 1. THE GIFT OF GOD LESSON 2. VACANT WORLD Obj ectiyes To get an overall view of the passage preparatory for detailed study* To encourage attitudes toward Bible study conducive to meaningful understanding* Assignment Ask the students to pass in their work sheets for this lesson. Present the assignment for Lesson 3, LESSON 3. GOP OF ACTION L. Count and AecoAd tn youA woAkbook the numbeA ofi times the woAd "God" Zs used Zn Genesis 7:7 —2:3. 2. Make. a ZZst ofa Zke ve/ib^ o^ action used tn connection tvZZh the woAd God and tndtcate how many times each veAb Zs used. You aAe to £Znd the woAds that teZZ what God dtd (God cAeated, said, saw, etc,]. In the faZASt column o(y the chaAt WAxle all these veAbs, In the second column Indicate the numbeA o$ tines each Zs used. The thlAd column Zs fioA the next paAt o£ the assignment, 3. We ZeaAn to know peASons mostly by obseAvlng theZA actZons and woAds, What do the veAbs you have listed tell about God? Suppose that a neZghboA who gAows ^loweAS toZd you that while he was woAkZng Zn his garden a salesman dAove up, stepped out of his coa, caAAZed his bAlefease with him as he wZAoachedj* andTcaZZed out a e^eeA^ul gAeetZng, the nelghboA adi^'tha^the vZsZloA^named se-veAal kinds of floweAS which he paAtleuZaAty ZZked and AecaZZed that his motheA used to gAow them, you could fcnow a num^e^of^hlngs about that saZesman just fAom the veAbs youA neZghboA used. You would know that he couZd dAZve a coa, that he couZd walk, that he had hands and stAength to caAAy things, that his puApose ZncZuded getting acquainted, that he was fAlendly, that he had some knowledge about floweAS, that he had dZsceAnment to tell one fAom anotheA, that he had a sense of appAeclatlon and enjoyment, that he had a memo Ay, etc. Genesis 7:7 —2:3 uses a numbeA ofa veAbs descAibZng God's actions. What do these teZZ you conceAnlng what God Zs ZZke? in the thlAd coZumn o^ the woAksheet WAZle what each veAb teZZs you about God, Po not expect to have the same answeAS that youA cZassmates have. It Zs - 8 - Lesson 2. Vacant World not important to you what the, ve/tbA tett them, What do they teJLt you. about God? Stnce we do not att andesutand woad* tn exactly the. tame way each wttt (tnd something dt^feaent to contatbute to the cla^ diAcaAAton* Introduction About five minutes should be spent on reviewing some highlights of the introductory material given in Lesson 1<> This will lead into a discussion for today6 Discussion 1» Ask the students to suppose that they opened a book and found an essay in which every paragraph began with the statement, "And Napoleon fought » o What would they be quite sure that the essay was about? Probably it would have to do with some of Napoleon’s battles, Now have the students open their Bibles to the first chapter, and ask different ones to read aloud the first clause in each paragraph,, (If the students are using Bibles in which the material is not divided into paragraphs they should be told what the paragraph organization is.) 1:1 "In the beginning God created . . ." 3 "And God said . . ." 6 "And God said . . ." 9 "And God said . . ." 14 "And God said . . 0" 20 "And God said 0 . 0" 24 "And God said . . ." 26 "Then God said . □ ." 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished . . ." Of these nine paragraphs seven begin with the statement "And God said » . »" What does this suggest as to the subject of the chapter? Without reading the rest of it you would conclude that the chapter is concerned with something that God said. Judging from the clauses which opened the first and the last paragraphs what might you conclude that the subject of God’s speaking is? Since the first paragraph begins, "In the beginning God created . 9 .," and the last paragraph says, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished 0 « .," probably what is between these two has something to do with creation and the part that God’s speaking played in it. The fact that eight of these nine paragraphs begin by saying what God did gives an indication as to what the author’s emphasis in the chapter is. Suppose that every paragraph began similar to the last one as follows: - 9 “ Lesson 20 Vacant World 1:1 ”In the beginning the heavens and the earth came into existence 4 3 ’’And light began to shine , * ♦” 6 ’’And the firmament separated the waters . » 9 ’’And the land became dry 0 , 14 ’’And lights in the heavens began to shine . . 20 ’’And the waters produced living creatures « » »” 24 ’’And the earth brought forth cattle . a »” 26 ’’And man achieved dominion . . 2:1 ’’Thus the heavens and the earth were finished . « »” What different emphasis would this indicate? Wouldn’t this suggest the author s main interest to be in nature and its processes? However, the actual structure which is used indicates that the primary interest is in God and His activity. This will become even more clear as you study your lesson for tomorrow, 2♦ Now we will take a look at some of the words that you checked with the dictionary,. They are words you have heard before. Did you get any additional ideas as to what they mean? Look. up thjue. woAd* in a dictionaay and. wAite. the. exptanation* in youA woAkbook, Foa each. woAd underline. the, meaning* that you. think, ^it but tn thi* pa**age.» a» cAeatc b0 void c. diAmamcnt d, image. Be. *uae to took up any other woAd* who*e meaning* are not dear to you. You cannot understand *e.ntencu and paAagAaph* ifi you don't know the. meaning* o£ the. wo Ad* u*e.d in them. General Procedures: The words to be defined should be written on the chalkboard one at a time,f Then as students volunteer the meanings they found write them opposite the appropriate word. Discuss which explanations fit best in the passage. Response can be stimulated by asking pupils about meanings that obviously do not fit. The completed Workbook sheet should resemble the following. CREATE 1 ° tQ.ca.use to come into existence; bring into being; make; originate» 2, to cause; produce; bring about; give rise to: as, an adverse public opinion was created, 3, to invest with a new rank, function, etc. 10 - Lesson 20 Vacant World VOID 1B not occupied; vacant; said of benefices, offices, etc6 20 containing nothing; emptyB 3B being without; lacking: as, void of judgment., 40 having no effect or result; ineffective; useless^ FIRMA- 16 a strengthening, support, to support, to strengthen, the sk^, MENT viewed, poetically as a solid arch or vault0 IMAGE 16 an imitation or representation of a person or thing, drawn, painted, etc0; especially, a statueB 2, the visual impression of something produced by reflection from a mirror, refraction through a lens, etc0 30 a person or thing, very much like another; copy; counterpart; likenesso 40 a mental picture of something; conception; idea; impression0 50 a type; typical example; symbol; embodiment: as, he is the image of laziness0 60 a vivid representation; graphic description: as this play is the image of life0 7o a figure of speech, especially a metaphore or simileB In addition to the assigned words discuss the meanings of the following: DEEP (as a noun) l0 a deep place, as in water or earth0 24 the extent of space, time, the unknown, etc0 FRUITFUL l0 bearing much fruit0 20 producing much; productive; pro- lific; fertile., 30 producing results; profitable: as, a HALLOW fruitful scheme., to. make holy or sacred; sanctify; consecrate0 20 to regard as holy; honor as sacred; venerate., 36 Follow the word definitions with a discussion of Assignment, Part 40 W/tZte oa thx.ee tentence* ^imaatztng the *tofuy the. parage. Ofi cou/c&e, you cannot tnctu.de att the fact*! Setect thoAe moAt emphasized tn the &tox.y &o that youx. AentenceA wttt state the theme. Make youx. statement* a* cteax a* po*sibte. Ask members of the class to tell what they think the most important points of the story are and list them on the board as given., Eliminate all but five or six by class discussion.. Then ask members of the class to formulate sentences combining these0 Write these on the board to form the paragraph., A sample summary might be: The author tells the divine origin of earth and mam Out of darkness and chaos God brought light, order, and reproducing lifeB Man, created in God’s image, was given dominion over this new world, which was judged by the Creator to be very good. - 11 - Lesson 2* Vacant World 4® Discuss attitudes of different people toward Bible study® Just as one's attitude toward his food has much to do with how good it tastes and how well it digests, so one’s attitude toward the study of the Bible largely will determine how much he enjoys it and how much he learns* The following are suggestive of both unhelpful and helpful attitudes0 It would be well to write the attitudes (indicated in all caps) on the chalkboard and comment on each brieflya A® Negative Attitudes The following attitudes will prevent learning and will make doing assignments a distasteful choreo I AM NOT SMART ENOUGH® I can't understand the Bible anyway, so why try? It's for the scholars* I HAVE NO IDEASe I would like to understand, but I don’t know how to interpret what I read® I can’t even remember what the minister has said about a text or what I have learned about it in other Bible classes® What I learn about one text doesn’t seem to help me much when I read another® I AM A CORKED BOTTLE® I do not like some things that people say are in the Bible® I am afraid the Bible condemns some things I like to do® I prefer not to understand it too well! I AM TOO LAZY* I am as smart as the next fellow and could understand the Bible if I’d try® However, it is rather difficult and not worth my efforts In fact, I find it to be dry reading and puts me to sleep— which I like better® Bo Positive Attitudes Here are some attitudes which will make Bible study an exciting, satisfying learning experiences I CAN UNDERSTAND ENGLISHs I can comprehend English words and sentences9 My Bible is in Englisho Therefore, I can understand what it says® Even though there may be parts which are not entirely clear, the Bible can be just as meaningful as any other book® GOD WILL REVEALS God,who wpoke to the writers of the Bible, also can speak to mes Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide me into all truths I believe His promise, and I ask Him to fulfil it to me as I studyQ I WANT TO LEARNc I will pull the stopper out of my mind and go to the Bible to find what I can learn0 I will not try to make it say what I want to say, but I will seek to learn what God intends it shall say to me0 I know that as I study carefully, the truths of the Bible will unfold to my understanding® I WILL DIG DEEPLYo I am old enough to know that I can’t get something for nothing® The pleasure I get and the amount I learn will be directly proportionate to the effort I put forthe I am willing to discipline myself to methodical and intense study® (Fun at the beach takes effort too!) - 12 - Lesson 20 Vacant World C® The Choice is Yours IF YOU THINK you’re too stupid, that you are lacking the necessary ideas, that your mind is a corked bottle, and that you are lazy, let’s face it—you’re in for a dull and unrewarding course unless you change your attitudes! IF YOU THINK YOU understand English, that God thinks enough of you to speak to you, that the "Best Seller” of world literature is significant for you, and that you can boss yourself enough to get down to business in your study, then during the coming weeks and months you may expect a new experience in learning that will be both enriching and enjoyables THE FACT IS, God wants to speak to you! Do you want to learn what He has to say? You can® Whether or not you do is up to you—the choice is yours! LESSON 3o G 0 D OF ACTION Objectives To recognize the theological nature of the creation story9 To clarify concepts of God as the First Cause of the world0 who expresses himself in action through His creation and in benevolence toward His creatureso Assignment Read the assignment aloud while the pupils follow® Explain that you will demonstrate the procedure for Part II in class. Explain any other part of the assignment which does not seem clear to the pupils® LESSON 40 A WEE/CS WORK I® With a nulen measune the column Inches tucd to descnlbe each day oi cneatton week. Which. day has the. most space. devoted to It? What inaction oi the. cneatton stony Is used tn describing what happened on that day? What does this Indicate negandtng the authors punpose? Ln fagunlng this do not Include the itnst two tnlnoductony venses o{ Genests 1. Heasune each day*s space to the nearest one-eighth oi an Inch. Divide the numben oi Inches used ion the longest description of a day°s wonk tnto the total to get the inaction asked fan. 2» Complete the analytical chant which was slanted tn class. Gnoup the verses oi Genesis 1sJ~~2s3 tnto the fallowing panagnaphs? 1-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-13; 14-19; 20-23; 24-31; 2s1-3. Voa may not be able to complete the chant ion the whole passage tn the time you have to study today. Wonk at least thinly minutes on tip and do as much as you can. Introduction About five minutes should be spent reviewing the verbs of action used in connection with the subject God and the summary sentences for the crea-tion story0 Introduce the analytical chart and explain how it is constructed,. Although this chart is adaptable to various uses9 for the Gen0 1?1—23 7 it might be explained best as follows® Draw a large chart form on the chalkboardo Illustrate each step as you explain ito Ask the students to write into their charts the material that you are placing on the boardo - 14 - Lesson 3, God of Action Explain that the narrow left-hand column will be used for titles and summary notationso Illustrate by writing in the material in the lefthand column for Genesis 121—2 which appears below8 Explain that the broad right-hand column is actually used in two divisions: about 1/3 is used for the simple subjects and the verbs; the remining 2/3 is used for the objects of the verbs and the predicate nounso Illustrate by placing Gen0 1:1-2 from the chart below into the chart on the chalkboard o Explain that in this chart there will be only two types of subjects and verbs that will be placed in the broad column: those that begin with "God", and those that begin with, "there was", or "It was," Those beginning with, "God" should be placed next to the vertical line, and those beginning with, "There" or "it" should be slightly indented9 There will be two exceptions—in the first paragraph there will be, "Earth was," instead of, "There was", and in the last paragraph there will be, "Heaven and earth," instead of, "God"® These exceptions should not be elaborated on at this time unless a question is raised concerning them® Draw a line across the right-hand column to separate this material from the following paragraph., Continue illustrating on the chalkboard the material for the first three days of creation as indicated below* Involve the students in identifying the material from the Bible which should be placed in the various columns® After this exercise they should be prepared to continue this chart as they are asked to do in the assignment for tomorrow® Titles Paragraph Analysis, Gen0 1:1-13 THE BEGINNING God created heavens formless vacant earth dark Earth was without form void dark God moved (Spirit of) over waters - 15 - Lesson 3. God of Action LIGHT Separating day from night 1st day 3-5 God said Let there be light There was light God saw it was good God separated light from darkness God called light day darkness night There was evening morning FIRMAMENT Separating waters from waters 2nd day 6-8 God said Let firmament separate waters from waters God made Firmament separated waters below from waters above it was so God called firmament heaven there was evening morning LAND separating waters from land 3rd day 9-13 God said Let waters below gather into one place Let dry land appear It was o (J God called dry land earth waters seas God saw it was good God said Let earth put forth veget’n plants yielding seed trees bearing fruit —according to kinds God saw it was good There was evening morning - 16 - Lesson 30 God of Action Discussion Begin discussing Lesson 3o Involve the students by asking them to find answers to your questions in the passage under discussion0 Add materials which they may have overlooked□ lo You were asked tog Count and A.e.eoft.d tn youA notebook the. numbeA ofi the. wo nd God tb ube.d tn Gcncbtb hi—2s30 ”God”is used 34 times and ’’Spirit of God” onceo Assign the following words to different pupils asking that they count the number of times the words are used in Genesis Igl—2?3? Heaven Day Man Earth Morning Evening Tree Creature0 (This should only take 23 minutes)0 In view of the fact that God is mentioned so many more times? what is this passage about? (Obviously the passage is about Godo) 2o Inasmuch as the subject of this passage is ”God”? let us talk about some of the things it tells us about Him0 The second part of your assignment for today asked you tog Make. a tut ofi the. venbb ofi action ube.d tn connection wtth the. wo nd God tn thtb pabtage. and tett how many tlmeb each venb tb abed, Ask the students to state the verbsg and as they do so write them on the chalkboard indicating the number of times each is usedo created 5 separated 3 blessed 3 finished 1 moving 1 called 5 saying 1 had done 3 said 10 made 4 make 1 rested 2 saw 7 set 1 have given 2 hallowed 1 3o Part 3 of your assignment was? We teann to know penbonb mo&tty by ob-beAvtng thetn actions and wondb0 What do the. venhb you have. tibted tett about God? List meanings on the board as they are given by the students0 Supply what they have overlooked0 Take up each verb in turn and ask the pupils what it suggests as to the characteristics of Godo - 17 - Lesson 3« God of Action Verbs Created Aspects of God’s Nature Implied First cause, maker of the universe,, A builder and producer rather than a destroyer (throughout the Bible this is used to describe an action of God). Moving, had done, rested Freedom of action Said, saying Self expression, consciousness, selfrevelation, unlimited power® (There is never a question as to what will happen when God speaks® How surprised we should be if one of the verses stated, "God said . o o and it wasn’t so’’!) Saw Awareness, discretion, observation, judgment—"it was good" (suppose it said, "God saw what he had made, and it wasn’t very good"!) Separated, made, make, called, finished, set Design, order, intelligence, completness, involvement with though separate from creation® Blessed, have given Graciousness, benevolence Hallowed Holiness, ability to make holy We might summarize the implications of these verbs by saying that God is a real personal Being, separate from His creation, capable of perception, etc® He is loving, kind, provident, orderly, complete, perfect® (Enlarge as time permits)0 LESSON 40A WEEK’S WORK Objectives To emphasize the uniqueness of man as a child of Godo To develop skill in the use of the Analytical Chart in Bible study.. Assignment The pupils may need another day to complete the analytical charts., Take this opportunity to answer questions that they may have concerning them, but insist that they do their own work beyond the demonstration that was given in class® LESSON 50 IT WAS GOOD U CompZ&te. any anfitntAhed u)o^k on youA anatyttcat cJiafcU Ge.neAtt> 1s 1--2s30 20 Etntbh. the, AumnaAy chaAt began tn eta faoA Ge.ne^t& 1:1—2s30 Introduction Explain how to make the summary chart0 The following suggestions may be helpfulo Place a large skeleton diagram for a three chapter summary chart on the chalkboardo Ask the students to turn to the chart for Lesson 5 in their workbooks and begin to fill in as you illustrate on the board0 Explain that the spaces at the top of the chart between the diagonal lines are for chapter titles0 A title is simply for the purpose of identificationo Illustrate by entitling the first chapter: The Beginning of the Eartho Also number the chapter as indicated0 The space between the two horizontal lines is for identification of the larger segments0 Illustrate by marking off and entitling the segment 1:1—2:3 as illustrated belowo - 19 - Lesson 40 A Week’s Work THE CREATION 1 3 1-2 The Beginning God created heavens & earth9 which was formlessp vacant9 dark* 3-5 Light? 1st Day Separated light from darkness-day & nighto 6-8 Firmament ? 2nd day Separated waters from waters & called firmament heaven0 9-13 Land? 3rd day Separated waters from land; called land earth & waters seas, Earth brought forth vegetation-plants , fruit trees—”kindse’’ Explain the identification and summarising of paragraphs* The verses included in the paragraph should be numbered in the center of the column (illustrate)a The title for a paragraph should be something that will identify its content with as few words as possible (illustrate)» Explain that the theme or summary sentence should state very concisely the main thought of the paragraph (illustrate as indicated)0 Continue illustrating for the first three days of creation* Draw from the students their suggestions for titles and theme sentences® It will be preferable to use titles and sentences suggested by the students rather than those from the sample chart abovea Discussion lo Refer to the first part of the assignment for today® WZth a fujJLvt meaAuAe the eotumn tncheb cued to debcAtbe each day o& cAeatton week0 Which day hob the moAt 6 pace devoted to tt? What ^Aac-tton o£ the cAeatton Ato Ay tb abed in debcAibing what happened on that day? What doeb thib tndteate siegaAding the authoA1A puApoAe? The Beginning of Earth - 20 ' Lesson 40 A Week°s Work The sixth day has the most space devoted to it0 Of the total space used for the creation story about 1/3 is devoted to describing the work of the sixth day0 This is three times as much as the average for each of the other six0 The author devoted more space to this dayes activities because they climaxed God's activity and revealed more fully than the work of any other day the true and personal character of the Creatoro "After the earth with its teeming animal and vegetable life2 had been called into existence^ man9 the crowning work of the Creator9 and the one for whom the beautiful earth had been fitted up9 was brought upon the stage of actiono o 0 o God created man in his own image0 Here is no mysteryc There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved,, by slow degrees of development9 from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life., 0 0 0 The genealogy of our race9 as given by ins™ piration0 traces back its origin,, not to a line of developing germs8 mollusks„ and quadrupeds9 but to the great Creatoro Though formed from the dust9 Adam was ®the son of God°o" (PP 44§3—45§1) 20 Discuss the significance of the expression^ "God created man in His own image/ in the light of the characteristics of God as revealed in His activity in creationo The following outline is suggestive0 The characteristics of God manifested in the creation should be manira fested in the character of man who was created in His images Man as created was perfect in his realm as God is perfect in His0 Man was an active being with powers of speech^ vision^ and perception.. He shared in the creative power of Godo (Reproduction) He could reason9 plane organize^ design., He was possessed of an out going interest0 He was generous and unselfish., He was God s representative over the lower orders of creatures and had authority over them0 "Christ alone is 'the express image of the Father£ but man was formed in the likeness of Godo His nature was in harmony with the will of Godo His mind was capable of comprehending divine thingso His affections were pure? his appetities and passions were under the control of reason., He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God9 and in perfect obedience to his will0” (PP 45g3) "Every human being0 created in the image of God0 is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator,,—individuality0 power to think and to doo" (Edg Po 17) - 21 - Lesson 40 A Week's Work ’’Every faculty of mind and soul reflected the Creator’s glory0 Endowed with high mental and spiritual gifts, Adam and Eve were made but 0 little lower than the angels,’ that they might not only discern the wonders of the universe, but comprehend moral responsibilities and obligationso” (Eda p0 20) ’’When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore9 in his physical8 mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to His Maker®” (Edo p0 15) (Care should be taken not to elaborate on the physical likeness to the extent that the impression may be given that God is simply ”a large man"0 Anthropomorphism should be strictly avoidedo Physical likeness should be stressed in the area of powers of speech, vision, freedom of movement, ability to reproduce, power, etc,) 3o If the work of education is to restore in man the image of God, then by studying His characteristics we can know what our aims are® ”To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized—this was to be the work of redemption® This is the object of education, the great object of life®” (Ed® ppo 15,16) ’’The Holy Scriptures are the perfect standard of truth, and as such should be given the highest place in education® To obtain an education worthy of the name, we must receive a knowledge of God, the Creator, and of Christ, the Redeemer, as they are revealed in the sacred word®” (Ed0 p0 17) - 22 Lesson 40 A Week’s Work LIGHTS Separate & Rule Day & Night 4th day God said It was God made God set God saw There was 14-19 Let lights be in firmament separate day from night signs seasons days years give light on earth so two great lights greater to rule day lesser to rule night stars also them in firmament give light on earth rule over day and night separate light from darkness it was good evening morning FIRMAMENT & WATER CREATURES Fly & । Swim 5th day God said God created God saw God blessed There was 20=23 Let waters bring forth swarms of creatures Let birds fly across firmament sea monsters living water creatures winged birds —according to kinds it was good them9 saying== be fruitful multiply fill waters in seas birds multiply on earth evening morning - 23 - Lesson 4S A Week’s Work LAND CREATURES Rule Eat 6th day 24-31 God said Let earth bring forth creatures cattle creepers beasts —according to kinds It was so God made beasts cattle creepers —according to kinds God saw it was good God said Let us make man in our image after our likeness Let them have dominion over fish birds cattle creepers God created Man in his own image in image of God male and female God blessed them God said Be fruitful multiply fill earth subdue it have dominion over fish birds every living thing on earth God said I have given you for food plants yielding seed trees with seed in fruit I have given all creatures food green plants God saw it was very good —everything he had made There was evening morning - 24 - Lesson 4e A Week’s Work 2:1-3 THE FINISH Host were finished —of heaven & earth 7th day God finished His work —on seventh day rested on seventh day —from all his work God blessed seventh day hallowed it because God rested from his work —on it —of creating LESSON 5. IT WAS GOOD Objectives To see the primary purpose of the author in the creation narrative.. To view the creation account as a progressive narrative by a paragraph by paragraph study* Assignment Collect only the summary charts* Remind the students that the analytical charts are needed for the work of Lesson 6 and will be required the next time the class meetss along with the work for Lesson 6* LeAAon 6. EVENING AMV MORNING h Fnom the mateniatA tn t/ouA anaZyticat chantA ^on. GeneAiA J: 7—2:3 compare the. fiiAAt day ofi Creation Week. with the, fiouAth. day, the, Aeeond with the. fit^th, and the, thiAd with the. Aixth* Then compaAe the. (yiAAt two intnoductony vqaaca with the. thn.ee concluding Vo you any netationAhtpA between theAe panagn.aphA? 2,. The. ^oZZowing exynebAionA one nepeated fion. each day o$ Creation Weeks "God Aaid, " "It woa ao9 " "It woa good, ” "TheAe woa evening and theAe woa manning . * Unite a Aentence on two about each, teZZing what you think it meanA. VoeA Auch constant nepetitton indicate anything oa to what the. authon neganded oa impendant? 3* "God cnzated man tn hit own imaged Unite a a ho nt panagnaph teZZing what thiA Atatement meanA to you. How iA it Atgnt^tcant to youn Ztfie? In what zieApectA couZd man be. an image o^ the God zieveaZed in GeneAiA Introdcution Review the procedures used in the construction of a summary chart by demonstration on the chalkboard* Use the material under part 1 of the Discussion* Discussion 1. Work out the summary chart on the board* Act as secretary or moderator while the students supply the needed materials from their open Bibles and from their charts. Be sure that all students understand every step of the procedure. - 26 - Lesson 50 It Was Good The Beginning of Earth The Beginning of Man 1 2 THE CREATION 1 3 1“2 The Beginning God created heavens & earth, which was formless, vacant, darko 3-5 Lights 1st Day God separated light from darkness “-day & nighto 6 8 ^Firmament § 2nd Day God separated waters from waters & called firmament Heaven0 9-13 Lands 3rd Day God separated waters from land; called land Earth & waters Seas0 ' Earth brought forth vegetation— ; plants9 fruit trees““”kinds0” 14-19 Lightsg 4 th Day God made them in heavens to give lightg separate & rule day & night, and for signs8 seasons, days, yearso 20-23 Air & Water Lifeg 5th Day God created creatures to fly in ! firmament, move in seas, & mul- | tiply““8*kindso09 24-31 Land Lifeg 6th Day God made cattle, creepers, beasts— multiply““”kinds’8o Man, male & 1 female, in Gods image, to have dominion & to eat vegetationo 1 The Finish God finished heavens, earth & their hosts-God^s worko 2-3 Rest; 7th Day Blessed & hallowed 7th day because He rested on it from His work in creationo - 27 - Lesson 5o It Was Good 2o The following material may help students appreciate the value of the Creation narrative in the light of the author’s purpose (The teacher should familiarize himself with all terms which may not be part of his usual vocabulary) o The primary purpose of the author as indicated by the vocabulary, style, and literary structure which he used is to portray God as the creator and to describe him at worko Here is a superb and classical portrayal of God as Creator, containing the essential elements of monotheismo God is divine, intelligent, purposeful, all-powerful, free, self-acting, self-revealing, personal, etc0 Anyone who questions the skill with which the author has expressed the monotheistic ideal would have his doubts removed by the simple exercise of trying to write a better one of similar lengtho Its literary excellence and its lofty theology become almost painfully apparent when it is compared with cosmologies contemporary to it or older., A comparison of the Genesis 1 portrayal of God with the numerous "’isms’8 that have been held through the centuries makes clear its denial of their basic hypotheseso It directly contradicts? Atheism, which denies the existence of any godo Polytheism, which teaches belief in many gods., Materialism, which holds that matter is the only true reality0 Pantheism, which declares that God is everything, and everything is God0 Fatalism, which accepts every event as determined and inevitable.. Gnosticism, which taught that matter is evil and the antithesis to Godo Humanism, which holds that man is the measure of all things0 Naturalism, which is the belief that a natural world is the whole reality and that scientific laws can explain everything apart from purely spiritual forces®. Humanistic Existentialism, which teaches that man has no ’’given” nature but that man creates his own worldo The author®s secondary purpose, eogO0 to describe the processes of creation, must be considered and understood in the light of the major pur-poseo The secondary purposes must not be confused with the major pur-poseo Too often Genesis 1 is regarded simply as a description of the process by which the world came into being0 The aurhot’s interest in the processes appears only in his insistence that creation was an act of God, and that all things—the sky with sun and stars, the air with its birds, the seas with their fish, the land with its plants and animals, man and the days, weeks, months, and years by which he measures time—exist because God so willed its However, his primary purpose is to describe God, and the work of creation is the occasion for the description.. If I try to describe my mother by telling you how she acts in the kitchen while preparing dinner, I am still giving you a description of my mother and not an account of the art of cooking0 LESSON 60 EVENING AND MORNING Objectives To enlarge one’s realization of the greatness and goodness of Godo To help the students discover how they may imitate in their lives the benevolent characteristics of God. Assignment Collect the work of Lesson 5, and any former assignments not yet turned ino Present the assignment for Lesson 7. LESSON 70 MAGNIFICENT UJORLV 10 Read Genesis 2:4—3:24 XwZce at one *itting, 20 Look up ike, fallowing word* in a dictionary and record tn your workbook the meaning* which apply to their cue tn this passage? Generation, Eden, Subtle, Good, Evil. Introduction Review quickly the activity of God in Creation Week. Discussion l0 Note the paragraph relationships within the creation narrative. From the materials tn your analytical charts fior Genesis J: J—2?3 compare the hirst day oh Creation Week with the fourth day, the second wtth the titfrth, and the third wtth the sixth* Then compare the hirst two introductory verses wtth the three concluding verses* Vo you see any relationships between these paragraph*? Discuss the comparisons with the students drawing from them what they have found in their own study. Clarify the relationships by constructing the accompanying chart on the chalkboard. Ask the students to recall the titles for each day. Two sets of parallelisms should be noted. The introduction, which states the beginning of God’s creative work, is paralleled by the conclusion, which tells how He finished it. The account of the first three days, which describes a preparation, is paralleled by the account of the next three days, which records the fulfillment. -= 29 Lesson 60 Evening and Morning In the introduction it is stated that the world was formless9 dark9 and vacant« During the first three days the formless, dark earth is lightened and formed0 During the next three days the vacant earth is filled® The introduction depicts God moving! the conclusion declares that He is resting,, On the first day God created light; on the fourth He furnished light“hearers0 On the second day God arranged the firma™ ment and waters; on the fifth He supplied creatures to live in them® On the third day God provided the land to bring forth vegetation; on the sixth He produced creatures to live on the land and to eat the vegetation® - 30 Lesson 60 Evening and Morning Structural Chart for Genesis lsl”'-2?3 INTRODUCTION The Beginning God created the heavens the earth God moved on waters Formless - - Dark - Vacant FULFILLMENT Filling the vacant PREPARATION Forming the formless Lighting the dark Light 1st Day Separated light from darkness Day & Night Lights 4th Day Separate day from night To rule Day & Night ___ Firmament 2nd Day Separated waters from waters Heaven Firmament & Water-Creatures 5th Day To move in the waters To fly in the heaven Land 3rd Day Separated waters from land Seas & Earth Vegetation Land Creatures 6th Day To live on the earth To eat the vegetation Separated man from other creatures Created in God’s image To rule all other creati res CONCLUSION The God finished God rested blessed hallowed Finish the heavens the earth the 7th Day - 31 - Lesson 60 Evening and Morning 20 Note the things that are repeated, verbatum or by equivalents, in each day s accounts (Exceptions "It was good," does not appear in the second dayl's recordo) Obviously, the author regarded these as the things he wanted to emphasize concerning God’s creative activity,. The. Aottowtng expAebbtonb aAe. Ae.pe.ate.d ^oa each day ofc CAeatton We.e.k.s God baldy ” "'It wab bop 99 "It wab goodp " "TheAe. wab eventng and theAe iA)ab moAntng 0 0 0" WAtte a bentenee oa two about eaehp tMlng what you. thtnk tt meanb0 Elicit from the students their opinions0 The following suggestions may help supply concepts overlooked by the students0 "GOD SAIDo" This shows the utter effortlessness in creationo What could God have done less than, "say/9 and still do something? Creation did not require all of God s powero He did not become tired outo His power is so great that when He exerts Himself just enough to say a word9 a world comes into existence8 It also shows that God is a personal Being and that He was personally engaged in the work of the Creationo It shows the individuality of Godo His power is manifested in His word, His expressed thought0 ’IT WAS SOo" This is emphatico The author is emphasizing the fact of creationo It signifies an accomplished task, finality, the authority of God s wordo Nature is obedient to Him0 There is no room for doubt as to what happened0 How surprised we would be if we read for one of these days? "God said, and it wasn’t soS" "IT WAS GOODo" This is an expression of the perfection in creation,, God was satisfiedo God invariably creates goodo Everything was at its bestg complete, conformable to His laws0 Evil was foreign to nature as God created it0 Could you imagine God creating anything and then, after He looked at it, saying, "It isn’t good?" "THERE WAS EVAENING AND THERE WAS MORNINGo" This shows the order and regularity in creationo It also indicates what kind of day each day of creation week was? an astronomical day consisting of what we commonly call a night and a day0 It also shows that the author reckoned each day as beginning at evening0 30 Get the two or three of the students to tell what it means to be created in image of God0 "God cAeated man tn htb own tnage0" WAtte a bhoAt paAagAaph tetttng what thtb btatement meanb to you0 How tb tt btgnt^teant to youA Zt^eS - 32 - Lesson 6» Evening and Morning Summarize essential points, and develop a descariptive image of man in harmony with the implications of the verbs of action used in connection with "God" in this passage. Man reflected God’s creative activity in his dominion over creation, in his ability to "create" by reproducing new people to fill the earth, and in his ability to originate ideas and activities himself* Man was created with the freedom of action to move, to rest, and to do* He was given consciousness, the capacity of self expression, the ability to communicate0 He could see, observe, become aware of his surroundings, and evaluate them as being good or evil* Man was a creature of design and intelligence9 He reflected the graciousness, benevolence, and holiness of his Creators These characteristics are implied by the activities of God described in this Creation narrative and the statement that man was formed in the image of God0 4. Pick one of the specific characteristics of God (e»gffl, creativity, freedom of action, capacity for self-expression, ability to evaluate, intelligence, benevolence, holiness, etc*) indicated in the preceding paragraph, and lead the students into a discussion of how it should be reflected in life on the campus, in the home, or at work. The object here should be to make a direct application of one way in which a present-day student may show the image of God. LESSON 7® MAGNIFICENT WORLD Objectives To introduce the Fall Narrative0 To emphasize the incompatability of the Biblical account of creation with the theory of emergent evolution® Assignment LESSON 8, SHADOW OVER EVEN !• Complete. the tumnan-y chant £on the. fitntt thnee ehaptent ofi Genetti. Make titZet and a unman y tentencet fion the pan.agn.apht tn Genetti 2:4—3:24. Tn.y to compote ttttet netated to "Man" on. the. "Gan.de.nt1 Tneat the. fiottowtng gnoupt o£ oentet at panagnapht: 2:4-9, 10-14, 15-17, 18-24; 3:1-7, 8-19, 20-21, 22-24. Introduction Review briefly the emphases of repetition noted in Lesson 6O There will be occasion to refer to them again later in this lesson® Discussion 1# List the assigned words on the chalkboard^ and write the definitions you elicit from the studentss ■ « Look up the. ^ottowtng wondt tn a dtcttonan.y and necond tn youn wonhbook the. meantngt whteh appty to thetn. ute tn thti pottage: GeneAatton, Eden, Subtte, Good, EvtZ. GENERATION 1® the act or process of producing offspring; pro-creation® 28 the act or process of bringing into being; origination; production,, EDEN LitOg delight® A delightful place® SUBTLE 2® keen; acute; penetrating; discriminating0 30 delicately skillful or clever; deft; ingenious® 4e crafty; artful; wily; designing,, 5„ strangely suggestive; mysterious; sly; as a subtle wink® 7„ acting in an insidious way; as8 a subtle poison® GOOD (as noun) something good; specifically9 a) worth; virtue; merit 0 „ „ b) something contributing to health9 welfare. - 34 Lesson 70 Magnificent World happiness^ etc0; benefit°t advantages as0 the greatest good of the greatest number0 c) something desirable or desired; EVIL (noun) l0 morally bad or wrongs wicked; depraved; sin; 2o causing pain or trouble; harmful; injurious; misery, disastero 20 Note the apparent difference in the order of the events of creation given in 2 4-9 as compared with lgl””2s3o Different versions also have variationso Have students read the passage from RSV and KJV as you chart it on the boardo Generations Heaven Earth -when created RSV In the day that the Lord God made earth heavens When no plants were yet in earth no herbs had yet sprung up (for - no rain — no tiller) Then Lord God formed man Generations Heaven Earth KJV When they (heaven and earth) were created In the day that the Lord God made the earth the heavens every plant^before it was in the earth every herb~=before it grew (for “ no rain no tiller) And the Lord God formed man Obviously^ this is not a sequential narrative0 'The day/' must be un~ derstood as9 "the time/8 ’’the occasion/’ ’’the age/' when the heavens and the earth were created0 This9 "day/* includes the creation of earth9 heavens0 plants0 herbs0 man0 garden^ and trees0 without indicate ing the order in which their creation took place0 - 35 - Lesson 70 Magnificent World Point out the real significance of the texfc“-that man was created at the same time as the rest of the creation of the earth0 This is a categorical denial of the evolutionary theory which requires long ages of development before man comes on the scene0 3 Point out that among the four emphases of repetition ("God said/’ "It was so/' "It was good/0 "There was evening 0 □ o and morning") in the first chapter^ one insists that each day of creation was an ordinary day of the length that we know it0 Any attempt to harmonize the biblical creation account with the present theories of emergent evolution cannot succeedo The choice must be made between belief in the word of God or in the theories of men0 09Just how God accomplished the work of creation he has never revealed to mens human science cannot search out the secrets of the Most Higho His creative power is as incomprehensible as his existence0 "God has permitted a flood of light to be poured upon the world9 in both science and art£ but when professedly scientific men treat upon these subjects from a merely human point of view9 they will assuredly come to wrong conclusions0 It may be innocent to speculate beyond what God’s word has revealed^ if our theories do not contradict facts found in the Scriptures °, but those who leave the word of Gods and seek to account for his created works upon scientific principles9 are drifting^ without chart or compass9 upon an unknown oceano The greatest minds $ if not guided by the word of God in their research^ become bewildered in their attempts to trace the relations of science and revelationo Because the Creator and his works are so far beyond their comprehension that they are unable to explain them by natural laws9 they regard Bible history as unreliable0 Those who doubt the reliability of the records of the Old and New Testaments9 will be led to go a step further9 and doubt the existence of God^ and then9 having lost their anchor0 they are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity/8 Patriarchs and Prophets, p0 113o LESSON 80 SHADOW OVER EDEN Objectives To realize the inexcusability of sin® To recognize the desirability of obedience to Godo Assignment LESSON 90 MAN IM THE GARDEN L On the. chart provided List all the. £acts that are given tn Genesis 2$ 4—3 s 24 concerning the. character and. nature man., Group these facts under fave headings: physical being p spiritual being9 Intellectual beingt moral beingp and social being„ Introduction By way of review very quickly reconstruct the summary chart for Genesis 1 on the boardo Have the pupils supply the data0 (See chart on page 26O) Discussion lo Continue the summary chart you have started on the chalkboard by adding chapters 2 and 30 Agains have the pupils supply the data0 (See chart on the following page0) / 37 3 Lesson 80 Shadow over Eden The Beginning of Man The Beginning of Evil -------------------------------- THE FALL 3 24 1 The Finish God finished heavens & earth0 2-3 Restg 7th Day God blessed & hallowed 7th day be” cause He rested on ito 4—9 Man placed in Garden Man created by God from dust & breath of life9 & placed in Eden0 10-14 Rivers from Garden The garden was watered by a river which divided into four & spread0 15-17 Work & Food for Man Man was given the garden to tend$ and all trees—save one——to eat0 18-24 A Helper for Man When no helper was found among all other creatures9 God took woman ’’out of man”0 1-7 Man Disobeys The serpent8 misrepresenting God0 tempts woman to disobey9 & her husband follows□ 8-19 Man Earth Degraded After finding man & woman hiding in shame9 God spelled out the results of disobediences degrada-tion8 pain9 toil2 adversity^ weariness£> death would be their fateo 20-21 Man Clothed God clothed man & wife with skinso 22-24 Man Expelled from Garden To prevent access to the tree of life God expelled the couple from Eden and stationed guards at entranceo 2O Discuss again the values of the summary chart for study? Breaks down the larger section into segments (paragraphs) small enough to comprehendo Focuses your concentration,. Forces you to decide what is important in a paragraph., Causes you to go over the passage as you read and as you write9 thus helping to fix it in your memory0 Puts the most important thoughts of a larger passage in a form that can be reviewed or restudied quickly and easily0 — 38 — Lesson 80 Shadow over Eden 3o In class note the movements and continuity from chapter one through chapter three0 The movement begins with the general and trends toward the particularo Place the diagrams on the board working from the bottom upwardo Genesis 1 Genesis 2 & 3 Chapter 1 introduces God (Elohim) as the Creatoro The universe is in subjection to Him0 It is the Kingdom of God0 Creation fulfills the divine purpose^ for it is very goodo In this framework man9 created in God’s image9 climaxes creation and becomes its ruler0 Chapter 2 identifies God (Elohim) with the Lord (Yahweh) who deals with man0 He who made man has the right to determine his code of conduct and is the proper Law-giver0 He has the right to say 0’you may freely eato 0 0” or ”o 0 o you shall not eato” Chapter 3 describes man’s fall from his rulership and his loss of paradise through dis-obedienceo 40 Discuss the two trees0 TREE OF LIFEo Here was an instrument by which man could be transformed into an immortal beingo Man had no inherent life9 but a capacity for immortal ity—bo th physical and spiritual0 Therefore man must constantly depend on an external source of lifeo Therefore man must have access to this external source of life- in the garden0 - 39 - Lesson 80 Shadow over Eden Therefore man must do that which enables him to remain there9 namely, obey Godo Obedience is good”°heeding God® Disobedience is evil™" heeding the serpent0 The first leads to lifeo The second results in death® This theme is carried right through the Bible to the very last chapter® TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL® God knows Good and Evil® Man, created in the image of God9 needs knowledge of good and evil in order to function as a free moral agent® He cannot choose either for or against that which he does not knowo God did not attempt to with-hold this knowledge but provided the opportunity for learning it® However, there are two ways of learning evil? By yielding to it® Man cannot learn it this way without suffering its consequences”“blindness to its true nature, and death® Adam chose this® By resisting ito Jesus chose this way and thereby became the keenest analyst of sin the world has known® He became an authority on sin by refusing to yield to it® LESSON 9o M A N IN THE GARDEN Objectives To understand the change in man1s nature caused by sin0 To appreciate the blessings of laboro Assignment LESSON 10o TRAGEDY IN THE GARDEN Io On the, analytical chaAt dlagAam the, temptation naAA.atlve Genesis 3;b7, Oagantze the. mateAlal tn thA.ee divisions* 1-5fi 69 70 In the. naAJiow tefa-hand column give a. title to each oft these, sections which. will indicate the. pAogAesslon faom one. step to the next tn the temptation and ^alt. In the bA.oad Aight-hand column allow about 1/3 ofi the space fa A the pAtnctpal subject and veab and 2/3 fa a the clauses and phAases which fallowo The teacher should help the pupils get started by doing the first two and perhaps the beginning of the third verse on the chalkboard0 Genesis 3s1-7 CONVERSATION Serpent Woman 1-5 Did God say You shall not eat of any tree of the garden? But God said We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the gardeno But God said You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree Introduction Review briefly the significance of the two trees in the Garden0 Discussion l0 Lead the class into a discussion of the nature of man as indicated in Genesis 2?4™3o240 Place chart on the board0 On the chaAt pAovlded test alt the facts that aAe given tn Genesis 2^4—3s24 conceAnlng the chaAacteA and natuAe ofi man. GAoup these facts undeA fave headings s physical belng9 spiritual belng9 Intellectual beingff moAal belng^ and social being. PHYSICAL SPIRITUAL INTELLECTUAL MORAL SOCIAL Made of dust Given physical labor —to dress the garden® Breathes through his nostrils® Has sight® Eats food® May die® Can sleep Can get tilong minus a rib0 Man and woman are made of tones and flesh® Husband-wife relationship becomes a physical unionQ God’s inbreathing of Spirit into man’s nostrils is unique in creation® Capacity for know-ledge® Names the animalss Grasps the implications of the creation of woman, Ability to reason with the serpent® Desire to become wist Can reason with God, Can understand the implications of his fall® Has a will to exercise choice between good and evil and has freedom to do so® Is held responsible for his choices® Experiences shame when he makes a wrong choicea * Fears its consequences Loses his freedom when he makes wrong choices9 Can associate with animals but needs a helper fit for him® Husband-wife relationship the basic social unit® Moral choices of one affect the choices of the other® Wrong moral choices may disrupt the harmony of the husbandwife relationship® Sin brought the subjection of the wife to the husband® Man’s status is superior to that of the rest of creation but inferior to the Creator® Nature and Character of mang Genesis 1-3, Lesson 9® Man in the Garden — 42 — Lesson 90 Man in the Garden 20 Note the changes which resulted from the Falls PHYSICAL Became naked and needed clothing Became subject to pain Diet was changed Became subject to death Labor became wearisome SPIRITUAL Was afraid of God Distrusted fellow beings INTELLECTUAL His fall demonstrated man’s inability to resist evil by reason MORAL Freedom of choice was limited—no longer had access to tree of life9 Experienced shame Feared the consequences of wrong choice SOCIAL Harmony between husband and wife was disrupted Wife was subjected to her husband Man’s status remained superior to the animalss but inferior to that of the Creator™—he did not become like Gods but much less like Him than he had been beforeo 3O Discuss the purpose and kind of work that man did in the gardeno "God appointed labor as a blessing to man9 to occupy his mind9 to strengthen his body9 and to develop his faculties0 In mental and physical activity^ Adam found one of the highest pleasures of his holy existence® And whena as a result of his disobedience^ he was driven from his beautiful home^ and forced to struggle with a stubborn soil to gain his daily breads that very labor9 although widely different from his pleasant occupation in the garden^ was a safeguard against temptation^ and a source of happiness® Those who regard work as a curse9 attended though it be with weariness and pain9 are cherishing an erroro ® 0 o Our Creator0 who understands what is: or man’s happiness s appointed Adam his worko The true joy of life is found only by the working men and women® The angels are diligent workers; they are the ministers of God to the children of men® The Creator has prepared no place for the stagnating practice of indolenceo" PP? 50® 4® Draw from the class suggestions of ways in which various vocations may be of service to God and man today® "Let the youth be impressed with the thought that education is not to teach them how to escape life’s disagreeable tasks and heavy burdens; that its purpose is to lighten the work by teaching better methods and - 43 - Lesson 90 Man in the Garden higher aims© Teach them that life’s true aim is not to secure the greatest possible gain for themselves8 but to honor their Maker in doing their part of the world’s workg and lending a helpful hand to those weaker0 ’’One great reason why physical toil is looked down on is the slipshods unthinking way in which it is so often performed© It is done from necessity8 not from choice© The worker puts no heart into it9 and he neither preserves self-respect nor wins the respect of others© Manual training should correct this error© It should develop habits of accuracy and thoroughnesso Pupils should learn tact and system; they should not only be taught the best methodss but be inspired with ambition constantly to improve© Let it be their aim to make their work as nearly perfect as human brains and hands can make it© ’’Such training will make the youth masters and not slaves of labor0 It will lighten the lot of the hard toiler^ and will ennoble even the humblest occupation He who regards work as mere drudgery9 and settles down to it with self-complacent ignorancep making no effort to improve, will find it indeed a burden© But those who recognize science in the humblest work will see in it nobility and beauty$ and will take pleasure in performing it with faithfulness and efficiency0 ’’A youth so trained^ whatever his calling in life$ so long as it is honesty will make his position one of usefulness and honor©” Ed© 0 pp© 2219 222© LESSON 10o TRAGEDY IN THE GARDEN Objectives To discover the principles involved in the first sin To sharpen the student’s understanding of right and wrong® Assignment LESSON Ho REUIEW OF UNIT ONE 1, Read PaXAtaAeht and PA.oph.eti ehapteA 2P "The Creation®" 20 PftepaAe a bAXei ouXZZne ofi thZt ehapteA by uAttZng a theme tentence io A each pafiagfiaph, PaAtZeuZaAZy note any ZnioAmatton gZven heAe that you. dZd not iZnd tn the itAit thAee ehapteAi oi Genetti, Be pAepaAed io a a qatz0 Introduction Review briefly the changes in man’s nature which resulted from his sin® Note that these were not caused by something he ate9 but by his involvement in rebellion against God® Today the nature of that rebellion is to be examined® Discussion 1. Construct the required chart on the chalkboard according to the accompanying sample® Have the pupils supply the data from their Bibles. Leave out the underlined words until the chart is completed. Uniformity in their own charts is not to be expected nor encouraged. On the anaZytieaZ chaAX dtagAam the temptation naAAative oi Genetti 3H-7® OAgantze the mateAtaZ tn thAee dtutitont* VeAtet i~5p 6P 7® In the naAAou) Ze it-hand eoZumn gtve a tttZe to each oi thete iee-ttont whtch wtZZ tndteate the pAogAetiton iAom one ttep to the next tn the temptation and iaZZ, In the bAoad Atght-hand eoZumn aZZou) about 1/3 oi the tpace ioA the pAtnctpaZ tubject and veAb and 2/3 io A the eZautet and phAatet whZeh. ioZ£owo - 45 - Lesson 10a Tragedy in the Garden Genesis 3:1-7 CONVERSATION Serpent Woman Serpent CHOICE Woman Husband CONSEQUENCE Wife & Husband 1-5 Did God say You shall not eat of any tree of the garden? We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden® But God said You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it lest you die0 You will not die® For God knows when you eat of it your eyes will be opened you will be like God knowing good and evil® 6 Saw the tree was good for food, it was a delight to the eyes, the tree was to be desired to make one wise Took and ate of its fruit Gave to her husband® Ate 7 Eyes were opened® They knew they were naked® They sewed fig leaves together made aprons for themselves When the chart is completed suggest additional titles in a series such as: Craft, Consent, Catastrophe; Conversation, Choice, Consequences; Temptation, Transgression, Tragedy; Approach, Act, Aftermath® - 46 - Lesson 10o Tragedy in the Garden 2® The temptation and Disobedience® Verses 1-6® THE QUESTION® The serpent’s suggest! e question might mean, "Did God forbid you to eat from the trees?", or it could mean, "Did God forbid you to eat from any particular tree?" The serpent was indeed subtle, for the question "Did God say9 ’You shall not eat of any tree® . .?”’ could have been answered truthfully by either a, "yes," or a "no," depending on how one understood it® EVE’S RESPONSEo The woman responded by first telling of God’s generosity in giving all trees: pr food with the exception of one® It would be interesting to know whether, "neither shall you touch it," was a quotation of God’s command or the woman’s addition to it. The author’s omission of it from the command in 2:17 might infer the latter, yet the woman’s innocence prior to eating the fruit argues against a deliberate misquote on her part® Or was her delay with the insinuating serpent already a step toward disobedience? TWO LIES® Each had an element of truth: "You will not die"—and they didn’t die immediately® "You will be like God, knowing good and evil®" But in no other respect would they be like God. Indeed, they would be much less like Him than before® It is significant to notice that this first statement of the doctrine of an immortal soul was made by the serpent, was at the heart of the temptation to sin, and was in direct contradiction to God’s word of warning® How wrong can you get! DISBELIEF. The woman was convinced because the tree was good for food, a delight to the eyes, to be desired to make one wise® It had always been good for food and a delight to the eyes. It was desired as something to make one wise only because the woman believed the serpent and disbelieved God® This suggests that the basic fault was unbelief and that this led to open rebellion® Has the nature of sin changed any since then? ADAM’S FALL® The man was convinced by what his wife said (verse 17). Quite a case for high motive might be made by supposing that the man’s love for his wif e was greater than his love for himself and that he joined her as a self-sacri icing gesture so that she would not have to face the consequences of disobedience alone® However, this would merely serve to emphasize the fact that disobedience to God is sin regardless of what prompts it and that the consequences are the same® 3. Immediate Consequences. Verses 7-13® INCREASED KNOWLEDGE® They learned that they were naked® Did this make them like God? SHAME. This is indicated by their making of the fig leaf garments® Previously they were "both naked and were not ashamed®" (2:25) 47 Lesson 10 0 Tragedy in the Garden FEARo They were frightened at the sound of God in the garden and hid themselveso This was another emotion which they experienced for the first time0 SHUNNED RESPONSIBILITYo The man blamed the woman0 The woman blamed the serpento Only the serpent didn’t attempt to shift responsibility to someone else0 What a paradox! The serpent was the only one of the three who was not morally responsibleo The man and the woman were moral beings created in the image of God, and their disobedience was an act of their own free wills0 The serpent was but a subservient creature9 and its body had been usurped by another power0 4o The Curse0 Verses 14-190 THE SERPENTo The most clever and ingenious of all wild creatures was to become the lowest among mammals0 There would be enmity between the serpent and the descendants of the womano In this strife the serpent would be at a disadvantage, for he would be able to reach only the heel, whereas man would be able to crush his head0 Unless one would impute moral responsibility to reptiles this curse must be understood as being directed at a morally responsible power who used the serpent as an instrument0 This curse then becomes a prediction of the ultimate triumph of the descendants of the woman over the Deceiver, through One who would mortally crush him0 THE WOMANo Child-bearing would henceforth be a painful process and she would become subject to her husband0 THE MAN0 To wrest a living from the soil would become burdensome0 Thorns and thistles would be produced, and in order to obtain a complete diet he would have to eat some foods heretofore used only by beasts0 He must look: prward to inevitable death0 50 Expulsion from Eden0 Verses 20-240 God showed His continuing care and love in spite of their rebellion by providing garments of skins0 This also demonstrated the truth of God’s warning that sin results in death, for animals had to die to cover their shame0 Whatever the true nature of the tree of life may have been, it is obvious that the author considered eternal life to be something available to man only from outside of himself and that sin denied him access to ito Now man was shorn of his dominion and evicted from his home in the garden0 6O The Way Back During the remainder of our course we will seek a solution to the problem created by man’s rebellion against Godo How can man be restored to the - 48 - Lesson 100 Tragedy in the Garden image of his Maker? How can he be prepared to live in Edenic perfection again? How can the flaws in nature which resulted from sin be removed? How can man and all of creation be made ’’very good” again? With these questions all of the rest of the Bible is concerned8 Clear and emphatic answers are given<> LESSON 11o REVIEW OF UNIT ONE Objectives To review the Creation and Fall narratives0 To introduce the students to a use of Patriarchs and Prophets 0 Assignment LESSON 12. CORRUPT WORLP 1. Read Genests 6:9--9:17 twtee at one sttttng. 2. Look up the fiottowtng woods tn the dtettonaoy and oeeood the de-^tntttons which. appty to theto use tn thts postage: Coooupt, Cubtt, Covenant Test Administer a 20 minute test on the material assigned for today0 The following items form a suggestive list from which several questions may be formed or selected0 Do not spend more than half the class period on this0 A per 20 minutes writing collect the papers whether the students have finished or not0 Describe the Earth’s surface as it appeared immediately after creation,, 44:2® What is the significance of the Creation story for the evolutionary theory? 44:3® What does it mean to be created in the image of God? 45:3« What is the significance of Eve being created from a rib instead of some other part of Adam’s body? 46;2® What were the materials out of which Adam and Eve built their first house? 47:1® What were God’s purposes in instituting the Sabbath? 48:1-3® Could God have created man so that He couldn’t sin? What difference would this have made in human nature? 49:2,3® Why did God give Adam a job as soon as He created him? 50:2® Did Adam and Eve have any visitors in the garden? Without automobiles, dress styles, or the latest gossip, what could they possibly talk about? 50:4® - 50 - Lesson 110 Review of Unit One What is the nature and purpose of the law of God? Was there any law before sin? Explaino 52s2g3—53sl0 Describe the appearance of the serpent in the garden of Eden, 53 s4. Did Eve sincerely believe the words of the serpent? What is the implication of this for belief and disbelief today? 55s3, Did Adam sincerely believe the words of the serpent as told him by Eve? What is the implication of this for husband-wife relationships today? 56;283o What did God mean by the warningp ”ln the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die?” (They did not die in the very day they ate of it,) 60?3, What happened to the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled from it? 62?2, Review 1, The Fall narrative should be summarized. Ask the students to state all the different facts we would know about temptation and sin if this were the only passage in the Bible on the subject. List them on the chalkboard as they are mentioned. The following list is suggestive, God is not the originator of evil. It came into the world in spite of His warning against it. Evil came without a necessary cause, Adam and Eve were not hungry when they ate the forbidden fruit. Sin did not originate out of ignorance, Man sinned deliberatelys willfully, Man has no inherent immortality. Eternal li e was offered him in his obedient state. In disobedience he was denied access to it. The "immortality” of man was the subject of the first lie. This passage explains man’s separation from God, yet it also pictures God’s concern for man and His willingness to communicate with him even after he has sinned. Sin is pictured as disobedience to God, irrespective of any apparent ethical value involved in the disobedience. The prohibition on the tree of knowledge of good and evil appears about as arbitrary a ruling as could be imagined. The only thing wrong about eating it was that God had said not to do it. No other principle is involved. This was to become an issue repeatedly in the narratives recorded in Genesis, - 51 - Lesson 110 Review of Unit One Disobedience to God’s command is attributed to pride of the human heart and lust0 Perhaps in the slaying of the animals to procure skins for clothes there is a foreshadowing of the sacrifices for sin which become prominent later in the book of Genesis0 Because they sinned9 an innocent life must be taken0 Surely 3215 has a Mesianic import9 whether it was so regarded in the beginning or noto 20 Historical contributions of the passage? Answers a basic question of life—why do we die? Identifies Eve as the mother of all living6 (Genesis is much concerned with genealogies0) Offers explanation for origin of clothing0 Gives the origin of birth-pains0 Records the beginning of the subjection of women. Explains why it is so hard to make a living8 and the presence of so many obstacles to man’s prosperity0 Gives the origin of all evil in the world UNIT 20 THE WAGES OF SIN LESSON 120 CORRUPT WORLD Objectives To introduce the story of the Flood0 To help pupils understand the results of sin0 Assignment Clarify anything about the assignment which may not be understood0 Emphasize that this is the same kind of summary chart that was done in connection with the study of Genesis l-=“3o LESSON 130 NOAH FOUNV FA (/OR k Begin a new twmiaAy cha/it Make, tlilet and. tummaAy tentencet Genetti 6s 24O Kito Identify each, chapter by a tUleo The author contfiattt Noah with the wicked, and the fialth ofi Noah with theVi unbelief Tiy to compote tltlet that Indicate thli>0 Follow each title with a tummasiy tentence that ttatet the main thought ofa the paA.agsiaph0 Gtioup the ventet at faollowt: 6:9-10; 11-12; 13-22; 7:1-5; 6-10; 11-16; 17-24a Introduction Briefly review the previous lessons0 Note that as a result of the in™ troduction of sin into the world man became more and more corrupt0 God had warned that death would follow sin0 The serpent denied this0 The flood proved beyond question who was righto Discussion lo Briefly introduce the new passage as to content? Noah stood alone with his family in a world that was wickedo God determined to destroy that world but to save Noah and his family0 He gave Noah instructions as to how they were to be safe from the coming flood0 Noah fulfilled the instructions and was miraculously saved with his familyo When he came out of the ark he demonstrated his thankfulness to God - 53 - Lesson 12* Corrupt World Point out that the story of the Flood is a demonstration of the wages of sin* Sin is the opposite of creation—it makes chaos out of order and returns that which is alive to lifelessness0 At the flood the earth nearly returned to its pre-creation state'—formless, vacant, dark0 Point out that Noah was saved by following the procedure prescribed by God, and compare with today—we can be saved only by accepting God’s means to salvation* God destroyed the human race in order to save some* All would have been lost if God had not interfered* Today man has the tools to destroy himself, God will interfere again in order to rescue the race from total destruction* ’’Love, no less than justice, demanded that God’s judgments should put a check on sin*” PP 101:1* 2. Discuss part 2 of the assignment. Look up the. bottoming tn the dtcttonaAij and. tie.c.osid Xke nZtZonA cv/iZcA appty to thetsi ube. tn thtb parage.: CoMupt, Cubt£fi Covenant Follow the procedure used for definitions before: Write the words one at a time on the board and ask the pupils to define them* Discuss the meanings most suitable for use in this passage* CORRUPT Dishonest, debased in character, depraved, perverted, wicked, evil* (Also ’’putrid,” which aptly describes the character of the antediluvians!)* CUBIT An ancient linear measure based on the length of the forearm, varying in extent, but usually 17-21 inches* COVENANT An agreement between two or more persons to do or refrain from doing some act, a compact, a contract* Have pupils work out the dimensions of the ark (Genesis 6:15) allowing 20 inches to the cubit for easy calculation* 3* Discuss the distinction between clean and unclean animals* Point out that this distinction dates back at least to the time of Noah, and it may be inferred from the language of Genesis 7:2 that Noah already knew of this distinction* This indicates that it may date back to the institution of the sacrifices after Adam and Eve sinned* Discuss which animals are clean and unclean: Have pupils look up the lists in Leviticus 11:1-3, 41, 42, 46, 47* (Write the reference on the board)* List the various classes on the board as pupils read them from their Bibles* - 54 ” Lesson 120 Corrupt World 40 It is important for us to study and understand the story of the Flood because? ’’The sins that called for vengeance upon the antediluvian worlds exist todayo The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men9 and his law is treated with indifference and contempto The intense worldliness of that generation is equaled by that of the generation now living0 Said Christ8 As in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking? marrying and giving in marriage9 until the day that Noah entered into the arks and knew not until the flood cameg and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be0° God did not condemn the antediluvians for eating and drinking; he had given them the fruits of the earth in great abundance to supply their physical wants0 Their sin consisted in taking these gifts with= out gratitude to the Giver9 and debasing themselves by indulging ap™ petite without restraint,. It was lawful for them to marry0 Marriage was in God°s order; it was one of the first institutions which he es°° tablishedo He gave special directions concerning this ordinance 9 clothing it with sanctity and beauty; but these directions were for-gotten2 and marriage was perverted^ and made to minister to passion,, "A similar condition of things exists now0 That which is lawful in itself is carried to excess0 Appetite is indulged without restraint0 Professed followers of Christ are today eating and drinking with the drunken^ while their names stand in honored church records,, <, 0 o The picture which inspiration has given of the antediluvian world9 represents too truly the condition to which modern society is fast hasteningo” PP 101g3—102 si LESSON 13o NOAH FOUND FAVOR Objectives To emphasize the uniqueness of Noah in the antediluvian worldo To review and clarify the construction of the study chart0 Assignment LESSON 140 GOV REMEMBERED NOAH 10 Complete the tummanjy ehant ^on. the Flood HcMaZZve. Zn GenesZs 9H7O Remembev C/iapZe/u need ZZZZe4p and paaagaap/u need ZZZZe4 and 4Lowia/ii/ on theme tentencet0 Introduction Review the previous lesson by re-emphasizing that the conditions of Noah’s day parallel those of our day0 Noah’s own position corresponds to that of God’s true followers today. Discussion lo Call attention to the assignment for today, BegZn a new ^wmiaat/ c/iaa£0 Mate ZZZZeA and 4twia/ig 4enZence6 fion Genetit 6s9-~7s240 Also Identify each ehapten by a title* The authon eontnattt Noah with the wicked, and the faith. of Noah with theln unbelief* Tny to compote titlet that Indicate thlt* Follow each title with a tummany tentence that ttatet the main thought o^ the panagn.aph9 Gn.oup the ventet at ^ollowti 6z9-10; H-/2; 13-22} 7sl-5} 6-10} 11-16} 17-24O Lead pupils to make titles and theme sentences which emphasize the contrast between Noah and the people of his day. The chart which follows is for your assistance in checking the pupils’ paperso — 56 — Lesson 130 Noah Found Favor God Instructs Noah / God Protects Noah Corrupt Earth .1 8 Noah Finds Grace 9 10 Destruction and 11 9-10 Righteous Noah Noah was righteous8 blameless9 and he walked with Godc 11-22 Corrupt Earth Total corruption of all flesh resulted in its destructions, God provided plans for an ark to save a righteous family and representative life0 1-5 God Instructs Noah Instruction as to what occupants were to be admitted into the ark was given to Noah by Godo 6-10 Noah Obeys Noah took his household and seven pairs of clean and one pair of unclean creatures into the ark0 11-16 Noah Saved After the ark was shut water gushed forth forty days and nights0 17-24 Corrupt Flesh Destroyed The stormy waters covered the mountains destroying land and air creatures—only those in the ark were safe during five months of floodo 20 In class construct an anlytical chart for the paragraph^ Genesis 6?11-22® Involve the pupils in making titles and selecting materials to be placed on the charto This is preparatory to another assignment which will be given at the following class periodo GENESIS 6g11-22 .——_—„ ——.— „. Earth Corrupt Violent • 11-13 Earth was corrupt (in God’s sight) Earth was filled with violence God saw the eart*h And behold - 57 - Lesson 130 Noah Found Favor GENESIS 6?11-22 Flesh corrupted On earth End of flesh Through flesh Earth corrupted Flesh destroyed With earth Ark Rooms Water-proofing Dimensions Roof (window) Door Decks It was corrupt For Flesh had corrupted their way (all) upon the earth God said (Plans for destruction & salvation) ”1 have determined to make an end of all flesh For Earth is filled with violence through them Behold I will destroy them with the eartho 14-16 Yourself make an ark of gopher wood (You) make rooms in ark (You) cover it inside & outside with pitch (You) make length? 300 cu0 breadth? 50 cu0 height? 30 cu0 (You) make roof (window) finish it to a cubit above (You) set door in its side (You) make It with decks lower second third Lesson 130 Noah Found Favor GENESIS 6s11=22 Death by water God9 s covenant with Noah with family with creatures Food Noah’s obedience 17 For behold I will bring flood of waters upon earth to destroy all flesh with breath of life from under heaven Die shall everything on earth 18-21 I will establish my covenant with you You shall come into the ark Your sons Your wife Your sons" wives You shall bring two of every sort with you of every living thing to keep alive male and female There shall come two of every sort to keep alive birds according to kinds animals 69 ” 99 creepers ” 99 ” Also (You) take food with you every sort eaten (You) store it up It shall serve as food for you for them 22 Noah did this He did all that God commanded - 59 - Lesson 130 Noah Found Favor 3o Re-emphasize the point made breifly yesterdays that salvation comes only by Godvs power and in the way He chooses to exercise it0 God revealed to Noah His plan to destroy the eartho He has revealed to us His plan to destroy the earth againo God gave specific instructions as to how Noah could be saved0 He has given specific instructions as to how we may be savedo The ark was the means of saving Noah0 Jesus is the means of saving us0 Noah could be saved only by following the instructions0 We can be saved only by following the instructions0 Carrying out the instructions demanded the full time and resources of Noaho Carrying out God”s instructions for us demands all our energies0 Noah carried out the instructions explicitly and was savedo We, too, must fulfill the instructions carefully if we are to be savedo LESSON l«+0 GOD REMEMBERED NOAH Objectives To develop skill in the use of the summary charto To achieve an increased understanding of patience and gratitude and to identify applications of these qualities in everyday life0 Assignment LESSON 75O THE RAINBOW COVENANT Jo Comtt.uct an anaZyttcaZ ehatt fiot. the pat.agt.aph 9s8-17 (FoZZow the. pt.oeedut.e that wa* deynont> twated tn eZau fiot. the. pat.agt.aph 6s 11-22} 0 In theAe pat.agt.aphA the. u)otd "covenant” tb ua cd Aeven ttmeAp ob-vtouAZy thtb pat.agt.aph ts about the covenant TheAefiotCp "The Covenant’1 wouZd be an apptoptZate tttZe fiot. the enttte ehatt0 The {oZZowtng tttZeA ate AuggeAted [ot the nattow Zefrt-hand eoZumns 8 Inttoduetton. 9-10 PttnetpZeAf 11 Subject^ 12-16 Stgn^ 17 ConcZuAton0 Call attention to the fact that the titles are suppliedo This will simplify the work of the students0 Introduction Review briefly the previous lessono Stress again that God has a plan for our salvation but that it is effective for us only if we follow it personallyo The ark saved no one who stayed outside,. Discussion l0 Reconstruct on the board the summary chart for Genesis 8i1ct"9?170 Have students supply titles and make theme sentences from their Bibles in classo A sample chart is suppliedo - 61 - Lesson 140 God Remembered Noah Z' God Remembered Noah / God’s Covenant with Noah a---------------------------------A______________________________ Salvation Promise and Contract 19 20 17 1-5 Ararat As the waters subsided the ark came to rest on Ararat the 17th day of the 7th montho 6-12 Aerial Reconnaissance Noah sent a raven and three doves at intervals for indications as to conditions on the outside® 13-19 Exodus from the Ark On New Year’s day Noah opened the ark9 but continued to live in it nearly two more months9 20-22 A Pleasing Odor Noah offered a series of burnt offerings and was promised by God that the seasons would continue regularly as long as the earth should stando 1-7 God’s Blessing God invested man with power over all creatures8 gave him their flesh and all plants9 for food9 but forbade man to take the life of other men® God’s Covenant God established a covenant with man and all living creatures9 promising never to destroy all flesh by a flood again and designated the rainbow as a perpetual reminder of His covenant® 20 Discuss the characteristics of patience^ and gratitude as demonstrated by Noah® Noah’s strict obedience has already been notedo Ask the pupils to discover a characteristic of Noah which is implied in Genesis 7?10 and 8g13=150 (PATIENCE)0 Note what it must have meant for Noah to wait so long after the ground was apparently dry in the light of the fact that he had lived in the ark for a year, Discuss the desirability of patience as a trait of character and specific ways in which pupils can manifest patience in their lives® Use specific situations which the students supply0 Ask the pupils to discover another characteristic of Noah in Genesis 8?20o (GRATITUDE)0 Note that he did not have many animals from which to sacrifice and that these had to sustain him and his family until it was possible to grow fqod9 as well as provide for the continuance of these species® Discuss the desirability of gratitude as a trait of character and the effect of thankfulness upon the health of mind and body® (See Ministry of Healings pp0 251-256)0 LESSON 15o THE RAINBOW COVENANT Objectives To develop further skills in the use of the study chart0 To clarify the significance of the covenant relationship0 Assignment LESSON ?60 ONE MAN AGAINST THE WORLD h Read Patua/LchA and PfiophetA chapter L "The Flood#91 paqeA 9o-iorrm — 20 LLbt the. chaaacteatAttcA ofi Noah 06 Indicated on page. 96 paaa-gtiaphA 2 and 3 (92P93)O 30 LlAt the. phaoAeA ox. AentenceA that deAcalbe the reaction ofi Intelligent beingA to the, ^Loodf contained on page 99 paaag/Laph 4 to page 100 pan.agM.ph, 1 (95-96)0 40 Mabe a liAt ofa the choJtactealAtlcA o^ men be^oA.e the ^tood which you. ^Ind &tom page& 90-96 [87-93) 0 LlAt them undea the following headings PhyAlcat^ SplalttLalp InteltectuaZg Mo/loI^ and Soclato [TheAe aA.e the Aame oa thoAe you uAed tn LeAAon 90) Emphasize that this assignment serves as a review of the unit9 but that it also enlarges and clari j.es the story of the Flood as given in the Bible0 The material is interesting readingo Introduction Briefly review the previous lessono Notes God’s concern and care for Noah and his family during the floodo Noah’s anxiety to know the progress of the flood0 God’s command to go forth and Noah’s patience0 Noah’s expression of gratitude0 God’s blessing upon Noah and his sons0 The Covenant^ which is the subject of this lessono Discussion l0 Reconstruct the study chart of THE COVENANT9 Genesis 9?8“-170 The following is suggestive0 - 63 - Lesson 15 0 The Rainbow Covenant THE COVENANT Gen« 9:8-17 Introduction Principals: God Noah & Descendants Creatures Subject Sign: to Noah to creatues to descendants 8 God said to Noah to his sons 9-10 I establish my covenant with you your descendants every living creature birds cattle beasts as many as came out of the ark 11 I establish my covenant with you That All flesh shall Never be cut off by waters of a flood A flood shall Never again be To destroy the earth 12-16 God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you creature for future generations I set my bow in the cloud It shall be a sign of the covenant between me & the earth When I bring clouds over the earth bow is seen in the clouds ■ ■ ■ ■ ----- - .... . . ! — 64 — Lesson 15 0 The Rainbow Covenant This is the first of a number of covenants that are recorded in the Bbilej; several of which will be studied this yearo Point out that this was a covenant of promise—not of contract0 Neither man nor the creatures were required to meet any conditions in order to receive the benefitso These were a gift of Godo 2o Discuss the significance of the rainbow as a sign of the covenanto Note that this particular covenant is still in force today0 Not only the rainbow9 but also many other things in nature are reminders of God^s love to us0 Discuss things which are a common part of every day ex-perience which can serve as reminders of Godo A list of things suggested by the students could be placed on the boardo 3o Discuss the significance of having a God who will enter into agreement with man0 The covenant we studied today was initiated by Godo Is He interested in contractual arrangements suggested by man—by me9 for instance? In some of our future lessons we shall see that He is0 Ask the students to suggest some appropriate covenants with God9 (Cogoj for each days activities8 for important decisions^ for a school year2 for a career^ for family relationships^ for deliverance from temptation9 etc0)0 to God Conclusion I will remember my covenant between me & you creatures Waters shall never become a flood to destroy all flesh When the bow is in the clouds I will look upon it remember everlasting covenant between God & all creatures on eart i 17 God said to Noah This is the sign of the covenant which I established between me & all flesh on earth LESSON 16o ONE MAN AGAINST THE WORLD Objectives To attain an acquaintance with the Patriarchs and Prophets comments on the flood story• To promote an understanding of the importance of character development0 Assignment LESSON 17 0 ABRAM MV ABRAHAM I. Read GeneiZi 12--1S* 20 Mttgn appropriate titles to the chapter*. Introduction Suggestions for review: God’s covenant with Noah is still in effect todayo The rainbow along with many other things are reminders of God’s love to uss Each of us must make a covenant with God and renew it dailyo Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignments Lt&t the. characteristic* o£ Noah a* Indicated on page. 96 paragraphs 2 and 3 (92, 93). List on the board the characteristics of Noah previously discussed in Lesson 14: Righteous Obedient Patient Thankful Add to this list the characteristics the students' pund in the work of today’s assignments Firmness in the face of ridicule and persecution Integrity Unwavering faithfulness Power in his words 66 - Lesson 160 One Man Against the World Contrast the characteristics of Noah with those of the men of the world discussed aboveo Then discuss the desirability of these additional traits of Noah and ways in which they may be demonstrated in ones personal experience0 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment0 Ltst the phnases on sentences that descntbe the. neactton o& tntet-ttgent betngs to the. ftoodff eontatned on page. 99 panagnaph 4 to * page WO panagnaph 1 (95p96j0 List the items on the board as students recall them? ’’Terror of man and beast was beyond descriptiono” "Wailing of a people,," "Satan feared for his own existences" "Satan uttered imprecations against God charging Him with injustice and cruelty,," "Many people blasphemeda" Lead the class into an imagination of the kind of upheaval that could have caused these reactions0 3O Discuss part 4 of the assignments Make a List oft the chanaetentittcs oft men begone the ^tood whteh you. Atnd ^nom pages 90-96 {87-93] 0 List them unden the fiottowtng head-tngs°° Phybteatp Sptnttuat# Intetteetuat^ Monat^ and Soctato (These one the same as those you used tn Lesson 90) Put the five headings on the board and ask students to recall the characteristics they found in their study0 List them under the headings as they are given0 The following will assist in recalling any that are missedo Compare these characteristics with those of Adam as created,, See chart in Lesson 90 PHYSICAL SPIRITUAL (Con®t) INTELLECTUAL MORAL SOCIAL Retained much cf early vigoro Lived for centuriese Many giants0 Skillful and cunning in wonderful works0 Goldg silverj, choice. woods precious stones used.&s building materialso Competed to excell in skill of workman^ ship0 Methuselah and sons helped build.the ark0 Perfection of tan’s work inadequate to render ark ”flood-worthy o 88 SPIRITUAL Used God s gifts for self-glorificationo Loved the gifts rather than the Giver0 Sought only to gratify their pride0 Denied God9s existence0 Adored nature0 Worshipped own works & taught children to . . do the samea Set up altars to idolso Attributed human at-tributes and passions to their deities 0 Every imagination and thought continually evilo Transgressed Godvs law0 Indulged in every form of sin0 Delighted in destroying animal life to the extent of sadism0 Methuselah9 Noah9 and many others attempted to keep alive a knowledge of God0 Noah called for repentance and refor- L mationo Enoch related what God had shown to him regarding the floodo Noahj, a man of faith and heir of righteousness o Men at first listened but did not repent0 Unwilling to renounce sinso Faith tested by delay of floodo . , Had rare powers to plan and carry out0 Failed to realize full potentialo Many renowned for wisdonio Human wisdom inadequate to devise the ark0 Minds blinded by rejection of truth so that they believed Noahs message to be a delusiono SPIRITUAL (Con’t) Rejected solemn mes-sage0 Many deeply convicted0 ’Resisting invitations of repentance they became bold and defiant scoffers0 Not all were idolaterso Many claimed their idols represented God—these particularly rejected the preach* ingo Gave full rein to iniquity-proportionate to their skill and mental ability0 Reveled in pleasure and wickednesso Sensual immorality became part of their worshipo Became increasingly debased□ They were daring in wickedness9 injust-ice9 oppressiono competed with one another for excellence in beautifying their dwellingo Polygamy practicedo Crime and wretchedness increasede Marriage relation transgressedo Property rights not respectedo Force was the rule in human relationships o - 68 ” Lesson 16 0 One Man Against the World 40 In the assigned reading there was a discussion of conditions in the world today which resemble those in the days of Noaho Lead the students in a recall of these0 Banishment of the fear of God0 Indifference and disrespect to the law of God0 Worldlinesso Ingratitude to Godo Indulgence of appetite0 Intemperanceo Extravaganceo Sacrifice of integrity for luxury and display0 Oppression,, Fraudo Bribery,, Theft0 Murdero Anarchyo Can God condone these sins any better now than He could in Noah9s day? Has God become accustomed to evil so that it doesn't annoy Him so much anymore? Is wickedness less destructive now than formerly? Or will the same sins of Godlessness, sensuality, violence^ fraud, pride, etco9 result in another destruction? Although the covenant with Noah did not impose conditions upon man9 it must be understood in the light of the great prophetic promise repeated so frequently in the Bible assuring us that? "The day of the Lord will come 0 o 0 the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire8 and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up0 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the day of God 0 o o (2 Peter 3310-12) "As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man0 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriagec until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man0” (Matt0 24g37-39)0 ” o o o what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness „ 0 o ®” UNIT 3□ FAITH AND OBEDIENCE LESSON 17o ABRAM AND ABRAHAM Objectives To introduce the Abraham Narrative0 To clarify the structure of Genesis® Assignment LESSON 180 1SAACE, SON OF PROMISE /o Read Ge.neAtA 21—24O 20 tiAAtgn appropriate. to theAe. ahapteAA 8 30 Be.gtn the. Aummary chart * AAAtgn tttteA and make. Aunmary Ae.nte.nc.eA io*. the. paragraphA tn Ge.neAt& 12:1—13:1° Von°t forget the. chapter tttteA, Otvtde. the. ehapterA tnto paragraphA aA faottowA: 12:1-3; 4-9; 10-16; 17—13:1. Introduction Briefly review the previous unit by notings The contrast between Noah and the world of his day® God destroyed all but Noah to save the race from total loss® Noah was saved because of his exact compliance with God's gracious plan for him® Noah demonstrated his gratitude by sacrifice after the flooda God made a covenant with Noah and his descendants not to destroy the world by flood again® Discussion 18 Outline the structure of the Book of Genesis with its main themes and divisions® The author indicates the various divisions of his book by the state” ment: ’’These are the generations of 0 0 ®” (or an equivalent statement 9 such as ’’These are the descendants of s 0 3”) 2:4—’’These are the generations of the heavens and the earth » 0 What follows is the story of the creation of man and his fall® - 70 - Lesson 17 „ Abram and Abraham 5gl““"BThis is the book of the generations of Adam0? What follows is the genealogy of Adam0 6?9—?rThese are the genealogies of Noaho” The following chapters give the story of Noah and the flood0 10gl“~"These are the genealogies of the sons of Noah 0 o o” A genealogy of Noah and his three sons follows0 11?10“-jGThese are the descendants of Shem0" This is followed by the genealogy of Shem0 more important than the one in the prededing chapter,, 11?27-°=Now these are the descendants of Terah0” What follows is the story of Terah's son9 Abrahanu 25?12““”These are the descendants of Ishmaelo « 0” The verses which follow give the genealogy of Ishmaelo 25? 19—"These are the descendants of Isaac 0 0 o” The chapters that follow tell the story of Isaac and Jacobo 36?l—"These are the descendants of Esau 0 0 o” The following verses record the genealogy of Esau„ 37°2"“’sThis is the story of the family of Jadobo" The rest of the book of Genesis is devoted to the story of Josepho It should be noted that five times the introductory statemente "These are the generations of 0 „ O£>" is followed by a genealogyo These genealogies are included for their historical interest0 In the other five instances the introductory statement is followed by a narrative0 These narratives are primarily of theological interest,, They are not abstract or descriptive theological dissertations, but they depict life under God, and their theology is experiential0 A look at the structural chart will show that the overwhelming interest of the author is with these narratives rather than with the genealogies0 It may be concludedg then, that the author’s primary interest is with theology rather than with history0 He depicts the relationships between God and individuals on earth- The content of the book of Genesis falls into two large divisions? 1?1—11?9 portrays God and His dealings with the human race; 11? 10 to the end of the book present God and His dealings with the Hebrew patriarchso GENESIS—STRUCTURAL CHART ’’These are the generations of 0 0 o’’—this repeated.clause introduces the various divisions of the booko Five times it is followed by genealogies, which are included for their historical interest0 Five times it is followed by narratives, which are primarily of theological interest—not abstract of descriptive but experiential, for they depict life under Gods Vertical names indicate genealogies0 Horizontal names indicate narratives0 Obviously, it is with thesethat the author.is primarily concernedo - 72 - Lesson 170 Abram and Abraham 20 Discuss how the Structure of Genesis reveals its purposeo General Observations THEOLOGICAL INTEREST PRIMARYo From the accompanying chart it may be seen that the book of Genesis is concerned throughout with the relationships between God and man0 This indicates theological interest0 HISTORICAL INTEREST SECONDARY., It is also obvious that its setting is within the movement of historyo There is a definite chronological progression from creation to the death of Josepho This indicates historical interesto The author is making a statement of the relationship between God and man extended over a very long period of time0 SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF SIN—A BEGINNINGo The brevity of the account demands high selectivity in the treatment0 A glance at the chart indicates that the author devoted nearly four-fifths of the book to God and the Hebrew patriarchs0 Furthermore8 the major portion of this four-fifths has to do with the lives of four men and their relationship to Godo Inasmuch as the first part (the other one-fifth) of the book raises a great problem (beginning with perfection and ending in ruin) it is to be expected that the second part should deal with its solution., Repetition and Continuity THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTER—GOD 0 "God” is used 210 times (E£»16p E£o/wn l94) 0 "Lord” is used in reference to deity 171 times (AdonaZ=6? ^a/uve/l=,165) 0 This makes a total of 381 uses of these names for deityg or about once in every four verses (average) throughout the booko No one else is referred to so ofteno No other name used throughout the entire book0 God is the one continuous person ever present in the author * s thoughts.. He is in the first verse and in next to the last verse of the booko He is the principal character.. OTHER PROMINENT CHARACTERS—PAIRS Adam (genetic man to 5g 1)—36 and Eve (woman„ wife)—20 Noah CEDOM5 /1 1 and Family (sons 9 etc)~19 Abraham (& Abram) — 192 and Lot ^=”30 Isaac — 89 and Ishmael Jacob (& Israel) —204 and Esau —75 Joseph — 156 and Brothers — 101 (total of 11 brothers) HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS OF THE HEBREW PEOPLE0 The bulk of the book is made up of genealogies and narratives0 There is, therefore, a very definite historical interest and purpose in the booko Judging from the frequency of the names of the Hebrew patriarchs and the fact that most of the narrative material is selected from their lives9 one may - 73 °° Lesson 17# Abram and Abraham conclude that the primary historical interest is in the background to the Hebrew nationo Likewise, from the fact that the smaller section is concerned with world beginnings, it may be concluded that the secondary historical interest lies in backgrounds to universal history 0 The genealogies indicate that all peoples have a common origin and that differences which exist have been acquired subsequently,, LIFE UNDER GOD0 Many of the narratives, however, have little historical interesto The selection of these was made rather for their value in revealing relationships with God than as illustrations of the individual5 s stature as a historical personality,, Most of those which do have historical interest emphasize the God—man relationship0 The proportion of space devoted to such narratives and the bare mention or ignoring of others of perhaps greater historical interest indicates that the primary purpose of the book of Genesis is theological rather than historicalo God is the constant, the central figure—the ”star”o Members of the ’’supporting cast96 are given space as they had experience with Godo The ’’action” is for the purpose of revealing facts about God0 Generalization and Particularization COMMON HERITAGE—SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP0 The first eleven chapters may be considered a general introductiono Since they show that historically the Abrahamic line had a common heritage with all other peoples, we conclude that the author is emphasizing the fact that in their relationship with God, which is illustrated in the specific narratives, is to be found the reason for their difference from all other peopleso Thus, the historical interest highlights the theological8 GOD OF THE UNIVERSE—GOD OF INDIVIDUALS,, The God who created the earth, gave life, made all things ’’very good", demanded obedience, had a high purpose for man (his image, have dominion8 replenish the earth, etc0)g is the same God served by the patriarchs0 The narratives indicate that the divine purpose has not changed and that God is still working in every willing life for the accomplishment of that high purpose,, The movement is from the universal God to specific men0 God has respect for Abel, but He also protects Cain0 Noah finds grace with God, but it is offered to all for 120 years0 God speaks to Abraham, but also to Pharaoh; to Isaac, but also to Abimelech; to Jacob, but also to Laban; to Joseph, but also to Pharaoho The status of each of these in Genesis is determined not by the appeal of God, but by the response of the individual in trust and obedience0 GENERAL PROBLEM—SPECIFIC SOLUTION0 The great problem created by the defacement of the perfect creation, the thwarting of Godss purpose, and the loss of life through disobedience, is presented in general terms in chapters 2-ll0 This is followed by the beginning of a solution in terms of specific narratives which indicate the road back through faith — 74 Lesson 170 Abram and Abraham and obedienceo Thus$ the author demonstrates that although the grace of God is offered to the human race as a wholep and that it has been so offered from the beginning9 it can be made manifest only in specific individuals who so relate themselves to Him as to make it possibleo Contrasts THINGS0 CHARACTERISTICS9 PEOPLE0 The contrast between the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil epitomizes the contrasts of the remainder of the book0 Trust and distrust; suffering and happiness; order and chaos; perfection and ruin; humility and pride; obedience and disobedience; blessing and cursing; protection and destruction; pros= perity and adversity; life and death”-these are the contrasts to be seen between different individuals and between different narratives concerning the same individual0 Cain and Abel; Noah and the unbelieving world; Abraham and Lot; Isaac and Ishmael; Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his brothers”~all emphasize these contrasts0 BASIS AND PURPOSEo The contrasts are drawn on the basis of morality and relationship with God—not on economic^ politicals military9 racial, or national grounds0 Therefore9 we again conclude that the primary purpose of the author is to state truths concerning Gods His relationship with men9 and the result of that relationship in their liveso The historical interest is made subservient to the realization of that aim0 30 Discuss part 2 of the assignment? appup/uate. tlttu to the, chapter 0 Emphasize that titles are more meaningful if they are made to fit into a serieso The following groups will illustrate three different series appropriate to chapters 12-18? 12) 13) Abram & Pharaoh Abram & Lot Emigration from Haran Separation from Lot Finding the Homeland Dividing the Homeland 14) Abram & Four Kings Protection of Sodom Defending the Homeland 15) Promise Ratified Promulgation of Covenant A Son is Promised 16) Ishmael Temptation to Doubt Not the Son of Hagar 17) The Covenant Repetition of Covenant A Son of Sarah 18) Three Visitors Intercession for Sodom The Son Next Spring LESSON 18o ISAAC, SON OF PROMISE Objectives To introduce the latter portion of the Abraham narrative0 To gain familiarity with the events of Genesis 12 and their significance to the Christian of today0 Assignment LESSON 190 L Continue, the 6ummaAy ehaAt ^oa ehapteA6 ?5?2/0 Vtvtde the paAagAaph6 06 {oUoum: 13s2-7; 8-13; 14-18; 14s1-12; 13-16; 17-24; 15s1-6; 7-11; 12-16; 17-21, Introduction Review the previous lessonc Again note that we are now studying God’s dealings with the Hebrew patriarchs0 Emphasize the theme of the relationship between God and individualss and reaffirm that there are important lessons for us to learn from the lives of these men. Discussion 1. Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 A66tgn appAopAtate titter to th e6e chapter 8 Work out titles with the class for chapters 21=»24s Three lists of suggested titles? 21) Ishmael Sacrificed God Gives a Son The Son Arrives 22) Isaac Sacrificed God demands the Son The Son Surrendered 23) Machpelah Loss of a Loved One Obtaining a Cave 24) Rebekah Finding a Loved One Obtaining a Wife 2* Discuss part 3 of the assignment,, Begtn the. 6unvnaAy ehaAt e A66tgn ttt£e& and make 6ummaAy 6entence6 £oa the paAagAaph6 tn Gene6t6 12s 1--13t10 Von^t ^oAget the ehapteA tttte6f, Vtvtde the ehapteA6 tnto paAagAaph6 06 £o££ou)6s 12s1-3; 4-9; 10-16; 17—13s10 76 - Lesson 180 Isaac, Son of Promise Construct a summary chart for Genesis 12§1~=13g1 on the board, and have the pupils work out titles and theme sentences from their Bib les0 Sample summary chart? Abram and Pharaoh Abram and Lot 12 13 GOD AND ABRAM 1-3 Command and Promise God called Abram from his homeland and promised to make of him a great nation-’a blessing to all eartho 4-9 Sojourn in Canaan At age 75 Abram left Haran with family to Canaan stropping at Shechem$ Moreh (where the promise was repeated) 9 Bethel^ Negeb & call“> ing on name of Lordo 10-16 Sojourn in Egypt Because of famine Abram took household to Egypt where Sarah became wife of Pharaoho 17 Out of Egypt After God plagued Pharaohs the king returned Sarah to Abram and expelled him from Egypt0 L i To the Negeb The entire tribe returned to Southern Canaan0 30 Discuss the reason why God called Abram away from his home and kindred0 "After the flood the people once more increased on the earth9 and wickedness also increasedo Idolatry became well-nigh universal9 and the Lord finally left the hardened transgressors to follow their evil ways, while He chose Abraham, of the line of Shem9 and made him the keeper of His law for future generationso” SDA Commo, I, 1092o (Ellen Go White comment0) ”In order that God might qualify him for his great work as the keeper of the sacred oracles, Abraham must be separated from the association of his early life0 The influence of kindred and friends would interfere with the training which the Lord purposed to give his servanto” PP 125? 1—126? Io 11 ” Lesson 180 Isaac, Son of Promise 40 Discuss the obedience of Abram as an evidence of faith. (Gen0 12?1=4) ’’Abraham’s unquestioning obedience is one of the most striking evidences of faith to be found in the entire Bible0 0 o o Relying on the divine promise, without the least outward assurance of its fulfillment, he abandoned home and kindred and native land9 and went forth, he knew not whither, to follow where God should lead0 0 c ® It was no light test that was thus brought upon Abraham, no small sacrifice that was required of him0 There were strong ties to bind him to his country,, his kindred, and his home9 But he did not hesitate to obey the callo o « o Many are still tested as was Abraham0 They do not hear the voice of God speaking directly from the heavens, but he calls them by the teachings of his word and the events of his providenceo They may be required to abandon a career that promises wealth and honor, to leave congenial and profitable associations, and separate from kindred, to enter upon what appears to be only a path of self-denial, hardship, and sacrifice® God has a work for them to do; but a life of ease and the influence of friends and kindred would hinder the development of the very traits essential for its accomplishment0 He calls them away from human influences and aid, and leads them to feel the need of his help, and to depend upon him alone, that he may reveal himself to them® Who is ready at the call of Providence to renounce cherished plans and familiar associations? Who will accept new duties and enter untried fields, doing God’s work with a firm and willing heart, for Christ’s sake counting his losses gain? He who will do this has the faith of Abraham, and will share with him that ’far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory® with which ’the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared,/” PP 126s2--’127; l0 50 Discuss Abram’s faithfulness in worship® (Gen0 12,7, 8)® ’’Abraham, ’the friend of God,” set us a worthy examples His was a life of prayer. Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside it was set up his altar, calling on all within his encampment to the morning and evening sacrifice. When his tent was removed, the altar remained0 In following years, there were among the roving Canaanites who received instruction from Abraham; and whenever one of these came to that altar, he knew who had been there before him; and when he had pitched his tent, he repaired the altar, and there worshiped the living Godo” PP 128?2o 6C Note that Abram’s failure in the situation in Egypt resulted from failure to trust God fully for protection and care® God is merciful and protected him in spite of his failures See PP 130?2~“131?3. 7• Trace on a map the journeys of Abraham indicated in chapter 12® This can be a very meaningful experience, and points to be noted are? the distance between significant places, nature of the terrain, climate and weather, the different peoples who inhabited the country, the characters and religious practices of these people, etc0 Any or all of these items could be topics for additional research and class reports0 LESSON 19o LOT’S WRONG CHOICE Objectives To help the students understand the futility of selfishness and the great losses the selfish person inevitably suffers0 To help the pupils become more familiar with the events of Genesis 13»-15o Assignment LESSON 20. ABRAHAM’S WRONG SOLUTION k Continue the AummAtj eha/it fion chapter 16—18. Divide the paAa.gsia.phA fcMoiU* 16*1-6; 7-14; 15-16; 17*1-8; 7-14; 15-21; 22-27; 18*1-8; 9-15; 16-21; 22-32. Introduction Review the previous lesson briefly^ emphasizing that although Abram indicated an advanced faith by responding to God’s call in Haran0 it was to be many years before his trust in God fully maturedo Discussion l0 Construct the assigned summary chart on the boardo Have the pupils supply titles and theme sentences from their Bib les Continue, the, AumrnAy chaAt faA chapteAA 13*2—15*210 Divide the paAa.gAa.phA oa fiottoWA* 13*2-7; 8-13; 14-18; 14*1-12; 13-16; 17-24; 15*1-6; 7-11; 12-16; 17-21. Abram and Lot / Abram and Four Kings / Promise Ratified _________________________7 14________________________ / 15 GOD AND ABRAM j. To the Negeb The entire tribe returned to Southern Canaan9 2-7 Two Rich Men Abram and Lot became so wealthy there wasn9t room for both of them in the territory of Bethel and Ai0 8-13 The Split Abram gave Lot his.choice e whereupon he chose the Jordan valley to the easts leaving Abram in Canaan to the wests 14-18 The Promise Repeated God promised Abram all the land he could see and an innumerable posterity« 1-11 ' The Invasion Four kings from the east invaded the Jordan valley conquering as they went, including the cities Sodom and Gomorrah, and taking Lot among their prisoners0 13-16 Pursuit by Abram With his fastest troops Abram over took the invaders at Dan, pursued them to the north of Damascusc and recaptured the prisoners and loot* 17-24 Return to Sodom The victorious Abram was met by the kings of Sodom and Salenu Since the latter was also a priest Abram tithed the spoils of his conquest and refused to keep any for himself§ but allowed his captains to retain their shares as payment for the expense of the expedition. 1-6 The Promise Repeated The Lord promised Abram protections, a great reward, a son for an heir, and descendants as the stars for number, Abram9s belief was reckoned as righteousness, 7-11 Abram Requests Assurance -After the Lord repeated His promise Abram asked for a sign, to which the Lord replied with instruction for a contractual ceremony e 12-16 The Promise Amplified As Abram fell into a trance the Lord promised that though his descendants would be slaves He would deliver them and return them to Canaan in the fourth generation* 17-21 The Covenant Ratified The Lord repeated His promise of the land to Abram9s descendants and in flaming symbol passed between the parts of the animals. — 80 — Lesson 19 0 Lot’s Wrong Choice 20 Discuss the wealth and power of Abram and Lot0 These men and their tribe apparently went where they pleased in the land0 Their holdings had become so large that they had to divide the ’’corporation80 for efficiency reasons0 3e Discuss the magnanimity of Abram in allowing Lot to cecede and in giving him his choice of land0 As sheikh of the tribe Abram owned the property and the people0 He had the power of life and death over them0 No one could leave the tribe without his consent0 Even ownership of personal belongings was held as a member of and within the tribe8 40 Discuss the significance of Lot’s selfish choiceo Lot sought apparent worldly advantage but lost all as a result0 That which seems good is not always really goodo When choices are made purely on the basis of apparent self-interest9 it is unlikely that they will contribute much toward happiness0 Selfishness never gains in the long run0 50 Note the character of Abram as demonstrated in his daring rescue of Lot0 He sought divine counsel (PP 13522) and then vigorously pursued the rescue0 He demonstrated skill in organization^, strategy^ and leadership 0 Although the booty was rightfully his according to the custom of the times9 he generously refused to claim it9 except for the tithes and the portions belonging to his allies0 Obviously^ Abram had held no grudge against Lot for his ingratitude in the matter of dividing the land0 60 Discuss the covenant relationship emphasizing particularly God’s condescension to ratify the covenant according to man’s crude customs0 Abram sought greater assurance of the promised possession,, God responded by repeating his promise in contractual form and had it ’’notorized,,” God often speaks to man on man’s own terms in order to reach him® After all man can’t understand in any other way0 This demonstrates again God’s great love and mercy toward us0 LESSON 20. ABRAHAM’S WRONG SOLUTION Objectives To emphasize that unhappiness, sorrow, and tragedy result from deviating from the divine plan for the home. To recognize the futility of human solutions to divine plans, and to realize the necessity of absolute dependence in faith upon God. Assignment LESSON 21, TRIUMPH OF FAITH 1» Continue. the. Aurrmani/ chant ^on. chapter 21 — 23, Vtvtde. the. pan.a-gn.aph& 06 (oUm: 21:1-7; 8-14; 15-21; 25-34; 22:1-8; 9-14; 15-19; 20-24; 23:1-16; 17-20, Introduction Review the previous lesson. Recall the contrasts between Lot and Abram. Note that God covenanted with Abram according to Abram’s procedure. Another example of God’s condescension to man is in today’s lesson. Discussion 1. Construct the assigned summary chart on the board. Follow the usual procedure. Continue, the, Awmiany chant ^on. chapter 16--18, Vtvtde. the. pan.a-gnaph* 06 6oUow>: 16:1-6; 7-14; 15-16; 17:1-8; 7-14; 15-21; 22-27; 18:1-8; 9-15; 16-21; 22-32, Ishmael. The Covenant Three Visitors GOD AND ABRAM GOD AND ABRAHAM 1-6 E aral and Hagar After Abram (at Sarai"s suggestion) took Hagar as a concubine she became insubordinate to her 0 istress and fled when severely junisheds 7-14 The Angel & Hagar The angel of the Lord found Hagar at a springy told her to return to Sarai* and promised that her descendants would be innumerable® 15 16 Ishmael I shame! was born of Hagar when. Abram was 86 years old® 1-8 The Promise Renewed At 99 Abram was visited by Godg who promised to multiply his descendants9 give them Canaang establish His covenant9 be their God® He changed Abram's name to Abraham® 9-14 God commanded Abraham to keep His covenant through all generations$ and required that every male child be circumcised at eight days® 15-21 A Son Promised Again God promised to give Abraham a son by Sarah (changed now from Sarai) in spite of his and Sarah's ages 9 and to make of both sons great nations0 although the covenant would be with Isaac only® 22-27 The Sign Accepted Abraham and all the males of his household were circumcised that very day® 1-8 Entertaining Strangers While sitting at the door of his tent at Mamre Abraham saw three strangers whom he invited to accept his complete hospitality® 9-15 The Promise of a Son Repeated When the Lord (a visitor) said that in the spring Sarah would bear him a son9 she laughed in disbelief® 16-21 Beginning of a. Nation The Lord revealed to Abraham as his chosen one that he was going to investigate the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah® 22-23 Bargaining for a. City Abraham was sure that the Lord wouldn't destroy the righteous with the wicked9 and beginning with a hypothetical 50 he gradually reduced the figure to 109 and each time the Lord agreed not to destroy it for the sake of that many righteous® Lesson 20® Abraham’s Wrong Solution o 00 NJ 8 - 83 Lesson 200 Abraham’s Wrong Solution 20 Discuss Abraham’s several attempts to fulfill the promise for himself and point out the futility of trying to go ahead of God’s plan0 The heir of my house is Eliezer (15g2)0 It was often customary to make a trusted servant heir if there was no natural progenyQ Sarah gave up and gave him her maid, Hagar, as a secondary wife (16:1,2)0 Abraham went along with the idea0 Although this, too, was customary and legal, it was contrary to God’s plan, and it led to a severe strain in family relationso Thirteen years later Abraham was even less able to believe that (17?17-20) Sarah would bear a son and pleaded that the Lord should accept Ishmael0 God assured Abraham that Sarah would bear him a son and promised to bless Ishmael alsoo God finally told Abraham when the promised son would come—in about a year (17:21)0 However, not until Abraham had tried all his own solutions, found that they didn’t work, and was ready to depend entirely upon God for the fulfillment, did God act0 We too must recognize our own helplessness before God can work out His will in our lives0 30 Discuss the blessing that resulted from Abraham’s hospitalityo Abraham did not recognize his guests but still accorded them hospitalityo PP 138:4-5o Such hospitality is still the rule in the desert0 It is as people crowd together in cities that concern for individual needs is losto As a result of his hospitality Abraham was granted the privilege of face to face communion with God Himself (Christ, PP 139:2,3) cf0 Matto 25:34-400 40 Portray Abraham’s role as intercessor and the childlike confidence with which it was pursued0 We should manifest the same deep love of souls that prompted Abraham’s plea® (PP 140:2,3)® It should be noted that this intercession was for the most licentious, wicked city of his day— not just for his relatives and friends0 How about our prayers? Whom do we include in them? For whose salvation are we really concerned? LESSON 21 o TRIUMPH OF FAITH Objectives To recognize the close relationship between faith and obedienceo To help students understand that faith must grow and mature0 Assignment LESSON 220 A COMPANION FOR ISAAC L Ltst the pKtnctpt&s tnvotved tn choostng a ^ok Isaac as gtven tn ehapteA 24* Fok examples 49 37p 38—Not a Canaantte but own people* veASes 5, 39 —Mast be wttltng to fallow Isaac to Canaan* Put the. ve/ue numbeAS tn the. faast column and the. pKtnctple tn the. second column* Fok Kepeated ones just add the. vease numbeA* Introduction Review briefly the previous lesson0 Recall that Abraham had to recognize his helplessness before God could send the promised son0 We too must learn complete dependence upon God0 When Abraham stopped experimenting and trusted God* the promised son was sento The son of promise is the theme of today°s lessono Discussion lo Construct the summary chart for today on the boardo Follow the usual procedureo Continue the Summay chaKt faK chapteAS 21—23* Otvtde the paKagKaphs as fallows* 2hM; 8-14} 15-21} 25-34} 22s 1-8} 9-14} 15-19} 20-24} 23s1-16} 17-20* Ishmael Sacrificed Isaac Sacrificed Macpelah GOD AND ABRAHAM 1-7 Birth of Isaac When Abraham was 100 years old Isaac was born, and circumcised at the age of eight days0 8-14 Ishmael Disinherited At the weaning rites for Isaac Sarah insisted that Ishmael be disinherited^, Abraham complied by sending Hagar and her son away, 15-21 Ishmael in the Wilderness About to die of thirst Hagar heard God repeat that Ishmael would become a great nation, and was directed to water0 In the wilderness Ishmael became a hunter and married an Egyptian0 22^24 Treaty with Abimelech Abraham swore that he would deal loyally with Abimelech who had. dealt thus with him0 25-34 Beersheba A covenant was mad.e in which Abraham's ownership of a disputed well was recognized, and the plac< was named Beersheba (well of the oath)s 1-8 Journey to Moriah In obedience to God Abraham took Isaac, two men, and wood for an offering on a three days journey to Mto Moriah which Isaac and Abraham ascended in faith that God would provide an offering0 9-14 The Lord Provided After building an altar, lighting the fire, and binding his son, the angel of the Lord stopped the knife-hand of Abraham and provided a ram for the offerings 15-19 The Promise Repeated The angel then promised again that because Abraham had not withheld his son but had obeyed, his countless descendants would be a blessing to all nationso 20-24 Uz and Buz A genealogical statement concerning Nahor, Abraham^s brother0 ! 1-16 Real Estate Deal with Hittites At the death of Sarah Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah. from Ephron the Hittite0 17-20 Sarah is Buried After purchasing the field with the cave and the trees, Abraham buried Sarah in the cave. Lesson 210 Triumph of Faith 0 00 Cn 8 - 86 - Lesson 21. Triumph of Faith 2. Although the promise of a son by Sarah was fulfilled, Abraham still had to bear the consequences of his presumption in the unpleasant situation which arose at Isaac’s party, and in the tragedy of separation the next morning. It was Sarah who demanded the disinheriting of Ishmael 0 Had she forgotten whose idea it was for Abraham to take Hagar in the first place? With a heavy heart Abraham complied. This was a day of sorrow and one which would leave wounds in the hearts of all concerned as long as they lived. 3. Abraham’s faith matured and ripened into perfect trust. (See FT 145-155). When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, the patriarch obeyed and thus demonstrated his perfect faith. God honored his faith, rescued Isaac, and provided an offering. (This story should be recounted in considerable detail with the purpose of achieving a high degree of empathy.) LESSON 22. A COMPANION FOR ISAAC Objectives To consider some basic principles involved in choosing a life partner and personal friends. To promote understanding of right principles for social conduct9 Assignment Two or more days might be spent profitably on today’s lesson. If the teacher elects to do this the following assignment should, of course, be delayed. The students could be involved in individual or group research and reporting. The suggested readings at the close of this lesson might be a starting point. LESSON 23. GOD’S ABRAHAM 1. On the. chaAt be.tow tiAt the. chaAactetidAttcA (oa attdtude.A] AbAaham aA HeAc/tZbed oa dmptie.d Zn cdzapteAA 12-18. Attest eacA cHoAacZe/uAZZc AeeoAd the. Ae.^e.Ae.nee.A $oa it. (Sae exampZe. Zn WoAbbook. and be. AuAe. the. Atu.de.ntA unde.AAtand what theaj aAe. to do]. Introduction Review briefly the previous lesson by observing that Isaac was divinely promised, miraculously born, devoted to God (on the altar), and redeemed by God (ram). Did he learn faith from his father? Evidently he did, for in today’s lesson we see him trusting God completely for the choice of a life companion. How many can equal that? Discussi on The following summary chart may be of help to the teacher in seeing the chapter structure. Briefly outline its three divisions on the board. However, this should be only a short introduction. Most of the class time should be spent discussing the principles discovered in the assigned study. The Mission / The Mission Related / The Mission Fulfilled 24:1 33 /34 49 /50 67 1-9 Mi ssi on f or a Servant Al raham commissioned his steward to bring a wife for Isaac from ar ong his relatives. 10-14 Prayer for Guidance The steward arrived at the city of Nahor with his caravan, settled himself near the public well where he could observe the ladies, and prayed that he might be led to meet the right one. 15-21 Rebekah Draws Water The servant’s attention was caught by a fair lady whom he csked for drink. After complying with his request she volunteered to draw water for his ten camels. 22-27 Whose Daughter? After carefully appraising her < ork the servant gave her jewelry, asked who she was, and whether he might stay overnight. 28-33 Laban’s Hospitality The servant was cordially received by Rebekah’s brother, but the servant refused to eat until he had told his errand. 34-41 Abraham is Rich The servant described the wealth of Abraham and the mission on which he had been sent. 42-44 I Prayed for Guidance He emphasized that he asked for God’s guidance in carrying out his mission. 45-49 Will You Go? After relating the events at the well as a direct answer to his prayer, the servant asked whether the sister would be allowed to return with him as the bride of his master’s son. 50-51 Take Her Laban and Bethuel accepted the divine guidance in the matter and gave their consent0 52-61 1 Will Go The servant thanked the Lord, presented the gifts he had brought for Rebekah and her relatives, and insisted on returning with her the next morning. Although they requested a delay, when Rebekah agreed to go her brothers allowed her to leave with the servant on the journey to Canaan. 62-67 He Loved Her Isaac met the caravan in the field that evening and brought Rebekah into his mother’s tent where they became husband and wife. Lesson 22. A Companion for Isaac i 00 00 I - 89 Lesson 22. A Companion for Isaac 2. Have pupils name the principles called for in Part 2 of the assignment as you list them on the board, supplying any they miss from the suggested list below. LZst the. p^nccpte.* dnvo£ve.d Zn choo^dng a. tvZ^e I^aac at gi,ve.n Zn chapter 24. Choosing a Wife. Gen. 24 Verses Principles 4,37,38 5,39 7,40 10,53 11,43 12-14, 42-44 16 16 16,45 18,46 19-20,46 21 23 25 27,48,52 31-33,54 33,55,56 34-41 49 50,51,59,60 । Not to be from among the daughters of, the Canaanites but from his own peopleo The woman must be willing to follow into Canaan. Abraham was sure that the angel of the Lord would guide in the choice. Gifts were taken along to aid in the mission. The man who was to choose her went to the place where women would be seen—the city well. He prayed for divine guidance after having done all he could. Rebekah was attractive in appearance. She was pure. She was diligent in her work. She was courteous to the stranger. She voluntarily and cheerfully did more than was expected of her. The man was keenly observant of her and her activities. He requested opportunity to get acquainted with her family. Rebekah welcomed the request and invited him. The man thanked God for His guidance up to this point. The family welcomed the visitor into the home. The man was single-minded about his mission. The man furnished information about the prospective bride groom's family background, stressing the part that the divine will played in the family plans and activities. The question was put frankly and forthrightly to the family. The brothers, who were responsible for Rebekah, recognized the divine guidance and gave their consent. - 90 - Lesson 22. A Companion for Isaac 57-58 65 67 The final choice was left up to Rebekah who gave her consento Upon meeting Isaac, Rebekah observed the customary formalitieso Isaac loved her0 3o To be sure, some of these principles are related to the customs of the times, but many are applicable to God-fearing persons in any age0 Stress the following principles, which apply not only to the choice of life companions but also to close friends of either sex. They should be of like faith. We should pray for God to guide in the choice of friends and allow Him to do so. We should choose companions that are pure. We should choose companions that are courteous. We should choose companions that are diligent in their work. We should choose companions that are cheerful. We, in turn should be frank and forthright with our friends and companions. We should not force our friendship on any one. We should consider the wishes of our friends. We should observe the standards of conduct which are expected of refined people. 4. Point out that additional principles apply particularly to the choice of companions of the opposite sex. We should be open and above board in all such relations. We should respect the wishes of relatives. We should be especially careful and observant of the character as shown in the actions of friends of the opposite sex. We should willingly observe the customs of polite and refined Christian society in our conduct with friends of the opposite sex. 5. Make tactful but clear reference to the matter of timeliness in choice of life companion. Marriage throws a strain on the emotions, the mind, and the body of persons who enter into it when not fully mature. Careful statistical studies show that early marriages are not nearly as likely to succeed as those of mature persons. Marriage has a profound influence on oness relationship to God, and we should not enter into marriage until our own spiritual experience is settled—and also that of our companion-to-be. - 91 - Lesson 22. A Companion for Isaac We should not allow ourselves to begin a course which will lead to premature marriage, or to un-Christian conduct if marriage is delayed. 6. Refer to sources of help for counsel in matters concerned with companionship, particularly with the opposite sex. The Adventist Home Mess age s to Young People The principles of Christian conduct remain the same as when these books were written. Though some customs may differ, the underlying principles are the same, The author had a close experience with God and was sympathetic with young people and their problems. She knew from her own experience what it means to x^restle with deep emotional problems while yet very young. Suggest the writings of other Christian authors, for example, two books by Dr. Harold Shryock: On Becoming a Man, On Becoming a Woman. Recommend counseling with an adult who is a good Christian and who knows how to deal with young peoples’ problems. For example, the pastor, his wife, a teacher, a respected neighbor. Above all, the students® parents should be counseled with, particularly if they hold to Christian standards. The counsel obtained from these sources may seem stringent at times, but it is better to be ’’straight-laced” for a few years than to be "straight-jacketed” for the rest of one’s life within a relationship entered into unwisely. LESSON 23. GOD’S ABRAHAM Objectives To help students understand more fully the covenant relationship as exemplified in Abraham’s life and applied to theirs. To help students understand the discrepency between the character of Abraham and God’s ideal for him. Assignment LESSON 24. ABRAHAM’S GOV 1. Make cl tt*t the c/iaAacZe^ZZcA oA God de*entbed on a**umed Zn chapter 12-18. kfcten each ptace the nefienenee* ivHeAe ZZ Za faund. (See ZZZa4ZAaZZon4 Zn the Wonkbook}. Introduction Briefly review the previous lesson by emphasizing the necessity of seeking and following God's guidance in social relations, particularly in associations with the opposite sex, for these may result in lifelong ties. Discussion 1. Discuss the assignment for today. On the chant betow tt*t the ehanacXent*ttc* [on attttu.de*} ofi kbnaham a* de*cntbed on tvptted tn ehapten* 12-18. k^ten each ehanaetent*tte neeond the nefienence* {on iX. (See exempZe betow). List the characteristics on the board as the students give them. Supply missing ones from the following list. Do not take the time to list the references, but devote it to a discussion of the characteristics and attitudes and their significance. Characteristics or Attitudes of Abraham References, Genesis 12-18 Obedient to God Devoted Willing to stretch truth Valued his safety above wife’s honor Accumulative Peace loving Generous Loyal Courageous 12:4; 15:10; 17:23-27 12:7,8; 13:18; 17:3 12:12,13,18,19 12:15,16 12:16; 13:2 13:8 13:9; 14:20-24 14:14 14:14,15 - 93 Lesson 23. God*s Abraham Imperfect in faith Growing in faith Willing to stretch morals Sometimes avoided responsibility Hospitable Sense of justice Boldness with God 15:2,3,8; 17:17,18 15:6 16:4 16:6 18:2-7,16 18:23-25 18:23-32 2, Discuss the desirability—or undesirability™-of the traits listed. Note that Abraham was not perfect but had faults just as we do. In spite of his imperfections, his faith in God grew until he was able to stand the supreme test. Abraham was called "Father of the Faithful ," because of what God made of him in the end, not because of what he was in the beginning. Discuss the meaning of Faith in the light of Genesis 15:6: "And he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness." 3. Survey the historical significance of the Abraham Narrative. The entire narrative pictures Abraham moving about in the new land at will, accepted by the inhabitants as one of them. They are grateful for his military aid. They enter into treaties with him. They sell him a burying place, certainly indicating a permanent acceptance. He is sent out of Egypt and voluntarily withdraws from the Jordan valley in favor of Lot, but southern Palestine is open to him and he gains recognition of his rights there. The second, though not secondary, emphasis is on the uniqueness of Isaac among the children of Abraham. He is the only legitimate son. He is miraculously conceived. He practically becomes a blood sacrifice to God. He receives the entire inheritance. His wife is divinely chosen from his own race. Throughout the narrative runs the theme of the covenant relationship: God selected Abraham. God miraculously provided Isaac. God chose Rebekah as Isaac’s wife. God promised a heritage that would include great numbers. God promised that the posterity would bless all nations. God promised Abraham and his descendants a place to live. Stress that in our covenant with God, it is He who works out His will in us to the extent that we trust Him to lead us. (Remember Noah’s experience.) LESSON 24a ABRAHAM’S GOD Objectives To show how one’s concept of God influences his life. To discover the characteristics of God revealed in Abraham’s experience. Assignment LESSON 25. THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP J. ChaptdH, 12:1-3 Ta a kdtj patAagd. LiAt thd aommnd-6 and a^tdn. daah. onn indiaatd tkd MAponAd Abraham. Thdn &At th.d p/iomdAdA, and afatdA. daah and indiaatd inaiddndA in th.d £ifid ofi Abdaham that ^uZ^WEdd any thdAd pAomTAdA0 Introduction In reviewing the previous lesson briefly mention the characteristics of Abraham studied and note that today’s study will help us to understand why Abraham acted as he did under some circumstances. Discussion 1. Discuss the assignment for this lesson. Mate a ZtAt oA thd ahaAacZdniAtioA God ddtcAibdd oft aAbumdd in chapteAA 12-18. A^tdd dach. pZaad th.d ttd^dAdncdA whdid Tt it ^oand. Ask the students to respond to the assignment. Again, do not write the references, but spend the time candidly examining Abraham’s concepts of God. Not all of them were correct. Characteristics or Attitudes of God References, Genesis 12-18 Speaks to man Loyalty Accepts worship Vindictive Partiality 12:l-3,7;15:1,4,5,7,9,13-16,18-20; 16:7-12;17:1-21;18:20,26,28-33; 20:3,6,7. 12:3; 15:1 12:7,8; 13:4 12:17 ; 15:14 ;19 :13 ,24-26,29 0 12:2,3,7,17;13:15-17;14:2O;15:7, 18-20;16:9;17:2-8,19,21;18:19; 19 :21,29 ;20:3,7,180 - 95 - Lesson 24. Abraham’s God Foreknowledge Impartiality All powerful Righteousness Demands obedience Mingles among men Omniscient Makes promises conditionally Justice Mercy Hears prayer 15:4,5,13-16;16:11,12;18:10,18, | 16:7,8,10,11; 17:20, 17:1,16-19; 18:14, 17:1; 18:19, 17:1,9,10; 18:19, 18:1,5-8,16, 18:12-15, 18:19, 18:21,25; 20:4-7, 18:26,28-32;19:10,12,13,15-17, 21,22; 20:17, 20:7,17, 2. Discuss the influence of Abraham’s views of God on his own character and actions. God was all-powerful and demanded obedience, therefore Abraham would be obedient. God was righteous and accepted worship; therefore Abraham would be devout. God was partial; therefore Abraham would be partial-—he would sacrifice his wife's honor and desert Hagar, but he would risk his life to save Lot and lie to save himself. God oxizned the world and had promised a good share of it to him; therefore he would get all he could in possessions. God?s promises were conditional; so how could he know whether to believe them if their fulfillment was delayed? As he experienced God’s loyalty to him and saw the fulfillment of promises his faith grew. God’s dealings appeared capricious at times; perhaps the end alwasy justified the means, hence immorality must be excusable if God’s promises were thereby fulfilled. God showed himself impartial at times, and Abraham was hospitable to strangers. God spoke with him, therefore he would be bold to speak with God. 3. It should be noted that not all of Abraham’s concepts of God were correct (for example, God is not vindicative nor partial). His erroneous ideas about God affected his relationship to God as much as his correct ideas did. His mistaken concepts led him into mistaken conduct. In creating man in His own image God intended that every person should be a living revelation of Himself. When sin entered, man could no longer serve this exalted function fully. The defilement of sin rendered man incapable of revealing the divine glory. This is one of the reasons it was necessary for God to become incarnate in man. In the person of Christ God dwells in humanity. Through Christ’s redemptive act man can be restored to the image of God and again truly reveal Him. Satan had succeeded in throwing a shroud about the character of God in the minds of men by misrepresenting the divine character. Christ revealed God to the world as merciful, tender, and compassionate. The darkness of the shroud was lifted, and God was - 96 Lesson 24. Abraham’s God again seen by men as the Father of light and life. The adversary had represented God as one who delights in the sufferings of His creatures even to the extent that He wreaks vengeance upon sinners through an eternal torment. This view resulted not only in ignorance of God’s true nature, but it led to infidelity and rebellion against such a monstrous being. To remove the clouds of ignorance and delusion it was necessary that a Divine Instructor come to earth. This mission was assumed by the Son of God who came to reveal the Father to man. (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, November 17, 1891). The Son drew aside the curtain which veiled the true character and the glory of the Father, and manifested to the world His true character. The knowledge of God’s character was that which Jesus committed to His disciples and commissioned them to communicate to all men. (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, November 1, 1892). 4. Lead the class into a discussion of how our concepts of God affect our behavior. The teacher, particularly, should remember in any discussion of the character of God the ultimate aim of Christian education: "Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached." (Education 18) Therefore, extreme care should be exercised that no character trait be attributed to God which would not be desirable in a person. For instance, if we picture God as one who treats one group of people better than He does another, how can we condemn racial or religious prejudice in students? If God approves cruelty toward people is not a boy becoming godlike when he steps on a cat’s tail? How can we know the truth about God’s character? "Study the character of God. By beholding Christ, by seeking Him in faith and prayer, you may become like Him." (CT 402) LESSON 25o THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP Objectives To emphasize the central theme of the Abraham Narrative-““the covenant relationship. To re-emphasize that God is the prime Actor in the fulfillment of His promises. Assignment LESSOM 26. FAILURES AUD SUCCESSES 1. Read PatKaaacJiA and Pnowhe.tA, C-haptea 13, "The. Te.At o!\ Caath," mge.A 145-155 JC^L 142-152). 2. LUt the. wae/A an which Abaaham had £aate.d te.AtA o^ ^aJjth aA andacate.d on page.A 145-147 (142-145). 3. On page. 154, raaagaaph. 4 (151:3), thaea gx.ou.pA aae. me.ntaone.d at> pao!\diang ^aom Abaaham1^ ^LbEAEt&ne.nt o^ the. gaeat te.6t an whaah. God ^e.qiuae.d ham to ^acaa^dce. haA Aon. Indaaate. ^aom the. ma-teaaatA on page.A 147-155 (142-152) how e.ac,h o^ the.Ae. gaouwA did oa c,o u£d be.ne.^dt. Introduction In review note that as Abraham became better acquainted with the character of God, his own character came closer to God’s ideal for him. His trust increased to the point where he was enabled to stand the supreme test. Today’s lesson reviews, emphasizes, and clarifies the covenant relationship. Discussion 1. Discuss the assignment by having the pupils supply the required materials from their Bibles as you list them on the board according to the following scheme. (Textual references were not asked of the students; however, they are supplied here for the teacher’s convenience0) - 98 - Lesson 25. The Covenant Relationship Commands Response Go from country and kindred. Abram went to Canaan. 12:4-60 Go to a land I will show. God pointed to Canaan as the land. 12:7 Promises Evidences of Fulfillment I will make you a great nation. Posterity (legitimate) came through an act of God. 18:9-15; 21:1-7 I will bless you. Abram became wealthy through God’s blessing. 13:2-7; 14:17-24. I will make your name great. Became powerful (battle with the kings). Abimelech made non-agression treaty with him. He was feared because God acted in his behalf. 14:17-20. You will be a blessing. Saved Lot from captivity. 14:13-16. Pleaded for Sodom. 18:23-^32. I will bless those who bless. Melchizedek received tithes. 14:18-22. Curse him who curses you Affliction of Pharaoh. 12:17. Battle of the kings. 14:14-17. In you shall all be blessed. Intercession for Sodom. 18:23-32. Prayers for Abimelech. 20:7,17,18. 2. The following chart should be used to give an over-all view of the promises and commands of God to Abraham and the action which resulted in each case. Which of these are relevant to us? How? What principles of divine-human relationships are present? Reference P1^e of Commands Promises Time Consequent Action 12:1-3 Haran Go to land shown Great nation Bless you Name great You be blessing Bless or curse those who bless or curse you I will give this land Abram departed to Canaan with household. 12:7 Shechem Built Altar 13:14-17 Bethel— Look all directions I will give this land Ai Journey through land Descendants as dust — Moved to Hebron Built altar 15:1 Hebron— Fear not I am your shield 4-6 Mamre (?) This man (Eliezer) shall Reward shall be great not be heir. Your own son—heir । Descendants as stars 7—21 Look & Number stars ’ I will give this land Strangers & slaves 400 yrs0 Bring animals Judge oppressors & deliver descendants o You will die in old age. Boundaries indicated Suggested Eliezer—heir Believed the Lord & reckoned as righteous Abram asked confirmation 1 Heifer, goat, ram, turtle-! dove, pigeon cut in two ; (except birds)0 Flame & smoke passed between— | Lord made a covenant, 17:1-21 99 years old Walk before me blameless Multiply exceedingly Name shall be Abraham Will covenant with you Keep my covenant through- Great nation out generations—cir- Multiply exceedingly cumcision on 8th day. Everlasting Sarai to be called Sarah I will give this land By Sarah Multiply Ishmael—great nation With Isaac of Sarah Abraham fell on face Abraham laughed—* child at our age’. Ishmael as heir suggested Circumcised all males Lesson 25. The Covenant Relationship Reference Place or Time C ommand s Promises Consequent Action 18:9-15 Mamre Next spring you will have a son. Sarah laughed—& denied it Lord asked, ”Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Sarah bore son as promised (21:2) 22:1-2 Beersheba (? 22:19) Offer Isaac as burnt offering Abraham took Isaac, two servants, and supplies on sad journey. 11-12 15-19 Moriah Moriah Do not lay hand on son Bless you Descendants as stars Descendants as dust (sand) You be blessing Offered ram instead Abraham & company returned to Beersheba Lesson 25. The Covenant Relationship LESSON 26e FAILURES AND SUCCESSES Objectives To teach that the consequences of our acts may affect many people besides ourselves. To review the place of the Abraham narrative in the Book of Genesis and its significance to the present day Christians. Assignment LESSON 27O JACOB ANP ESAU Note that the assignment begins a new unit entitled, ”A Change of Heart.” /o Read GencdZa 25?19--29:30 0 20 A^tgn tttteA to the. chapter 0 30 ConAtAact a AanwiaAij chaAt fioA chapteA 25:19-34. Vtvtde. the. paAa-gAaphb a* fioUow: 25:19-26; 27-2S; 29-34. Introduction Reviex-z briefly the previous lesson by quickly summarizing the promises to Abraham and his responses to them. Discussion 1. On the board write the students’ responses to Part 2 of the assignment. Lut the. watfa tn whtch kbAaham had patted ofi ^atth. oa tndteate.d on page.* 145-147 (142-145). Abraham failed tests by: showing distrust in concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife. failing to be patient in the delay of God’s fulfillment of His promise, taking Hagar as his wife thus substituting human for divine action. pleading for Ishmael even though the son was promised through Sarah thus demonstrating reliance on human resources. 2. The failures of Abraham resulted from his distrust of God. He tried to work out things in his own way and in his own strength. We, too, may be tempted to rush ahead of God in many ways. Discuss some life situations in which this may take place, and ways in which this presumption can be avoided. MWEMTIBT ■ERfTAGE CENTER WhHa Uixwy •"DREWS BNIVEfflMTr - 102 Lesson 26. Failures and Successes 30 Involve the students in a recall of the materials indicated in Part 3 of the assignment. page. 154, paftagfiaph 4 (151:3), thfie.e gfiou.pt> cue menZZoned at> pfto-titing fiftom Abftaham’A fat^tt&nent the, gfie.at te.At tn whZch God fie.-qiutie.d him to t>ac.fil^lc.e. hZ4 4 on. Indicate. faom the. mate.filatA on mget> 147-155 (142-152) hou) e.ac.h ofi the.t>e. gfioaM did ofi couZd be.ne.tit. How Three Groups Benefited Abraham Succeeding Generations Sinless Intelligences of Heaven & Other Worlds Character growth reached the highest standard (147:3) Strengthened soul (151:5) Through the most intense prayer and heart-searching he learned the will of God (148,151). Assurance that recognition of God’s voice was valid (151:4). The satisfaction of seeing great faith and submission in son (152:3). Received a super-natural justification for his implicit faith (152:4— 153:1). Received a renewal of the divine covenant and blessing (153 :2). His faith imputed to him for righteousness (153:4). Called the friend of God (153:4). Saw mission of the Redeemer in the substitutionary ram (154:2). His mind was impressed with the reality of the gospel (154:3)0 A pillar of light illuminating the pathway of God’s servants in all ages (153:3) See the example illustrating the relationship between faith and works. (153:4 f.) Could see the gospel in type and promise before the coming of Christ (154:2). Demonstrated the falseness of Satan’s accusations that Abraham was unworthy of the blessings of the blessings of the covenant (155:1) Gave a demonstration of perfect obedience (155:1) Demonstrated that man could withstand a far more severe test than that which had been brought upon Adam (155:2). God participated in the confirmation of the covenant in the presence of the universe as a solemn guarantee that obedience will be rewarded (155:2). The angels understood more clearly the provision God had made for man’s salvation (155:3). - 103 Lesson 26, Failures and Successes 4. In class time might be given to a discussion of the evils which follow a deviation from monogamous marraige as stated in Patriarchs and .Prophets pages 145-147, The following are mentioned as some of the consequences of Abraham’s marriage to Hagar, Violation of the law of God (145:1), Fatal to the sacredness and peace in the family relation (145:1), Resulted in evil not only to his own home but to the future generations (145:1), Jealousies disturbed the peace of the once happy home (145:2), Bad relationship between Hagar and Sarah (145:2), Reproach between Sarah and Abraham (145:2), Abraham frustrated in his attempt to restore harmony (145:2), Abraham forced to make decisions between Sarah and Hagar which he could not resolve without sorrow to himself and to them (145:2), Disruption of the relationship betvzeen Sarah and Hagar (145:3), Birth of Ishmael blinded him to the true understanding of God’s promise (146 :2), Brought deep sorrow and hatred to Hagar and Ishmael (being set aside at birth of Isaac) (146:3). Jealousies continued through the next generation (146:3). Perpetual source of discord (146:3). Tragic distress in the necessity to banish those whom he loved (146:3) , The following principles should be noted in this experience as indicated on page 147:2. The instruction to Abraham concerning sacredness of marriage was to be a lesson for all ages. The rights and happiness of marriage relationship are to be carefully guarded even at great sacrifice. Sarah was the only true wife. The right of a wife and mother no other person is entitled to share, Sarah’s reverence for her husband is cited as a worthy example. Her unwillingness that her husband’s affections should be given to another was approved by God. It was Abraham’s and Sarah’s distrust of the power of God that led to the tragic marriage with Hagar. UNIT A. A CHANGE OF HEART LESSON 27o JACOB AND ESAU Objectives To introduce the Jacob Narrative, To introduce the contrasting characters of Jacob and Esau, Assignment LESSON 25. JACJB THE DECEIVER 1. Read Genetti 30:25—31 :55. 2. Attlgn appropriate to chapter* 30 and 31. 3. Construct a tummrp chart {or c/ianteA 27:1-45. Divide the paragraph* a* joUow*: 27:1-4; 5-17; 18-29; 30-38; 39-40; 41-45. Introduction Review the salient points of the previous unit and lead into the current lesson. Abraham lived a life of obedience yet his trust in God was not perfect at first. He had to go through several tests of faith which he failed before his fatih grew sufficiently to trust God fully. In the end he was triumphant. The son of promise was Isaac through whom the promises of God were to be fulfilled. A wife was selected for him according to God’s own choosing. To Isaac and Rebekah were born twin sons one of whom is the central figure of this unit. Discussion Preview briefly the Jacob narrative. The story of Jacob is cast in three main parts: Home and family relationships, 77 years Prosperity with Laban, 20 years Return to Southern Palestine, 31 years A flight marks off each of these divisions. There is a turning point in his experience during the second flight which changes the remainder of his life. Just what this turning point is will be discovered during the study of this unit. - 105 Lesson 27. Jacob and Esau 2. Have the pupils suggest and select titles for chapters 25-29, A44Zgn to the. c.ha.pteJi-6. Suggested titles: Chapter 25) Jacob the Quiet 27) Jacob the Dishonest 28) Jacob the Fugitive 29) Jacob the Lover 3. Involve the students in a reconstruction of the summary chart. CoviAtsiuat a. chant ^on chanteA 25:19-34. Vtvtde. the. pa/ta- gnavh-6 a-6 {ottoiM: 25:19-26; 27-28; 29-34. Jacob the Quiet 25:19 34 19-26 Birth of Jacob & Esau Isaac’s prayer for Rebekah’s barrenness is heard and twins, Jacob and Esau, are born. An angel predicts that the elder shall serve the younger. 27-28 Parental Favoritism Esau, a skillful hunter, is loved by Isaac, while Jacob, a quiet son is loved by Rebekah. 29-34 Bargaining for the Birthright Esau, famished, sells his birthright for a mess of pottage. 4. Summarize the 26th chapter, even though this was not assigned for student study. Isaac is commanded to remain in Canaan in spite of a famine and God blesses him with a bountiful harvest. The Canaanites fear him and seek a treaty with him. For the teacher’s reference a summary chart for chapter 26 is included: - 106 - Lesson 27. Jacob and Esau Go Not to Egypt 1-5 17-22 Go Not Down to Egypt Room A famine arises and Isaac journeys The Philistines quarrel over wells southward, but God forbids him to dug by Isaac’s servants, but a go to Egypt and repeats the third well is uncontested and is Abrahamic promise to him. named Rehoboth, "Room,” 6-11 26-33 "She is My Sister” Non-agression Pact Isaac hides his relationship to The Philistines fear because of Rebekah but Abimelech discovers God’s obvious blessing and seek the truth and reprimands Isaac. and receive a treaty of non-agres- 12-16 sion with Isaac. Isaac * s Wealth 34-35 Isaac is blessed with bountiful Judith and Basemath harvests and great wealth. The Esau marries two Hittite women Philistine King fears and sends who make life bitter for Isaac and him away. Rebekah. This concludes the story of Isaac, except for the reference to his funeral in 35:29. Actually, the author of Genesis includes him only to make the transition from Abraham to Jacob. The early years of his life are a part of the Abraham narrative, and the latter portion is a part of the story of Jacob. 5. Note briefly the indications of prosperity and protection of Isaac by the Lord’s blessing. Note the indications that the promise of Canaan as the homeland was being fulfilled. Isaac is forbidden to go to Egypt. He is blessed with a bounteous harvest in Canaan during a famine. The Canaanites fear but accept him. He finds room to dwell in the land. LESSON 28o JACOB THE DECEIVER Objectives To show the contrasting attitudes of Jacob and Esau toward the birthright 9 To emphasize that extenuating circumstances do not excuse sin® Assignment LESSON 29. JACOB THE EXILE 1, Read Ge.ne.AdA 32, 33, and 35:?“21. 2. kAAlgn appno wilate. tdtte.A to the. diavtetiA. 3. ConAtauat a Aummap chant ^on Ge.ne.AdA 27:46--2&:7S. Odvdde. the. pcutagnaphA aA fo££ou)A: 27:46--2S:5; 6-9; 10-17; 75-22. Introduction Review by recalling the characteristics of Jacob and Esau: Jacob: The favorite of his mother, home-loving, quiet, yet coveteous and shrewd. Esau: The favorite of his father, the out-doors type, rough, selfish impetuous, sensual, lacking a sense of higher values, Discussion 1. Assignment, Part 2. &AAdgn appnopadate. tttte.A to diapteoA 30 and 31, 30:25-43 Jacob the Cattleman. 31 Jacob a Fugitive again 2. Reconstruct on the board the summary chart assigned in Part 3 - 108 - 45 Lesson 28. Jacob the Deceiver The Deceiver 27:1 1-4 30-38 "Prepare Savory Food" Isaac directs Esau to hunt and prepare savory meat, after which he will bestow the birthright blessing. 5-17 The Plot Rebekah and Jacob plot to obtain the blind father’s blessing by fraudo 18-29 The Deception Jacob brings savory meat to his father, who is deceived by the disguise and blesses him. The Discovery Esau also comes, discovers his brother’s deception and begs his father to bless him also. 39-40 Esau’s Blessing Isaac predicts that Esau will dwell in an unfertile region and live by the sword. 41-45 Esau Plots Revenge Esau plots to kill Jacob when Isaac dies. Rebekah counsels Jacob to flee to Laban. 3. Discuss the contrasting desires and qualifications of Jacob and Esau concerning the birthright. ’’Jacob had learned from his mother of the divine intimation that the birthright should fall to him, and he was filled with an unspeakable desire for the privileges which it would confer. It was not the possession of his father’s wealth that he craved; the spiritual birthright was the object of his longing. To commune with Cod as did righteous Abraham, to offer the sacrifice of atonement for his family, to be the progenitor of the chosen people, and of the promised Messiah, and to inherit the immortal possessions embraced in the blessings of the covenant,—here were the privileges and honors that kindled his most ardent desires. His mind was ever reaching forward to the future, and seeking to grasp its unseen blessings,’’ PP 178:3. ”... Esau had no love for devotion, no inclination to a religious life. The requirements that accompanied the spiritual birthright were an unwelcome and even hateful restraint to him. The law of God, which was the condition of the divine covenant with Abraham, was regarded by Esau as a yoke of bondage. Bent on self-indulgence, he desired nothing so much as liberty to do as he pleased. To him power and riches, feasting and reveling, were happiness. He gloried in the unrestrained freedom of his wild, roving life." PP 178:2. In taking two wives of the daughters of Heth "Esau had violated one of the conditions of the covenant, which forbade intermarriage between the chosen people and the heathen." PP 179:4. - 109 Lesson 28O Jacob the Deceiver 4. Discuss the apparent determination of Isaac to bestow the blessing on Esau even though he undoubtedly knew of the prophecy given before the birth of the children. Isaac ’’plainly stated that Esau, as the eldest, was the one entitled to the birthright. . . . Rebekah . . . read with clearer insight than did her husband the character of their sons. She was convinced that the heritage of divine promise was intended for Jacobo She repeated to Isaac the angel’s words; but the father’s affections were centered upon the elder son, and he was unshaken in his purpose." PP 178:2. ’’The reasoning of Rebekah, Jacob9s strong desire for the blessing, and Esau’s indifference to its obligations, had no effect to change the father’s purpose. . . . Knowing the opposition of Rebekah and Jacob, he decided to perform the ceremony in secret." PP 179:4,5. 5. Discuss the responsibility of Jacob in the plot to deceive Isaac. Note that Jacob did not enter willingly into the plan to deceive. Genesis 27:12: "Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing." Yet Jacob was not a young boy. He was over seventy years of age. He could have, and should have refused to enter into deception, but-— Point out the similarity with Abraham’s early experience, particularly with Hagar and Ishmael. Both Abraham and Jacob were susceptible to the suggestion of another in attempting to work out the promises of God for themselves in their own way. Both suffered much for their mistakes. "God had declared that Jacob should receive the birthright, and his word would have been fulfilled in his own time, had they waited in faith for him to work for them." PP 180:3. 6. Note the reason for Jacob’s susceptibility to temptation. "With secret longing he listened to all that his father told him concerning the spiritual birthright; he carefully treasured what he had learned from his mother. Day and night the subject occupied his thoughts, until it became the absorbing interest of his life. But while he thus esteemed eternal above temporal blessings, Jacob had not an experimental knowledge of the God whom he revered. His heart had not been renewed by divine grace." PP 178:4. Explain and disucss with the class what "an experimental knowledge of God" means in terms of our own lives. LESSON 29. JACOB THE FUGITIVE Objectives To introduce the second major phase of Jacob’s life. To emphasize God’s care for the individual even while he is in well-deserved trouble. Assignment LESSOR 30. JAC03—CHEATER AW CHEATED 1. Litt the occasion*, with ne^enenceA in Gen. 25:19—31:55, on which Jacob cheated, tnied to cheat on deceive, on dnove a hand bangain. 2. Lit>t the occasion* on which Laban cheated on tnied to cheat Jacob. Give ne^enenee*. Introduction Review briefly: Jacob, at home had shown himself to be home-loving, quiet, desirous of a close relationship with God, yet unwilling to wait for God to work out his promises. He therefore succumbed to his natural characteristic of dishonesty, twice cheating to obtain the birthright. He incurred his brother’s lasting hatred, and was forced to flee. Discussion 1. Involve the pupils in suggesting and selecting titles for chapters 32, and 33. Au>ign appnopniate title* to ehapten* 32 and 33. Chapter 32. Jacob becomes Israel Chapter 33. Reconciled with Esau 2. Follow the usual procedure with the summary chart. Con*tnuet a *ummnt/ chant {on Gene*i* 27:46--28:18. Divide the pana-gnaph* a* follow*: 27:46—28:5; 6-9; 10-17; 18-22. Ill Lesson 29. Jacob the Fugitive Jacob the Exile 27:46 28:22 27:46—28:5 10-17 Jacob Sent Away Rebekah complains to Isaac of Esau’s wives and pleads that Jacob be sent to Padan-Aram. Isaac blesses him and sends him away. 28:6-9 Esau Takes Another Wife Esau, courting his father’s favor takes a daughter of Ishmael as a third wife. Jacob * s Dream Fleeing Jacob dreams of a ladder on which angels ascend and descend, after which the Lord blesses him and repeats the Abrahamic promise. 18-22 Bethel Jacob sets up a stone, calls the place Bethel, and out of gratitude vows to pay God a tithe of all his increase. 34 Contrast the blessings given to Jacob and Esau. The following chart portrays them. Jacob Esau 27:28,29 God give you of dew of heaven fulness of earth Let peoples serve you nations bow down to you Be lord over brothers To you mother’s sons bow Curse him that curses Bless him that blesses 27:39,40 Dwell away from fat of earth dew of heaven Live by sword Serve your brother Break loose from brother break his yoke 4. Contrast the real and pretended reasons Rebekah wanted Jacob to leave home. Real: To Jacoh: "Esau plans to kill you.” (Genesis 27:42-45) Pretended: To Isaac: "I am weary of my life because of the Hittite woman.” (verse 46) Isaac indicated his compliance with God’s intent that the Abrahamic covenant should pass to Jacob when he said, ”Yes, and he shall be blessed” (27:33), and God ’’give the blessing of Abraham to you." (28:1-5). - 112 5. Note Esau’s effort to gain his parents’ favor by taking a third wife. Esau recognized that Jacob was instructed to take a wife from their own people and that his own heathen wives displeased Isaac and especially Rebekah. Having Rebekah’s favor had ’’paid off” for Jacob. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for Esau to make more effort to get along with her. He attempted reconciliation by marrying a cousin, the daughter of his uncle, Ishmael0 Esau seemed to be very adept at doing the wrong things at the wrong time! 6. Discuss the principal features and significance of Jacob’s dream. A connection (Ladder) between earth and heaven. Angels ascending and descending upon it. God, standing at the top of the ladder—pronounced the Abrahamic blessing upon Jacob. Christ referred to Jacob’s dream and identified Himself as the ladder (John 1:51). 7. Note God’s confirmation of the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob in spite of his sin. Jacob was not a truly converted man, yet God promised to guide and protect him. Jacob’s response is worth detailed attention. JACOB’S PROPOSITION, Gen. 28:16-22 The Lord is here though I did not know it. He was afraid. How awesome is this place! —the house of God —the gate of heaven Made monument of stone: anointed it called place, Beth-el IF God will— be with me protect me in journey feed me clothe me bring me back home in peace THEN — the Lord shall be my God this shall be God’s house of God’s gifts I’ll return 10% This is so often the case with us —we are unaware of His presence0 This is the effect of an encounter with God by a sinner (cf. Isaiah 6:1-5). Worship is such an encounter. The dedication of a place as the house of God, gate of heaven. Jacob’s consecration is not yet complete or unconditional—he makes conditions and expects material favors for his service t o God. The tithe is a divinely instituted obligation, regardless of a person’s prosperity. It is not a 10% commission for service rendered! (This may merit further elaboration) LESSON 30o JACOB CHEATER AND CHEATED Objectives To show that God uses circumstances to work out His plan for man. To teach that God’s bounties are His gifts and do not come as a result of our own shrewdness. Assignment LESSON 31. FLIGHT FROM LABAM 1, Make a list ofi the characteristics and attitudes of} Jacob which one stated or Implied In Genesis 25:79--37:55. Give references. 2. a paragraph of three or foar sentences Summarizing chapter 31. Observe that some of the characteristics of Jacob have already been mentioned in class and that this assignment is essentially like the one already done for Abraham. Introduction Review briefly the previous lessono Isaac recognized that the birthright would be Jacob’s but this fact did not prevent the necessity of Jacob’s flight to escape his brother's wrath. He was sent away on the pretext of seeking a wife, and thus began a twenty year period of exile. God appeared to Jacob in a dream and, in spite of his sin, promised to be with him, to protect him, and to fulfill the Abrahamic promise to him. Emphasize the encouragement this must have been to Jacob Today we study the experiences of Jacob during his twenty years at Haran. Discussion 1. For the teacher’s reference a chart is supplied for chapters 29:1-30 and 30:25-42. (Not required in student’s assignments). - 114 - Lesson 30, Jacob—Cheater and Cheated 43 Working for Wives 14 yrs. 30 Working for Wages 6 yrs. 2. Compare the arrival of Jacob at Padan-Aram with that of Eliezar nearly 100 years before (See Patriarchs and Prophets 188:3), Paint a vivid word picture of the contrast. AT LABAN’S HOME 1-3 Jacob at the Well Jacob on his journey comes to a well with flocks and shepherds about o 4-8 Is It Well with Lab an ? When Jacob learns the shepherds are from Haran he asks about Laban, to which they reply that he is well and that his daughter Rachel is coming. 9-12 Jacob Meets Rachel Jacob waters Rachel’s flock and identifies himself as Rebekah's son. 13-14 Jacob Meets Laban Laban invites Jacob to stay. 15-20 Jacob Loves Rachel Jacob bargains to serve Laban 7 years for Rachel, whom he loves. 21-30 Laban Cheats Laban gives Leah instead and offers Rachel in return for another seven years of service. 25-36 Laban Attempts to Cheat Jacob desires to return to Canaan9 but Laban feels God has blessed him because of Jacob and asks him to name his price to stay. He bargains for the spotted, speckled, and black of the flock, and Laban agrees but craftily removes all such animals and isolates them from the rest of the herd. 37-43 Jacob Attempts to Cheat Jacob tries to control the coloring of the flock by pre-natal influence in order to increase his share. He appears to succeed and becomes very rich. - 115 - Lesson 30. Jacob—Cheater and Cheated Eliezar Jacob Sent by God-fearing father to find a wife. Divine providence directed entire trip. All preparations at home were open. Arrived with huge entourage. Rebekah drew water for him. Arrangements at Haran were frank and honest. Brought a dowry. One woman left her home to become an only wife of one man. Sent by Esau-fearing parents on the pretense of finding a wife. Fear prompted the trip, but divine providence was offered anyway. Arrangements for leaving were furtive. Arrived with only his staff. Drew water for Rachel. Arrangements at Haran were shrewd and shady. Worked for a dowry. One man came to become an only husband of four wives. 3. Note the customs of the time in regard to the dowry. A specified sum was to be paid to the father of the bride before the betrothal was completed. At the wedding this way given to the bride. If the suitor was unable to provide a dowry he might fulfill the obligation by working for the father of the bride for a specified period, and his normal wages formed the dowry. Ask the students to suggest some values of the system. Proves the ability of the groom to provide. Gives evidence of an enduring love for the bride. Provides a start for the young people. Tends to prevent hasty or too early marriages. Teaches that marriage is a giving relationship. Note that since such customs are not in effect in modern times in America, these values must be preserved by reason $ good sense, by proceeding according to the standards of conduct approved by respectable society, and by heeding the counsel of parents and others competent to give it. - 116 - Lesson 30o Jacob """“Cheater and Cheated 40 Discuss parts 1 and 2 of the assignment together,, tZaZ Z/ie ivZZh. A.e^e/ienc.e-6 Zn Gen0 25:79—31 :55p on whtch Jacob cheated, toted to cheat oa deceZve, oa daove a haad baagatno Ltit the occaAtonA on whtch. Laban cheated oa toted to cheat Jacoba Gtve ae^eaenceA„ REFERENCE INCIDENT JACOB 25:29-34 27:5-29 30:37-43 31:17-21 LABAN 29:21-26 30:34-36 31:6 31:15 ’’Buying’’ the birthright for a bowl of red lentiles0 Obtaining the father’s blessing by fraud0 Tries to manipulate the laws of heredity in order to increase his wages0 Flees without permission of Laban (all that Jacob had was his only as a member of the trible of which Laban was the head and real owner0) Substituted Leah in place of Rachel for whom the wedding contract had been made0 Tried to cut offr or at least reduce the agreed wages by removing the stock from which Jacob’s share was expected to comeo Tried ten times to reduce Jacob’s wageso Spent the dowries 5o Discuss the effects on Jacob’s family of Laban’s fraud0 There was constant rivalry among the wives for the affections of Jacob0 There was resultant rivalry between the children,, These jealousies caused great unhappiness within the family,, The children reflected the bitterness9 deceit? and lax morals in their own liveso - 117 - Lesson 300 Jacob—Cheater and Cheated 6. Explain the attempts of Laban and Jacob to out-wit each other in the matter of wages (30:25-43): THE AGREEMENT: Jacob should tend Laban’s flocks The multi-colored stock (and black sheep) and their offsprings should be Jacob’s share. The solid colored stock and their offspring should remain Laban’s THE FULFILLMENT: Laban removed the multi-colored stock from the flock and put his sons in charge, isolating them from the main flock by a distance of three days. Thus he felt he had cut off the reproduction of multicolored stock from Jacob, Jacob evidently believed in pre-natal marking and attempted to make the solid-colored stock in his care produce multi-colored offspring. He concentrated his "marking” efforts on the strongest animals. His system apparently worked! 7. Follow this by explaining the lessons in genetics that God gave to Jacob (31:6-12): An angel showed Jacob in a dream that the animals he and Laban thought were solid colored (and should breed true) actually had recessive multi-colored characteristics (not thorough-bred)0 God was doing whatever ’’manipulating” was being done. The peeled poplar branches which Jacob thought he was using so shrewdly and effectively were accomplishing nothing. Jacob’s prosperity was due to God’s blessing—not to his own shrewdness. LESSON 31. FLIGHT FROM LABAN Objectives To achieve a clear understanding of the character of Jacob prior to his conversion. To develop skill in the observation of related facts in a Bible narrative. Assignment LESSON 32. JACOB IM DESPAIR J. Make a Aanmvu/ chant fan GenetlA 32 avid 33. DZvZcte the nana-gnaph* fallow. 32:1-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12; 13-21; 22^32; 33:1-3; 4-11; 12-14; 15-17; 18-20. 2. Read Jacob'A pnaifen ofi 32:9-12. What attitude U Indicated? Introduction Review briefly the previous lesson. The story of Jacob’s dealings with his uncle Laba is that of a contest between two shrewd "operators” who did not hesitate to cheat when it appeared to serve their selfish interests. Esau had been no match for Jacob. Laban was. Although Jacob thought he was outwitting his uncle, the Lord showed him that his prosperity was the result of divine blessing—not of his own conniving. In today’s lesson we see how Jacob received further proof of this. Discussion 1. Discuss part 1 of the assignment. Make a ll At o^ the chanactenUtlcA and attitudes Jacob which, one Atated on Implied In GeneAlA 25: 19--31 :55. Give nefanenceA. Write the characteristics on the board as the students supply them. Do not take time to put in the references. Discuss each characteristic and its effect on Jacob’s (and my) life. This should be a very practical exercise in personality, ability, and character traits. - 119 - Lesson 31. Flight from Laban PRE-CONVERSION CHARACTERISTICS REFERENCES Quiet 25:7 Dweller in tents 25:27 Good cook 25:29 Shrewd 25:31-34; 30:32 Weak sense of honesty 27:11-14 Easily influenced 27:11-14 Obedient to his mother 27:11-14; 28:7 Untruthful 27:24 Desired communion with God 28:20 Grateful 28:21-22 Courteous 29:9-11 Loving 29:18-20 Faithful shepherd 30:29 Afraid to face a real crisis 31:31 Honest in his own opinion 30:33; 31:32 Grasping 30:37-42 Furtive, underhanded, stealthy 31:17,18 Sense of justice 31:36-42 Amiable 31:45-46,54 2. Discuss part 2 of the assignment. W/iZte a pa/Lagtuwh. oft t/i/tee oft ^oix/t 4urrnia/tczZng cha.ptejt 31. After becoming wealthy under God’s blessing in spite of Laban’s conniving, Jacob surreptitiously left and headed back toward home with his family and possessions. Upon hearing of this three days later, Laban pursued intent on recovering his property. However, he was warned by God not to harm Jacob in any way. Although Jacob put on an impressive act of honesty, mistreatment, and wounded pride, Laban reminded him that he, his families, and his possessions were in his power, and that he was not exerting it simply because God told him not to. After agreeing to a non-aggression pact the two companies parted in peace. 3. For the teacher’s reference a summary chart of chapter 31 is included: - 120 - Lesson 31. Flight from Laban Final Encounter Between Jacob & Laban FLIGHT FROM LABAN 1-16 "Return to the Land of Your Birth" God shows Jacob that his wealth, of which Laban’s sons are envious, is a divine blessing, and tells him to return home, 17-21 Jacob Flees In Laban’s absence, Jacob flees with all his possessions toward Canaan, 22-24 Laban Pursues Laban pursues Jacob but is warned by God not to harm him. 25-32 Accusations Laban overtakes Jacob, scolds him for departing secretly, and accuses him of stealing the household idols. 33-35 The Search To hide the images she had stolen, Rachel sat upon them, and pleaded illness to avoid standing for the search. 36-42 Counter Accusations Jacob, angry at Laban’s accusation, points out his faithful service for twenty years and declares that Laban has tried to cheat him, and for this has been rebuked of God. 43-50 Treaty Proposed Laban points out that as sheikh he owns all, but not daring to harm Jacob, he proposes a nonaggression treaty. 51-54 Treaty Ratified Laban and Jacob solemnly pledge not to pass the pillar for purposes of harm. 55 Peace and Farewell The following day Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren and returned home. 4. Ask the students to look for the reasons, stated or implied, for Jacob’s return to Canaan as indicated in Genesis 31□ Fear of Laban’s sons God * s command Indignation of Rachel and Leah at the withholding of their dowries Jacob longed to see his father and home According to PP 193:2 Jacob had not returned earlier because he feared Esau. - 121 Lesson 31. Flight from Laban 5, Discuss Laban’s accusations in Gen, 31:26-30, 43, You have cheated me. You have carried away my daughters like captives. You fled secretly. You cheated me out of giving you a going-away party. You did not allow me to say good-bye to my children. You have done foolishly. You have gone away because you longed for your father’s house. You stole my gods. It is in my power to do you harm Your wives are my daughters; your children are my children; your flocks are my flocks; all that you see is mine. There were both truth and falsehood in Laban’s accusations. The accusations were true, but Laban s pretense that he would have allowed Jacob to leave peaceably and on good terms was obviously a falsehood. The very fact that he had left the work of shearing the sheep (31:19) for a pursuit which would not bring him back for at least two weeks is evidence enough that he had no intention of allowing Jacob to leave with all his possessions, Laban’s assertion that he actually was the owner of everything that Jacob had was legally true. All that Jacob called his own was his only as a member of the tribe of which Laban was the sheikh. Ultimate ownership of all property and of the individuals themselves resided with the sheikh of the tribe. Any private ownership by individuals was held only so long as they were members of the tribe. When Jacob came to Laban twenty years before, he owned nothing. His uncle accepted him, allowed him to marry his daughters, and gave him opportunity to accumulate possessions. As long as Jacob remained a member of the tribe he had full rights, but only under the authority of its sheikh. Any rights that he had to secede from the tribe were confined to himself personally. Laban retained prior rights to Jacob’s wives, children, and possessions. Any removal of these could be done only by his agreement and through a contractual separation. The possibility of such a separation was illustrated in the experience of Abraham and Lot. Abraham was the sheikh and agreed—in fact proposed—that his nephew Lot separate from the group and become sheikh of his own tribe. This is the significance of the treaty between Jacob and Laban. The sheikh gave up his rights to the persons and the possessions in Jacob’s company and Jacob became a sheikh in his own right, Jacob’s attempts to accomplish this unilaterally by sneaking away was not only discurteous but illegal. Laban’s assertion that it was in his power to harm Jacob was true legally and probably actually, Laban had not come alone. The situation of this encounter was one in which a wronged and powerful sheikh confronted a - 122 - Lesson 31. Flight from Laban member of his tribe who had committed a capital offense. He could have had executed Jacob on the spot and returned to his home with all the persons and possessions. Jacob knew this. Laban stated that the only reason he was not exercising his legal rights was because God had told him the night before not to harm Jacob. Once again the Lord was reminding Jacob that none of his prosperity was due to his own shrewd maneuvering. Whatever Jacob had and enjoyed was due to God’s blessing and care. One of the factors in this encounter must have shocked Jacob into further realization of the hazards of deception. He was so sure Laban’s charge that someone in the crowd had stolen his household gods was false that he decreed death for anyone with whom they might be found. Although Rachel’s theft and deception were not discovered while Laban was there, Jacob must have had a tremendous fright when he learned how near he had come to forfeiting his favorite wife’s life. In his flight from Esau, in his dealings with Laban, in his attempts to influence the type of offsprings his cattle would have, in his confrontation by Laban after his flight, and then finally in the case of Rachel’s deception, the Lord was trying to teach Jacob a lesson which it seemed almost impossible for him to learn—that deception does not pay. The subsequent events in his life indicate that he finally learned it. He was to experience additional confirmation of this lesson through sorrow and tragedy with his sons, some of whom had as hard a time learning it as he did. 6. Note the terms of the treaty agreed to by Laban and Jacob. (31:43-54), It was a contract of separation. Laban relinquished all rights to his daughters. Neither would pass the monument to their agreement for purposes of harming the other. The Lord was called upon to witness the ratification of the treaty. A stone heap and a pillar were erected as a geographical boundary, and as a monument to their agreement. LESSON 32. JACOB IN DESPAIR Objectives To introduce the story of Jacob’s conversion,, To clarify the circumstances leading to Jacobas conversion,, Assignment LESSON 33. JACOB AWP GOD 1. RevZetu the. paomt6e.6 God made, to kbaaham a6 gtve.n tn Gene.6tA 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:5; 17:1-8. 2. On the. diaat paovtde.d you wiM fitnd ae.^eae.nc.e.^6 tn ooturnn 1 ^oa the oeco4Zon4 on ivhZeh ana pant o& Zhcae pAomZie-d weAe AepeaZed to Jacob. EM tn Zhe AeZz ofi the. diaat cu frM.ow-6: Ln coZumn 2 de.6catbe. the. occa6ton In cotim 3 note. the. paomt6e.6 made. In eoZumn 4 tndtcate. Jacob'6 Ke.Apon6e. oa con6e.qae.nt action tn e.ach caae In coZumn 5 note, any tndtcatton o/} the. ^aZ^tZZmcnt o{ any of the6e. paomt6e.6 to Jacob Introduction Review briefly. Jacob began his return to Canaan at God’s command but in a manner typical of him—underhanded. After reminding Jacob that according to tribal law all possessions belonged to the sheikh of the tribe, Laban stated that the only reason he was not enforcing the law and claiming his rights was that God had forbidden him to harm his rebellious nephew. The twenty-year relationship between Laban and Jacob was ended by a treaty of separation. Discussion 1. Involve the students in a reconstruction of the summary chart. Make a 6ammany chant fon. Ge.ne.6t6 32 and 33. Dtvtde. the. nan.agaaph6 06 foZZoiW>: 32:1-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12; 13-21; 22-32; 33:1-3; 4-11; 12-14; 15-17; 18-20. - 124 - Lesson 32. Jacob in Despair Israel Israel and Esau 2. Ask the students to help you analyze the prayer of Jacob as you write its features on the chalkboard. Read Jacob'4 paar/ea 32:9~12. Wh.at attitude. Z4 ZndZcated? Jacob reminds God that He commanded him to return to Canaan and promised to bless him there. He acknowledges his unworthiness of God’s blessings, by which he had prospered and become wealthy. He prays for deliverance from the vengeance of Esau, who he fears, may massacre his family. He again reminds God of His promise to bless him and multiply his descendants. RETURN TO CANAAN 1-2 Two Armies Jacob meets the angels whom he recognizes as ’’God’s army.” 3-5 A Message to Esau Jacob sends news of his approach and wealth to Esau with a request for peace. 6-8 Another Army The messengers return with word that Esau is coming with 400 men to meet Jacob. 9-12 Cry for Help Jacob prays for deliverance from Esau’s revenge. 13-21 A Bribe for Esau Jacob attempts to appease Esau with a gift of about 580 animals. 22-32 The Face of God Jacob wrestles through the night with one whom he finally recognizes as God. In response to Jacob’s plea for a blessing the ’’Stranger’’ changes his name to Israel. 1-3 Bowing Jacob Jacob, seeing Esau coming, signifies his submission by bowing before him. 4-11 Forgiving Esau Esau receives Jacob affectionately as brother and only reluctantly accepts the gifts. 12-14 Offer of Union Esau offers to join the two companies, but Jacob declines because of the necessity of slow travel with the herds. 15-17 Offer of Protection Jacob declines Esau’s offer to leave men with him and journeys to Succoth where he builds a house and cattle stalls. 18-20 Purchase of Land Jacob arrives at Shechem where he purchases land and builds an altar to ’’the God of Israel.” - 125 - Lesson 32. Jacob in Despair The attitudes reflected by such a prayer include: Concern that God may not keep His promise Humility Fear Recognition that he cannot cope with the situation which he will soon face. 3. Jacob had received a number of direct evidences of God’s care, protection, and blessing: The dream at Bethel (ladder and angels) The dream concerning the flocks (God was "manipulating” the breeding) The divine command to return to Canaan The intervention with Laban (prohibition against harming Jacob) The vision of the angels at Mahanaim (the Lord’s armv) The extent of his wealth in spite of Laban’s scheming opposition Ask the students to suggest possible reasons for Jacob’s deep fear in spite of these evidences of divine care, The following might be some: He had barely ’’squeaked” through his encounter with Laban, and his fear of his brother had grown during the 20 years of absence. His conciliatory messagae to Esau apparently had been rejected. Esau was too rich now to be bought with a bowl of soup. He couldn’t avoid a meeting with Esau, and he didn’t know of any way to cope with him. Deceit wouldn’t work any more. Military power he didn’t have. He had not yet committed himself unconditionally to God. Therefore, he didn’t have full confidence in the effectiveness of ’’God’s army” which he had seen at Mahanaim. 4. Discuss the situation of Jacob as it might apply to us. Many people won’t learn to depend upon God until they fail at everything themselves. Only after tragedy has resulted from our schemes do we seem to be willing to ask God to help. Need we wait so long? Couldn’t we make our surrender to God’s guidance early and enjoy the advantages throughout our lives? LESSON 33. JACOB AND GOD Objectives To see the relationship of Jacob to the Abrahamic Covenant. To observe how God works with individuals in accordance with their personality and situation for the fulfillment of His plans0 Assignment LESSON 34. ISRAEL /. Rs-ztectd 32:22-33. 2. Tn a SZbZe dtctZonasuj Zook. u.p the meantngA o^ the name-6, Jacob and T-6aaeZ, 3. Read PP L96:3--207:7 (CHL 197-201), TfcZng you*. covif to eZa6-6. What 7a the centaaZ Ze-6-6on that Jacob Zeaaned f/Lom hZt> expeaZence ivZth the angeZ? Introduction Review briefly the deep fear with which Jacob entered into this fateful night of his life: He had not yet overcome his fright of Laban’s visit. His sense of guilt for his deception of Esau and his father had evidently been growing during the 20 years since he had to flee from his brother’s anger. His message of conciliation to Esau had been rejected and his messengers had returned bringing news of Esau’s march with 400 men to meet him. He knew no other way to cope with Esau. He knew he couldn’t pay him off with a bowl of soup as he once did. He couldn’t deceive him. He couldn’t run or hide because he had too large a crowd of cattle, servants, and family. He had no military power with which to defend himself. Because he had not committed himself unconditionally to God he didn’t have a complete faith in God’s protection. He entered this night with fear, unable to see beyond the crisis which would come with the dawn of the day, for on the morrow he must face his brother, whom he had wronged so long ago. - 127 Lesson 33. Jacob and God Discussion 1. Perhaps in the early part of the night Jacob recalled God’s promises to him and to his forefathers. List these on the board as the students recall them from the texts of the assignment, RevZetv the pnomtsei God made to Abn.ah.am as gtven tn Genests 12;1~3; 13-.14-17; /5?5; 77H-S. The descendants of Abraham would become a great nation—as the stars and as the dust for number. They would be blessed of God. Abraham's name would be made great. They would be a blessing to all peoples. God would protect them by blessing their friends and opposing their enemies. The land of Canaan would be given to the descendants. Kings would come forth from Abraham’s posterity. God would establish His covenant with the descendants as well as with Abraham. He promised to be their God. 2. Discuss part 2 of the assignment On the. chant pnovtded you. wttt itnd A.e^eA.ence-6 tn cotumn 1 ion. the, occastons on whtch any pant oi thebe pnomtseb wene nepeated to Jacob, Fttt tn the, nebt oi the, chant as iottowbs In cotumn 2 debcntbe the. occaston In cotumn 3 note the pnomtbeb made In cotumn 4 tndteate Jacobi nebponbe on. consequent aetton tn each case In cotumn 5 note any tndteatton oi the iutitttment oi any oi these pnomtses to Jacob, Reference Occasion Promises Response or Consequent Action [indication of Fulfillment 27:28,29 Isaac’s blessing on Jacob Material wealth People & nations would serve him Be lord over brothers Divine protection Fled from home for fear— these promises had been obtained by deception Jacob was rich He had been protected from Laban (But he wasn’t lord over his brothers!) 28:1-4 When receiving his fa-therms farewell before the flight to Padan-Aram Multiply his posterity The blessing of Abraham Possession of the land Jacob left without possessions to go to Laban at Padan His posterity had multiplied into two companies 28:13-15 Dream of the ladder at Bethel Give you the land Descendants as the dust Descendants would be blessing on earth Divine protection Return to this land Fe ar and awe Called the place Bethel Vowed his tithe if God would fulfill His promise and prosper him Set up a stone monument Was being brought back to the promised land He had been increasing in number and in wealth He had been protected up to this point 31:3 When Jacob was in ill-favor with Laban and the Lord commanded him to return to his homeland _ —. "I will be with youo” Assembled family, servants, possessions, and slipped away from Laban’s place secretly ’■ ——— God had been with him by restraining Laban and by manifesting His angel army at Mahanaim The above occasions came before the night of wrestlingo The following occasion came after the night of wrestlingo 35:9-12 Arrival at Bethal after his stay and flight from Shechem Confirmed change of name Descendants to include nations and kings Land promised to Abraham would be his Set up a pillar of stone and poured an offering on it Called the place Bethel Protected from Canaanite vengeance after the crime of his sons at Shechem - 129 - Lesson 33. Jacob and God 3. In recreating this situation with the class the following features should be prominent. Jacob had started on this journey from Paddan with fear, for he was returning to the land from which he was a fugitive. He had continued to brood over his sin of deception,, He knew that his exile of twenty years was a direct result of that deception,, His entire journey thus far had been saddened by his accusing conscience„ His return to the familiar country from which he had been separated so long sharpened the memory of his sins, but the divine promises also became more vivid. His flight from home had left Esau the sole heir of his father,, Jacob’s return would jeopardize this position* Esau could, and Jacob was sure that he would, do whatever was necessary to hold that which was his. Jacob’s return would add one more motive (that of protecting his property) to Esau’s original one (desire for revenge) for harming him. Jacob had received a number of evidences of God’s care, the most recent of which was the appearance of two hosts of angels traveling with his company. Yet his efforts to avoid a mortal clash with his brother had given no evidence of success. In these efforts Jacob had foresworn his claim to superiority (granted in the terms of the blessing he had fraudulently obtained) by addressing Esau as ’’lord”. He had also sought to reassure his brother that he was claiming none of the inheritence, by declaring that he had ample wealth of his own. His treaty of separation with Laban had made it impossible for him to turn back. The approach of Esau’s army blocked further advance. His own company was unarmed and unprepared for hostile encounter. The web spun by his life of deception had finally entrapped him! Jacob was now in a position where none of his customary methods of dealing with people would work. He was faced with an unavoidable crisis for which he was not prepared. In his extremity he called upon the only resource left open to him—God. This he did in his prayer that night, ’’deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest he come and slay us all, the mothers with the children." (32?11) He followed this desperate petition with a reminder of God’s promises to him. The remaining events of that night are the subject for the next lesson LESSON 34. ISRAEL Objectives To create an empathy with the conversion experience of Jacobo To emphasize that salvation requires a complete dependence upon God and a submission to His will0 Assignment LESSON 35. MOPERM JACOBS 1. PatAiaAchs and. PAophetS 201 s 2—203°° 3 (CHL 200°°3~~203) 0 List Hie paAallels that aAe dAawn between the expeAience ofi Jacob with the angel and that o£ God°s people just betfoAe Jesus AetuA.ns0 20 List the indications o$ AefioAm which fallowed Jacob0s eonveAAion? as indicated in Gen0 35s14„ Introduction Review the circumstances which form the background to Jacob’s conversion., Included in the discussion should be a very brief survey of Jacob’s previous experiences. The following suggestions may be helpful. Show how desperately Jacob’s character needed changing, particularly in the matter of honesty. Refer to the troubles he had had because of his character deficiencies. Note that Jacob had always had a desire for God’s guidance even though he was trying to work out his problems in his own willful and defective way. His life had brought him to an impasse. Defrauding Esau of his inheritance had been very easy—- it cost him only a bowl of soup. Deceiving his father had been a little more difficult, but still relatively simple. Dealing with Laban was much more difficult, and he was sometimes out-maneuvered by him, yet in the end Jacob seemingly outsmarted his uncle. However, he now was facing an Esau who wouldn’t listen long enough to be deceived; who wouldn’t enter into negotiation at which he might be out-smarted; and who wouldn’t name a price at which he could be bought off. Esau was on his own territory acting on his own terms—the brute force of overwhelming man-power. Before such a foe Jacob was helpless. - 131 - Lesson 34. Israel Point out that all Jacob had, including his own life, resulted from the blessing of God and not from his wits. His fraud had gotten him nothing at home except a saddened father, an angry brother, and expulsion from the family. All that he had earned from Laban could have been reclaimed by his uncle, except for God’s intervention. He now was confronted by the prsopect of losing everything, including his life, as a direct result of his way of life, and he would surely do so unless God again intervened. It appears that Jacob had finally learned the futility of trying to deal with God and his fellow men on his own selfish terms for his own selfish advantage. Jacob was now ready to ask for God9s terms. Discussion 1. While pointing out the following features of the structure of the Jacob Narrative, emphasize the fact that our evaluations of success and its causes may be just as wrong as was Jacob’s. At Home APPARENTLY, shrewd bargaining and outrigh fraud achieved their purpose, namely, the securing of the birthright of the first-born. ACTUALLY, he not only lost the inheritence of the first born but also the position which had been rightfully his. THE RESULT was his flight from home. In this crisis God promised him protection in spite of his unworthiness. In Paddan-Aram APPARENTLY, his bargaining and shewing for wives and wages had made him rich in spite of Laban’s repeated cheatings. ACTUALLY, what he thought he had gotten by his shrewdness was the result of God’s blessings, and nearly evaerything that he thought he owned remained Laban’s by legal right. THE RESULT was flight from Paddan-Aram. In this crisis God intervened to prevent Laban from stripping Jacob of all that he possessed. Back in Canaan The procedures which had APPARENTLY worked before did not even give the appearance of being successful as Jacob faced the meeting with Esau. - 132 - Lesson 34. Israel He was forced to recognize and depend exclusively upon that which had ACTUALLY been the only source of his success in the past, namely the power of God. THE RESULT was his prayer of complete committment to God’s care0 In this crisis he was met by an unknown but divine assailant. Again— APPARENTLY, he was winning a wrestling match by his own strengths ACTUALLY, all his assailant needed to do was to touch his thigh and he was rendered helpless. THE RESULT was that Jacob, the deceiver, became Israel, who had power with God. 2. Note the feelings which Jacob had that night as given in Patriarchs and Prophets 196:4 197:2. The teacher should familiarize himself with this material so that he can use it to develop an empathy with the conversion experience of Jacob. "It was in a lonely, mountainous region, the haunt of wild beasts, and the lurking-place of robbers and murderers. Solitary and unprotected, Jacob bowed in deep distress upon the earth. It was midnight. All that made life dear to him were at a distance, exposed to danger and death. Bitterest of all was the thought that it was his own sin which had brought this peril upon the innocent. With earnest cries and tears he made his prayer before God. Suddenly a strong hand was laid upon him. He thought that an enemy was seeking his life, and he endeavored to wrest himself from the grasp of his assailant. In the darkness the two struggled for the mastery. Not a word was spoken, but Jacob put forth all his strength, and did not relax his efforts for a moment. While he was thus battling for his life, the sense of his guilt pressed upon his soul; his sins rose up before him, to shut him out from God. But in his terrible extremity he remembered God’s promises, and his whole heart went out in entreaty for His mercy. The struggle continued until near the break of day, when the stranger placed his finger upon Jacob’s thigh, and he was crippled instantly. The patriarch now discerned the character of his antagonist. He knew that he had been in conflict with a heavenly messenger, and this was why his almost superhuman effort had not gained the victory. It was Christ, ’the Angel of the covenant,’ who had revealed himself to Jacob. The patriarch was now disabled, and suffereing the keenest pain, but he would not loosen his hold. All penitent and broken, he clung to the Angel; ’he wept, and made supplication,’ pleading for a blessing. He must have the assurance that his sin was pardoned. Physical pain was not sufficient to divert his mind from this object. His determination grew stronger, his faith more earnest and persevering, until the very last. The Angel tried to release - 133 Lesson 34. Israel himself; he urged, ’Let me go, for the day breaketh;’ but Jacob answered, 91 will not let thee go, except thou bless me.’ Had this been a boastful, presumptuous confidence, Jacob would have been instantly destroyed; but his was the assurance of one who confesses his own unowrthiness, yet trusts the faithfulness of a covenantkeeping Godo Jacob ’had power over the Angel, and prevailed.’ Through humiliation, repentance, and self-surrender, this sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the Majesty of heaven0 He had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away the sinner’s plea.” 3. Discuss part 2 of the assignment„ In a BZbZe dZcXZonaAt/ Zook ctp the. me.aju,ng& the. nameA, Jacob and l6A.aeZ0 JACOB - deceiver, under-handed, supplanter. ISRAEL - God fights, he will rule as God, one who has power with God, ’’Prince of God." CONVERSION., The change in Jacob’s name was symbolic of the change in Jacob’s life® His character had been as spotted and striped as the cattle which he had been tendings Up to this point it had been the ’’black” and "dark colored" streaks in his character that had been predominant. The "white”—evidenced by his devotion to his mother, his willingness to work hard, his love for Rachel, his desire for God’s guidance, etc.—'made Jacob a beloved son, a profitable employee, a devoted husband, and potentially a child of God, At his conversion these characteristics became the dominating ones of his life. To symbolize this his name was changed from, ’’The Deceiver,” to, "The Prince of God," CHANGED MOTIVES. Being converted did not mean that Jacob never made another mistake. It did not mean that his spotted character all of a sudden became all white. It simply meant that his dominating motives in life from now on would spring from his dependence upon and desire to serve God, and that he would henceforth relate himself to his fellovz men unselfishly. This was just the opposite of his approach to life previously. Conversion is more concerned with motives;,goald, and. guiding principles than it is with acts and habits. To be sure, the latter change drastically after a person is converted, but this is a result of the change that has been accomplished in the relationship with God and attitudes toward others. CHANGED ATTITUDES. It might also be pointed out that to the converted person people are more important than things, and that the relationship with God is more important than the profit one may realize from such a rela- - 134 - Lesson 34, Israel tionship, These are very basic differences in attitude and outlook on life, which involve much more than simply not doing some things that were done before or doing some things that were not done before, Conversion includes a complete re-orientation toward life—its goals, its relationships, its methods, and its ultimate outcomes. 49 Discuss the central lesson asked for in part 3 of the assignment. Be sure to apply it to our present experience. What tb the eent/iat tetAon that Jacob tca/mcd fi/iom htf> expcAtcncc wtth the anget? In this experience with the angel Jacob learned above all that his own strength, upon which he had relied all his life, really did not amount to very much. On the other hand, the power of God was limitless. He also learned to trust God’s judgment as to how He should bestow His divine blessings. This time he simply demanded a blessing from God without prescribing that this should be in the form of protecting him, prospering him, or leading him to some specific place. He found that when he trusted God he received a greater blessing than he could possibly have asked for himself, for by it Jacob did not get something new, but he became something new. LESSON 35. MODERN JACOBS Objectives To relate the experience of Jacob to that of God’s people today0 To emphasize that conversion results in reform. Assignment LESSON 36, THROUGH ADVERSITY TO TRIUMPH /. Read Ge.ne.4Z6 37, 39--41, 2, AMtgn ehapteA ZZZ-f.e.4. 3. Make. a 4aiwiaAf/ paAagdaph. ol, two oft thAQA AmteACAA Atattng the, coittznt q/} chapteA 37, PREVIEW OF UNIT 5. This assignment begins a new unit based on the narrative of Joseph. His is quite a different story from that of his father Jacob. We will find him to be in trouble just as often as his father was. However, whereas his father’s difficulties usually resulted from his own mistakes, Joseph suffered because of what other people did to him. Most of us have troubles of both kinds. In our study of God and His relationship to these men we can see that He is concerned with all kinds of people and all kinds of problems. Joseph is the kind of man whose biography is exciting to read. I think you will enjoy this unit very much. It is one of the greatest success stories of all time. Introduction In our study of the experiences of Jacob we have noted a number of lessons importnat to us in our personal lives. In Jacob’s conversion, which came as a climax to his growing realization that his selfcentered way of life was bringing him only trouble and disappointment, we saw that the true solution to character defects must come through a complete committment to God and a total reliance upon Him. In today’s lesson we will note some features of Jacob’s experience which are of interest not only to us as individuals, but which also are symbolic of experiences which may be expected for God’s people as a whole before the end of time. In addition, we will see some of the results that should be seen in a life that has experienced true conversion. - 136 - Lesson 35. Modern Jacobs Discussion 1. Note the prophecy of Jeremiah which Ellen G. White applied to the experience through which God’s people will pass shortly before the return of Christo ’’Jacob’s experience during that night of wrestling and anguish represents the trial through which the people of God must pass just before Christ’s second coming,, The prophet Jeremiah, in holy vision looking down to this time, said: ’We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace . . . All faces are turned into paleness. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it o’” PP. 201:2 Observe that this experience is to come when: Christ shall cease His work as mediator on men’s behalf, the eternal destiny of every soul will have been decided, there will no more be possibility of cleansing from sin, probation for men has closed. "Then the restraining Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth. As Jacob was threatened with death by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from the wicked who are seeking to destroy them. And as the patriarch wrestled all night for deliverance from the hand of Esau, so the righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance from the enemies that surround them," PP. 201:3 (Much supplementary material may be found in The Great Controversy, cho 39, "The Time of Trouble," pp 613-634, The discussion of pp 622-634 is of particular value for personal application. Certainly the teacher shoudl read this chapter before teaching this lesson. He may wish to take an extra day for the students to read it also. Paragraph theme sentences could be required.) 2. Discuss part 1 of the assignment. Read PatUaAc/u and P*.ophe.t& 201^2—203^3 (CHL 200s3—203) 0 lM>t the. paaattedts that aAe. daawn between the. e.xpe'tte.nc.e. Jacob u)tth the. angeZ and that God* A peopte. juAt bc^o^c Je^aA actuJint>& - .137 - sson 35. Modern Jacobs JACOB GOD’S LAST PEOPLE Threatened by his angry brother0 Wrestled all night for deliverance. Accused by Satan before the angels of God claiming the right to destroy him because of his sin, Satan moved Esau to march against Jacob 0 Satan endeavored to force upon Jacob a sense of guilt in order to discourage him. Refused to be turned away from his hold on angel. Relied upon God’s mercy. Recalled his repentance of sin. Was almost driven to despair as he reviewed his life. Held fast until he prevailed. In peril from the wicked0 Cry to God day and night for deliverance from the enemy□ Satan will endeavor to terrify with the thought that their sins are too great to be forgiven., Their faith will not fail because their prayers are not immediately answered□ Remembering God’s great mercy they will trust fully in the merits of the Saviour who has promised to pardono Have no concealed wrong to reveal, for their sins will have been forgiven and forgotteno Will have a deep sense of their shortcoming as they review their lives, and their hopes will sink. Will now learn the lesson of prevailing prayer and of unyielding faith. "Yet Jacob’s history is an assurance that God will not cast off those who have been betrayed into sin, but who have returned unto him with true repentance. It was by self-surrender and confiding faith that Jacob gained what he had failed to gain by conflict in his own strength., God thus taught his servant that divine power and grace alone could give him the blessing he craved. Thus it will be with those who live in the last days. As dangers surround them, and despair seizes upon - 138 - Lesson 35. Modern Jacobs the soul, they must depend solely upon the merits of the atonement. We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this. The long, black catalogue of our delinquencies is before the eye of the Infinite. The register is complete; none of our offenses are forgotten. But He who listened to the cries of his servants of old, will hear the prayer of faith, and pardon our transgressions. He has promised, and he will fulfill his word.’’ PP. 202:5. 3. Note the events which resulted from Jacob’s change in character and attitudes. Humility before his brother. Reconciliation with his brother. Generosity toward his brother--insisted that Esau accept his present even though he was no longer seeking to win his favor. Eradication of idolatery from his entire household. Protection against the vengeance of the Canaanites. Renewal of the Abrahamic Covenant with Jacob. Return to his father in peace. It should be noted that Jacob’s conversion did not make him immune to reaping the results of his mistakes. His character defects were reflected in the lives of his children, who became involved with the Canaanites in deceit, cruelty, immorality, and murder. Some of this immorality was going on within his own families. We will see in the story of Joseph additional evidences of the sorrowful and tragic results which Jacob had to bear and which were caused directly or indirectly by his own actions and example prior to his conversion. 4. Jacob led his entire household in a religious reform after his conversion. biAt Zhe ZndZcatZoju ofi w^cm whZch fcMowed Jacobi conv&U'C(mj, aA ZncUcated Zn Gen. 35;1-4o - 139 - Lesson 35, Modern Jacobs Jac ob ’ s Demand s: Put away the foreign gods among you. Purify yourselves. Change your garments. Let us go to Bethel, We will go to worship God, Response of the family: Gave Jacob their foreign gods. Removed the rings that were in their ears. Allowed him to bury these symbols of false worship. Went on the journey to Bethel, Response of God: (9-13) Appeared to Jacob, Confirmed Jacob’s change of name to Israel, Renewed the covenant which had been made first with Abraham, It will be well at this point for the teacher to emphasize that this is the pattern of true conversion. The following quotation mav be of value in emphasizing the principle of complete surrender, ”In giving ourselves to God, we must necessarily give up all that would separate us from Him, Hence the Saviour says, ’Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My cisciplej Whatever shall draw away the heart from God must be given up. Mammon is the 'idol of many. The love of money, the desire for wealth, is the golden chain that binds them to Satan, Reputation and worldly honor are worshiped by another class. The life of selfish ease and freedom from responsibility is the idol of others. But these slavish bands must be broken. We cannot be half the Lord's and half the world’s. We are not God’s children unless we are such entirely. There are those who profess to serve God, while they rely upon their own efforts to obey His law, to form a right character, and secure salvation. Their hearts are not moved by any deep sense of the love of Christ, but they seek to perform the duties of the Christian life as that which God requires of them in order to gain heaven. Such religion is worth nothing. When Christ dwells in the heart, the soul will be so filled with His love, with the joy of communion with Him, that it will cleave to Him; and in the contemplation of Him, self will be forgotten. Love to Christ will be the spring of action. Those who feel the constraining love of God, do not ask how little may be given to meet the requirements of God; they do not ask for the lowest standard, but aim at perfect conformity to the will of their Redeemer, With earnest desire they yield all, and manifest an interest proportionate to the value of the object which they seek, A profession of Christ without this deep love, is mere talk, dry formality, and heavey drudgery,” SC 46:3 - 140 - Lesson 35• Modern Jacobs 5. The death of Rachel should not be overlooked in this narrative<> The comment in Patriarchs and Prophets 206:4 will add a tender note to the class discussion at this point0 ’’From Bethel it was only a two days’ journey to Hebron; but it brought to Jacob a heavy grief in the death of Rachel. Twice seven years’ service he had rendered for her sake, and his love had made the toil but light. How deep and abiding that love had been, was shown when long afterward, as Jacob in Egypt lay near his death, Joseph came to visit his father, and the aged patriarch, glancing back upon his own life, said, ’As for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath; and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath.® In the family history of his long and troubled life, the loss of Rachel was alone recalled.” PP 206:4 6. The following relationship chart may be of value in reviewing the entire story of Jacob. AT HOME 25:19-28 AT PADAN-ARAM 29—31 RETURN TO CANAAN 32—36 He drives too hard a bargain Flees from home i Conflict with Esau COMPARISON s Leaves mother he loves Friction with father ; Dream of ladder | He cheats | Leaves a pauper ? CONTRAST ! Differs from antagonist, Esai Deals fraudulently | A dependent at home i God calls him at Bethel CONTINUATION Depends on his mother > Is expelled CAUSATION f Cheating Esau out of birth- & right caused flight SUBSTANTIA- TION Makes too much from a bargain Flees from Laban Conflict with Laban Cheated about the girl he loves Friction with uncle Dream of mating flocks He is cheated Leaves rich i Similar to antagonist, Laban Deals shrewdly A prospering steward God sustains him Depends on himself Runs away To Laban where he became rich in his own right His sons repudiate a bargain Flees from land of Shechemites Conflict with Canaanites Buries his wife he loves Friction with sons Wrestling with angel His sons cheat Returns giving At peace with all antagonists Deals magnanimously A wealthy lord God accepts him as His prince Depends on God Returns Making possible a reconciliation with Esau UNIT 5e PERSONAL CRISES LESSON 36. THROUGH ADVERSITY TO TRIUMPH Objectives To introduce the Joseph Narrative. To demonstrate that standing for right in evil company has been unpopular since antiquity. Assignment ASSIGNMENT 37. MASTER OF AM EMPIRE 1. Read Genests 42:1~-46z7a 20 A^tgn tttte^ to the. ehapteAA. 30 Ltbt the. peAtod* tnto u)htc.h Joseph/A tt^e appeal to be. &e.paA.ate.d by the. author o^ Genette and tndteate the. chapter tn whtch each tb ^ou.nd. 4o 14 theAe. a potnt at whteh Joseph woa converted oa woua the. couaz wtth htA (}atheA? Ex.ptatn0 Introduction Review briefly the previous lesson. Discussion Although summary charts were not assigned to the students, there may be value in beginning the discussion with these and combining them with Assignment 2. A-AAtgn tttte.^> to the. c.hapteAt>. - 143 - Lesson 360 Through Adversity to Triumph Sold by his brothers 37 1-2 History of the Family of Jac ob So the story of Joseph is calledo 2-4 Favorite Son Because of his father”s partiality Joseph was hated by his brotherso 5-11 Dreams of Grandeur When Joseph related two dreams in which he appeared preeminent his brothers hated him even moreo 12-24 Intent to Kill When Joseph arrived at Dothan his brothers determined to kill him0 25-28 Sold into Slavery Judah suggested and the rest agreed it would be more profitable to sell him to a caravan of Ishmaelites0 29-36 The Father’s Grief To cover the crime they brought Joseph’s blood-dipped robe to Jacob9 who assumed his son had been devoured0 / Betrayed by his employer 39 ____________/ 1-6 Successful Manager Joseph was sold to Potiphar8 captain of the imperial guardso Through Gods blessings and his own integrity he became general manager of the householdo 6-18 Dependable Man Because he refused to yield to the wiles of his master’s wifes she took her revenge by lying about him and accusing him of the immorality which he had refused to commit0 19-23 Trusted Prisoner Although he was imprisoned as a result of his master’s ill-founded anger8 because of the Lord’s blessing and his own character he became the supervisor of the prisono - 144 Lesson 360 Through Adversity to Triumph / Forgotten by his beneficiary 40 1-8 Butler and Baker Two of Pharaoh’s officers were confined in the same prison, and after a time both had dreams which depressed them0 9-15 Optimistic Interpretation Joseph interpreted the butler’s dream as indicating that in three days he would be restored to his posit ion, and he asked that the officer remember him to Pharaoho 16-19 Pessimistic Interpretation He interpreted the baker’s dream as indicating that in three days he would be hangedo 20-23 Gratitude Forgotten At his birthday celebration three days later Pharaoh hanged the baker but restored the butler, who promptly forgot Josepho / Supported by God A 1-8 Pharaoh’s Dream Pharaoh dreamed of 7 fat cows eaten by 7 thin, and 7 plump ears of grain swallowed by 7 blighted0 9^13 The Butler Remembers When magicians couldn’t interpret, the butler remembered the interpreter in prison,, 14-24 Joseph Called Pharaoh summoned Joseph and related to him his dreams0 25-36 Interpretation Joseph predicted 7 years of plenty followed by 7 of famine, and advised crop storage in preparation,, 37-45 Slave Becomes Prime Minister Convined that the Spirit of God was in Joseph Pharaoh vested him with plenary powers0 46-49 Bumper Crops At 30 Joseph ruled Egypt storing food surplus during his first 7 yearso 50-52 Two Sons In these years Manasseh and Ephraim were borno 53-57 Famine During the 7 years of universal famine the surpluses were sold to Egyptians and abroad0 - 145 ~ Lesson 360 Through Adversity to Triumph 20 Summary chapter 370 Make a pcvtagstaph. o(} two ofi t/uee 4 entente stating the. content ehapteA 37 0 Joseph, the favorite son, incurred the enmity of his brothers by reporting their misconduct and by relating two dreams in which he apparently became one to whom they did obeisanceo On the occasion of a visit to his brothers at Dothan they determined to kill him, but instead they sold him as a slave to a caravan of Ishmaelites headed for Egypt0 To cover their crime the brothers brought Joseph’s robe, which they had stained with goat s blood, to their father, who assumed that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast0 30 Discuss the stated or implied causes for the hatred of Joseph’s brothers for him0 Can you think of another reason beyond these why he might have been hated? He reported their misconduct to the father (2)0 He was his father’s favorite son (3,4)o He dreamed of supremacy over them (5,8)0 Jealousy (11)0 His dreams (20)0 Another cause for their hatred may have been that Joseph was upright and dependable, whereas they were noto The presence of a person of character in a group of those who lack it is disturbingo Just as people of little ability often resent those with more, so people with little character are shamed by the presence of one with strong character, and they resent it0 40 The following items might be of interest to note in class? During the first seventeen years (37s2) Joseph became the favorite of his father, but was hated by his brothers0 It was a "teen-ager” that was sold as a slave0 During the next thirteen years (41?46) he became manager, first of the household, and later of the prison of the captain of the imperial guardo If Potiphar had really believed his wife’s accusation Joseph would not have been imprisoned but killed0 The prison to which he was sent seems to have been the one in which political prisoners were incarcerated (39?20)o This prison was under the supervision of Potiphar (40?3), and Joseph continued to be known as the captain of the guard’s slave (41?12) There is no indication as to how long Joseph was in prison, except that it was more than two years (41?l)0 - 146 - Lesson 36 0 Through Adversity to Triumph Incurring the hatred of one’s brothers, enslavement9 betrayal by an employerg ingratitude from those helped, imprisonment—this is not a road likely to lead to political success, and yet at the age of thirty Joseph had reached the topo There was no position on earth to which he could aspire for promotion after this0 He had not schemed, cheated, or maneuvered like his father had doneo What was the secret of his success? His father had finally learned, at the age of about 117, that his success was due to God’s blessings and not to his own shrewdness0 It seems that Joseph relied on the Lord from his childhood, and his success in Potiphar’s house, in prison, and in Pharaoh’s palace was due to the fact that the "Lord was with Josepho" (30?2,5,21,23; 41:25,28,32,38)0 LESSON 37o MASTER OF AN EMPIRE Objectives To complete the overview of Joseph’s lifeo To understand that becoming a child of God does not necessarily re” quire a sudden conversion experience, but that it may be characterized by a gradual growth0 Assignment LESSON 38O CRISES ANO THEIR SOLUTION lo On tke cka/it llbt Zhe caZ6c4 Jo^epk9^ ll^e tn tke le^t column and. Indicate kow o* by wkom eack cntitb moi solved In tke /eight columno Tke /ee^e/ience fio/e eack li> Aapplied0 Introduction Briefly review the narrative thus far from the chapter and paragraph titles on the summary charts on pages 143, 144O Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Assign titles to tke ckaptoA^. Chapter 42 - Brothers Treated as Strangers 43 - Brothers Treated as Guests 44 - Brothers Treated as Thieves 45 - Brothers Treated as Brothers 46 ” Journey to Egypt 20 Part 3 of the assignment was: Llht the pe/elodt> Into wklck Jotepk9* life appear to be Aepa/eated by tke autko/e oi Genette? and Indicate tke ckapte/ei In wklck eack lt> feunda At hornet”17 years0 Ch0 37 Slavery and imprisonment—13 years0 Chso 39 and 40o Pharaoh’s administrator—14 years0 Ch0 410 Encounters with his brothers“—during the eighth and ninth years of his administration^ Chs0 42—45 (45:11) Reunion with his family in Egypt—17 yearsQ Ch0 46; 47:1™12, 27-31, 48”50o (47:28) - 148 - Lesson 37e Master of an Empire 30 Part 4 of the assignment asked: 14 -t/ie/ie. a point at which Jo-6e.ph ivoa conventcd at wat the. cate, with hit iathen? Ex.ptain0 There is no point indicated at which Joseph experienced a conversion comparable to that which Jacob had. Whereas the story of Jacob is that of a man who through many years of his life demonstrated great character defects but who then underwent a radical change through a divine encounter, the story of Joseph describes a more constant character growth from childhood onward0 In this sense the Jacob and Joseph narratives are in contrast0 They may be regarded as representative of two types of valid religious experiences0 Some people can point to a definite incident or time in their lives at which they were converted0 Others cannot, for they from childhood have undergone a gradual growth in character development0 If the fact that Joseph attained success more than 75 years earlier in life than his father did has any significance, it would seem that Josephus experience is to be preferred over that of Jacob0 The sooner a young person commits himself to God and begins to develop sound character traits, the better0 Living according to worldly principles has no advantages0 Its effect is only and always detrimentalo ,6A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or to trace all the circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted0 By an agency as unseen as the wind, Christ is constantly working upon the heart0 Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christo These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living preacher0 Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus□ By many this is called sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of God,— a patient, protracted process.” Desire of Ages, p0 172. ”In working for the conversion of our children, we should not look for violent emotion as the essential evidence of conviction of sin0 Nor is it necessary to know the exact time when they are convertedo We should teach them to bring their sins to Jesus, asking His forgiveness, and believing that He pardons and receives them as He received the children when He was personally on earth0” Desire of Ages, p0 5150 LESSON 38o CRISES AND THEIR SOLUTION Objectives To emphasize the values in building a strong character., To lead the students into the realization that the crises in Joseph’s life were solved by God and because of Joseph’s relationship with Him0 Assignment LESSON 39o JOSEPHS GOV L On the ehaat provided Ae.co>td the. X-efieaenceA to God^ exp/ie44ed o/l xmpZZed, tn chapter 37; 39—46s 70 Ltit the, Attaatton, the. ehax.acteat&ttcA o& God tndteated tn each eaie^ and tndteate how each Attuatton mtght have, been dt^en.ent without Godo Imagine youXAetfi tn Joseph’6 ptaee tn each ea&e0 The textual /Le^eaeneet a/ie given tn the fclu>t column° Introduction Recall the various periods in the Joseph narrative0 At home—17 yearso Slavery and imprisonment—13 years0 Encounters with his brothers”°"=during the eighth and ninth years of his administration.. Reunion with his family in Egypt—17 years0 Discussion lo Discuss the assignment0 On the cha/it ttbt the catbeA o{} Joseph06 tlfte tn the tefit column and Indicate how o*. by whom each colt It wat 4otved tn the fitght eotumno The /te^e^enee fcon each t6 ^apptted0 — 150 — Lesson 38O Crises and their Solution CRISES REFERENCE HOW SOLVED REFERENCE At 17 he incurred the hatred of his brothers by: reporting their misconduct relating dreams suggesting his supremacy.. 37:2-11 Twenty-two years later he was reconciled with his brothers by forgiving them recognizing God°s purpose in bringing him to Egypt, 45:4,5, 7-9 Enslavement as a result of his brothers0 hatred0 37:25-28, 36 He became manager of his master’s household because the Lord cause all that he did to prosper. 39:2-6 Repeated temptations to break the seventh commandment0 39:6-12 Because of integrity, character and recognition of sin he: refused to yield, avoided place of temptation, fled from attempt to coerce him. 39:8-12 Imprisonment because of his refusal to sin0 39:13-20 He became the supervisor of the prison because? God gave him favor with j ailer, God prospered his acts. 39:21-23 His imprisonment was prolonged for two years because he was forgotten by one whom he had befriended. 40:14,15, 23 The king learned of him because God sent dreams which the experts couldn’t interpret, God had given Joseph the interpretation of a dream for a man who could help him. a 41:1-13, He was brought before Pharaoh and challenged to interpret the dream0 41:14,15 Before he heard the dream he accepted the challenge, confident that God will give the interpretation, God did. 41:16-36 At 30 he became ruler because? by the help of God he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, he made a wise recommendation recognized by Pharaoh as a revelation of Godo the king was convinced the Spirit of God was in him. 41:37-45 He succeeded in his powerful but difficult position because? he acted completely in harmony with that which God had revealed to him, God placed him in his work, he had a sense of divine mission in his work. 41:46-52; 45:5,7-9 151 - Lesson 38O Crises and their Solution CRISES REFERENCE HOW SOLVED REFERENCE fAs ruler of Egypt he was re-peatedly approached by his bro-’ thers who had treated him so | criminally? thus presenting him {with perfect opportunities for revenge of any kind0 •The death of his father presented him with another oppor- Itunity to take revenge on his I brothers9 as they feared he wouldo ' 42?6-9 43§2815 44?13s14 50?15 Instead Joseph used his power to save his brothers because? he recognized the hand of God in all that had been happening to him0 after testing them severely he saw that their characters had undergone change0 he loved them in spite of their evil0 Their expectation of revenge hurt him0 He reiterated his forgiveness because? he recognized that judgment belongs to Godo in spite of their evil intent God used their act to bring Joseph to a place where he could save many lives0 41—45 5016-21 2o Each crisis and its solution should be discussed in a way that will make it applicable to situations which confront the students in their lives day by day0 This is a prime opportunity to stress the values of sound character and of committment to God in every day lifeo Rewards of integrity0 faithfulnessg and religious conviction are not all future0 Although the ultimate reward for faithful service will be an eternity of continuing satisfaction and joy9 it begins in the present0 There are few success stories that can match the biography of Josepho Perhaps this is at least partly due to the fact that there have been relatively few men who have been so completely and continuously committed to God and right principles from childhood onward as was Josepho LESSON 39* JOSEPH’S GOD Objectives To learn about the character of God as revealed in this narrative.. To note how the narrative might have been different had God not been so completely involved in it. Assignment LESSON 40o GOO'S JOSEPH h Llbt the. chanactenlbtlcb and attttudeb ofi Jobeph Indicated tn Genebib 37, 39s 1—40:36. 2S How did thet>c chanactenlbtlcb qualify him fcon hte caneen ab pnime mlnlbten ofi Egypt, ab bummanlzed In 41:37-47? Introduction Review very briefly the solutions to the crises in Joseph’s life as given in the chart for Lesson 370 Discussion Discuss today’s assignment. On the chant provided necond the nefienenceb to God, expnebbed on Implied, In chaptenb 37; 39--46?70 Llbt the bituatlon, the chanactentetlcb o£ God Indicated In each cabe, and Indicate how each bituatlon might have been dl^enent without Goda Imagine younbelfi In Jobeph04 place tn each cabe. The textual ne^enenceb one given tn the ^tnbt column0 The following chart may serve as an outline for your class discussion,, The situations, characteristics of God, and suggestions as to how the narrative might have been different without God are given as a basis for what should be a stimulating discussion., Lesson 39 0 Josephus God REFERENCES GENESIS SITUATION j CHARACTER OF GOD DIFFERENCE WITHOUT GOD 37:5-11 (implied) 41:9 39:2-6 39:9 39:21,23 40:8ff 41:16 41:25,28,32 41:37,38 42:18 42:28; 43:23 43:14 44:16 Joseph’s dreams of supremacy Prosperity of Joseph in Potiphar s house0 Resisting temptation of Potiphar9 s wife0 Joseph’s prosperity in prisono Dreams of butler and baker interpreted,, Joseph answers Pharaoh’s request for interpretation0 Pharaoh9s dreams interpreted,, Joseph’s elevation to high office0 Brothers released from prison by Josepho Brothers find money in sacks0 Jacob sending sons back second time0 Judah s plea for Benjamin0 Sees & plans ahead0 Guides in human affairs0 Loyal to servants, giver of prosperity, rewarder0 Moral, identified with the welfare of mankind0 Loyal, steadfast in love, inspires fidelity,, Foreknowledge, wisdom,, Reliable Foreknowledge, works for preservation of life0 Source of wisdom, discretion, foreknowledgeo Integrity, justice, mercy0 Present in even small affairs0 Almighty, mercyo Knows allo Joseph might not have kept up his cpurage0 Just another slave without hopeo Real motive for resistance goneo Just another prisoner without a futureo Just another quack magician Joseph would have been returned to prisono Much suffering & death during famine0 Joseph would have been an imposter and treated as such0 Brothers might have been enslaved or killedo Perhaps happy at cheating governmento Might have refused to let Benjamin gOo Judah might have "sold" Benjamin as he did Josepho 153 Lesson 39 0 Joseph’s God REFERENCES SITUATION CHARACTER OF GOD DIFFERENCE WITHOUT GOD 45:5-9;50:20 46:1-4 48:2-4 48:9 48:11 48:15,16,20, 21 49:23-25 50:17,19 50:24,25 Joseph reveals identity to brothers. Jacob encouraged to go to Egypto Jacob in bed talking to Joseph. Joseph introduces Ephraim and Manasseh to Jacob. Jacob rejoicing at meeting Joseph’s children. Blessing on Ephraim & Manasseh. Blessing on Joseph. Fear of Joseph’s brothers after Jacob’s death. Death of Joseph. Preserver of life and of His people; omnipotent over nations. Receives sacrifices, God of covenant, sustainer, personal. Almighty, God of covenant, sustainer. Giver of life. Kinder than we may think. Eternal, transcendent, redeems from evil. Mighty, substantial, enduring, omnipotent, gracious. Forgiving, judge, returns evil for good. Keeper of promise, God of covenant, concerned with the future. Would have taken revenge. Would have been mere emmigrants instead of people with a divine destiny. Would have regarded Egypt as permanent home. Materialistic outlook. Dependence on "luck” and a humanistic outlook. Had reason to be bitter old man. Would have succombed to the ’’archers”. There would have been no basis for expecting forgiveness from Joseph. Death would have been the end— no hope beyond the grave. LESSON 40o GOD’S JOSEPH Objectives To emphasize the character traits of Josepho To note the determining part that character plays in a person’s success0 Assignment LESSON 41o JOSEPH’S BROTHERS Lt^t Z/ie atavtac£eAZ6ZZc4 o^ Jotapkt bsiotkesu at tndtcatad tn cka.pte./i 37. 2. Make. another Libt ZHeZJt cHaAacZe/tZiZZca 06 ZndZcoted Zn cHapZe/U 42—44. 30 In a tkotit pa^.a.g/Lapk ttate wkat a comparison ofi these trits tn~ dteates as to therit ckasiacteA development during tke tnteAventng twenty yea/is? Introduction Recall some of the differences that might characterize the Joseph narrative if God had not been a determining factoro Joseph would have been discouraged at homeo He would have become simply another slave among thousands0 He would have had no real motive for resisting temptationss and would probably have been executed by Potipharo In prison he would have been just another disillusioned convict0 In connection with dream interpretations he simply would have been another faker who would not have been remembered by the butlers and who would have been returned to prison by the king0 Egypt would have entered the famine years without preparation,, Joseph’s brothers would have been enslaved or killed instead of forgiveno The brothers probably would not have undergone many changes in charactero The coming of Jacob and his tribe into Egypt would have been a migra-tion without a future□ Jacob would have been merely a bitter old mano None of them would have had any hope beyond the grave0 In other wordss the entire story of Joseph would have been impossible without Godo We never would have heard of him0 - 156 - Lesson 40o God’s Joseph Discussion lo Discuss assignment l0 Lif>t the. c-ha/LaotzfuhtLoh and attltadzh ofc Johtph. LndLc.ate.d Ln Ge.ne.hLh 37, 39i1~~40t36o He would inform his father of his brothers’ misconduct - 37s20 A likeable personality - 37:3,4; 39:4,210 Not always tactful in his youtho Telling his dreams of supremacy to his brothers, who already disliked him, was not calculated to win friendso Particularly after seeing the effect of the first dream, why did he tell them the second? This possibly indicates a streak of egotism - 37:5-ll0 Obedient to his father - 37:13O Dependable - 37:14; 39:6,22,23; 40:4o Persistent - 37:15-17O Committed to God - 39:2O Able as an administrator - 39:2,3,22,238 Made his relationship with God practical in his business - 39:5,21,23; 40:8,12; 41:16O Handsome and good-looking - 39:6O Attractive to women - 39:6,7O Absolutely honest - 39:8O Self-confident - 39:9; 41:33-36O Made his relationship with God practical in his personal life - 39:9O Unyielding when principle was involved - 39:10o Tried to avoid trouble, but not at the expense of duty - 39:10,llo Interested in the people and their problems - 40:7,8e Compassionate - 40:7,8o He inspired others to confide in him - 4O:9,16o Could recognize opportunities and make the most of them - 40:14; 41:14O Frank and direct - 40:18,190 Sure of the reality of his relationship with God - 40:8,12,18; 41:16,25,28,32O Quick to understand a problem, and decisive in his solutions - 41:33-36O 20 Discuss assignment 2O Hou) dLd thehe. qaaLLfcy him fcon hLh c.a/te,eA. ah pttLme. mLnLhte.fi ofc Egypt, ah hwnw(ViLze.d Ln 41 s 37-47? The reaction of Pharaoh and his supervisors to a single interview with Joseph indicates something of the forcefulness of personality and character which Joseph had developed up to this point0 His proposal, which involved a very radical change in the nation’s economy, was acceptable to them0 v8 37O - 157 - Lesson 400 God’s Joseph The king was impressed by Joseph’s relationship with Godo vo 38O For a slave and prisoner, to impress a monarch at his first interview so powerfully that he becomes in one leap the prime minister with unprecedented powers, indicates a very rare combination of strong personality traits0 vs0 39,40,44O Had any of his character and personality traits been weak or lack-” ingj he would not have been able to capitalize on his "big chance" when it came0 The entire narrative presents Joseph as a man of strong character, deep conviction, and high principles0 He does what is right at each occasion, whether it seems to be to his advantage or noto He does what is right because it is right—not because he thinks it may "pay off"o Eventually9 such a life was rewarded, but this came not as a result of his ambition nor through a succession of promotions for which he had workedo His successes in the house of Potiphar, in the prison, and in the palace came as a direct result of his character, abilities, adherence to principle, and committment to Godo The story of Joseph is an outstanding demonstration that God does not expect individuals to be dominated by their environment0 Joseph was not the only slave in the Ishmaelite caravan sold to a wealthy and influential Egyptian, but how many of them became head of their master’s household? Joseph was not the only person in the Captain of the Guard’s prison, but none of the others became the supervisor0 Joseph was not the first one to whom Pharaoh told his dreams, but none of the magicians became the king’s first minister0 The story of a young man who was put into a pit to starve by his brothers, sold as a slave in a foreign country, betrayed by a dishonest and immoral woman, imprisoned by an unjust master, forgotten by one whom he had helped and who could help him—this is the story of a young man who in spite of murderous hatred, slavery, treachery, imprisonment, and ingratitude became ruler of the greatest empire on eartho Because in his success as well as in his adversity he remained true to God he became the means of saving thousands of prople from starvation, including his own family0 This is a true success story, which is, indeed, "stranger than fictiono" But should it be so strange? Certainly, the principles on which his success was based are worth a try by young people in any age or civiliza-tion0 (This should be followed by a lively class discussion on development of character and personality today, and the need to master our environment rather than to be mastered by it0) LESSON 41* JOSEPH’S BROTHERS Objectives To note the contrast which the author of Genesis draws between Joseph and his brothers* To understand that just as in Jacob, so also in his sons, a change could and did take place» Assignment LESSON 42a TESTING CHARACTER h Read PotUoAcJu and PAop/ieZ-6, page* 224-231 [CHL 225-233) 0 2a Liht the te^fh that Joseph. made to deteamtne the ehaaaeteAthttch hih biotheAA* 3. Why tw Simeon detected ah the bAothea to be kept tn pAlhon anttt the othenh had AetuAned bAlnglng Benjamin? Introduction Recall briefly the characteristics Physical Features Handsome Attractive Personality Traits Obedient Dependable Persistent Honest Self-Confident Inspired Confidence Frank and Direct Compassionate Unyielding regarding principles of Joseph® Spiritual Experience Committed to God Sure of the reality of his relationship with God This relationship was prominent in his business This relationship was determinative in his personal life Professional Competence Able administrator Recognized and utilized opportunities Quick to understand a problem and decisive in its solution Interested in people and their problems Avoided trouble, but not at the expense of dury 159 - Lesson 410 Joseph9s Brothers Discussion 1® Discuss assignment 1 in contrast to what has just been reviewed: LUt the. JoA&ph9A bdotheAA di ZncUcated Zn diapZed 37o Unreliable - 2 Controlled by hatred - 4,5,8 Cantankerous - 4 Easily offended - 8 Jealous - 11 Capricious - 12-17 (It appears that this is the point the author is making here0 Three times it is emphasized that the brothers were to be tending the flock near Shechem, and the only reason given for them not being there is that they were heard to say ’’let us go to Dothan0” If there was a valid reason for it we are not toldo) Conspiratorial - 18,31 Murderous - 18,20 Sarcastic - 19,20 Liars ~ 20,32 Lacked back bone - 22,26,27 (When the suggestion was made to kill Joseph the group went along with ito When Reuben, because he did not have enough courage to state his intent to save Joseph, suggested that they not kill him but just let him starve in a pit, they all went along with thato Then when Judah suggested that they change their plan again and sell him, they went along with thato It seems that not one of them had enough fortitude to say ”no” to anything!) Dishonest with each other - 22 Cruel to the point of being sadist - 24 Callous - 24,25 (A group of brothers who can kill their younger brother by starvation and thirst and then sit down to eat, are hardened, indeed□) Greedy - 26-28 Afraid to take responsibility for their acts - 29,30 Insincere - 35 From chapter 49 further information may be obtained regarding the characteristics of Josephus brothers as seen by their father0 Reuben—Proud, unstable, immoral - 3,4 Simeon & Levi—Violent, conspiratorial, fierce-tempered, murderous, wanton, cruel - 5-7 Judah—Treacherous, intemperate - 8-12 Issachar—Lazy - 14,15 Dan—Treacherous - 16-18 Naphtali—Smooth talker (see margin) - 21 Joseph—Constant under harassment, strengthened by God, recipient of heaven9s blessings - 22-26 Benj amin—Greedy - 27 - 160 Lesson 410 Josephus Brothers 2 Compare and contrast the findings in assignments 2 and 3 with the preceding list, and note the character development which had taken place0 Make ano^keA ZZi-t ofi their characteristics as indicated in ckapZetd 42<=«44 o In a 4ko>U pa/tagaapk 4Zate ivkat a comparison o& these lists indicates 04 to their character development during the intervening twenty years? Obedient to their father - 42s2$3 Respectful - 42:6; 43:26,28 Honest - 42:11,28; 43:7,19-22; 44:8 Conscience smitten concerning their crime against Joseph - 42:21,22 Willing to accept responsibility - 42:37; 43:8,9; 44:9,16,32,33 Their jealousy had been overcome - 43:34 Compassionate - 44:13,20,22,31,34 Courageous - 44:18ff Unselfish - 44:33 The emphasis in noting the characteristics of Joseph®s brothers should not be so much on their wickedness as on two other factors: how their characters and degree of success contrasted with Joseph9s, and that regardless of how evil they were they could change0 The contrast between Joseph and his brothers in character was no greater than the contrast in their successes0 The author of Genesis portrays Joseph”s unparalleled success as due to his character and to his close relationship to God0 The contrast with his brothers” characters is climaxed by the contrast in their positions—Joseph was lord of all Egypt with the power of life and death over his brothers, whereas they were bowing with their heads to the ground before him trembling with fear, and finally offering themselves as his slaves0 Secondly, the narrative emphasizes the fact that these faults were not permanent with them0 The brothers overcame them0 This should be of encouragement to everyone struggling with character defects0 In other words, it is best to build a good character from the very beginninga If flaws develop the sooner these are overcome the better0 However, no case is hopeless—anyone can experience a complete change of direction by God’s grace0 LESSON 420 TESTING CHARACTER Objectives To develop an empathy with the emotional encounters between Joseph and his brotherso To emphasize the change that had been wrought in the characters of Joseph’s brotherso Assignment LESSON 43o THE MOVE TO EGYPT h Pead Pat^iaachA and PaophetA pageA 231-240 (CHL 233-244} 0 20 What paat did the, migaatdon o& Jacob and hdA tadbe dnto Egypt ptay tn the ial^dtbrient o£ the paomdbe to Abraham? 3o LdAt the thdngA whdeh brought Apecdat happdneAA to Jacob duadng hdA laAt yeoua Introduction Review briefly the previous lesson by noting that Joseph had known his brothers only during the years in which they were: Unreliable Hateful Jealous Conspiratorial Murderous Sarcastic Lacking in back bone Liars Cruel Callous Greedy Irresponsible Insincere Proud Unstable Immoral Violent Lazy Treacherous Is it any wonder that he was interested to determine whether or not they had changed any during the years which had passed? All during his childhood and youth he had known them with all these unlovely characteristicsa It would take more than a superficial observation to convince him that a true change had taken place0 Today’s lesson is concerned with the way Joseph went about learning the true nature of his brothers’ characters after an absence of eighteen years0 — 162 — Lesson 42O Testing Character Discussion l0 Discuss assignment 20 LZ&t the te&tt> that Joseph made to detenmtne the eha/iaeteAt^ttc^ ofi htb baotheAAo First Test Without revealing his identity, Joseph charged his ten brothers with espionageo He knew that in their hearts they had been guilty of a capital offense in their intent to kill him0 He suspected that his brother Benjamin also might have fallen victim to their treacherous cruelty inasmuch as he was not with them0 However, to confront them with such a charge would have revealed his identity and would have prevented unsuspected observation of them under pressure0 Therefore, he charged them with another capital of fense—spying 0 When they denied the charge he reaffirmed it and accused them of lying0 He then suggested one way in which they could prove the truthfulness of their insistence that they were simply brothers who had come from Canaan to buy food0 Nine of them would stay in prison while one returned to Canaan to bring Benjamin in corraboration of their story0 Realizing that their families would be starving during this time, and that Benjamin might simply be brought to Egypt to share their fate, they preferred to remain in prison together0 After three days in prison Joseph summoned them and changed his proposition-only one would remain in prison while the other nine took the grin to their families and then returned bringing Benjamin to Egypt0 Inasmuch as Joseph could understand their discussion without their knowing it (he spoke with them only through an interpreter), he could see that their crime against him was still on their consciences and that Reuben had made an attempt to save him0 Second Test Unknown to his brothers Joseph ordered that the money with which they had paid for the grain should be placed in their sacks0 This would be a test of their honestyo Would they return it? They had been willing to sell him for twenty pieces of silver,. Were they still that greedy? The brothers suspected that the money had been put in their sacks intentionally as a trap to give an excuse for enslaving them0 When they came back they took the first opportunity to discuss the matter with - 163 - Lesson 420 Testing Character the steward of Joseph’s house0 They returned the money which had been found in their sacks and brought additional money to buy more foodo The steward assured them that their God must have returned their money9 for he had received it and was not holding them to account0 With this anxiety off their minds and with the release of Simeon from prison to join them, they were in a thankful and happy mood when they went in to eat with the governor of Egypt0 Third Test At the dinner Joseph observed the official protocol,. He was seated at a table by himselfo The Egyptian officials were at their separate tables, and the Hebrew brothers were at another table together0 Further-more, they were placed in the order of their ages0 When they were served Benjamin, the youngest, was honored by receiving five times as much as any of the others0 By singling out the youngest for the highest honors Joseph hoped to get an indication as to whether Benjamin was regarded with the envy and hatred that had been manifested toward himself when he received special treatment at home0 Inasmuch as he knew their language, he could eaves-dropp on their conversation to learn their real feelings0 Fourth Test Joseph ordered that his own silver cup be placed in Benjamin’s sack before the grain was delivered to them0 In high spirits the brothers, with Simeon restored, Benjamin unharmed, their animals loaded with grain, and all still flattered by having eaten with the prime minister, started on their return journeyo At the outskirts of the city they were plunged into the depths of despair and consternation by the arrival of the steward with whom they had discussed the return of their money on the previous journey0 He confronted them with the charge of stealing„ This time it was not mere money in-vilved, but something far more precious0 The governor’s cup, which was not just a valuable silver piece used for drinking, but supposedly had the miraculous power to detect and give warning of any poisoneous substance placed therein,. The brothers indignantly replied asking, ’’Haven’t we proved our honesty by returning the money that we found in our sacks?” So confident were they of each other’s honesty that they insisted that if the cup be found with one he should die, and all the rest would serve as the governor’s slaves0 Agreeing that the one with whom it was found should die, but rejecting the suggestion that the others serve as slaves, the steward began the searcho The search began with Reuben and worked down toward the youngesto The cup, of course, was found in Benjamin’s sacko 164 — Lesson 420 Testing Character Joseph was waiting for them0 To encourage them to bare their souls fully Joseph strengthened their belief that he had the power of divina-tiono (Perhaps his interpretation of dreams had given him a reputa-x tion as a diviner 0 Judah served as a spokesman and began his defense by declaring that God was punishing them for their crime against a brother committed years before0 He reiterated their affirmation to the steward that they would all serve as slaves0 By rejecting this, and by insisting that only the one with whom the cup was found should remain as a slave9 Joseph was offering them an ■out” which they would have been very ready to accept in the days that he knew them0 For him they got only twenty pieces of silver0 For Benjamin they could have their freedom0 Would they take it? Eloquently Judah described his father’s grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin accompany them0 He stated that he could not face his father without Benjamin, for he had accepted responsibility for his safetyo He now offered to remain as a slave instead of Benjamin and begged that the lad and his other brothers be allowed to go homeo This satisfied Josepho He had seen them under severe pressureo He had learned that Benjamin had not been victimized as he had been0 He had tested their dependability and responsibility in providing for their families0 He had tested their loyalty to one anothero He had tried their honestyo He had tested their jealousy0 He had seen their concern for one another and even their willingness to accept responsibility for another’s guilt0 He had seen their willingness to accept the judgment of Godc These were, indeed, changed brothers! Unable to restrain himself further, Joseph cleared the room of all except his brothers and made himself known to them0 He then displayed one of the most difficult of all virtues—genuine forgiveness0 When they first learned the true identity of the dictator of Egypt, in whose power they now were, his brothers were sure that revenge would be quick and certaino Instead, they saw the first minister of the empire weep and make himself one with them0 They recognized the fulfillment of his youthful dreams which they had so despisedo They now saw something else which they had refused to recognize in their callous hatred—that the character which they hated in their blindness was really the character which should inspire the most grateful loveo 20 Briefly discuss assignment 3O W/iry tvru Stne.on 4e£e.cte.d at the. biotheA. to be. ke.pt tn ptitbon unttt the. otheAA had H.etu>tne.d bsitngtng Be.njamtn? - 165 - Lesson 42O Testing Character Simeon was singled out for imprisonment because he had been the instigator and leader in the crime against Josepho This was characteristic of him0 He and his brother Levi once had taken revenge on a wrong committment against their sister, Dinah, by treacherously murdering all the men of Shechem and plundering the city of its wealth, women, and children0 In his final legacy to his sons Jacob referred to Simeon and Levi as being violent with their swords, evil tempered, wanton, murderous, and cruel0 It was not an innocent man who was imprisoned while his brothers returned to their homeo 30 It might be profitable to discuss with the class both sides of the trials to which Joseph’s brothers were subjectedo The ten brothers were not the only ones who were sufferingo Try to imagine the effect this had on Josepho Had he enjoyed revenge he certainly could have indulged in it0 He was the law, and they were in his power0 To one who does not enjoy revenge the inflicing of suffering is a painful thingo It might be debatable as to who suffered the most—Joseph or his brotherso The entire history of sin in this world is one of extreme suffering and tragedy0 Those of us who are involved in it are inclined to feel sorry for ourselves, but we should remember that God too is sufferingo The intensity of one’s suffering is determined not only by the cause of suffering, but also by one’s capacity to suffer0 Actually, ours is rather limited, but God’s is infinite0 Our suffering can last at most for a few years, but God’s has been continuing for thousands of yearso Why does He endure it? Surely it is because there is no other way by which his love can find fulfillment in union with a redeemed raceo Such a God should inspire in us the response of love and adoration which He seeks0 Even as our sins against Him are graver than the crime of Joseph’s brothers, just so his forgiveness is greater and our love should be deeper0 LesSON h50 THE MOVE TO EGYPT Objectives To recognize the working of divine providence in the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham0 To reemphasize the fact that in spite of many and severe adversities one may commit his life to God confident that the way He leads will be the best0 Assignment LESSON 44o THE CHOSEN PEOPLE L Read Ge.nMt& 47s27~~48s22; 50s 20 Ltst att to the, Ab^ahamtc p/iomtbe, tn chapter 46-~480 30 Ifi a etv bumnantze, the, e,vtde,nc.e. tn Ge.n0 50 that Jo&e.ph bettered the. aove.nant px.omtieAo Introduction Review briefly the tests which Joseph made to determine the characters of his brotherso In order to learn whether they had a sense of responsibility to their families and to each other, Joseph charged them with being spies and suggested that one of them return to bring Benjamin while the rest remained in prisono They refused this, but agreed that one should remain while the rest took the food back to their families and re~ turned with the youngest brother0 To test their honesty he hid their money in their sacks0 On their next trip they brought the money back and returned it to Josephus stewardo To see whether or not they had overcome their jealous natures Joseph observed their reactions as he bestowed on Benjamin much greater favors than upon the otherso They remained congenial, and apparently had no adverse response to this favoritism0 The supreme test of the brothers® concern for one another came when the silver cup was found in Benjamin’s sack and the rest were all offered their freedom while Benjamin would be enslaved0 The extent of their change since Joseph had known them at home became evident when they refused their freedom under these circumstances, and when Judah made an eloquent plea asking that he be allowed to take Benjamin8s place as a slave to permit the youngest brother to return to the grieving fathero 167 - Lesson 43O The Move to Egypt Discussion lo The following facts concerning the move into Egypt should be noted and connected with the foregoing review? Josephus request that Jacob and the entire family come into Egypt was based on several considerations? (Gen0 45:7-13)0 He was sure God had brought him into Egypt in order to preserve their lives as well as many others during the years of famine0 The fact that God had made him lord of Egypt made it possible for him to provide land on which his relatives might live0 His faith in the accuracy of his interpretation of Pharaoh®s dream made him confident that there were yet five years of famine during which his family would come to poverty unless he could provide for them more directly than was possible while they were in Canaan0 His own position and the wealth of Egypt should be adequate entice™ ment for Jacob to leave the barren hills of Canaan and come to be near his successful sono Pharaoh told Joseph to invite his father and all the households which made up the tribe to come into Egypt, promsing that he would give the choice of the land to them0 The king also ordered that wagons from Egypt should be taken along to bring the little ones and the wives0 However8 he suggested that they not bother about bringing their possessions with them, for the choice of the land of Egypt would be theirso (45:16-20) Joseph supplied the wagons plus provisions, new garments (five for Benjamin, plus 300 shekels of silver), a donkey caravan of grain, bread, and the delicacies of Egypt0 (45:21-23)0 As a parting bit of advice Joseph added ”do not quarrel on the way0” (45:24)o The news that his long-lost son was still alive and ruler of Egypt was too much for Jacob—he fainted in disbelief0 It was the wagons and gifts which had been sent along that finally convinced Jacob that he would actually see Joseph before he died0 (45:25-28)0 Jacob began his journey, but stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifice to Godo Here the Lord spoke to him in vision encouraging him to go to Egypt, for there he would become a great nation and would be brought back again to the land of promise0 (46:1-4)0 The males who came into Egypt (including Joseph and his sons) numbered seventy (46:26,27)0 - 168 - Lesson 43o The Move to Egypt Judah was sent on ahead to Joseph, evidently to get word as to where they were to settle in Goshen (46s28)0 Joseph rode his official chariot to meet his father and the families in Goshen (46§29)O 20 Discuss assignment 20 What paAt dtd the mtgAotton Jacob and htA Vu.be Znto Egypt pZay tn the ^aZ^ZZZment ofi the pAomVe to kbAahamt This is discussed in Patriarchs and Prophets, p0 232i3,4 (CHL 234s2,3)0 Israel could not become a great nation in Canaan without either driving out the heathen inhabitants or becoming dispersed among them0 God had not promised the former, and the latter would result in the Is-raelites relapsing into idolatryo However, in Egypt they were to be given a section to themselves in Goshen, and the fact that shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians would tend to keep them separate0 Thus in Egypt they could grow into a nation according to the promiseo According to Gen0 15213-162 Abram9s descendants were to be sojourners in a land not theirs0 They would become slaves there0 The nation which enslaved them would come under the judgment of Godo In the fourth generation Abram’s descendants were to return to Canaan0 The Amorites (inhabitants of Canaan) were not to be dispossessed until four hundred years after the promise to Abram0 Egypt became the land of their sojourn, the nation which enslaved them, and the place from which they should return in the fourth genera tiono Just as Joseph’s enslavement because of the betrayal of his brothers was a tragedy which God used as a means of elevating him, saving his brothers, and preserving many thousands of people from starvation, so also the sojourn and enslavement of Jacob’s descendants would be used by God as a means to fulfill His promise of greatness to Abraham0 Certainly, one of the great lessons to be learned from the experience of Joseph and Israel in Egypt is "that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose0” (Romo 8s28)0 3o Discuss assignment 30 List the thtngA whZch bAoaght ApectaZ happtncM to Jacob daAtng ht& Zait yeaAi0 - 169 - Lesson 430 The Move to Egypt (This is discussed in Patriarchs and Prophets, p0 233:4O CHL 235:3O) The ending of his long anxiety and sorrow in greeting Joseph0 Peaceful retirement in Goshen0 He saw his sons give evidence of true repentance0 He saw his family surrounded by the conditions necessary to the de” velopment into a great nation0 By faith he could grasp the certainty of the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish them in Canaan0 He was the recipient of every token of loye and favor that the prime minister of Egypt could bestow upon him0 In the society of his long-lost son he passed gently and peacefully to the graveo It might be well at this point to make a very brief review of Jacob’s life, pointing out that these last years must have been the only truly happy times which he knew0 The conflicts with and deception of Esau, Isaac, and Laban brought him only disappointment, frustration, and sadnesso From his own children he reaped what he had sown—deception, conflict, and disgrace0 His years had, indeed, been as he described them to Pharaoh—’’evil” (Gen0 47 : 9) 0 His last seventeen years in Egypt finally brought him satisfaction and happiness0 These resulted from two basic facts: That his sons had followed his own example of repentance and had mended their evil ways0 That God is also to bring good even out of evil when individuals turn to him in repentance and trust him for guidance0 40 Discuss the ways in which the life of Joseph was representative of the life of Christ as indicated on pages 239:2 - 240:1 of Patriarchs and Prophetso (CHL 243:1) Just as God overruled Joseph’s brothers’ jealousy and betrayal to bring about the very situation that they intended to prevent (Joseph’s exaltation over them), so also God overruled the crime of the priests and elders in murdering Christ to bring about the very result that they hoped to prevent (His exaltation as king)0 Just as Joseph became a saviour to his family through his bondage, so Christ became the Redeemer of mankind through his crucifixiono Just as Joseph’s exaltation did not lessen the guilt of his brothers, so Christ’s exaltation did not mitigatae the crime of his murderers0 The power and providence of God in working out events for His own glory do not lessen the sins of men whose evil intents are overruled by Godo As Joseph was sold to the heathen by his own brothers, so Christ was sold to his enemies by one of his disciples0 - 170 - Lesson 43O The Move to Egypt As Joseph was imprisoned through false accusation prompted by his virtue8 so Christ was condemned on the testimony of false witnesses inspired by his righteous life0 Josephus patience and meekness under severe provocation represent Christ’s uncomplaining endurance under malice and abuse0 Joseph’s ready forgiveness and benevolence toward those who hated and betrayed him are in a sense parallel to the Saviour’s forgiveness and grace for all who have sinned against him but who come to him seeking pardono LESSON THE CHOSEN PEOPLE Ob]ectIves To review the developments in the fulfillment of the promise to Abram from the time of its first enunciation to the enslavement of Abram9s descendants in Egypt0 To prepare the students for a study of the fulfillment of God’s promises to bring Jacob’s descendants back out of Egypt0 Assignment LESSON 45a FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM h Read ExoduA 7—30 ConAtoact a. Aummaiy ehcutt fioo Ztoe chapter aAAtgntng tMu to Zhe chapter and paoagoaph60 Samma/Li/ AenteneeA fan the. panagnaphA need not be made fan ehapten 2—onty fan 1 and 30 The panagnaphA ane 06 faUoiVAs 111-7, 8-14, 15-22; '2s 1-10, 11-15. 15-22, 23-25; 3s 1-6, 7-12, 13-22O Introduction Discuss briefly the part that the movement of Jacob and his family into Egypt played in the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham0 They could grow into a great nation better in the land of Goshen than they could in Canaan0 The promise to Abram in Genesis 15:13-16 included the prediction that his descendants would be enslaved before they received the full benefits of the promisee The descendants of Jacob were experiencings as a people9 a development in some ways similar to the personal life of Josepho Through adversity and enslavement they would find the path to greatness as a nation under the providence of God0 Four centuries passed between the giving of the promise to Abram and the return of his descendants as a nation to Canaan0 In the lesson for today we will review the providences of God between the giving of the promise to the move into Egypt0 In our next lesson we will see the fulfillment of the promise in the divine leadership of Israel out of Egypto 172 - Lesson 44O The Chosen People Discussion lo Review the terms of the promise to Abraham0 Gen0 12:1-3 Abram was commissioned to leave his home in Haran and go to a land which the Lord would show himo God would make him a great nation,, God would bless him0 God would make his name great0 He would be a blessing to all peoples,, 12; 7 God promised to give the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abram0 15:5 His descendants would be innumerable. 15:13-16 His descendants would be sojourners and slaves for 400 years0 The nation which enslaved them would be judged by Godo The descendants would come out of their enslavement with great possessionso Abram would be buried in peace0 His descendants would return to Canaan in the fourth generation. 15:18-21 The Lord would give to the descendants of Abram the land between the river of Egypt and the River Euphrates9 which was then occupied by heathen tribes0 17:4-8 God added to his former promise that he would make nations and kings of Abraham’s descendants0 The Lord promised to be God to Abraham and to his descendants0 17:15-21 Both Ishmael and a son to be born to Sarah would father nations0 The promise of the inheritance in Canaan was to be fulfilled through the descendants of Isaac0 21:12-13 The descendants of Abraham would be named through Isaac 173 - Lesson 44O The Chosen People 22?16-18 Because of Abraham9s faithful obedience in not withholding his son from sacrifice, the Lord re-stated His promises to multiply his descendants as the stars and the sand, to give for their possession the land of their enemies, and to make them a blessing to all nations0 25;7-10 Abraham saw very little fulfillment to all these promises0 When he died he was buried by just two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, in the cave of Mach-pelah which he had purchased from Ephron the Hittite0 His descendants had not become numerous, and certainly not a nationo He did not possess the land of Canaan—only a small cemetary which he had purchased0 His name was not great nor had the peoples of earth come to be blessed through him0 The fulfillment of the promise was still future0 Nearly 2000 years later the author of the book of Hebrews wrote that Abraham obeyed by faith and by faith he wandered as a foreigner in the land which had been promised to him0 By faith he saw beyond his own life, looking toward the receiving of a home-land from God0 He received the promise from God but could see their fulfillment only through his faith in God’s ability to carry them outo 20 Recall the repetition of these promises to Isaac and Jacobo Gen0 26;2-5 The Lord told Isaac not to go down to Egypt even though there was a famine in Canaane He was to remain a sojourner in Canaan and his descendants were to receive those lands as a fulfillment of God’s oath to Abraham0 The promises to multiply the descendants and to make them a blessing to all nations were repeated., 28?13-15 The promise of the land of Canaan, the multiplication of his descendants, and their blessing to all families of the earth was repeated to Joseph at Bethel on the way back to Haranc The Lord promised to be with Jacob and to bring him back into this land again., 35?11,12 When Rebekah died at Bethal upon his return from Paddan-Aram, the promise that nations and kings would be among the descendants of Jacob and that the land promised to Abraham and Isaac would be given to his descendants was repeated9 46:3,4 On his way to Egypt, as he encamped at Beersheba, God appeared again to Jacob re-assuring him that he should go to Egypt, for there his descendants would become a great nationo He also gave the promise to bring them back out of Egypt0 - 174 - Lesson 44O The Chosen People 30 Discuss parts 2 and 3 of the assignments cM Jiz6eAznzzA to the. kbsiakamtz psiomtAz tn chapteAA 46—48 0 In a. fiew AzntznzzA AurmiasUzz thz zvtdznzz tn Gzn0 50 that JoAzph bzttzvzd. thz covznant psiomtbzAo Gen0 46;2-4 This is the appeal and promise of God to Jacob as he was on his way to meet Joseph in Egypt0 His descendants would return0 47;29-31 On his death bed Jacob evidently recalled the promise of God when he asked Joseph to swear that he would not be buried in Egypt but would be taken back to rest with his fathers in the land of promiseo Joseph agreed, and he swore that he would carry out his wish0 48;3,4 Jacob repeated to Joseph the promises of God to him at Luz in the land of Canaan to multiply him and make of his descendants a company of peoples and to give them the land as a possession 48216,19 In blessing Joseph0s two sons Jacob seems to refer to the promise in his statement, ’’and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the eartho” 48g21 Jacob, speaking to Joseph, said he was about son that God would be with him and bring him fatherso to die, but he assured his again to the land of his Joseph had faith in the promises even as his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had0 When he was about to die tie assured his brothers that God would take them out of the land of Egypt and bring them back again to the land of Canaan which he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobo He made them swear, even as he had sworn to Jacob, that they should take his remains back to be buried in Canaan when God would fulfill his promise to them0 Obviously, both Jacob and Joseph had complete confidence in the fulfillment of God’s promises0 They looked upon their stay in Egypt as a temporary one, expecting that God would lead their descendants back to Canaan in harmony with his covenant0 - 175 - Lesson 44O The Chosen People 40 It might be well to review briefly the major features of the sojourn of Abraham and his descendants0 The call of God came to Abram while he was at Haran in Syria0 In response to the call, Abram came into Canaan and lived as a nomad moving from place to place whenever necessary for the feeding of his flocks and herds0 Because of a famine in Canaan he moved to Egypt where he prospered and became very rich0 Because of his trouble with Pharaoh over Sarah he was expelled from Egypt and returned to Southern Palestine6 Although he seems to have roamed the country at will, he never again left Canaan0 Isaac continued in Canaan, and although he once considered going to Egypt because of a famine as his father had done, the Lord counseled him to remain in Canaan0 Jacob was the next to leave the country., In his flight from Esau he returned to the place in Syria from which Abram was called, to live with his uncle Laban0 There he prospered financially and acquired a large family over a period of twenty years0 Asserting his independence, Jacob left Syria and returend to Canaan, where he made peace with Esau and continued a nomadic existence as his father and grandfather had0 Through the hatred of his brothers Joseph was sent to Egypt0 There, by the blessing of God, he overcame his adversities and became the first minister of the nation., Again because of a famine the sons of Jacob went to Egypt for provisions o There they had to make peace with Joseph, who invited the entire tribe to migrate and settle in Goshen., For four generations the descendants of Abram lived and multiplied in the rich delta of the Nile0 How long, or by how many, the promises of God to return them to Canaan were remembered we are not toldo Certainly Jacob and Joseph understood that their stay in Egypt was a temporary oneo In the new unit which begins with the next lesson the fulfillment of this phase of the promise to Abraham will be seen0 UNIT 60 THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM LESSON 45o FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM Objectives To give an overall view of the historical and literary contexts in which the law was spoken and recorded0 To show that the grace of God is extended before obedience to His requirements has been achievedo Assignment LESSON 46o THE MOUNTAIN OF GOP Io Read Exodus 19 and 20 Mee at one. 6^Mng0 20 ConA&wLcX a Aurmwiy c.hafct0 The. pa/cagM-ph. cLivtixonii oJie ZncLic.ate.d0 Introduction In the first five units of our study thus far we have seen that? God created the world by direct acts of His owno The result of this creation was a world on which both vegetable and animal life existed8 and in which only beauty and harmony were known0 This world was put under the rulership of man created in the image of Godo He had the potential for an eternal life of happiness and fulfillmento Man chose to rebel against God and thus brought discord into an otherwise perfect creationo The inevitable result of this rebellion was deatho The introduction of sin into the universe presented a problem to God0 Should He allow sin to take its course in destroying man and the world that He had created? Or could He devise some means to salvage at least something from His spoiled work? The solution to this problem, which God saw from the beginning, is the subject of the rest of the Bible0 The first step in the solution to the problem was to allow a demonstration of the wages of sin0 That suffering, death, and destruction are the necessary results of sin was demonstrated by the flood, which destroyed the beautiful creation including mankind0 Only those few human beings who accepted God’s provision for salvation survivedo 177 - Lesson 45 0 From Slavery to Freedom We have seen also how the solution can work out in the lives of individuals as illustrated in the narratives of the three patriarchs0 Abraham demonstrataed that faith in and obedience to God are a necessary part of the solution0 Jacob proved that man needs a complete change of heart in order to be reconciled to Godo Joseph showed that all personal crises can best be solved by Godo Discussion l0 Some years after the death of Joseph a new king (probably of a new dynasty) came to power in Egypto During the years that had passed9 the descendants of the sons of Jacob had multiplied,. They now constituted a sizeable group of Northern Egypt who were not true Egyptians0 Because of Egypt’s isolation by desert on the east and west it could only be invaded from the north or south0 In the south were the rather primitive Nubians for whom the Egyptians had no fear0 However9 the Sea Peoples were on the move in the Mediterranean, and the folk movements in the Mesopotamian Valley and in Asia Minor threatened pressures from the northo That the Egyptians feared the possibility of an invasion is indicated by Pharaoh’s statement concerning the Israelites? ” „ „ 0 if war befall us, they [may] join our enemies and fight against us 0 0 „ And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israelo" (Ex0 1? 10,12)0 He could not take any chances on the loyalties of these people in a time of crisis0 His solution was to enslave the rapidly increasing people in the land of Goshen,, "So they made the people of Israel serve with rigor, and made their lives bitter with hard service$> in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field; in all their word they made them serve with rigor(Ex0 1?13814)O 20 These were the people of the covenant0 These were the descendants of Abraham whom God had promised to make into a great nation,, The fulfillment of this covenant in the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt forms the background for our new unit0 For the next two weeks we will be studying the principles which govern the life of one who wishes to be reconciled with God—who wants to be freed from his slavery to sin and be restored into the image of God in which man was first created« In other words2 we will be studying the principles which govern the life of any one who wants the problem of sin and its inevitable consequences to be solved in his life0 This chart is included for the teacher’s reference inasmuch as it was assigned to the pupils However, class time should not be taken in discussing it0 All the remaining time available will be necessary for discussing items 3 and 4 which followo Oppression by a King Failure of a Prince Commission of a Shepherd Sons of Israel 1-10 Moses the Child 1-6 Called from the Bush The sons are named, and the 70 direct descendants increased to fill the lando 8-14 A New King Fearing the strength of the Israelites a new Egyptian king enslaved thema 15-22 Kill the Sons First by order to the midwives9 then by general decree. Pharaoh sentences all male children born to Hebrews to death0 11-15 15-22 23-25 While tending the sheep on Horeb Moses was called by God from the burning busha 7-12 Called by God God indicated that he intended to deliver Israel from oppression and that He was sending Moses to Pharaoh to put His divine will into effecto 13-22 I Am Who I Am God identified Himself as, ”1 AM”0 Moses was to go first to the elders of Israel and then to Pharaoh to demand a release of the Israeliteso However, he was warned that he would not obtain this release except by the mighty hand of God, which would be exercised to accomplish the deliverance of His peopleo Lesson 45O Slavery to Freedom - 178 - 179 - Lesson 450 From Slavery to Freedom 30 Involve the pupils in the construction of an abbreviated summary chart for the first 18 chapters of Exodus0 Help them to scan the groups of chapters as indicated in the summary chart belowo Summary of Exodus 1 to 18 Oppressers Judged /Israel Saved 12:37 18:27 40 Note that: the judgment of the Egyptians (plagues), the redemption of Israel (Exodus & Red Sea), the preservation of the people in the wilderness (Marah, manna, water, Amalekites) were all accomplished by direct acts of Godo He was fulfilling His covenant0 The act of redemption, the work of pre-servation require the intervening activity of God just as surely and directly as does the work of initial creationo REDEMPTION BY GOD’S GRACE Ch0 1 & 2 Bondage ■ While Israel was in bondage to the [ Egyptians Moses was saved from ! death in infancy, became a prince, and fled to Midian0 God saw the plight of the Israelites and heard their cry0 Cho 3 - Cho 12:36 Judgment of Oppressors As Pharaoh repeatedly refused to comply with God’s demands made through Moses9 plagues of Blood, Frogs9 Gnats9 Flies, Disease on cattle, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the firstborn came upon Egypt0 Finally these made the king and the Egyptians willing to free Israelo Ch0 12:37 - Cho 15:21 Salvation Through Moses God led Israel out of living death, and then miraculously saved them from death itself at the Red Sea (15:13)O Cho 15:22 - Ch0 18 Preservation The people of Israel received their food from the sky every morning, got the water out of a rock, and achieved victory in battle by Moses holding up his hands 0 LESSON 46O THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD Objectives To achieve a grasp of the contents of the paragraphs in chapters 19 and 20 0 To note the structural relationships of these materials as consisting of preparations realization, and response,, Assignment LESSON 47O FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN h Make. Z/vtee ZZiZa Zn tvhZc.fi you. e.numeAate. the. AZghtA^ Aoundbf and cornmndb c.ontaZne.d Zn chapteA 19 0 2o Hoiv dZd the. pe.op£e. *.e.act to thebe. AZghtb, bound*, and command* 06 ZndZc.ate.d Zn chapteA* 19 and 20s18-21? 30 What do you thZnk iva* the. puApote. o& thZb majeAtZc. dZbpZay Zn c.onne.ctZon ivZth Ape.akZng the. Zaiv? Introduction Briefly review the background as given in the first eighteen chapters0 The Israelites were in a slavery from which they had no hope of escape by their own powero Without any action on their part God se~ lected a leader through whom He could fulfill His covenant with Abraham (Gen0 15:13,14; Ex0 12:40,41; Acts 7:5—7; Gal0 3:17)O God ’’arranged” their release by Pharaoh without any help from them0 Their only involvement was to indicate their faith in Him by: putting blood on their doors before the final plague, observing the Passover, and following the leadership of God’s chosen leaders0 After their deliverance God preserved them by specific acts of His powero He opened a path through the Red Sea when they were trapped by the Egyptian army0 He lead them through the unknown and harsh wilderness by cloud and fire0 He gave them victory over the Amalekites who tried to stop them0 He provided water out of a rocko He sent them food every day out of the sky0 After God had graciously delivered and preserved them by His power, and after He had given them a chance at a new and better life of freedom, He gave them a revelation of the principles by which their, and our, freedom may be preserved,. This is the subject of our new unit which we begin todayo - 181 - Lesson 460 The Mountain of God Discussion lo Refer to part 2 of the assignment0 Conduct a charts The. pa/taguiph. ctiuiUoni m The Covenant The Law 19 20 OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW 1-6 If You Will Obey From Sinai God stated to Moses that Israel could become a holy, priestly nation if they kept His covenanto 7-9 We will Obey After the elders agreed to obey Moses reported back to God, who replied that He was coming to speak in a cloud0 10-15 Be Ready the Third Day The Lord gave instructions for the preparation of the people to meet Him0 16-25 Thunders, Lightenings, Fire, and Smoke The third day Sinai was covered by the divine presence; the people trembled0 Moses & Aaron went up the mountain, but the people were warned to stay clear0 1-2 Preamble God identified as deliverer0 3-17 Ten Commandments God spoke the ten commandments dealing with the relationships of the people to Him and their relationships with each othero 18-20 The People Were Afraid At the terrible sights and sounds from the mountain the people trembled and asked that Moses, instead of God, speak to them0 21-26 Moses Drew Near When Moses drew near to the cloud the Lord gave instructions for the type of altar that would be acceptable for sacrifices to Him who had spoken to them from heaveno 20 Discuss the structure of these two chapters0 PREPARATION - to meet God REALIZATION - in the presence of God RESPONSE - to the encounter with God PREPARATION 25 REALIZATION 20:1 17 RESPONSE 18 26 I God prepared by: Offering to make Israel holy on condition of obedience0 Giving instructions for the preparationo Descending upon the mountain in fire0 Inspecting the preparations that the people had made0 Inviting Moses & Aaron into his presence0 Repeating the warning to the people to keep clear0 Identifying Himself as the God of their rescue,, God spoke to the people from fire and smoke on the quaking mountain,. He revealed the principles of life in ten concise imperatives which began: You shall not 0 0 o Remember 0 0 o Honor 0 0 0 The people feared, trembled, stood afar offo Moses drew near to Godo The response to an encounter with God should be: reverential fear refraining from sin rejection of anything else as an object of worship an active, sacrificial worship of God ■ The People Prepared by: Agreeing to obey0 Oonsecration0 Physical washing0 Accepting warnings0 The Mountain was Prepared by: Setting bounds around it0 Consecrating it0 Covering it with thunders, lightenings, a cloud0 Wrapping it in smoke0 An earthquakeo (The important objective for which the teacher should strive in this study is to inspire an attitude of reverence toward the holy God and His holy lawc) Lesson 460 The Mountain of God LESSON *+7o FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN Objectives To instill an awareness of God’s particularity in matters of worship and serviceo To lead the students into a worship experience by confronting them with the holy God through an empathy with the Sinai theophany0 Assignment LESSON 4Z0 WHY OBEY? l0 What mottve.4 fan. ke.eptng the. taw an.e. Au.ggMte.d tn chapter 19—20? Make, a, tiAt o l a* many at you can that oac ettheA stated on. tmpttedo This will be one of the most difficult assignments thus far for ninth grade pupils to grasp0 Demonstrate the procedure on the chalk board by the following examples? 19:6—-"If you will obey my voice . . . you shall be my own possession among all people e . a and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation0"—This is an appeal to man’s desire for spiritual well-being and for a relationship with God9 19:8—"All that the Lord has spoken we will do,"—This is an appeal to one’s self-respect and honor, to his desire to keep a promise made6 Introduction Briefly review the paragraph titles of chapters 19 and 20 and summarize their contentsc Chapter 19 If You Will Obey We Will Obey Be Ready the Third Day Thunders, Lightnings, Fire & Smoke Chapter 20 Preamble Ten Commandments The People Were Afraid Moses Drew Near Discussion la Note the parallel structural relationships between chapters 19 and 20 as follows: - 184 - Lesson 47O Fire on the Mountain Chapter 19 Chapter 20 1-6 You shall be my people—if you obey,, 7-9 We will obeyo 9-15 Preparation for the coming of the Lordo 16-25 God descends in fire on the mount—composed of earth and stoneo 1-2 I am your God—therefore obey (implied) 3-17 Commandments to be obeyedo 18-20 Fear at the coming of the Lordo 21-26 The Lord is to be worshiped by fire on a mound—made of earth or stone0 (The comparison of paragraphs between chapters 19 and 20 should be made horizontally—the first paragraph of 19 followed by the first paragraph of 20, etc0> and placed on the chalk board during the brief discussion of each0) 20 Refer to parts 1 and 2 of the assignment0 Make thiee libtA in which you. entaneAate Xke AightA# AoundA, and cownandA contained in chapter 19 0 How did the peopte fieact to theAe AightA, AoundA, and commands oa indicated in chapter 19 and 20:18-21? List the sights, sounds, and commands on the chalk boards asking the students to supply them from their Bibles0 Follow the same procedure for the responses of the people,. Seek to achieve empathy,, SIGHTS The new moon (1) The wilderness (2) Mount Sinai (2) Thick Cloud (9,16) Bounds around the mountain (12) Sights of a general and thorough wash day (14) Lightenings (16) Smoke (18) A quaking mountain (18) Fire (18) Moses and Aaron walking into it (20,24) SOUNDS Lord called to Moses (3) Moses called the elders (7) People answered (8) Moses reported to the Lord (8) - 185 - Lesson 47 0 Fire on the Mountain The Lord said to Moses (9) Trumpet blast (16) Thunders (16) Trumpet Crescendo (19) Moses spoke (19) God answered in thunder (19) Continued covers at ion—God and Moses (20-24) Moses spoke to the people (25) COMMANDS Tell the people if they keep my covenant they will be holy (3-6) Go consecrate the people (10) Let the people wash their garments and be ready (10,11) Set bounds for the people round about (12) Do not go up or touch the mountain (12) He who touches it shall be put to death (12) No hand shall touch the transgressor (13) He shall be stoned or shot (13) Either beast or man, he shall not live (13) At the trumpet blast they shall come up to the mountain (13) Go down and warn the people (21) Let the priests consecrate themselves (22) Go down and come back bringing Aaron with you (24) Do not let the people and the priests break through to come up (24) 30 How did the people react to these sights, sounds, and commands as indicated in chapters 19 and 20s18-21? REACTION OF PEOPLE Promised to obey all that the Lord spoke (8) People were consecrated (14) They washed their garments (14) The people trembled (16) Took their stand at the foot of the mountain (17) Were afraid (20?18) Stood afar off (18) Asked that God not speak to them further (19) Feared for their lives (19) Asked that Moses speak instead (19) Contrast the reaction of the people in general to the response of Moses who? Ask the students what they regard as the reason for the difference0 (Moses had a different personal relationship with Godo) RESPONSE OF MOSES Went up to God (19?3) Reported to the Lord (8) Went down from the mountain (14) Spoke to God and was answered in thunder (19) - 186 - Lesson 470 Fire on the Mountain Went up to the mountain (20) Conversed with the Lord (23,24) Drew near to the thick cloud where God was (20s21) 40 Refer to part 3 of the assignment0 What do you. thtnk. wa* the puapo^e ofa thtb majebtte dtbptay tn connection with. speaking the taw? The sights, the sounds, and the commands combined to impress the people with the holiness, majesty, glory, and power of Godo The statement of Moses in 20:20 confirms this as being the purpose for the display in connection with the speaking of the law: ”Do not fear for God has come to prove you, and that the fear of Him may be before your eyes, that you may not sin0" In this and the context, then, the following purposes of the display are implied: To impress upon the people the reality of a God who demanded spiritual worship0 To Impress them with the importance of perfect obedience0 To assure them that He had sufficient power to fulfill His promises to them0 5O A prime factor in conversion is the confrontation of a person by the Holy Godo Seek to confront the students with the majesty of God as revealed at Sinai by recreating as vividly as possible the theophany at Sinai0 Lead the students into a dedicatory and worship experience o The graphic description in PP 303:5—305:1 (CHL 310:1-311:2) is helpful0 Ask the students to pray silently to the great God who on Sinai revealed Himself so majesticallyo LESSON L8o WHY OBEY? Objectives To motivate obedience to God through recognition and understanding of the motives set forth in this passage,, To develop further the students * abilities to do valid interpretive thinking in their Bible study0 Assignment LESSON 49o Ten PRINCIPLES OF REAL LIVING 10 Re-iwUte each commandment tn one. poAdtive &tatement0 Be. 4uAe that e.ach sentence 4Zatc4 the baaZc pAZncZpZe covered by the. commandment 0 20 What aetatdon^hlp dt> governed btj each ofa the tatt Adx. commandments ? Introduction Recall briefly the emphasis on obedience in the previous lessono Contrast the response of the people with that of Moses to the sights, sounds, and commands of the previous lesson0 People Moses Trembled and feared for their lives Stood afar off Stood at the foot of the mountain Preferred to listen to Moses rather than to God Admonished them not to be afraid Drew near to the cloud where God was Went up the mountain to God Conversed with God - 188 - Lesson 48O Why Obey? Discussion l0 Note the two types of relationships with which God is concerned as indicated in the preambles ”1 am the Lord your God „ o „ ’’—relationships between man and Godo "Brought you 0 „ „ out of the house of bondagerelation- ship between man and man0 The first relationship had triumphed over the second, for they had been brought out of their enslavement to the Egyptians0 Because of their relationship to God their relationship to man was drastically alteredo This principle is imbedded in the law, for the relationship between man and his fellow men as stated in the last six commandments is conditioned by the relationship between man and God as stated in the first fouro 20 Refer to the assignment for this lesson0 WhaZ moZZvci jjo/t keeping the Zatv ate 4ugge6ted Zn chapter 19—20? Make a ZZiZ o$ a& many at> you. can that one ctthcn stated, on tmpttcd0 List the motives on the board as the pupils give them, and fill in any that are missed, preferably by leading questions to get pupils to discover them0 Discuss the value of each of the motives0 19s60 "If you will obey my voice 0 „ 0 you shall be my own possession among all people 0 0 0 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nationo" This appeals to one°s desire for spiritual well-being and offers the enticement of a unique relationship with Godo 19;80 "All that the Lord has spoken we will doo" This is based on the inclination to keep a promise madeo 19s120 The instructions for the preparation of the people for the appearance of the Lord indicate how powerful He is and how serious the consequence for even small fractions ares "Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to deatho" Here an appeal is made to man’s respect for power and to his wish to avoid penalty,, 19g16,180 Such a display of majesty and power suggests tremendous authority,. Basically man is disposed to obey legitimate authority,, 20s2„ "I am the Lord your God„" This is a statement of authority to command and appeals to the same motive as the preceding one. ~ 189 — Lesson 48O Why Obey? 20?2 , "cool brought you out of the land of Egypt0” This is another citation of authority worthy of obedience0 They had been obeying their Egyptian masters9 but God had demonstrated that His authority and power were greater0 20j.Ao ” o o o Showing steadfast love to thousands of those who 0 0 o keep my commandments0” Love and the desire to be loved are the strongest motives we experience0 Here the God of creation and of their deliverance offered His steadfast love to the obedient0 2,0? 6, ” o o o Those who love me and keep my commandments0” Keeping the commandments is closely linked with love toward Godo This is the basic motive for obedience,. Motives for keeping specific commandments are given as? Second, 2Q?5O ’’For I 0 0 0 am a jealous God visiting the ini-quity of the fathers upon the children 0 0 o’* This appeals not only to man’s interest in his own welfare, but also to his love for his children and concern for their best interests,, Thirds 20? 7„ "The Lord will not hold him guiltless o 0 0” No one wants to be guilty! Fourth^ 20?11„ "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth o 0 0 and rested the seventh dayo" God has supreme authority by right of creation,, The Sabbath is a memorial of His creative workj, and keeping the Sabbath indicates an acceptance of His authority,, "The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it0" The Sabbath was set apart exclusively for holy use0 Our sense of propriety and consistency is violated when something is put to a wrong use0 Anyone who appreciates what holiness really is, is outraged when he sees that which is holy being desecrated,, Fifth, 20?120 "That thy days may be long „ 0 o" This appeals to the universal desire for long life„ 20? 20o ’’ o o o God has come o „ 0 that the fear of him may be before your eyes, that you may not sin0" A revelation of God inspires reverence o Reverence for God motivates obedience„ 20?22q "You have seen for yourself that I talked with you from heaven0" Their own revelatory experience was the motivating basis for their obedience0 We also must have an experience with God before we have adequate motivation for obedience0 30 Continue the discussion of motives by asking students to suggest good reasons for Christians to keep the law„ These should be the students’ expression as far as possible,, Discuss and evaluate with the class each motive suggested,, LESSON 49o TEN PRINCIPLES OF REAL LIVING Objectives To get an overall view of the principles involved in the ten commandments by stating each commandment in a positive sentence and noting the relationships governed by each0 To develop an attitude toward the divine law which will result in willing obedience by re-emphasizing the importance of understanding the motivations to which they appeal0 Assignment LESSON 50o HOW TO LIVE L Read PatKtasichs and P>wphetSf pageA 303 310s] (CHL 309-31Ss1]0 20 Make, a -Cut of the. patnctptes tnvo£ve.d tn each of the. ten commandments 04 on pp0 305-309 (CHL 312s 1- 317s2]0 Introduction Briefly review the motives for obedience noted in the previous lesson? Appeal to man’s desire for well-being and self-respect Appeal to man’s desire for a relationship with God Man’s respect for supreme authority and power Man’s reverence and awe in the presence of holiness Love for God—this is basic and all-sufficient to motivate obedienceg provided it is complete0 Discussion lo Begin with the first part of the assignment0 each commndment tn one. postttve statemento Be that each sentence states the baste pntnctpte coveaed by the. commandment 0 Place on the chalkboard the positive statements of principles for each of the ten commandments0 1st The God who gave the law is the only one to be worshiped 2nd God is to be worshiped directly rather than by means of representations 0 ” 191 - Lesson 49 0 Ten Principles of Real Living 3rd God is to be reverenced0 4th The seventh day is to be kept holy because it was blessed and hallowed by God as a memorial of His creationo 5th Children are to honor their parents0 6th The sanctity of human life must be respectedo 7th The husband-wife relationship is to be kept inviolateo 8th Private ownership is to be respectedo 9th Absolute integrity is required0 10th Integrity in motive as well as in act is demanded in all person to person relationships0 20 Discuss the human relationships covered by the law as assigned in part 20 W/iat AeZatZonA/iZp Z4 governed by e,a.ch the. tout Atx. comandme.ntA? 5th Principles of child-parent relationshipo 6th Principle of relationship between enemies0 7th Principle of relationship between men and womeno 8th The principle of relationship to anpther^s propertyo 9th Principle of dependability and integrity between persons0 10th The principle of relationship between motive and act0 30 Observe the structural progression evident in the law as recorded in Exodus 20?3“17o First Commandment ”No other God"? The only worship Israel had seen in Egypt was polytheistic—Horus, Osiris, Isis, Ptah, Amon, Aton, Serapis, Apis, etCo Such worship is unacceptable to Yahweh0 Second Commandment No "graven images"? The only worship Israel had seen was image worship—images with falcon or cat heads, bulls, sphinxes, the sun disk, etc0 Yahweh cannot be represented by anything, and therefore, he cannot be worshiped through Images0 He is not a "thing" which can be handled, seen, or controlled by man (as images can be)0 Third Commandment "Name of the Lord in vain"? The history, the science, the engineering, the business, the common language, as well as prayers and curses in Egypt made constant use of the names of deities0 Even today in Upper Egypt when people become Christians they often must almost learn a new language because cursing is so much a part of every day speech0 When a mother who is in the yard with - 192 Lesson 49 0 Ten Principles of Real Living her daughter wants to tell her to go into the house, she probably does not just say, "Narguis, go into the houseo" Even though she is not angry she may say something like this? "You, sister of idiots, get into the house; may seven devils enter your belly!" The prayers that Israel was accustomed to hear were made up largely of repetitions of the names of the gods, eogo "’Giving praise to Amon-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, Presiding over Karnak; kissing the ground to Amon of the City, the Great God, the Lord of the great forecourt, the gracious oneo May he grant to me that my eyes look at his beautyo To the ka (soul) of the Outline Draftsman of Amon, Neb-Re, the justified0" (James Bo Pritchard, Ancient Near Estern Texts0 p0 380o) Yahweh said he was not to be worshiped in this way nor was his name to be used in common speech. In fact, God was telling Israel that He was not to be worshiped in any way that they had seen any other god worshiped! He is unique, different from all other gods; therefore, His worship must be differento The question naturally arises then, How is He to be worshiped?" This is answered in the next command 0 Fourth Commandment "The Sabbath of the Lord thy God"? Here Yahweh answered the questions raised by the prohibition of the first three commandments0 Which God is it?—the Creator By what symbol is He represented?—by a day0 Yahweh is invisible, so is a day0 You can®t draw a picture of Yahweh nor of a dayo Why is His name to be reverenced?—because He is holy and man should make a difference between the holy and the common or profaneo Not only His name is reserved for holy use, so is His day0 Fifth Commandment "Honor your father and your mother": This is a natural development from the fourtho If the Creator of all things and of life is to be recognized as authoritative, and if He is to be worshiped, then the creators of our human life should also be honored and respected0 God delegated creative power to man, and in parenthood this divine power is actualizedo In your lesson for tomorrow you will find that parents stand in the place of God to their children during the early years, and that a rejection of rightful parental authority is a rejection of Godo Furthermore, God created man in His own image; therefore, parents who stand in the place of God are the nearest things to an image that God allows0 - 193 - Lesson 49 0 Ten Principles of Real Living The fifth commandment makes the transition from concern with rela-tionships between man and God to a delineation of the relationships between man and his fellow man0 All are created in the image of God, and therefore, their relationships to each other have an importnat place in their relationships with Him0 Commandments Six to Ten According to our human values the transgressions covered by command-ments six to ten are on a descending scale of severity? Murder Adultery Theft Lying Coveting However, in the scale of values indicated by Jesus the last one, which is concerned with motives rather than with acts, is the most serious of all, for it is basic to all the resto More important than not doing something wrong is the reason why we don’t do it0 More important than doing something that is good is the reason why we do it0 40 A discussion of what is necessary in order for man to keep the law should be helpfulo In order for man to keep the law two things are necessary? understanding and motivationo Understanding THE COMMANDMENTS STATE THE MONOTHEISTIC IDEAL VERSUS POLYTHEISM The gods of Egypt were handled, touched, and fashioned by men0 This God is untouchable—different from all others0 The Sabbath law is founded on the holiness of Godo He is different and set apart from all others—therefore he can set apart a day as different and holyo This is the emphasis in Genesis 2?2,3O God blessed and hallowed it0 The character of God, when known, is a motivation to obedience0 Motivation THE LAW GIVER IS THE REDEEMER AND VICE VERSA The giving of the law reminded the Israelites (19?4)2 Of what happened to the Egyptians—divine judgment because of their disobedience to God’s demands0 Of what happened to Israel—divine redemption of those who were obedient to God’s demands0 That redemption is impossible without judgment0 194 ~ Lesson 49 0 Ten Principles of Real Living A remembrance of these acts would evoke fear of God’s power9 gratitude for His lovej and confidence in His justice0 God promised that (19:5^6)2 His future acts in regard to Israel were conditioned ons "If you obey0" Their future well-being was dependent upon their obedience and God’s liberalityo Inasmuch as all people desire well-being for themselves these promises motivate obedience0 The commands, sights9 and sounds accompanying the theophany impressed the people that? God is holy; the people are not—therefore9 they must remain separate9 not even touch the mountain,, God is pure; the standard of purity was about to be given— therefore $ the people must become pure0 The first would instill awe and fear in the people—both strong motivationso The rituals and ceremonies perscribed for purifying the people did not make them pure; they merely made them understand their need for purificationo The giving of the law after the bestowal of redemption added another powerful motive for obedience—gratitude,, This indicates the place of law in theistic experience—the act of divine redemption and the revelation of the divine nature before the expression of the divine principles First a gift-then gratitude First a revelation—then response First redemption—then legislation First grace—then law The movement is from grace to works0 This is the movement of the Bible0 Any attempt to reverse the order makes both grace and works impossible0 Redemption must precede responsibility, but responsibility must follow redemption. LESSON 50o H 0 W TO LIVE ObjectIves To arrive at a clearer understanding of the principles involved in each of the ten commandments* To translate these principles into terms of their implications for the lives of the students today* Assignment LESSON 51* I LOVE THY LAW 1a Read Pbatm 1190 2* Libi cM the dtfifi extent woJtdb abed ab bynomjmb faon. "taw'1 tvi P4* 119. Introduction Briefly review the positive statements of each of the ten commandments: 1st The God who gave the law is the only One to be worshiped* 2nd God is to be worshiped directlys not by representation* 3rd God is to be reverenced* 4th The seventh day is to be kept holy because it was blessed. and hallowed by God as a memorial of His creation* 5th Principle of child-parent relationship: parents are to be honored by the children* 6th Principle of relationship between enemies: the sanctity of human life must be respected,, 7th Principle of relationship between men and women: the husbandwife relationship is to be kept inviolate* 8th The principle of relationship to another’s property: private ownership is to be respected* 9th Principle of relationship between persons: absolute in- tegrity is required* 10th The principle of relationship between motive and act: integrity in motive as well as in act is demanded* Discussion 1. The entire discussion period for this lesson should be given to a consideration of the principles involved in each of the ten commandments as included in assignment 2* 196 Lesson 50o How To Live Make a List ofa Zke paZnaZpZe^ ZnvoZved Zn eack ofi Zke Zen corn-mandmenZi 06 dZ6eu.44ed on ppo 305 309 (CHL 312s1°317°°2) 0 The following list is representative of what may have resulted from the completion of this assignment0 The students should be involved in discussing each one of these from the view point of application in their own lives0 Care must be taken in guiding the discussion that the thinking be kept in the ’’first person”0 Students should explain how these prin-ciples might affect their own personal lives0 If such guidance is not given a discussion of these principles may quickly turn into a period of criticizing other peoples0 concepts and other peoples® practices, This is of little value and may be of definite harm in the attempt to create wholesome and positive attitudes toward these eternal principles of life0 First Commandment Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent9 uncreated One, Source and Sustainer of all, alone is entitled to supreme reverence and worship o Anything that tends to lessen love for God or to interfere with His service becomes a godo Second Commandment Forbids worship of the true God by images or likenesses0 All attempts to represent God by material objects lower man’s concept of Godo The mind is turned easily from the Creator to creatureo As man’s conceptions of God are lowered his character becomes degraded0 The God-man relationship is represented under the figure of marriage— God is jealous because idolatry is spiritual adultry0 Inevitably children suffer consequences from their parents® wrongs0 Children are not punished for their parents9 sins except as they participate in them0 They become partakers by inheritence and example0 Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites? debased morals, physical diseases, degeneracy are transmitted to third and fourth generation0 On the other hand mercy is promised to the obedient for thousands of generationso Third Commandment Prohibits false oaths, swearing, use of God’s name in careless manner0 We dishonor God by thoughtless mention of God’s name, by appeals to him in trivial matters, by frequent and thoughtless repetition of his name0 — 197 — Lesson 50o How To Live His name should be uttered only with reverencec Meditate upon his majesty5, purity9 and holiness that the heart may be impressed with a sense of his exalted character0 Fourth Commandment The Sabbath was founded at creation and is a memorial to it0 It distinguishes the true God from false godsffl Keeping Sabbath signifies the worship of Jehovah—a sign of allegiance0 Only in this one are the name and title of the Law-giver found0 This indicates the authority for the law—the seal of God0 ManGs work is to be done in six dayso Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath^ but unnecessary labor is strictly forbiddeno The discussion of and planning for business is regarded as transacting it0 We are not to allow our minds to dwell on things of an earthly character0 Sabbath observance includes all those within our gates3 We should unite to honor God by willing service.. Fifth Commandment Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect due no one elseo They stand in place of God to their children during early years0 Rejection of rightful parental authority is rejection of Godo Love9 tenderness9 guarding of reputations lightening of cares, tender care in old age are required of children for their parents0 Respect for ministers, rulers? and all to whom God has delegated authority is enjoined0 A pledge of long life—including eternal—is made to the obedient0 Sixth Commandment All acts of injustice tend to shorten life—hatred 9 revenge9 and indulgence of passion leading to injurious acts., Selfish neglect of the needy or suffering9 self-indulgence9 depriva-tion8 over-work8 all violate this commando Seventh Commandment Forbids acts of impurity9 sensual thoughts and desires9 and any practice which tends to excite them0 Purity is demanded in outward life and in the secret intents and emotions of the hearto - 198 Lesson 50o How To Live Eighth Commandment Both public and private stealing are included—all theft and robberyo Man-stealing? slavery9 and wars of conquest are condemned0 Strict integrity in details is demanded2 and overreaching in trade is forbiddeno Debts and wages must be paid0 It brands taking advantage of ignorance9 weakness8 and misfortune of others as fraud0 Ninth Commandment Includes every attempt to deceive or falsify0 Even the intention to deceive constitutes falsehoodo A glance of the eye8 a motion of the hand9 an expression of the face are all effective ways to falsifyo Intentional overstatement,, hints calculated to give erroneous impression8 the statement of facts in a misleading manner-all are falsehoods0 Forbids efforts to injure a reputation by misrepresentations evil surmise^ slander^ gossipo In addition,, the intentional supression of truths by which injury to another may result8 is a violation Tenth Commandment Strikes at root of all sins„ forbidding the selfish desire from which springs the sinful act0 If one refrains from indulging the desire he will not be guilty of the acto LESSON 51e I LOVE THY LAW Objectives To get an overview of Psalm 1190 To enlarge the students0 comprehension of the breadth of the law, particularly in its appeal to human emotions. Assignment LESSON 52, THY TESTIMONIES ARE MV OEL1GHT L On the. chant ttst the. thtng* fiound tn the. &tnAt 80 ve.nAe.-t> PA atm 119 that the. PAatmtAt Aatd he. (on. othcnA] dtd on. woutd do about the. taujB Note, attest e.ach the. veAAe.A whcne. tt tA £oande Introduction In the previous lesson it was seen how all-inclusive the principles in the law of God are, The first four commandments present the eternal, unique God, Creator and Sustainer of all, who is worthy of and demands undivided worship. Attempts to represent this God by any objects or designs are strictly forbidden, as is also the use of His name in a careless or profane manner. The true God is distinguished from the false, and those who accept His authority distinguish themselves from those who do not, by a worshipful dedication of the seventh day to Him and His service. The last six commandments govern relationships between people. They demand love and respect between parents and children, forbid injustice, revenge, neglect of others9 needs, the taking of life, immorality, impurity, theft, dishonesty, taking unfair advantage, falsification, intent to deceive, supression of truth, injustice to others, etc. Not only are these acts prohibited, but the motivation from which these acts spring is condemned. An attitude of love, respect, and vital concern is required as the basic principle for relationships between people. In today’s lesson we will see an amplification of the appeal that the law of God has to the human heart which is dedicated to God, Discussion 1, Discuss assignment 2 using the chalkboard. It might be well to make two columns—one for the clear-cut synonyms and the other for words and phrases that are related though not exactly synonymous. - 200 * Lesson 510 I Love Thy Law LM: cM the. u)ofa£i> iUn.d a& Aijnomft "tau)" Zn PAa&n 1190 The left hand column below lists the definite synonyms» and the right hand column contains the related words0 The number after each indicates the verse where it first appears0 (If the class is not using a uniform version there will be differences notedo For instance? the KJV frequently has "’judgments91 where the RSV has ’’ordinanceso” These lists follow the latter version.-) law (1) testimonies (2) ways (3) precepts (4) statutes (5) commandments (6) ordinances (7) word (9) thy righteousness (40) truth (43) thy promise (38) thy steadfast love (41) judgments (75) thy mercy (77) thy salvation (81) thy faithfulness (90) thy appointment (91) perfection (96) thy name (132) thy face (135) thy justice (156) thy hand (173) Note that the synonyms are all introduced within the first nine verseso Every verse in the Psalm uses at least one (frequently more) of the synonyms or related words except verses 84 and 122O Just the synonyms alone are used 161 times in the 176 verses^ 20 Note the verbs used with the synonyms in the first nine verses0 walk in the law keeping thy statutes keep his testimonies eyes fixed on thy commandments walk in his ways learn thy ordinances precepts to be kept diligently observe thy statutes guarding it (a young man’s way) according to thy word 3O Quite likely the question as to the difference in meanings between these verious terms will be asked0 It will be well for the teacher to be prepared to distinguish between these terms from a dictionary studyo However9 it should be clearly pointed out that the Psalmist is not distinguishing between these terms in his use- For example9 when he says? - 201 ■ Lesson 510 I Love Thy Law ’’Blessed are those „ 0 0 who walk in the law „ 0 0" ’’Blessed are those who keep his testimoniess” "I will observe Thy statutes He does not mean that there is a difference between law9 testimonies8 and statuteso Rather^ his use of these many different words indicates that he is being all-inclusive0 If the term law is more general than the term statutes , and if ordinance is more local than eithers his use of these three terms simply indicates that God’s law is general9 specific9 and local, as are also His testimonies, commandments, words and precepts„ All that these words mean he is including in the law of Godo Sometimes the use of different words indicates the intent to differentiate between shakes of meaningo This is not the case in Psalm 1190 The Psalmist s design is not one of differentiation but one of inclusiono 40 As a matter of interest9 and also that the structure of the Psalm be understood better it should be explained that it was composed in Hebrew as an alphabetical acrostic0 Each paragraph or stanza (for this is a poem) consists of eight lines0 Within each stanza every line begins with the same letter of the alphabet0 This accounts for the 22 stanzas—there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabeto If we wanted to preserve this form in English it might look something like thiss A All who walk in the law of the Lord are blessed, for their way is blameless § And those who keep his testimonies are blessed, for they seek him with their whole heart0 Also they do no wrong8 but walk in his ways9 Accordinglyj thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently,, Ah9 that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes! Assuredly I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments, After I learn thy righteous ordinances, I will praise thee with an upright heart. As I observe thy statutes, 0 forsake me not utterly! B By guarding his way according to thy word A young man can keep his way pure,, Because with my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments I - 202 - Lesson 510 I Love Thy Law Built into my heart is thy word, that I might not sin against thee0 Blessed be thou, 0 Lord; teach me thy statutes! Etc0, etCo ooo LESSON 52O THY TESTIMONIES ARE MY DELIGHT Objectives To note in detail the expression of the Psalmist concerning his responses to the law of Godo To inspire a devotion to and an enthusiasm for the principles of the law of Godo Assignment LESSON 53O TEACH ME THY STATUTES L On The. dtaaT noTe. The. ThZng-6 ThaT The. P^abnUT ob&k.e.d God To do ^ok hbn Zn Ke.gaAd To The Zan) Zn P&0 119s81-1760 NoTe a.&teA ea.eh The. veAbeA wheAe The. KeqaeAT Z& ioiindo Introduction We have seen that in 176 verses the Psalmist used eight synonyms for the law of God a total of 157 times0 In the present lesson we will see how he described his responses to God’s law9 testimonies2 statutes, commandments9 word9 precepts9 ways9 and ordinances0 Discussion l0 Discuss the assignment for the day0 On The. ehaAT ZZ&T The. ThZngA fie and Zn The. &aaT 80 veAAeA ofa Pa abv 119 ThaT The. PAabnZAT AaZd he (ok oTheAb] dZd ok wouZd do aboaT The. Zan)0 NoTe a^TeA each The. wheAe TT Zt> fioand. As the students supply the verbs describing the Psalmist’s responses for a list on the board9 do not take the time to put the references downo As the list grows it will become quite impressive,, In the chart below will be found a complete list not confined to the first 80 verseso The entire period may profitably be taken in the construction of this list and a discussion of the significance of the verbs0 If the meaning of each is clear the impact of the total list should be very forceful0 - 204 - Lesson 520 Thy Testimonies Are My Delight WHAT I WILL DO ABOUT THE LAW OF GOD I WILL: WHERE FOUND (Verses 1-80) Walk in Keep Have eyes fixed on Learn Observe Guard my way according to Laid in heart Declare Delight Meditate on Not9 never, forget Set before me Cleave to Run in way of Long for Trust in Hope in Seek Speak of Reverse Love Do not turn away from Think of Take comfort Have been my songs Turn feet to Rise to praise at midnight Believe in Better than thousands of gold Are sure Not forsaken Consider Make me wiser Is ever with me Get understanding through Hate every false way Lamp to my feet Light to my path 1, 30 2, 4, 5, 22, 33, 34, 44, 55, 56, 57, 60, 63, 67, 69, 88, 100, 101, 115, 129, 134, 145, 167, 168O 6 7, 710 8, 17, 34, 106, 146O 9 11 13 14, 16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174O 15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148O 16, 61, 83, 93, 109, 141, 153, 176O 30 31 32 20, 40, 1310 42 43, 74, 81, 114, 147O 45, 94O 46 48 48, 97, 113, 119, 127, 159, 163, 167o 51, 102o 52 52 54 59 62 66 72, 127O 86 87 95 98 98 104, 130o 104, 128 105 105, 130o - 205 - Lesson 52O Thy Testimonies Are My Delight WHAT I WILL DO ABOUT THE LAW OF GOD (Cont’d) I WILL? WHERE FOUND (Verses 1-80) Do not stray from My heritage for ever Joy of my heart Perform Have regard for Know Direct my steps by Are wonderful Shed tears because men do not keep Consumed by zeal because foes forget Do not swerve from Look with disgust on those who don’t keep Heart stands in awe of Rejoice at Praise seven times a day for Do Lips pour forth praise Will sing of Have chosen 110 111 111 112 117 125, 152O 128 129 136 139 157 158 161 162 164 166 171 172 ' 173 20 It might be suggested to the students that they try to add to this list other responses to or attitudes toward the law of God which are in harmony with the ones that the Psalmist experiencedo This will not be an easy thing to do because, obviously, the Psalmist’s list is quite complete0 However, it may be that the students will respond in terms more common to their ordinary speecho The real purpose of this entire discussion is, of course, to instill in the students responses to the law similar to those expressed by the Psalmisto LESSON 53a TEACH ME THY STATUTES Objectives To point out that the responses of the Psalmist to God’s law were not achieved without divine help0 To inspire the students to seek God’s help in attaining similar responseso Assignment LESSON 54o SOURCE OF V1S0BEV1ENCE Read Patntanchi and Pnophetfi, page* 331-342 (CHL 341-354) 0 A4 you /tead watch £0^' and wntte a bntef answen to9 each, the fiotZow-tng queAttonAo Be pnepaned to dticu-M them mone ^uZZy tn cZaAM 10 When God ^oneknew the tenntbZe netalZs ofi 4 tn, why dtd He ptace man on tntat and atZow htm to tnanbgneAA Htt> command? 20 Gtve two neat o nA why God penmttted lAnaet to go tnto pagan Egypt0 30 What dtd Satan expect woatd happen to the lAnaettteA fion won-Ahtptng the gotden eatfi? 40 To what doeA contempt fion panentaZ authonZty Aoon tead? 50 Whteh one the moAt dangenoaA fiatAehoodA? 60 Ofi what ^atane event woa the gneat dtAptay ofc the powen ofc God at Stnat a fconethadowZng? 7o What wZtZ happen to the taw ofc God afcten AZn haA been nemoved and the ptan ofc nedemptton completed? Introduction During the past three lessons the Psalmist’s attitude toward the law has been noted in detail0 We have seen that it was a very dynamic and positive responseo He did not look upon the law of God as a list of prohibitions9 of ’"don”ts"0 The entire Psalm seems to be a pouring forth of enthusiasm by a person thoroughly excited about what the law of God did for him when he accepted it as his guide in life0 In the lesson today we will see that this eagerness and vivacious devotion was not achieved without divine helpo Along with a description of his feeling toward the law the Psalmist repeatedly asked God for aid so that his responses would always be what they ought in relation to God’s word0 - 207 “ Lesson 53a Teach Me Thy Statutes Discussion lo Discuss the assignment On the. diaAt note. the. thtng-6 that the. PAatmtit a&k.e.d God to do ion. him tn sie.gaAd to the. taw tn P*e 119*87-176, Mote, attest e.ac.h the. veMeA whetie. the. *.e.qu.eAt tt> ^oiind. A Procedure on the chalkboard similar to that followed in the previous lesson is recommended3 It will be seen that the list which is here supplied is taken from the entire chapter and is not confined to verses 81-1769 The students should be involved in finding these petitions and supplying them for the list on the boards W’lAT I WILL ASK GOD TO DO FOR ME IN REGARD TO HIS LAW I WILL ASK HIM TO: WHERE FOUND (Verses 81-176) Forsake me not Let me not wonder from Teach Deal bountifully Open my eyes Hide them not Take away scorn and contempt Revive according to Give, enlarge understanding of Strengthen according to Put not to shame Lead in path of Incline heart to Give life in Turn away reproach Take not out of my mouth Remember Be gracious Let Thy mercy come Let others turn to me to know May my heart be blameless Help me Spare my life to keep Firmly fixed in heaven 8 10 12, 26, 29, 33, 64, 66, 68, 108, 124, 135, 1719 17, 65e 18 19 22 25 27, 32, 34, 73, 125, 144, 169s 28 31 35 36 37, 40, 107, 156 39 43 49 58 77 79 80 86 88 89 - 208 - Lesson 53. Teach Me Thy Statutes WHAT I WILL ASK GOD TO DO FOR ME IN REGARD TO HIS LAW (Cont’d) I WILL ASK HIM TO: WHERE FOUND (Verses 81-176) Save me Uphold me Appoint in righteousness and faithfulness Be near Answer me Deliver me Plead my cause and redeem me Let Thy ordinances help me Seek thy servant 94, 146, 116, 117. 138, 144. 151 145 153, 170. 154 175 176 2. The petitions include requests for the divine presence, for divine guidance, for help in understanding, for perception, for inspiration, for strength, for divine benevolence, for mercy, for strength to witness, for perfection, for salvation, for deliverance, and for protection against the scorn and contempt of those who reject God’s law. Each of these petitions in a little prayer. It may be suggested that these are ehlpful for anyone who wants to learn to pray more effectively for help in making the divine principles the guiding force in his life. LESSON 5^0 SOURCE OF DISOBEDIENCE Objectives To understand something of the reasons for disobedience and why it is permitted by God0 To emphasize that obedience will remain eternally the only basis on which life can continue0 Assignment LESSON 55o THE TIMES OE HABAKKUK Jo Read 2 Ktng* 2h/—24?70 20 LZbt tJie fztngA Manweh and. Amon, and The, people Judah mentioned Tn 2 King* 2T. 30 Lt&t the. thing* which. the, Lotd *ald would come upon Jerusalem and Judah because o[ the *ln* the people? 06 stated In the fallowing pa**age*s 21?1~15; 23s26?27; 24t1~4* Introduction In the previous lesson we noted the petitions of the Psalmist to God for help in being obedient0 The Psalmist asked for: God’s presence God’s guidance Help in understanding Perception Inspiration Strength God's mercy Strength to witness Perfection Salvation Deliverance Protection against the scorn and contempt of those who reject God’s law0 In the lesson for today we will consider some of the reasons people disobey, some of the results of disobedience, and how disobedience in this world finally will come to an end0 - 210 - Lesson 54, Source of Disobedience Discussion Discuss the questions which were assigned. Read Patltaich and PlophetA, pageA 331-342 (CHL 341-354) , Aa you lead watch Joi, and witte a anitveA to, each oft the, fallowing questions t Be piepaied to dtbcaM them mole lolly tn claMo 1. When God faieknew the. teiitble ie&ultt> ofi 6tn, why dtd He place man on tital and allow him to tianAgieM Hti command? This question is asked in the Patriarchs and Prophets passage. The answer given is that to deprive man of the freedom of choice would be to rob him of his prerogative as an intelligent being and make him a mere automaton, God does not coerce the will. Because man was created a free moral agent it is necessary that he be subjected to the test of obedience. However, no temptation or trial is allowed to come to him which he is unable to bear or resist, 2, Give two leabonh why God permitted lAiael to go Into pagan Egypt, The families of Jacob were so prone to imitate the idolatry of the heathen about them that God allowed them to go into Egypt where the influence of Joseph was strong and where circumstances were favorable toward their remaining a distinct people. The cruelty and oppression of these idolatrous Egyptians should have inspired in the Israelites an abhorrence for idolatry. The presence of Israel in Egypt was the occasion for a revelation of God’s power to the Egyptians, particularly in the events connected with the Exodus, 3. What dtd Satan expect would happen to the lAiaeltte* fai woibhtp-tng the golden cal fa Satan expected that Israel's worship of the golden calf would show them to be so utterly degraded that God would devote them to destruction, Thus, the adversary would secure the extinction of the line through which the knowledge of God was being preserved, and through which the One who would ultimately conquer Satan was to come. 211 - Lesson 54O Source of Disobedience 4- To what does contempt fan. parental authority soon lead? Contempt for parental authority quickly leads to contempt for God’s authorityo This explains Satan’s relentless efforts to get children and young people to take lightly or to disregard the fifth commandment 0 5o Which ax.e the most dangeno aS falsehoods? The most dangerous falsehoods are those which are mixed with trutho A falsehood that is all error is not deceptive., for it is recognized for what it is0 But a falsehood which is partly—perhaps mostly—true is not so easily detectedo Students might be engaged in a discussion of falsehoods as they mention some which are common0 Ask them to point out what is true in each and what is false0 Falsehoods that are heard around school9 at homes in transaction of business among friends9 in advertising g etCos might be discussed0 Students should be led into a greater awareness of the need for critical examination of statements and for greater integrity in their own statements and actions0 60 Oft what fatune event was the gneat display oft the powen oft God at Sinai a faneshadowing? The tremendous display of divine power amidst the convulsions of nature at Sinai were a foreshadowing of the time when the whole earth will shake at the second coming of Christ« 70 What will happen to the law o^ God afaen sin has been nemoved and the plan oft nedemptlon completed? After sin has been removed from the earth the sacred law of God will be honored throughout a sinless universe0 Thuss the original purpose of God in creating the world to be inhabited by people created in His image will finally be realized., They will still be free moral agent Sj, but they will be always obedient to God by their own choiceo 80 It would be well at this point to review some of the attitudes toward the law of God expressed in Psalm 1190 Anyone to whom the law of God is important and attractive cannot wilfully disobeyo It is only people with such an attitude that can be entrusted with eternal life0 Those who are disobedients or those who attempt - 212 - Lesson 54O Source of Disobedience to be obedient only because they are afraid not to9 would find eternal life a very distasteful thingo One who conforms only because he thinks he mustg or because everyone else with whom he associates does& will disobey at the first opportunity0 More than that9 he is not really obedient in his heart0 He is conforming9 but he wishes he didn°t have to0 While he is obeying he thinks he would have more fun if he were disobeyingo Anyone who finds more pleasure in disobedience than he does in obedience would be unhappy and miserable if he always had to be obedient0 Eternal life can be enjoyed (indeed9 can be endured) only by those who truly enjoy obedience and who abhor disobedience„ Salvation comes to oneg not because he outwardly conforms to the ten commandments9 but because he truly loves God9 delights in obeying Himg finds complete satisfaction only in a life ordered according to the principles stated in God's words and because he finds complete fulfillment in unreserved committment to the God whose character is described by these principles0 UNIT 7o THE MAN WHO ARGUED WITH GOD LESSON 55o THE TIMES OF HABAKKUK Objectives To see the historical setting for the ministry of Habakkuko To understand the conditions in Judah which caused Habakkuk's concern and prompted his encounter with Godo Assignment LESSON 56o THE ARGUMENT Io Read the book Habakkuk. ^aptdtijc 2C Make txtte^ and theme. &e.nte.ne&t> faofi the. pa/LagtiaphA tn h1~~2s10 Otvtde. the. paaagnaphA a$ 7H~4; U5-1U h12~~2°*10 Introduction Today we begin the study of a new unito The person we will be studying is one who lived nearly 800 years later than the people who heard God speak His law from Mt0 Sinai0 We will take a quick look at some of the developments and trends during these centuries0 (A map will help here0) After the experience at Sinai the people of Israel lived in the wilderness for about forty years0 At the close of this period they invaded Palestine from the east under the leadership of Joshua9 destroyed a few of the fortresses, and settled among the Canaaniteso For several hundred years most of them continued to live as Bedouins in tents9 subsisting on the income from their flocks and herds0 During this time they frequently were in trouble with their neighbors0 They adopted many of the customs of the countrys and much of the time they lived like the heathen rather than as the people of Godg which they had promised to be when they made the covenant at Mt0 Sinai0 Approximately four centuries after Sinai under the leadership of Saul and David the tribes were organized into a nation0 With the added military strength which unity gave them they were able to become the predominent power in the country0 The other inhabitants such as the Amorites9 the Philistines9 and others were forced to accept the rule of Israelo Along with this political development came an economic revolutiono Control of the roads made it possible for them to become traders0 " 214 " Lesson 550 The Times of Habakkuk Many of them sold their flocks and moved into the cities and vil" lages to go into business0 This economic change was climaxed during the reign of Solomono He gained control of the caravan routes between the Mesopotamian Valley and Egypt0 He entered into economic and military alliance with Hiramf the king of the Phoenicians9 who controlled much of the commerce of the Mediterranean Sea0 This al" liance dominated a very large share of the international commerce of the Mediterranean worldo Solomon negotiated treaties with many other nations as wello In those days alliances were ratified by the king taking to wife a princess from the country with whom he was making a treaty,, Solomon acquired hundreds of wives from various nationSo Those which came as princesses did not come alone9 but brought their servants9 their attendantsg and frequently their priests with them,, When they came to Jerusalem Solomon built shrines for them so that they could continue the observance of their reli-giono Thus9 a very large pagan colony grew up in the capital city of Israelo Such an example set by the king encouraged the rest of the people to continue their patronage of the heathen gods of their neighbors in the cities and villages where they lived0 In order to maintain his expansive government9 Solomon was forced to tax his people unmercifully0 To pay his foreign debts he had to enslave some of his citizens and send them abroad in forced labor camps to work off his indebtedness0 This brought great dissatisfaction which broke into open rebellion after his death0 One of his officerss Jeroboam^ led a revolt against Rehoboam^ Solomon s successor,, Ten of the twelve tribes followed Jeroboam in a secession movemento Only two remained with Rehoboamo Instead of one there were two nations^a Northern and a Southern==neither one of which was strong enough to have much weight in international affairso However8 because their neighbors were not strong either they were able to maintain their independence for a time0 The Northern kingdom retained the name2 Israelo The Southern kingdom was named Judah9 after the larger of the two tribes it includedo With the rise (8th century B0C„) of the Assyrian empire^ which sub" jugated all neighboring peoples9 the independence of the Hebrew kingdoms came to an end0 The northern kings were frequently involved in rebellions against the power of Assyria0 As a result they were deposed2 and Israel was incorporated as a province of the empire0 The kings of Judah accepted Assyrian rule and paid the tribute re™ quired of vassal kings0 They were allowed a measure of home’rule under the overlordship of Assyria, This is the international situa-tion into which Habakkuk was born and in which he wrote his booko The lesson today gives a brief description of some of the religious9 political9 and social conditions in Judah at that time under kings Manasseh^ Amon2 Josiah2 Jehoahaz8 and Jehoiakimo It was the twi" light of the Southern kingdom., which soon was to be absorbed by a » 215 - Lesson 55? The Times of Habakkuk new power in Southern Mesopotamia? This was the time when the Baby Ionian empire was beginning its expansion^ a movement which was to swallow up the Assyrians to the north9 conquer the peoples of Syria and Palestine in the wests extend its authority into Egypt to the souths and secure by treaty the allegiance of the Persians and the Medes to the east? Discussion 1? Discuss part 2 of the assignment? Z/ie 4tn6 ofi ktng-& Mana&teh. and Amon? and the, people ofa Judah, mentioned tn 1 King a 21 e Manasseh did what was evilo Followed the abominable practices of the heathen? Rebuilt the high places (pagan shrines)? Erected altars for Baal? Set up an image of Asherah in the temple of God? (Asherah was the Phoenician goddess of the sea and the consort of the weather-godp Baal? The KJV erroneously translated the Hebrew word as "grove” because the existence of this goddess in Canaanite mythology was unknown until recent years?) Worshiped the stars at altars he built in the temple courts? Built pagan altars in the temple courts? Burned his son as a human sacrifice? Practiced divination and witchcraft? Did much evil? Led the people of Judah into wickedness greater than that of the heathen nations that had been destroyed? Made the people of Judah to sin in idolatry? Shed much innocent blood? Served and worshiped idols? Intrigue and conspiracy were common? Assassination was prevelant? Reprisal killings were accepted procedure? (The society reflected by such a record should be reconstructed in imagination? The teacher should try to paint a very vivid word picture of such a crumbling civilization?) 2? Discuss the 3rd part of the assignment? Ltbt the. thing* which the Lo^d *atd would come upon Je/Lu*alem and Judah because ofi the *tn* oft the people# a* stated tn the fallow- tng pa**age*°° 2h?=45,° 23?26p27; 24H-4? « 216 - Lesson 55 0 The Times of Habakkuk Such conditions reflect a complete disregard of the principles of life which God had given to the people of Israel from Mt0 Sinai0 As we have learned previously, these principles cannot be disregarded with impunity0 These are principles of life0 Obedience to them is the only way life can continue,, A rejection of these and the acceptance of other principles result in the opposite of life—death,, The people of Judah were able to learn this only by a most tragic experience„ In the passages of 2 Kings suggested for our special study, some of these results are described both prophetically and historically? 21?10-15c The trouble that would come upon Jerusalem would be so severe ’’.<>« that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingleo” Jerusalem would be judged even as Samaria had already been judged,. The city would be wiped clean,, The people would become the prey and spoil of their enemies0 23? 26,27c Judah would be removed as Israel had been removed,, Jerusalem would no longer be God’s chosen city0 The temple would no longer be the house of God„ 24?l-40 Nebuchadnezzar subjugated Jehoiakim8 Bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites repeatedly raided the villages of Judah0 It is said in 24?3,4 that all this came upon Judah because? of the sins of Manasseh, of the innocent blood he shed, he filled Jerusalem with innocent bloodo LESSON 56o THE ARGUMENT Objectives To get an overview of the book of Habakkuk0 To see that God is willing to enter into a conversation with man-even with a complaining mano Assignment LESSON 57. ROUSING THE CHALPEANS Jo Identify the, & peahen tn each o$ the ^ottowtng panagnaph*s 1s2-4; 1s5-1U H12—2H0 20 To whom do the following pnonoan* nefien? I (7?5P6)P They Thea [1s12-14], Them (1s12), He (U5-17), I (2H)0 3o Lt*t the wond* and phna*e* whteh de*entbe the Chatdean* tn 1s5-110 Introduction We have learned something about the conditions in Judah at the time of Habakkuko These includeds The abominable practices of the heathen Canaaniteso Idolatry Worship of Baal and Asherah Worship of the stars Heathen altars in the temple courts Human sacrifice Witchcraft Wickedness surpassing that of the heathen Injustice in government and the execution of many innocents Political conspiracy and assassination Although judgment and retribution were delayed for a time because of drastic reforms during the reign of king Josiah9 the people of Judah had not genuinely repented9 and under the succeeding reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim they reverted to many practices to which they had become accustomed under the reigns of Manasseh and Amono Under Jehoiakim®s rule they began to reap what they had sown as they were raided repeatedly by bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammoniteso The story of Habakkuk is that of a godly man living under the evil conditions in Judah before these foreign raiders began making their inroadso He could not understand why God did nothing about the wickedness of His people0 In the lesson today we see the prophet complaining to God, and rather scolding Him for letting things get so bado — 218 ~ Lesson 560 The Argument Discussion lo The following materials will be of help in introducing the class to the Book of Habakkuko AUTHORS Nothing is known of him outside his booko The legends of the rabbis are not reliable., The best tradition seems to be the one that represents Habakkuk as a temple chorister0 This, at leasts is in harmony with the style of the book, which is poetry and dedicated to the choirmaste.ro The third chapter is a psalm0 HISTORICAL SETTINGS Eo Go White, in PK 385ffs seems to place him in the reign of Josiah before his 18th year0 This is in harmony with the conditions depicted0 Josiah9s reign? 639-608 BOCO ISRAEL? The nations had not yet recovered from the reigns of Ma™ nasseh (55 years) and Amon (2 years)0 Manasseh had blended the aboriginal nature worship of the Canaanites with the highly ri” tualistic Babylonian polytheismo Human sacrifice was practicedo Evidently an autocratic, selfish ruling class had grown up which subverted public office to private interests0 Manasseh ’'’shed in™ nocent blood very much0" 2 Kings 21?16c He named the crown prince after the Egyptian god, Amon0 After two years of reign, Amon was assassinated9 and JosiahB a boy of eight years, was placed on the throneo No doubt the ruling class still held control, unless the coup by which Amon was assassinated was a revolt larger in scope than the record suggests0 The evil conditions continued9 in any CS.SO o ASSYRIA0 The empire was breaking apart during these years0 Ashur™ banipal (669-626), the last of Assyria’s great kings, was on the throneo He was more of a patron of the arts, a builder and a scholar, than he was a warrioro The old order, which had held sway for more than a century, was passing0 BABYLONo In 626 B0C0, the year Ashurbanipal died, an ambitious, vigorous, able man—Nabopolassar—™assumed power in Babylono In 625 he established Chaldean supremacy in southern Mesopotamia, free of Assyrian controlo Under his son, Nebuchadnezzar, Nineveh fell in 612 BoCoj and the Assyrian forces were finally defeated six years later8 In 605, shortly before his father’s death, Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptian forces at the battle of Charchemisho This gave him undisputed control of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine0 * All dates are according to Edwin Ro Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings0 Chicago? The University of Chicago Press, 1951o 219 — Lesson 56 0 The Argument Contemporary Prophets ZEPHANIAH denounced the sins of Jerusalem during the first half of the reign of Josiaho JEREMIAH was known as the weeping prophet because of his sorrow for the sins and sufferings of the people of Judaho He began prophecy-ing in the 13th year of Josiaho HULDAH predicted destruction coming to Jerusalem0 This was in the 18th year of Josiah^ the beginning of reformo HABAKKUK probably joined these to influence the reforms of the 18th year0 A strong tradition indicates that he lived to see Judah fall0 (Appocryphal Appendix to Daniel0) The key verse of the book is chapter 2:4 ’’Behold 8 he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail* but the righteous shall live by his faith0’’—RSV Another translation words it: "Verily* the wicked man—I take no pleasure in him; but the righteous lives by reason of his faithfulness,"—’Smith Goodspeedo 2e Discuss part 2 of the assignmento Make and theme, Ae,nte.nt the. teao" (14) "The cup ofi htt uAath0" (15) ’’Let a£E the eatth keep tZEence0" (20) Introduction In our previous lesson we studied the complaint of Habakkuk and the Lord’s preliminary answero The prophet began by reminding the Lord that he repeatedly had called to His attention the existing evils of Judah8 but that God continued to do nothing0 In answers the Lord said He hadn t exactly been idle0 However2 He was doing a work which Habakkuk would not believe if he were toldo Then He proceeded to give him a partial explanationo The Lord said He was rousing the fierce Chaldeans to do something about the bad situation in Jerusalem0 Habakkuk^ as the Lord predicted9 couldn°t believe what he heard0 "’You cannot look on evil deeds9 so how can you look upon faithless men? How can a righteous God condone the suffering of righteous people at the hands of wicked men? This is to treat men like worms!98 Having said his piece9 Habakkuk retired to his place on thewatch tower to await the Lord°s rebuke and to plan his own answero This is the background for the more complete answer God gave by the vision in Chapter 20 - 226 “ Lesson 58O The Vision Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment with the help of the chalkboard0 Mafee a bimwiaJctj chajii chapteA 20 Divide, the, paA.agfia.phA oa fiol-tow 2-5; 6-S; 9-H; 12-/4; 15=47; HJ9; 20o The Lords Answer / ______________._________________Zj. 2-5 Write the Vision He whose soul is not upright in Him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faitho 6-8 First Woe Against him who accumulates what is not his own; the plunderer will be plundered0 9-11 Second Woe Against him who takes evil profits for his house; seeking security thus is fatalo 12-14 Third Woe Against him who builds with blood; the labor of nations is for naught0 15-17 Fourth Woe Against him who disgraces his neighbor for his own elevation; shame! 18,19 Fifth Woe Against him who prays to an idol; it can t respond--not even breathe® 20 The Lord is in His Temple The earth is called to reverence the Holy Godo | 20 Compare 1§4 with 2 s 40 It would be well to put this on the board point by pointy asking the pupils to supply the answers to the following questionss Who is speaking in each case? What is the position in each case of the wicked and of the righteous? How do you account for the difference? * 227 Lesson 58O The Vision U4 2§ 4 Spoken by Habakkuk The unjust rule The righteous are surrounded by the wicked Spoken by God The unjust shall fail The righteous shall live by faith Habakkuk complained of the injustice in Jerusalem which allowed the wicked to prosper while the righteous suffered from their oppres* siono God told him to look beyond the borders of Israel to the heathen nations9 for He was appointing the Chaldeans to punish the injustice and wickedness of Jerusalem0 To this Habakkuk responded with monumental misunderstanding0 He said he had cried to God con* cerning the mess that Judah was ins but that God had refused to hear and had let things get worse and worse0 Finallyg when God did answerg Habakkuk was convinced things were worse than he had realized0 When he asked for justice in Judah the Lord replied that He was sending a nation less just than the rulers in Jerusalem! Had God abdicated His throne of justice in favor of this international gangster? Then9 as an introduction to a more detailed explanation^ God stated two basic principles which He would amplify by five woeso God said that regardless of the appearance of thingsg rHe whose soul is not upright in him shall fail 0 38 ’’The righteous ahll live by his faitho” No matter how prosperous a wicked man may seem to be9 he is doomed to failo No matter how powerful^ how rich9 how ruthless he may bes he shall failo On the other hand9 although the righteous may seem to be under the power of the wicked without any chance of being freed from the yokes ’’The righteous shall live by his faitho” Most people live in response to their environment0 They feel that they are bound to their circumstances0 The Lord here is telling Habakkuk that the righteous should not be dominated by their envir* onment$ nor should their destiny be dependent upon it0 Rather8 the righteous shall live by faitho Their lives and destinies are determined by their relationship to Godg not by their unsatisfactory relationship to the worldo This was a brief answer to Habakkuk s complaint0 What about the in* justices of Israel? What about the wicked who oppress and prosper at the expense of others? What about the heathen nation waxing rich on 228 Lesson 58O The Vision the plunder of its weaker neighbors? Is this to keep on indefinitely? Is there no end to the injustice, cruelty, and greed in the world? The Lord's answer is unequivocal, blunt, and brief: ”He whose soul is not upright in him shall fail0” On the other hand the righteous man lives not by reason of the just or unjust treatment which he re-ceives from otherso He lives not because God sets things right for him (as Habakkuk had been asking Him to do)0 He is not dependent upon favorable national or international conditions for his lifeo His life is not dependent upon an understanding of God’s working (as Habakkuk was demanding to understand)0 No, the righteous lives by reason of his faithfulness, by his relationship with Godo 30 The Lord admitted that this principle is not always immediately apparent 0 He instructed the prophet to write the vision plainly on tablets so that it might be read at a glance by anyone on the run0 Its principles are sure and true, although these may not be immediately apparento Wait for its outworking, fir it will surely comeo Regardless of appearance, regardless of delay, regardless of much evidence to the contrary, the wicked shall fail, and the righteous shall live0 The life of the righteous man is not dependent upon the sufferance of the wickedo It is a result of living with God in faith0 The rest of Chapter 2 amplifies this principle, and Chapter 3 is the response of Habakkuk when he actually understands it0 LESSON 59o FIVE WOES Objectives To achieve an understanding of the words and figures of speech used in the five woes of Habakkuk 20 preparatory to a more detailed study0 To reiterate the principles noted before? that wickedness leads to ultimate failure and that the upright life should depend for its strength on faith in Gods irrespective of the environment0 Assignment LESSON 60o TAUNT OF THE CAPTIVES L What Z4 the, p/itmatiy psUnatpte tnvotved. Zn each The ^Zve cvoe4 diapt&i 2? 20 Can you 4ee any Ketattonahtp bztW£e.n 2 s20 and zadi o[ Zhe ^Zve MOZA? Introduction In the previous lesson we studied the preliminary answer of the Lord to Habakkukps complainto The prophet had called the Lordvs attention to the fact that in Jerusalem the wicked were prosper-ing more than the righteous0 He did not feel this to be righto He thought the Lord ought to set things straight in the city so that the righteous would prosper? and if anybody had to suffer9 probably it ought to be. the wicked0 In response a the Lord stated two basic principles which are true regardless of what the appearance of things may be for a time0 The principles were not easy to believe (2g4)g ”He whose soul is not upright in him shall failo” ’’But the righteous shall live by his faith0” In other words9 He was saying9 ’’Habakkuk^ you think the wicked prosper? I tell you that the wicked shall failo You complain that the righteous are suffering under the oppression of the wicked? I tell you that the lives of the righteous should be determined by their faith and not by the way other people treat them0” These principles were true both for the crooked politicians of Jerusalem and for the Chaldean dictator who would soon be punishing the oppressors of Jerusalem0 The Lord then pointed out to the prophet that there is no satisfaction in arrogance and greedo In 2?5 he says j ’’the arrogant man shall not abide”—that is8 he shall not en= “ 230 “ Lesson 59 0 Five Woes dureo ”His greed is as wide as Sheol (abode of the dead); like death he has never enougho” Greed is a disease that grows as it is fed0 It is like the slogan on the Cracker-Jack box9 ’"The more you eat, the more you wanto” In the lesson for today, the Lords answer is particularly directed toward the second part of Habakkuk?s complaint—that which expresses his shocked disbelief at the. Lord s assertion that the Chaldean was to be used to punish the unjust princes in Jerusalem0 This answer is in the form of five woes, which are quoted as though they were being spoken by the nations suffering under the oppression of the Chaldeanso ’’Shall not all these [the conquered nations] take up their taunt against him [the Chaldean]0 in scoffing derision of him, and say9 0 0 0 ” This is then followed by the five woes which we will now begin to studyo Discussion lo Ask for the word definitions called for in assignment l0 Look up the. &o£Zouu.ng uiotidA Ln Xhe ckcXZona^t/ and uwZte XhaJji manning Lnto tjouA. workbooks Boo£ys Remnant^ PLund&t, Sa£e.d» Re.veLatLon0 BOOTY - lo plunder, esp0 spoil taken in war0 20 any rich gain, however taken0 Booty does not indicate legitimate profit, but usually that which is taken by force0 REMNANT - l0 residue; remainder0 20 a small fragment0 An unsold end of piece goods, as of cloth0 30 a surviving trace9 as of a custom^ state, etc0 o o o remaining; yet lefto In Habakkuk 2? 8, ’’the remnant of the peoples”, refers to the peoples of the earth who have survived the plundering of the conquerero PLUNDER ™ To pillage; spoil; sack0 Hence, to take by force or wrongfullyo 0 o o to commit robbery or lootingo lo act of plundering, as inwar; pillaging; hence, spllation by extortiono 20 spoil; booty; looto SATED - lo To satisfy or gratify to the full, as a desire0 20 To gratify to the point of weariness or loathing; satiate0 When a person has eaten so much that he just can’t eat any more, and the very sight of food almost makes him sick, he is ’’sated” o It is more than a comfortable satisfaction of ones hunger0 When one is sated he is on the verge of nausea0 - 231 ~ Lesson 590 Five Woes REVELATION - l0 act of revealing; the disclosing to others of what was before unknown to them; also, that which is revealed; often, a striking disclosure,, 20 Theolo (a) Godss disclosure or manifestation of himself or of his will to man9 as through some act, oracular words9 signs9 laws, etc0 (b) that which is revealed by God to man0 Revelation may come from a person, through an experience, or from Godo It is not likely to come from a piece of wood or from a stoneo This is the significance of the question in 2g199 ’’Can this give revelation?” 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment„ Tfttj to detenmtne the context ivhat meant by the fioZZouh tng &tgunet> oft speechs "To tiet to ne^t on htgh0" (9) "The 6 to ne cAt/ out finom the Matt. and the beam finom the MoodMonk. nebpondo" (H) ’’Who biutdt a toMn Mith b£oodo” (12) the Mateu eoven the &ea0" (14) "The cap o( hu Mnathh' (15) "Let att the eanth keep &£tenee0" (20) TO SET HIS NEST ON HIGH (9) HIS is a pronoun whose antecedent is the clause, ’’who gets evil gain0" NEST suggests his dwelling place and his family0 It is used in parallelism with ”his house” in the line before0 ’’House”, here means more than a buildings the entire household,, ON HIGH is explained by the clause which follows“-°”to be safe from the reach of harmt” The figurej ”to set his nest on high”, denotes the attempts of the Chaldean (or anyone who gets evil gain for his house) to use the wealth he has plundered to make himself, his city, and his people secure““”to be safe from the reach of harm0”' Anyone who goes about plundering and taking booty will make many enemies0 This the Chaldean did0 His wealthy, then, must be obtained to protect himself against the enemies he has made while accumulating it0 THE STONE WILL CRY OUT FROM THE WALL, AND THE BEAM FROM THE WOODWORK RESPONDo (11) This continues the figure of a ”nest” or a ’’house”0 The stones and the beams, the walls and the woodwork of the house built as a de™ 232 - Lesson 59 0 Five Woes fense against enemies will cry out against the one who gets evil gain and uses it to protect himself against those whom he has plundered0 It will be a haunted house! This is a figure that is being used0 Those who have been killed, who have been robbed, who have been tortured, who have been crippled for life in the wars of conquest, will haunt the houseo He who has thus enriched himself can find no peace nor satisfaction in his bootyo WHO BUILDS A TOWN WITH BLOOD (12) The continues the same figure but enlarges it from a house to a city0 Building a town through the shedding of blood is used in parallelism with the following clauseg "and founds a city on iniquity!” AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA (14) This expression modifies the following clause of this sentence, ’’the earth will be filled o 0 o as the waters cover the sea0” Could you think of a figure that would describe a more complete, a more vast, a more uniform filling of anything than, ”as the waters cover the sea?” If the earth is to be filled with something so fully, so completely, so deeply, it will be full, indeed! THE CUP OF HIS WRATH (15) HIS refers to, ’’him who makes his neighbor drinko” CUP OF WRATH is a figure taken from the drinking of wine as is indicated by the expressions which follows "Makes them drink0” "Drink, yourself, and stagger!” The cup of his wrath strikes a blow at the people and makes them reel and stagger0 It is worse than if the neighbor had simply drunk too much wine on his own THE CUP IN THE LORD°S RIGHT HAND (16) This is a parallel to ”the cup of his wrath0” Even as the Chaldean has made his neighbors drink of the cup of his wrath, so the Lord will make the Chaldean drink of the cup of divine wrath0 LET ALL THE EARTH KEEP SILENCE (20) The statement which precedes this, "the Lord is in His holy temple”, is the clue to the meaning of this figure0 Keeping silence before the Lord in a temple is to be reverent0 This figure calls upon the people of the earth to be reverent before Godo — 233 =" Lesson 590 Five Woes 30 As a help to the students in their study for the following lesson it might be well to discuss the transitional statements of verses five and sixo The introductory statement in verse 5S ’’wine is treacherous/' refers to the wine of conquest0 tyranny0 oppression^ greed0 It may taste good to some peoplee but it undermines both their physical and mental strength^ and if taken in sufficient quantity^ will render them helplesso Habakkuk had been telling the Lord that the wicked were prosperingo This was true in Jerusalem^ it was true in Chaldea0 The Lord reminded Habakkuk that wine is treacherous0 It may appear beautifuls, and it may seem pleasant while going downs but this is not the final result0 Arrogant men will not endure0 Their greed is never satisfied,, Just like death9 greed never has enough0 The conquerer goes out and collects nations and peoples for his own possession., He never gets enough to satisfy hims but (just as with wine) the more he takes the more dangerous it is for him0 The very act of extending his strength over more and more peoples increases his jeopardy0 for every conquered person is not only a captive-Hie is also an enemy0 Verse 6 introduces the rebellion of these conquered peoples0 The conquered will taunt the conquerer,. The apparently weak will scoff at the apparently strongo The captive will deride his captor,. How they will taunt9 scoff9 and deride is amplified in the five woeso The word9 Oswoe”s) is translated from a word which is really an exclamation indicating a forceful slgh0 It is an exclamation of apprehension in this case9 a derisive threat0 LESSON 60a TAUNT OF THE CAPTIVES Objectives To emphasize the futility of success at the expense of others—by dishonest gainj, violence, undercutting, and self-centered ambitiono To recognize that irrespective of man’s ambition and striving the Holy God is still sovereign, and man owes to Him reverenceo Assignment LESSON 61o THE PRAYER OF HABAKKUK 10 Reach, ehapten 3 at least thnee on ^oun tune* naptdtg. 20 ConAtnact a Aumtny chant dividing the chapten Into panagnapht accondlng to the fallowing pattenm 1-15; 16; 17-19O 3o Note the pnogne^lon oft the pnophet0* attitude toward God tn 1s2fi3; b 12-17; 3?2O Introduction The Lord assured Habakkuk that the apparent success of unrighteous men was illusionary, or at best temporaryo Ultimately, wickedness can result only in failure and defeat0 He pointed out that the Chaldean, whom Habakkuk feared as an instrument of judgment against Judah, in his very conquests was laying the ground-work for his own defeato It should be emphasized that God was showing Habakkuk that divine judgments actually are the natural results of evil acts0 When Habakkuk complained about the evil in Jerusalem, the Lord answered that He was commissioning the Chaldean power to punish the evil-doers0 A look at the history of Judah when this was fulfilled reveals that the Chaldean armies looted the country and destroyed the city because the king and the princes rebelled and refused to pay their taxes0 They brought their trouble upon themselves o In the introduction to the five woes we noted that the Lord pointed out to Habakkuk that the very act of conquest, though apparently increasing the power of a nation, actually sows the seeds of its eventual downfall, for the more people the nation conquers, the more enemies the nation has0 Eventually these enemies become numerous enough and strong enough to turn upon their conquerors in rebellion, derision, and scoffingo 235 - Lesson 60o Taunt of the Captives We now turn our attention to what the conquered peoples shout back at their captorso The principles imbeded in these woes are just as applicable to individuals as they are to nations0 It is because of this that we are particularly interested in t.hem0 Discussion lo Draw out the principles of the woes as the students found them in their study8 and consider them as a pre-summary0 Following this the woes should be discussed (part 2) in more detailo What thz p/uma/uj pwictpte tnvotved tn each thz o& ehapt&t 2? 1st The wealth obtained by theft and plunder is not enduring8 for those who have been robbed will take their revenge0 2nd There is no security to be obtained by the destruction or enslavement of others8 for the result can be only death0 3rd There can be no enduring greatness achieved through force and bloodshed8 and such exertions by people or nations will be found to be for naught0 4th There can be no enhancement or elevation of self through the degrading others9 for this results in shame and disgrace0 5th There can be no value in idolatry8 for idols are dumb and can* not respondo 20 Discuss each woe in more detailo First Woe (6-8) This is directed against him who accumulates what is not his owno The emphasis is not only on outright theft9 but also on the in-curring of debts which cannot be paid0 The Smith-Goodspeed translation words it as follows? "Woe to him who enriches himself with what is not his own 0 o o“~and loads himself with debts! Will not your creditors rise up suddenly9 and those awake who will make you quake?” Such transgression brings its own retribution^ for those who have been robbed and cheated will take their revenge9 and the plunderer himself will be plunderedo This is a direct result of dishonesty? "Because you have plundered many nations9 all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder youo" - 236 Lesson 60® Taunt of the Captives Second Woe (9-~H) Directed against those who acquire unjust profits (evil gain”), and against those who seek to find security in riches® It denounces the making of wealth the measure of security® It condemns the one who trusts in wealth® Such practices can result only in shame® The attempt to elevate one’s self or his business by these methods is actually the planning of his downfall® By cutting off other people one forfeits his own life® The very stones of a wall in the house built by such profits, and the beams in the woodwork cry out in witness against the dishonest or too-shrewd builder® It is as though the people who have been cheated and have suffered injustice are haunting the structures built by the ill-gotten wealth® Third Woe (12-14) Directed against the ruthless and the violent® This woe denies the assertion that ’’the end justifies the means®" It denounces even constructive work—including such fine civic service as the building of a town—when it is accomplished through violence, oppression, falsehood, and unethical methods® It condemns the attainment even of good objectives by unfair and evil means® ”000 peoples labor only for fire, and nations weary themselves for naught®’’ This is the sad story of history® Nation after nation has built up its power at the expense of others® Conqueror after conqueror has led his people to supposed greatness only to find that all the labor, the effort, the bloodshed, the sorrow, and the suffering have been for nothing® Regardless of how powerful a nation has become, irrespective of how extensive its influence has been spread, no matter how wealthy it has become, every military and political power has gone to its doom® However, this woe does not end without a note of optimism® There is something better to look forward to than the inevitable destruction of every hope of man® Yes, the ’’peoples labor for fire,” but after the fires "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea0" Here is encouragement for those who live by faith® Although "he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail," the "righteous shall live by his faith®9’ The ultimate working out of this principle, although only partially seen in this life, will be consumated at the time when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord®" The true and final solution for the problems of injustice concerning which Habakkuk was complaining will not be seen until that time, even though evil brings retribution in this life as well® 237 - Lesson 60o Taunt of the Captives Fourth Woe (15-17) Here is a figure of speech arising out of the debasement of drunkenness0 It refers to the despicable act of a person who entertains his competitor with wineg tricking him into drinking so much that he becomes drunkg then turns him out to be disgraced in the neighborhood and gloats over his shame0 This is a condemnation of anyone who tries to get ahead by pushing other people down0 There are people who feel that the disgrace of someone else somehow enhances their own position., Usually these are people with an inferiority complex9 who feel that they are not quite as good as other peopleo So they try to make other people look worse than they0 How satanic! How devilish! And yetp how human! Does bringing shame upon someone else elevate the person who caused it? The answer isg ”you will be satedo” We have seen that sated may mean satisfied^ or nausiatingly saturated0 What follows in the statement indicates which is meant9 for no one is 'satisfied' with contempt0 ’’You will be sated [nauseated] with contempt instead of gloryc Drinkc yourself9 and stagger!” Instead of deriving honor from the disgrace of a competitor you will reap contempt! Instead of being exalted by a neighbor's degradation brought about by you9 you will receive only shameo Of course9 this woe is still directed specifically against the conquering and plundering Chaldean9 but the principle is true anywhere0 The resulting disgrace is repeated in terms of divine judgments ’’The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you8 and shame will come upon your glory!” Moffatt translated this last statement9 e8Shame9 not glory9 gluts youo” Fifth Woe (18s 19) Directed against idolatryo Just as the first commandment forbids any gods—anything—being regarded of more importance than God? so it is here0 In the case of the Chaldean it was idols of wood9 stone9 gold9 silver0 Actually9 the shape is not importanto Whether it be the shape of a man9 a calf9 or just a disk of silver is of no con-cern0 The material of which it is made is not importanto Whether it be of metalg stone $ wood9 or green-backed paper9 makes no difference 0 Whether the wood be cut or still living in the tree; whether the calf be of gold or be a living Apis Bull of Egypt; whether the man be of cast metal or a living man himself—these do not mattero Of all idols9 the most common^ the most dear9 the most difficult to discard is the living person—one” s self0 How dear we are to ourselves! How conceited? how glorious we are in our own sight! Idolatry is not only condemned9 but it is ridiculed in this woeo A person makes an idol9 shapes it9 and then trusts in it0 It can’t awake0 It can’s arise0 It has no breathe How can it possibly be - 238 - Lesson 60o Taunt of the Captives a god to a living person? Of course, we smile at the credulity of heathen people who worship things they have made with their own hands0 But everything wrong, evil, and nonsensical that can be said about that kind of idolatry can also be said just as truly about self idolatry,, When we set ourselves up as our own god, trusting in our own strength for the solution of all our problems, we are about as intelligent as the worm who got tired of having his area destroyed by the plow and hoe of the man who owned the garden0 The worm decided to solve his problem by becoming a man! 30 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Can you. any >ie£aX£ont>lu.p between 2s 20 and zach the. woeA? 1st Let him who enriches himself with what is not his own remember: the Lord is in His Holy temple—He is not like the blind wooden idol, but sees his wickedness0 2nd Let him who seeks security in destruction or enslavement of others know: The Lord is in His Holy temple—He is not like the deaf golden idol, but hears the cries of the defrauded and the boasts of power by ill-gotten riches0 3rd Let him who builds by force and violence not forget: The Lord is in His Holy temple—He is not like the cold stone idols, but His heart yearns in sympahty with those who suffer under his arrogance0 4th Let him who degrades his competitor and gloats over his disgrace realize: that the Lord is not like the insensible idol of silver, but He smells the stench of drunkenness; He hears the filthy laughter, even in His Holy temple! 5th Let him who speaks to idols which are dumb before him, keep silent before God who would speak to him from His Holy templec (Perhaps a gentle rebuke to the talkative Habakkuk?) LESSON 61, THE PRAYER OF HABAKKUK Objectives To get an overview of the prayer of a prophet who has come to understand something of the way God works with men. To clarify some of the expressions and allusions, an understanding of which is necessary to a full appreciation of the prayer. Assignment LESSON 62o WRATH AMP MERCY 1, In 3? 2 Habakk.uk addA.eAAeA a pA,ayeA. to God. He now undeAAtandA moA.e ofi the way God9A judgments come, upon people. He A.e^ew to two phaACA o£ God9A judgmentss WA.ath and meA,cy. In the itAAt column ofa the chaAt ttst the expAeA A to ns which deAcAtbe the dtsptayA o£ the gtoAy and o£ the Aavtng acttvitteA ofa God. In the otheA column ttst alt Ae^cAcnceA to violent acts o& God that one mentioned tn 3^3-15. Introduction We have studied God’s answer to the prophet’s complaint in chapter 20 Like wine9 greed never satisfies0 Like the craving for wine, pride and arrogance are insatiable in their demands0 When one is drunk he demands moreo Instead of satisfying the drinker it strikes back by making him drunk, The greed of the Chaldean drives him to devour nations, but his greed is never satisfied. This is true not only of national but also of personal greed. Just as wine which has been imbibed strikes at the drinker, so the devoured nations take up their taunt against their conqueror with scoffing and derision, "Wine is a mocker”—so is greed0 "Strong drink is raging"—so is arrogance. As wine makes the drinker inert, halpless, and foolish, so will the oppressed, the cheated, the degraded make their oppressor, cheater, and degrader an object of scorn and destruction. All man—the haughty, the proud, the powerful, the self-reliant, the unjust, the idolatersare summoned to stand in reverence before the holy God, who sees their evil, injustice, and pride, even from His temple. The prophet has learned. He now understands something about the way God works with men. It is interesting to us that God took the time to explain his actions to a mere man. This is another indication of God’s personal concern with each individual, and His willingness to - 240 - Lesson 610 The Prayer of Habakkuk do all that is necessary to attract us to Him in love and worship. This is what happened to Habakkuk® The final chapter in the book is a prayer which indicates his understanding and states his unconditional committment to God® Discussion l0 Discuss part 2 of the assignment® CoMtAuct a wma/uj diaAi dividing the. chapter. into paAa.gfia.phA ac~ cording to the. £ottowing patteAn: L-15; 16; 17-19o Prayer of Understanding 3 SALVATION! 1-15 God Works for Salvation Whether He shows His glory, sends pestilence, shakes nations, strikes rivers, seas, mountains, earth, sun, moon—all His actions are for the salvation of His people 0 16 Quietly Wait Habakkuk is resigned to wait for the complete working out of God’s plans, 17-19 Joy in God Regardless of hardships, the prophet rejoices in God, who has become personal to him—who will save, strengthen, and prosper him® 2® Discuss part 3 of the assignment® Note, the. pfLogsteAAion ofi the, pftophe^A attitu.de. toward God in 1:2,3; 1:12-17; 3:2a 1:2,3 — I cry—’you don’t listen® I cry—you won’t save® You make me see wrongs® You make me look upon trouble, I am surrounded by destruction, violence, strife, contention. - 241 - Lesson 61. The Prayer of Habakkuk The entire tone is one of complaint and exasperation. The prophet is not judging the conditions in the world—he is actually sitting in judgment upon God. He is accusing God of not tending to His business! How often we do the same! 1:12-17 — This can’t happen to us, (”We will not die.”) You can’t mean what you are saying. (’’Thou . . . canst not look on wrong.”) If you do this you are treating men like fish and worms. Are you going to support the Chaldean in his looting and atrocities for ever? In this speech Habakkuk is actually saying that he had felt God to be a bit negligent about His business, but this was worse than he had thought. He did not imagine God could stoop to go into partnership with such a villain as the Chaldean power. His tone of complaint and exasperation has changed to one of defiant criticism. 2:1 — I made my speech and I will stand by it. I am sure the Lord will rebuke me— But I will have an answer for him. Habakkuk was so impressed by his own speech and reasoning that he had become self-confident and smug. Before we become critical of a man who would talk to God this way we should examine some of our own attitudes to see if we do not share some of his feelings of exasperation, criticism, and defiance against God, and what we think He is doing or not doing for us. 3:2 — I have heard what you said. I fear your work— However, please continue it. Please be merciful in your wrath. At this point the prophet had come to understand that what the Lord was doing had to be done. Still, he was apprehensive as to what might happen, and he prayed that the Lord would not let it get any worse than necessary. The prophet is no longer complaining nor criticizing; he is not exasperated nor defiant; he certainly is not self-confident nor smug. He is reverent, but also afraid and apprehensive. It would be well now to note briefly two further progressions in the prophet’s attitude even though they are not assigned. These need not be discussed in detail at this point, because they are a part of a later (64) lesson. However, they will serve to complete the picture of Habakkuk’s experience of spiritual growth. - 242 - Lesson 61« The Prayer of Habakkuk 3:16 — I tremble and quiver0 I am weak and can hardly walk0 Yet I will wait quietly for the complete fulfillment of God’s plans”—■’for the day when our punishers are themselves punishedo Although the fear has not disappeared—as it cannot from anyone who truly realizes the consequences of sin—yet there is a certain feeling of resignation and confidence that everything eventually will turn out righto 3:17-19 — Even though: the trees yield no fruit, the fields yield no grain or vegetables, the flocks be stolen from their folds, the herds disappear from the stalls, Yet I will: rejoice in the Lord; joy in God! God is my strength and my joyo The prophet finally attained an unconditional faith in God which brought him satisfaction and joy even under conditions more severe than those which had promoted his complaint and exasperation in the beginningo 3« The book of Habakkuk is divided into two parts0 The first is introduced in chapter 1:1, "The oracle of God which Habakkuk the prophet saw0” This is followed by the complaint of Habakkuk and the Lord’s answer to it0 The complaint of the prophet serves as the setting for God’s answero It is the oracle of God following Habakkuk’s complaint that is the matter of concern in chapter 20 The second part is introduced in 3:1, ’’A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet0” The prayer is the result of the enlightenment of his understanding which he received through the oracle of God0 The prayer opens with the prophet saying, "0 Lord, I have heard the report of Thee0” This is a contrast to his activity previously0 At first he was more interested in having the Lord listen to him than he was in listening to Godo ”0 Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear?” "Or cry to thee ’Violence!”" (1:2) After the Lord answers him he still is not satisfied,, He wants to argue saying that the Lord can’t possibly mean what He says0 Although he realizes that he is due a reproof, he still is not through discussing: "I will o o o look forth to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer 0 o 0" (2:1) - 243 - Lesson 610 The Prayer of Habakkuk However, after he has heard what the Lord had to say to him (ch0 2), he has no more complaint nor any more arguments—only a prayer0 In this prayer he will explain his understanding of the works of God and then state his own attitude toward a God who works this way0 Part of this attitude is revealed in the opening sentence, ”Thy work, 0 Lord, do I fear0" However, this does not describe his full res-ponseo That will come later„ 40 It will help the students to understand their study of the next assignment better if a little introduction is given at this point concerning the nature of what follows0 Verses 3-15 are a description of God in action in the world, particularly in relation to His people Israel0 The language is rich in figures and symbols,. This is brilliant poetry, and no attempt should be made to find literal meanings for every expression,, Some of the descriptions obviously refer to specific incidents„ However, this is a picture of God sweeping through history without too much regard for considerations of chronology or geography at timeso (It would be well if the teacher would practice reading verses 3-16 so that he can do it vividly and colorfully,, Near the end of the class period the teacher might read these verses aloud while the students listen with their Bibles closed,,) LESSON 62o WRATH AND MERCY Objectives To share in Habakkuk's understanding of the acts of God in historyo To realize that God’s activites have only one purpose—the salvation of people,. If suffering results from such activity this is because of the nature of evil rather than because of God’s acts0 Assignment LESSON 63O I WILL QUIETLY UJAIT Jo What do you. fiind in 3a>13 that might explain the. change, in Habakk.uk0* attitude, toward God? 2o Compare 3°2 with 3i16o Note. the. *imitoKitie*a Ooe* veA*e 16 indicate, whether Habakkuk expected the LoKd to "in WKath Ke-membeK meKcy" a* he had a*ked in ve>u*e 2? Explain,, 3o In the lefit column o£ the chaxt indicate the Kecipient* o^ God04 gloKy and *alvation, and in the Kight column li*t the object* o^ violence and judgment, a* given in veK*e* 3-169 Introduction point out the parallels between God’s description of the Chaldean in chapter ls5~ll and the woes of chapter 2s6-190 The chart on the following page will indicate these. - 245 - Lesson 62O Wrath and Mercy God’s Two Descriptions of Evil and Its Results God tells Habakkuk that evil men will be punished by other wicked men0 1:5-11 God reveals to Habakkuk the woes which result from anyone’s wickednesso 2;6-19 6 They march through the earth seizing habitations not their own0 7-8 They are dread, terrible, fierce, and press proudly ono 8-9 They are swift to devour, come for violence, and gather captives like sando 10 They scoff at kings, make sport of rulers, laugh at every fortress0 11 They are guilty men whose own might is their godo 6-8 He who heaps up what is not his own and plunders many nations; Becomes booty for those he plundered0 9-11 He who gets evil gain for his house by cutting off many people? Forfeits his life0 12-14 He who builds a town with blood or founds a city in iniquity: Labors for fire and nought0 15-17 He who makes his neighbors drink till drunk to gaze on their shame: Sated with contempt, shame, overwhelmed with violence and terroro 18-19 He who makes an idol and trusts his own creation—gods of wood, stone, gold, silver: Receives no profit or revelationo In our previous lesson we began our study of Habakkuk’s prayer0 He had listened to the Lord explain what He meant when He said, "he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith0" (2; 4) This explanation had been closed by the majestic pronouncement, "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him0" (2s20) This is often used in churches even today as a call to worship0 Frequently it is sung by the church choir0 Evidently Habakkuk regarded it as a call to worship, for that is precisely what he proceded to doo The prayer has no tone of complaint as had his opening speecho Perhaps, too many of our own prayers are speeches of complaint rather than prayers of worship0 If so, we should seek a better understanding of God, even as Habakkuk did0 In today’s lesson we shall try to share the prophet’s understanding, which was written in poetry with an indication that it should be set to musico The note at the end of verse 19 dedicates this poem "to the choirmaster? with stringed instruments0" - 246 ■ Lesson 620 Wrath and Mercy The meaning of the phraseg "according to Shigionoth"8 is obscure2 but according to the Septuagint, it simply indicates that what follows is poetry? "the prayer of Ambakum [Habakkuk] the prophet; with an 0deo"~~LXX Discussion l0 Discuss the assignment0 In 3»2 Habakkuk. addieMe^ a piaijeA to God0 He. now undeAAtandA mow. of t/ie way God9A ju.dgme.nt6 come, upon pe.op£e.o He. stefeAA to two phases of God0 <6 ju.dgme.nt6? wsiath and meAcy0 In the. ftut cotumn of the. chaAt tt6t the. e.x.pA.e^^ton6 whtch de^cAtbe. the. dt6ptay£ of the gtony and of the. Aavtng acttvttte.6 of Godo In the. otheA cotumn tt6t alt tte.feAe.nceA to vtotent act6 of God that oac menttoned tn 3.°3~75O The following chart is suggestive of what might be placed on the chalk-board0 Materials for it should be drawn from the students0 GLORY AND SALVATION VIOLENCE AND JUDGMENT His glory covered the heavens0 The earth was full of his praise0 His brightness was like the light0 Rays flashed from his hand0 There (in his hand) he veiled his powero Thou wentest forth for the salvation of? thy people thy annointed Before him went pestilence0 Plague followed close behindo He measured the eartho He shook the nations0 The mountains were scattered0 The hills sank lowo The tents of Cushan were afflictedo The curtains (tents) of Midian did tremble,, Wrath against rivers0 Anger against rivers0 Indignation against the sea^ Thou didst? ride in victory unsheath thy bow put arrows to the string cleave the earth with rivers The mountains writhed-Raging waters swept on. The deep (primeval chaos) gave forth its voiceo Sun and moon stood still0 Light of thine arrows0 Flash of thy glittering spear. Thou didst? bestride the earth in fury trample the nations in anger crush the head of the wicked lay him bare from thigh to neck nre 2 A / he had at>ked tn oeate 2? Exptatne SIMILARITIES " 3:2 3s 16 I have heard I fear Renew it and make it known I hear My body trembles My lips quiver I will quietly wait When the prophet confidently says that he will wait for the day of trouble to come upon those who would be punishing Israel, he indicates that he expects the Lord to mingle his wrath with mercy, as he had asked in verse 2O In 1:17 he feared that the Chaldean was being given license without check to continue his notorious worko However, he has come to understand that the same factors which are bringing the invader upon Judah will also bring retribution to the invader and check his activities0 Even as God was "rousing the Chalden" (1?6) to check the evil power in Judah, so He would, no doubt, rouse another power to check the evil of the Chaldean0 Habakkuk had learned that no evil power was invincible, but that all would come under the judgment of Godo Yes, God9s wrath is always tempered with mercy0 Indeed, it is His mercy upon those - 250 - Lesson 63O I Will Quietly Wait who seek his salvation which calls forth his activity on their behalf—that activity which appears to the enemies of God as being works of wratho 3o It might be helpful at this point to isolate the objects of God’s saving activities and of his judgments, from the descriptions of the activities themselves as called for in assignment 30 In the. £e.^t cotumn ofi the. chant tndtcate. the. ne.ctpte.ntA ofa God* A gtontj and Aatvatton, and tn the. ntght hand cotumn ZtAt the. obje.ctA oh vto£e.nc.e. and ju.dgme.nt, oa gtve.n tn veAAeA 3-16 a OBJECTS OF GLORY & SALVATION OBJECTS OF VIOLENCE & JUDGMENT Heavens Earth God’s people His annointed Sun Moon Earth Mountains Rivers Sea Deep Waters Nations Heathen Wicked Wicked warriors It should be noted that the heavens and the earthy which would include the sun, moon, mountains, hills, rivers, sea, waters, etce, are objects both of God’s saving activities and of his violenceo The nations, the heathen, and the wicked, are listed only among the objects of His judgment,, God’s people, his annointed, are listed only among the objects of his salvation,, 40 It should be noted at this point that the prophet’s attitude in 1212-17, which has been characterized as critical and defiant, also contained the elements of a faith that somehow God’s plan must involve more than he (the prophet) could see„ He seems to be trying desperatly to find a basis for assurance0 Notice the way he characterizes and addresses God in 1:12,13 - 251 - Lesson 63O I Will Quietly Wait From everlasting 0 Lord My God My Holy One 0 Rock Of pure eyes Through his criticism he is seeking earnestly to find understandingo Even in his defiance he asks for enlightenment0 Note the questions he asks in lsl2-170 Are you not the everlasting holy God? Why do you condone the works of faithless men? Why are you silent when the wicked destroy the righteous? Is the punisher to continue his punishing without end? Although^ perhapsj) spoken in a tone of defiance these questions are prompted by a feeling that there must be a satisfactory answero These are honest queries0 The Lord evidently recognized them as valid0 Here was a man who was doing his best to serve Godo He wanted to serve Him better0 He found himself in a situation in which national and the international conditions were so bad that he couldn t explain them within the frame-work of his belief in a sovereign God0 His questions have been asked by countless people who believe in God—’’Why does God allow these evil things to happen? Why doesn't He exert His power to straighten things out in this world?” The book of Habakkuk gives the answer0 It is an answer9 however^ that can be accepted only by those who are willing to trust God in faith0 The fact that Habakkuk achieved such an un~ derstanding9 and the fact that God was willing to give him an explanation s are adequate evidence that Habakkuk was honestly seeking an understandingo Even the smug statement of 2s 1 indicates his faith that God would answer him0 God did0 ”The faith that strengthened Habakkuk and all the holy and the just in those days of deep trial9 was the same faith that sustains God's people todayo In the darkest hours8 under circumstances the most forbidding8 the Christian believer may keep his soul stayed upon the source of all light and powero Day by day9 through faith in God„ his hope and courage may be renewedo 'The just shall live by his faitho® In the service of God there need be no despondencyg no wavering^ no fear0 The Lord will more than fulfill the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him0 He will give them the wisdom their varied necessities demando” PKa 384?6O LESSON 64O I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD Obj ectIves To appreciate the joyous climax in Habakkuk’s experience as he began to understand the way of God’s working in the earth0 To instill similar positive attitudes toward God and man’s relationship to Him through understanding that His redemptive activities are the same in the world todayo Assignment LESSON 65o SEMESTER REVIEW Io Make a gene>ta£ outttne ofc the. matn AecttonA ofc the. book ofc GeneAtAo 20 Gtve a ^pecZ^Ze and detatZed account ofc the. Aetttng and the. development ofc the. gAeat pAobZem tn the. fc-tAAt Zh/tee ehapteAA ofc GeneAtA 0 3o Indtcate what eonVitbuttonA each ofc the. naAAattvcA eoneeAntng the. patAtaAehA eontAtbuteA to a AoZutton ofc the. gAeat pAobZem 0 40 Revtew the. Attuatton tn whteh God gave, htA gAeat pAtnctpZeA ofc Ztfce. tncZudtng tn youA dtAeuAAton a Atatement ofc each ofc the. pAtnctpZeA 0 50 LtAt the. mottveA fcoA AeAuZtA ofc obe.dte.nee. to God9 A taw oa gtven tn EzoduA 19t 20 and PAaZm 1190 60 Recount Habakkuk96 gAowth tn fcatth and undeAAtandtng oa he -bought the pAtnctpZeA undeAtytng God9 A deaZtng wtth manktnd, 7o TeZZ how the pAtnctpZeA you have Atudted aAe Atgntfcteant to youA Ztfcea 80 Make a Atatement eoneeAntng youA peAbonaZ AeAponAe to the woAd ofc God Atudted thuA fcaA thtA yeaA9 Introduction We have seen the progression of Habakkuk’s experience in faitho At first he was rather exasperated at what he thought to be God’s indifference toward wrongs which he saw going on about him0 Then, when the Lord told him that He was preparing a punishment for the wrongdoers by bringing against them a more powerful wrong-doer, the prophet was shockedo However, as the Lord gave him a vision of His saving work, he was assured that faithlessness inevitably ends in " 253 - Lesson 64O I Will Rejoice in the Lord failurej> but that those who have faith in God can live confidently in the strength of that faith, and they need not expect all wrongs to be made right in this worldo As the prophet came to realize fully that all of God"s acts are intended for the salvation of those who trust Him, and that the suffering which may result from such activity is actually caused by resistence to or rebellion against it? he was prepared to put his complete trust in God regardless of what might comeo In our lesson for today we will see the climax of his experience, and see that God5s redemptive activities are the same in the world todayo Discussion lo Discuss assignment l0 What Za the, aeZaZZon between 3s 76 and 3?/7? 3H6® In this verse the prophet expresses his fear of what is coming upon him and his nation because of the evil to which he referred in l:2”4o As he realized that they were to be at the mercy of the conquering Chaldean power his body trembled, his lips quivered, his bones ached, and his legs nearly gave way0 Any reading of the acts of military campaigns conducted by some of these ancient Mesopotamian monarchs will furnish fine evidence that Habakkuk had good reason to be afraido In the latter part of the verse, however, he expressed his content-ment to wait through this time of horrors, knowing that this too would come to an end in the destruction of that evil powero 3:17o In this verse Habakkuk describes what it is he fears and what he is ready to endure0 He is prepared to see the fig trees, the grapes, the olive trees, the green fields, the gardens, trampled and burned by the invading army0 He knows that the sheep, the goats, and the cattle will be stolen, butchered, or driven off by the alien soldierso In days when food could not be shipped in from neighboring countries or from overseas, when there were no railroads, no trucks to haul in any supply, the loss of a crop or a herd was absolutely disastrous0 It meant that there was nothing to eat0 The conditions the prophet described were those that would follow the killing, the looting, the crippling that is a part of war0 They are about as bad as could be imaginedo Who would be left to inherit this barren land? It would be widows, orphans, cripples, and such others as might have survived the cruelties of the Chaldean armies0 These are the conditions through which the prophet said he would "quietly wait0” - 254 - Lesson 64O I Will Rejoice in the Lord 2. Discuss part 2 of the assignment,, A/ie the, condtttonA whtch the. pnophet t& anttctpattng tn 3:17 betteA oa woAbe. than thoAe. deAcAtbed tn 1:2-4? In What way? The conditions which the prophet is anticipating in 3:17 are much more desperate than those described in 1:2-4. The complaint that he made to the Lord was concerning violence that was going on in the palace, injustice that was being perpetrated by government officials, ineffectual enforcement of law, prosperity being enjoyed by evil men at the expense of the righteous, discontent, and political strife0 These are the evils common to governments, particularly in times of comparative prosperity. Some people have more possessions than others. Some people use their power to take that which is not theirso Some use the machinery of the law to get more from the national economy than is rightfully theirs. These are evils that ought not to exist. The conditions that the prophet anticipates in 3:17 are a cure for these evils, but a cure which is worse than the disease! No one has more than others, because no one has anything. No one has power, because the government has been destroyed. Even if one had power he couldn’t use it to take from someone else, because no one has anything to take. No one is using the machinery of the law, because it is broken down. Even if one could use it he couldn’t get anything from the national economy, because the national economy is wrecked. In spite of this, the prophet is prepared to endure these conditions quietly. This is quite a contrast to his exasperated complaint concerning conditions much less severe at the beginning of his book. 3. Discuss part 3 of the assignment. What pAogAeAAton tn Habakkidt’A undeAAtandtng haA occuAAe,d between 3:13a and 3:1 Sb? In 3:13a Habakkuk gave expression to his understanding that the acts of God are intended for the salvation of His people. He has caught the vision of God working for His people—His chosen people. In 3:18b the God of the anointed people becomes ’’the God of my salvation.” His understanding has progressed from a realization of God’s work on behalf of a group or a church to an identification of this God as his personal Lord. It is much easier to recognize the guidance of God in a church than in one’s personal life. Habakkuk*s exclamation of joy in the 18th verse indicates that he had come to know God as a personal God, in relationship with whom he would find his highest satisfaction and fulfillment. 255 - Lesson 64O I Will Rejoice in the Lord He is no longer complaining—”! will rejoice in the Lordo” He is no longer defiant—”! will joy in the God of my salvationo” He is not demanding that God set everything straight among wicked men0 He is content to know that God is willing to set things straight for him0 The writer of Ecclesiastes, after he had ’’seen everything that is done under the sun/’ found that ”what is crooked cannot be made straighto” (Eccl0 Is 14,15) This is the very nature of a world of evilo It is futile for us to demand that evil men become just and that all oppressors be done away with0 As citizens of any community or nation we will work for as honest and efficient government as possible,, However, we will not demand that God make all the crooked things straight0 This cannot happen until all evil is ultimately annihilated0 For the presents, we need to learn the lesson of Habakkukg "The righteous shall live by his faith0” When we add to this principle the knowledge that God is constantly working on behalf of our salvation and make this realization very personal , we should be able to do as the prophet—"rejoice in the Lord” and ”joy in the God of my salvationo” 40 Discuss part 4 of the assignment,. Make Xwo cuhZck ZndZcate Habakkak9^ atXtXude toivatd God and what he thtnk^ God0A attttadz toward htm Z40 The, fitut &c&t AhouZd d&bc/itbz hU attitude. tn 1s 2-4 and the. second ht& at-tttade. tn 3s 18, 190 HABAKKUK°s ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD 1»2-4 3218,19 He thinks God doesn’t listen to his cry for help0 He sees no evidence that God is working to save people from the violence of the world0 He blames God for making him live in a society characterized by destruction, violence, strife, contention, lawlessness, injustice, and unfairnesso He rejoices that He is the kind of Lord that his faith reveals God to be„ He finds joy in relationship with a God who saves him„ He looks upon God as the source of his strength, which he receives to endure the wrongs of the worldo He expects God to make him swift as the gazelle so that he can avoid the evils of the world„ He looks to God to restore the places of power and worship which will be taken or destroyed by the enemy0 - 256 - Lesson 64O I Will Rejoice in the Lord At the beginning Habakkuk thought God was unconcerned and unres-ponsiveo Actually, the trouble was not with God but with what Habakkuk was expecting of Himo He wanted God to work a miracle of transformation in the lives of people who rejected Him and were in rebellion against Him0 At the end he came to recognize that God works in the lives of those who submit to Him in faith0 Therefore , he could rejoice in the miracle that God was working in his own life0 At the beginning of his book the prophet was mourning over the wrongs of others0 At the last part of the book he was rejoicing that he could find personal salvation even within an environment much worse than the one which caused his concerno 50 Within the book of Habakkuk no change took place in God—not in His attitudes, objectives, relationships, or methodso No change was brought about in the political situation in Judah0 Rather, a prediction is given of much more tragic times to comeo The only change that is indicated within the book is that which took place in Habakkuk9s understanding of, and attitude toward Godo This is the change that is important for us0 The lesson of the book of Habakkuk is the lesson taught in all the passages of Scripture that we have been studying this term0 God is interested in individuals0 He works for the salvation of each individual® Every person experiences trouble in this worldo When one is committed fully to God in faith and obedience he does not thereby do away with all the troubles and problems of the world in which he lives0 However, he does receive guidance in solving the problems in which he is personally involved, and he finds strength to endure those things which he cannot alter0 Above this, and much more important, is one’s understanding that regardless of the evil of the world in which he lives, God is working for his salvation and will fully accomplish this if the individual will allow Him to, Certainly the possibility of a personal relationship with such a God is cause for the very greatest joy» "If we do represent Christ, we shall make His service appear attractive, as it really is0 Christians who gather up gloom and sadness to their souls, and murmur and complain, are giving to others a false representation of God and the Christian life0 They give the impression that God is not pleased to have His children happy, and in this way they bear false witness against our heavenly FatherSC 118?3 "We must cherish and cultivate the faith of which prophets and apostles have testified,—the faith that lays hold on the promises of God, and waits for deliverance in His appointed time and way0 The sure word - 257 - Lesson 64O I Will Rejoice in the Lord of prophecy will meet its final fulfillment in the glorious advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christy as King of kings and Lord of lords0 The time of waiting may seem long, the soul may be oppressed by discouraging circumstances, many in whom confidence has been placed may fall by the way; but with the prophet who endeavored to encourage Judah in a time of unparalleled apostasy, let us confidently declare, ’The Lord is in His holy temples let all the earth keep silence before Him0® Let us ever hold in remembrance the cheering message, ’The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie? though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry0 0 o 0 The just shall live by his faitho9” PK 387?3 2^2^ BIBLE FOR TODAY Part II Lessons 1-47: Book o^ Matthau) Lessons 48 - 64: to Ch)va>t LESSON lo PREVIEW Objectives To get an overview of the structure of the book of Matthew0 To create an interest among the students in a study of the life of Jesuso Assignment U44on 20 THE KING IS BORN /o Read Matthau) chapter 1 and 2 bevenaZ time* n.ap£dZtfa 20 L£i>t aZZ na£enaneeAf Atatad on. ZnpZZed9 to the hcunanZti/ o$ ChnZst £n chapter 1 and 20 3o Lai>t aZZ A.e^ewiee4, stated on, ZnpZZed Zn thebe ehaptenb, to Je4u6 a4 a dZvZne bon on, ab one u)ho fiuZfcZZed pn.ophaeyo Introduction At the beginning of the first semester we studied the first three chapters of Genesis in which we saw God creating a world beautiful and perfecto In this world he placed man, whom He created in His own image, with freedom to obey and live eternally or to disobey and die0 Man chose the latter0 - 260 - Lesson 1. Preview This presented a problem to God„ His entire work of creation was threatened by man’s rebellion. Should He leave it to go its own course? Should He just forget what He had done? Should He ignore man whom He had created in His own image? In a smaller way, perhaps, the answers become obvious to us if we think of making suggestions like this to a father or mother whose child has gone wrongo The very nature of God is love, and this made it impossible for Him to ignore man’s plight6 What, then, could He do? We saw in the rest of the book of Genesis the beginning of God’s solution to this problemo When the world became completely evil and went to its doom in the flood, Noah found grace with the Lord and was protected from the wages of sin0 We studied how God continued to solve the problem with individuals in the stories of Abraham, Jacob, and Josepho However, in each case the complete solution was not demonstrated because, although each found a personal relationship with God, they all still died. None of them came to the place where they had the choice that was before Adam: obey and live forever, or disobey and die0 They all had disobeyed, and they all died0 On the other hand, they had all learned a measure of obedience,. All of them had learned to trust Goda All of them came to the place where they wanted God to work out His will in their lives0 In the book of Matthew, which we will be studying for the next three months, we will see the real solution to the problem of the first three chapters of Genesiso In Jesus Christ we see another person who had the choice that Adam had: obey and live, or disobey and die0 We shall see that the choice of Jesus was different from that of Adam0 We will also see that He participated in the nature and the destiny of all human beings in that He also died« However, He did not stay deada He was brought back to life never to die again,, In this experience we see the final solution to the problem of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph,, It is also the solution to our problem,, Although we have sinned, we may again be reconciled with God and find a personal relationship with Him„ We too may look forward to eternal life—in spite of the fact that we may be dead temporarily before we receive the full gift of eternal life through Jesus Christo Discussion l0 Introduce the structure of the book of Matthewo Construct a diagram on the chalkboard step by step similar to the one supplied on the next two pageso Inasmuch as the students have had no assignment the remainder of the class period should be used for this exercise,, . The suggested steps which follow will provide an orderly and logical sequence for a presentation of the outline,, - 261 - 2. The three large divisions of the book are indicated by the phrase, ’'from that time," which appears twice in the book (3:17; 16:21). The Prologue 1:1—4:16 ("The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ . . .") Proclaiming the Kingdom 4:17—16:20 ("From that time Jesus began to preach . . .") Ministry of His Passion 16:21—28:20 ("From that time Jesus began to show . . . that he must • . . suffer . . .") 3. Note the seven smaller divisions of the book indicated by the clause, "When Jesus finished these sayings . , ." (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). The King is Introduced 1:1—4:16 A prologue foreshadowing greater events. The King’s Program 4:17—7:27 "From that time Jesus began to preach ..." The King’s Power 7:28—10:42 "And when Jesus finished these sayings ..." The King is Opposed 11:1—13:52 "And when Jesus had finished instructing ..." The King is Accepted 13:53—18:35 "And when Jesus had finished these parables ..." The King is Misunderstood 19:1—25:46 "Now when Jesus had finished these sayings ..." The King is Rejected 26:1—28:20 "When Jesus had finished all these sayings ..." 4. Each of the five divisions between the first ("Introduced") and the last ("Rejected") are made up of two sections: the first describing actions of Jesus, and the second recording teachings of Jesus. The King’s Program —Actions Teachings 4:17-25 5:1—7:27 The King’s Power —Actions Teachings 7:28—9:34 9:35—10:42 The King is Opposed —Actions Teachings 11:1—12:50 13:1-52 The King is Accepted —Actions Teachings 13:53—17:27 18:1-35 The King is Misunderstood —Actions Teachings 19:1—21:46 22:1—25:46 STRUCTURAL CHART F 0 f THE BOOK OF MATTHEW - 263 - - 264 - 5. Matthew organized his book topically rather than chronologically. He presented Jesus as one who had the right to be an earthly king but who refused this in favor of being a divine king. However, this is not a choice that was simple to make and carry out. The entire book describes the conflict that this brought to Jesus, to His friends, and to His nation. It is really an exciting story made up of many shorter, thrilling episodes. As you can see from the careful organization of the book, Matthew was an able writer. His subject is the most powerful personality of all history. We like to read biographies of men who were different from the average or common men of the crowd in which they lived. Jesus not only was different from the people of His day, but He was unique and different from any one who ever lived before or since. The most exciting part of our study this year is just before us. You have learned some skills by now which will help you make the most of it. We are going to have a good time as we study together, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the first of the gospels. UNIT l0 THE KING IS INTRODUCED LESSON 20 THE KING IS BORN Objectives To understand that as the legal heir of David Jesus had a right to earthly kingship, and that as the actual Son of God he had a right to divine kingship0 To realize that the birth of Jesus has a very deep personal implication for everyone—the possibility of salvation from sin0 Assignment LESSON 30 HEROD L Re,ad Matthew 3a»1—4s16 beveAat timoA Jiaptd£yo 20 Conbtsuict a c/kxtZ tlvct> pa64age0 Pa/tag/tapliA ? 7 6ff 7-10, 11-12, 13-17; 4:1-11, 12-16O Introduction Remind the students that the book of Matthew is made up of three large divisions: The Prologue 1:1—4: 16 Proclaiming the Kingdom 4:17“—16:20 Ministry of His Passion 16:21—28:20 The present Unit is concerned with a study of The Prologue in which Jesus is introducedo Throughout the first two divisions there is a recurring question, sometimes stated, sometimes implied, and sometimes answered—’’Who is He?” The question is not finally answered until the end of the second division (16:16)o However, the answer is begun in the lesson for today, for Matthew begins answering the question before he asks it by giving the genealogy of Jesus0 The first part of the answer to this question, ’’Who is He?” is given by telling who his ancestors were0 Discussion lo Discuss the introductory statement for the book in Matto Is 1© This statement identifies Jesus Christ as the son of David, the son of Abraham0 David was regarded as the founder of the monarchyo His name was synonymous with royaltyo By identifying Jesus as the son of David Matthew actually was claiming royalty for Him and asserting that He had a right to the throne of Israel0 - 266 - Lesson 2a The King is Born In the thinking of the Jews, Abraham was the progenitor of their race9 However, more important even than his position as the father of the Jewish people was the fact that God had made a covenant with him, During the first semester we studied that covenant, In it God promised: (Geno 17:4-8) that Abraham would be the father of a multitude of nations that kings would be among his descendents that the covenant would be perpetuated eternally with the descendents of Abraham that Abraham and his descendents were to have the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession that God would continue to be the God of Israel By identifying Jesus as the son of Abraham Matthew designated him as the son of the covenant-, This was the first step toward identifying Jesus as the one through whom the covenant would actually be ful-filledt The full development of this idea is to be found in the writings of the Apostle Paul, "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise," (Gals 3:29) 2, Discuss the genealogy in 1:2-17, Matthew began the genealogy of Jesus with Abraham. Luke began it with Adam (Luke 3:23)0 This indicates difference in emphasis. Luke, the Gentile, was writing primarily for people who were not Jews, Therefore, he was interested in identifying Jesus as a son of Adam, the father of the entire human race, On the other hand, Matthew was writing primarily for the Jewish people. Therefore, he was interested in identifying Jesus as a son of Abraham—a Jew.. Ask the students to pick out the women listed in this genealogy3 Call attention to the fact that only a few are mentioned, In the reckoning of genealogies women were not regarded important0 The fact that a few are mentioned here becomes significants As the students name them write their names on the board, After they have been listed supply the information as to who they were and what their characters were as is contained in the list below: Tamar A Canaanite who seduced her father-in-law Rahab The harlot of Jericho Ruth The Moabitess Wife of Uriah Bathsheba, the adultress wife of a Hittite All of these had one factor in common—they were not Jews, Furthermore, each one is of bad moral character, with the possible exception of Ruth, Ask the students why they think Matthew picked such women to mention among the ancestors of Jesus. Why didn’t he list such characters as Sarah or Rebekkah instead? Furthermore, by reminding his readers that "David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah" (6) he gave emphasis to the tarnished character of - 267 - Lesson 2a The King is Born one of their greatest national heroes0 Many of the men whom Matthew named were known primarily as kings who led Israel into sino Why did he emphasize this kind of heritage for Jesus? The answer is to be found in the 21st verse of the chapter9 ’’You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins0” Matthew, without condemning his people himself, by the simple device of giving them a list of their national heroes, reminded them that they are in desperate need of being saved from sin0 He introduced Jesus as the one who came to do this for them0 Call attention to the fact that Matthew was very careful not to list Jesus as a direct descendanto The genealogy follows the stereotype pattern as is found in verse 15g ’’and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, o • o” But now note the change in the pattern in verse 16s ’’And Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary [not ’’the father of Jesus”], of whom Jesus was born 0 o o’* Actually, this is not a genealogy of Christ at all, but merely of his step-father! The real paternal "ancestry” of Jesus is given in verse 20 where the angel is speaking to Joseph sayings "do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus 0 0 0" The genealogy given is significant to Jesus only legally—this was his legal heritage0 Jesus Christ stands as the climax in the Abraham-David line? Abraham, the father of the covenant relationship between God and man, and David the founder of the kingdomo To the first, God had promised that all nations of the earth would be blessed through his descendants o To the second God had promised a perpetual dynasty, an eternal kingdomo Thus far in the history of Israel neither of the promises had been fulfilled0 Matthew presented Christ as the one who would be the fulfillment of both0 3o Discuss parts 2 and 3 of the assignment0 In the. te^t cotumn o£ the chant ttbt att stated on. tmptted, to the. humantty ofi J emu tn these ehaptensa In the, ntght hand eotumn oft the. chant tt&t att stated on. tmptted tn these chapters to as a dtvtne son? on. as one who iut^ttted pn.ophecy0 - 268 - Lesson 20 The King is Born Reference Humanity Reference Divinity 1:1 2-16, 17 1:16, 18-23 2:1 2:2,4,5 2:11,13, 14,20, 21 Born of David’s line Born of a woman (His mother conceived, became pregnant, gave birth It was expected that he should be born Child end mother relationship 1:20 1:23 2:5,6 2:11 2:15 2:15 2:17,18 2:23 3:3 3:17 4:36 Conceived of the Holy Spirit "God with us." Virgin birth Bethlehem, place of birth Worshiped by wise men "I called my Son." Sojourn in Egypt Massacre of babes in Bethlehem Home in Nazareth Baptized by one who was a fulfillment of prophecy Voice from heaven as Holy Spirit descended, "My beloved Son." "If you are the Son of God." 4. Discuss the facts concerning Jesus’ birth as related in 1:18-25. 18. An explanation of the circumstances of Jesus’ birth0 Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but had not lived together0 Mary’s pregnancy was due to an act of the Holy Spirit. 19. Joseph described as a "just man0" He is also a considerate and kind man who wants to make the separation as inconspicuous as possible. Putting her away quietly was the best he could do under the circumstances. 209 Divine providence sent an angel to make explanations to Joseph. Joseph was addressed as, "son of David" by the angel. Paternity by the Holy Spirit is reiterated. - 269 - Lesson 20 The King is Born 21o Not only the paternity but also the sex of the unborn child is given0 Joseph is told that he should name the child—an act of ac” ceptance in itself~"Jesus9 meaning "deliverer, redeemer0” He will save people from their sins-""his peopleo” 22o The first statement that Jesus was a fulfiller of prophecy0 23- An interpretive application of Isaiah 7 $14? (AlmahB the Hebrew word in Is0 7s14 means ’’young womano” However8 the translators of the LXX translated it by parthenos, meaning9 °virgin0” This was a quotation from the LXX0 The appearance of Parthenos there is an interest" ing providenceo) Emmanuel is interpreted as "God with us"t which is its literal meaningc but not a name that was ever used by or about Christo 24O Joseph was evidently living rather close to Gods for he no longer hesitated9 but took Mary to be his wife as commandedo 25o A reiteration that Joseph could not be the father of Jesus0 His complete obedience to the angel in naming the son0 A statement that Joseph and Mary lived normally as husband and wife after the birth of Jesus2 "Knew her not until she had borne a son;’’“"Strong evidence against the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary0 The story serves Matthew’s presentation of Jesus to the Jews as the Son of God and Redeemer by? showing that Joseph could not have been Jesus9 father9 giving the divine revelation of the Holy Spirit’s "paternity/' recording the acceptance of this revelation by the one who had the strongest motive to doubt it—Joseph^ presenting him as a fulfillment of prophecy from before birthg stating his mission was to be one of salvation from sins0 LESSON 3o HEROD Objectives To note the beginning of opposition to Jesus, and to see how He was providentially protected so that He could fulfill His missiono To understand that worldly power is helpless to thwart the divine will0 Assignment LESSON 40 CONFLICT h Note. the. tn which Jeatu t& Involved tn chapter 1 s 1--4:160 (Le.frt column o£ chant0) 20 Lt&t the. Incident* tn which. providential concern, care, and protection over Je*u* are tn evidence tn the *ame chapter* o (Right column o£ chant 0) Introduction Recount briefly the references to the humanity and to the divinity of Jesus, as studied in the previous lessonffl References to the kingship of Jesus: Born in the royal lineage0 1:1,2-16,17 Wise men’s expectation,, 2:2 Priests’ & scribes’ expectation,, 2:4,5 Prophet’s prediction of a ruler0 2:6 Herod’s fear of a rival0 2:7,8,16 By inference: Forerunner preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand 0 3:2 Kingdoms of the world offered hime 4:8,9 He preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand0 4:17 Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment Construct a *ummary chant ^or tht* pa**age0 Paragraph* 3s 1-6, 7-10, 11-12, 13-17; 4s 1-11, 12-16a It will be well to re-construct the summary chart on the chalkboard involving the students in supplying the titles and theme sentences0 Care should be taken not to use too much of the class time with this0 The King9s Ancestry The King is Expected The King is Anointed The King Announces His Kingdom Birth and Infancy Baptism and Temptation 1-17 Royal Ancestry Jesus was the ’’son” of Abraham, David, and Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was borno 18*25 Divine Ancestry Jesus was conceived in the virgin Mary of the H0S0, and he would save his people from their sins0 1-6 Who is the King? Wise men asked Herod where the king of the Jews was born and were answered by Micah 5?2O 7-12 Go Search After worshiping they disobeyed Herod and returned another way0 13-15 Divinely Hidden In obedience to the angel Joseph took Jesus and Mary to Egypt for safety0 (Hose 11H; Ex0 4:22) 16-18 Herod9 s Futile Fury Herod ordered all male children under 2 yrs0 in the region of Bethlehem killedo (Jer<5 31:15) 19-23 Herod is Dead In response to the angel, Joseph & family returned from Egypt and settled in Nazareth (Is0 ll:l)0 1-6 Prepare the Way John, man of the desert, preached repentance and the imminence of the Ko of Ho (Iso 40:3; 2 Kings 1:8; Zech0 13:4; Lev0 11:22)O 7-10 A New Order John condemned the smug leaders and declared that God could raise children to Abraham from stones0 11-12 A New Baptism John?s successor would baptize with HoSo and fire0 13-17 Anointed from Heaven At the baptism of Jesus the heavens opened, the H0S0 rested upon him as a dove, and a voice declared, ’’This is my beloved son0” 1-11 Identity & Mission Chai-lenged0 Jesus was tempted to prove his sonship by miracles, and to achieve his goal by worshiping Satan0 (De0 8:3; Neh0 11:1; Dan0 9:24; De0 6:16,13o 12-17 Kingdom Announced After arrest of John, Jesus withdrew to Galilee where he preached the Kc of Ho (Iso 9:1,2) 18-22 The First Citizens Peter, Andrew, James, and John were the first to respond to the call, ’’Follow me," 23-25 Crowds Followed His ministry is summarized: teaching, preaching, healing; his fame spread to Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Jordan, Transjordan. Officially Jesus was? Son of Abraham—covenant o Son of David—throne Actually Jesus was? Son of Mary—virgin Son of God—Holy Spirit 271 - 272 - Lesson 30 Herod 20 Make three columns on the chalkboard with the headings indicated on the chart below0 Ask the students to supply any references to persons, places, or time in chapter 20 Persons Places Time Herod—king Wise men"”sought king Priests & scribes— expected Christ in Bethlehem Prophet—prophesied birth Mary—His mother Child—with mother Angel—warned Joseph Joseph took family to Egypt Lord spoke by prophet "My son"—Lo by proBto Male children—Bethlehem Jeremiah—prophecy Rachel—Jer0 prophecy Archelaus—successor to . . Herod Bethlehem—birth "From the East" J eru s a 1 em— t r oub led House, star over it Their own country—wise men Egypt—refuge "In all that region0" Egypt—refuge "In all that region" —Bethlehem children Ramah—Bethlehem Land of Israel—’Joseph to return Galilee—Joseph returned Nazareth—home of Jesus Reign of Herod—birth Time the star appeared— Herod interested After wise men left— Joseph warned to flee By night—flight from Bethlehem "Is about to search"— time of warning "When he saw he had been tricked’’—Herod 2 yrs0 & under-—slain When Herod died—return of Joseph & family 3o Discuss the implications of the story of Herod in regard to what we may learn about Jesus and the people whom He came to saveo Shows that the Christ was expected within and without the Jewish nation as a king, because of prophetic predictions0 Demonstrates that Jesus was the center of controversy and the object of opposition from birtho Emphasizes the divine care exercised over Jesuse Shows the inability of earthly power to take the life of Jesus from him by force0 The atrocity of Herod serves to accentuate the desperate need of the world for salvationo Suggests again the possibility of the Christ being an earthly king had he so desired0 Records the shameful fact that the Messiah was safer in pagan Egypt than among the people of the covenant0 Affords opportunity to record the ’’fulfillment" of several more prophecieso Indicates that the priests and scribes were versed in Messianic prophecy and should have been the first to recognize Jesus0 LESSON h0 CONFLICTS Objectives To impress the students that Jesus was involved in conflicts from the very beginning of his life, but that he was given divine protection adequate for these® To find assurance that we too may have divine guidance and protection in the conflicts of our lives® Assignment LESSON 5® BAPTISM AMP TEMPTATION 10 ConAtAuct an ana£t/tZca£ ckaAZ Matthetv 3«*/-6® PZvZde the pdAagnaph tnto thAee AecttonA: 1-5; 4; 5-6. The. naAAou) Zefit hand coZumn hoA been ^tZZed out. Put the. Aub-jectA the. AentenceA tn the. Ze fit tluAd oi the bAodd Atght hand coZumn. Put the pAedtcate* tn the Atght two thtndA. 2. In the Zefct coZumn ofi the chant beZow ZtAt the temptattonA wtth whtch the deviZ consented JeAuA. In the Atght hand coZumn ZxAt the woAdA wtth whtch JeAuA met htA temptattonA. (Matt. 4:1-11 J Introduction In Matthew 1 Jesus is presented as one in the royal line of David, indicating that he had a legal right to the throne of Judea® In chapter 2 the reaction of the reigning king of Judea to the news of Jesus’ birth is described® The very fact that the king feared him indicated that Jesus might become a threat to him® The whole emphasis of the story is that all the power of the king and the soldiers of the nation was inadequate to destroy Jesus® This is a theme that will recur a number of times in the book® Repeatedly attempts were made to end the ministry of Jesus, but none of these were successful until the time that Jesus was ready to lay down his life himself® We will also see recurring indications that Jesus could have been king had he wanted to, but each time the opportunity was presented Jesus, of his own free will, declined it® He was a king® He had come to proclaim his kingdom® But he had not come to replace Herod or Ceazar, for his was a different kingship® He had not come to be great in the world® He had come for only one purpose—"to save his people from their sins®’’ This required more power than any king had - 274 - Lesson 40 Conflicts ever wielded. He could exercise it only over individuals who accepted his "rule" by choiceo This was a unique kingship, and he could have the usual kind0 He must decide whicho In our lesson for tomorrow we will see Jesus making such a decision,. In our lesson for today we see Him continuing in conflict» Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 Part 2 is included in the chart below and may be developed at the same time. Note. the con^ZZeta Zn cvhZcA JeAtu Za ZnvoZved Zn chapZe/u (Le^Z coZumn o£ c.haAt0) Ltit the. tnctde.nt6 tn whteh psiovtde.ntta£ concern, cate., and pfio-te.ctton oveA JeAuA aAe. tn e.vtde.nc.e. tn the. tame. chapter . (Zcght cotumn ofi ehaAt0) Ref 0 Conflicts Ref o Concern and Care 1:19 2:13ff 3:14, 15 4:3-10 2:22 Before his birth his stepfather intended to leave his mothero Parents had to flee jealousy of Herodo Even getting baptized involved him in controversy• With devilo Fear of Archelaus 1:20, 21 1:21 2:12 2:13 2:19 3:16, 17 4:1 4:11 Angel saves mother’s reputation with her fiance. Angel prescribes name0 A dream of warning to the wise men Angel sends family to Egypt for safety. Angel sends family back to Nazareth. Divine confirmation of Jesus’ mission0 Led by the Spirit into wilderness. Angels minister to him in his weakness. 2. On the chalkboard list the references to the kingship of Jesus in these chapterso Ask the students to tell how the kingship of Jesus is stated or implied in each0 Reference 1:1,2-16,17 2:2 2:4,5 2:6 2:7,8,16 Implication to Kingship Born in the royal lineage Wise men’s expectation Priests’ & scribes’ expectation Prophet’s prediction of a ruler Herod’s fear of a rival - 275 - Lesson 40 Conflicts 3:2 Forerunner preached the Ko of Ho was at hand 4:8,9 Kingdoms of the world offered him 4:17 He preached that the Ko of Ho was at hand 30 Discuss the ministry of Johno Paragraph titles & structure: 1-6 John’s Preachingo Subject: Repent, the Ko of Ho is at hand0 A fulfillment of prophecy—Isaiah0 Personal description of Johno Success of the preaching0 7-10 The Stones and the ax0 Pharisees and Sadducees come for baptism,. Severe reaction of John: Infers their action motivated by fear Demands works that befit repentance Denies value of racial descent in salvation Quality of fruit is the basis of judgmentG 11-12 Holy Spirit & Fire0 John’s ministry symbolic—his successor’s the real thing John’s successor will do the work of eternal judgment 13-17 Baptism of Jesus0 Jesus took initiative John objected because of unworthiness The act necessary to ’’fulfill all righteousness” John’s acquiescence Descent of the Spirit of God unto Jesus Voice from heaven, ”My beloved Son0" The chapter opens with the preaching of the kingdom of heaven, moves through illustrations of how the message was received by different people, and is climaxed by the announcement from heaven that the one to whom John’s preaching pointed had, indeed, arrived0 , LESSON 5o BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION Objectives To observe how Jesus identified himself with the kingdom of heaven and rejected identification with the kingdoms of this worldo To motivate the students toward making similar decisions in their own liveso (This is the primary objective of the entire course!) Assignment LESSON 60 THE KINGDOM ANNOUNCED Io Read Matthew 4:17—7'• 29 twtce napZdZy0 20 Coh4Zau.cZ a 4untna/u/ chant fion. ehapten. 5, tneattng veA4C4 3-12 at one panagnapho Introduction In the unit which we are completing today we have learned that Jesus had a right to two different kingdoms: the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven0 We saw that the kingdom of this world was hostile to him and feared him0 Herod tried to kill him but failed0 Even the devil feared him enough to offer him a deal— he was willing to make Jesus his first assistant! However, Jesus rejected the kingship of this worldo He escaped the anger of Herod and rejected the offer of the devil0 Instead, he submitted to baptism by John who preached, ’’repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand0” (3:2) Then he began to preach the same message and proceded to invite people into citizenship in that kingdom<> This is the emphasis of our lesson for todayo Discussion l0 Construct the chart asked for in the first assignment on the chalkboard 0 Conttnuet an anaZytteaZ chant fion Matthew 3:1-6O Vtvtde the pana-gnaph Znto thn.ee 4 ectZont : 1-3; 4; 5-60 The nanaow Zefit hand eoZumn hat been ftZZed out0 Put the tabjeett o& the tenteneet tn the Zefct thtnd the bn.oad ntght hand eoZomn0 Put the paedZeateb tn the ntght two thtndt. - 277 - Lesson 5a Baptism and Temptation John’s Preachingo Matthew 3:1-6 In those days (while Jesus dwelt Nazareth0 2:23) The message (when, who, what, where) The messenger The Result 1-3 John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea [You] Repent FOR the kingdom of heaven is at hand0 FOR this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness [You] prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight A NOW John wore a garment of camel’s hair leather girdle around his waists AND his food was locusts and wild honey 5-6 Jerusalem went out to him Judea > were baptized by him Jordan region ) confessing their sins - 278 - Lesson 5o Baptism and Temptation 20 Continue the discussion with the next paragraph, 7-10o Note the following features2 It opens with but—a connective of contrast, Indicating a change in attitude from that which has gone before0 John’s attitude toward the crowds who were coming, confessing their sins, and being baptized by him was quite different from that which he manifested toward the Pharisees and Sadducees who requested baptism,. Instead of accepting them as he had the others, he challenged them, ’’You brood of vipers! who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Verses 8 and 9 give the reason for this change of attitude,. Evidently these leaders were not bearing the ’’fruit that befits repentance”, but were expecting salvation on the basis of their racial heritage,, John declared that one’s ancestors have nothing to do with his salvation,, God is not dependent upon the physical descendants of Abraham for the fulfillment of his covenant0 He could make children of Abraham out of stones, if He wanted0 The relationship of our fathers and mothers to God (or their lack of such a relationship) in no way reduces our personal responsibility for our own relationship with Him0 Verse 10 is a warning of imminent judgment—’’Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees0" A tree is not judged by the fruit its ancestors bore nor by the fruit that its neighbors are bearing0 It is judged only by the kind of fruit it bears? "every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire0" 1 30 Introduce the temptation narrative (Matto 4?1-11) by that? It followed immediately after the baptism0 Jesus was about to enter upon his messianic mission0 What kind would it be? The Spirit (which had just descended upon him) led him "to be temptedo" The decisions related to his life work were his to make0 Now was the time to make them0 The struggle and decision would be made away from the distractions of everyday life—in the wilderness« The temptation was "by the Devilo" The urges to pervert his mission did not arise from his own desires„ 1st Temptation? If you are God’s Son you can produce food out of stoneso (John had declared God could make descendants of Abraham out of stones!) Reply? Man’s deepest need is not for food, but for God’s word0 (How many people really believe this?) Principle involved? As the Son of God, Jesus had power to supply all the peoples® needs„ During his ministry he would give several indications of this0 This would be the road to popularity and political power0 Jesus rejected this temporal concept of his messiashipo Though not denying the necessity for temporal blessing, he made it clear that his prime service would be in the realm of the spiritual0 - 279 - Lesson 50 Baptism and Temptation 2nd Temptation: If you are God’s Son you can jump off the pinnacle of the temple in complete safety0 Just how sure are you about the sonship? Reply: Don’t be presumptious with Godo Principle involved: Jesus refused to announce his messiahship by such a spectacular stunt in the temple court. He was not a showman0 He would not use his powers to attract attention or to prove his deity0 3rd Temptation: The kingdoms of the world can easily be yours, provided you do homage to the prince of this world0 Reply: Begone, Satan! God only to be worshiped and servedo Principle involved: Jesus rejected the concept of the earthly-king Messiah. The important thing in life is not the attainment of a worldly objective, regardless of how lofty it may be, but rather the true service and worship of Godo Jesus would serve God rather than rule men0 This story introduces another Power in the struggle surrounding Jesus (the real power behind all the struggles)0 In his conflict the nature of Jesus’ ministry was determined by his own choiceo Although he had the opportunity and the temptation to be any one of several types of Messiahs expected by a large share of the people, he rejected this and chose the unwanted, unspectacular, uncomfortable ministry described in the rest of the Book of Matthew 0 4. Point out the transitional elements in the structure of the first four chapters of Matthew and emphasize that whenever words such as: now, but, then, in those days appear they may indicate a change or transition in thought, viewpoint, time, etc. lo Breaks and changes of thought: (Principal ones underlined) 1:17—180 1:25—2:l0 2:12—130 2:15— 16o 2:18—190 2:23—3:1 3:6—7 o 3:12—130 3:17—4;l0 4:11—12. From genealogy to (NOW) narrative of birth of Jesuse From birth of Jesus to (NOW) visit of wise men. From visit of wise men to (NOW) flight to Egypt0 From flight, to (THEN) slaughter in Bethlehem0 From Bethlehem massacre to (BUT) return from Egypt. From return to Nazareth to (IN THOSE DAYS) John’s preaching. From baptism work to (BUT) severe denounciationo From denounciation to (THEN) baptism of Jesus0 From confirmation from heaven to (THEN) wilderness temptation. From temptations to (NOW) Galilean ministry. 20 Function of 4:12-16: This is a ’’bridge” between the determination of the nature of His ministry and the first steps in the organization of - 280 - Lesson 50 Baptism and Temptation the kingdomo The beginning of His Galilean ministry was characterized by the words of Isaiah, ’’The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and the shadow of death light has dawneda” 4:16O The section, which opened with the sinful genealogy of Jesus Christ and the prediction that he would save His people from their sins, closes with a likening of the opening of His ministry to the dawning of a great light0 5* The following chart indicates some interesting contrasts between Herod, a worldly king, and John, the herald of the kingdom of heaven0 The lower lection notes several parallels in these chapterso CHAPTER 2—ROYALTY CHAPTER 3—DEITY Herod John Does not know him0 Inquires of priests0 Summons secretly0 Pretends humility^ Tricks inquirerso Prevented from finding0 Jesus flees from him0 Enraged by true worshipers Tricked by foreign wise men0 Seeks to prevent ’’Successor” 0 Decrees death for innocent0 decrees indiscriminent death0 DieSo Predicts him® Denounces priests0 Preaches publicly0 Demonstrates humility0 Baptizes inquirers0 Finds without searching8 Jesus comes to him0 Enraged by false worshipers0 Not tricked by local wise men0 Predicts and recognizes Successor.. Predicts death for guilty® Predicts selective deaths Is imprisoned (4:12)O Jesus Jesus Haughtily rejected by royal forerunnero Identified by the star® Warned by heavenly angel0 To Egypt for protection.. Returns to grow up0 Humbly received by divine forerunner 0 Identified by the doveo Proclaimed by heavenly voice0 To wilderness for exposure.. Returns to preach0 UNIT 20 THE KING^S PROGRAM LESSON 60 THE KINGDOM ANNOUNCED Objectives To get an overview of the sermon on the mount0 To make the call of Jesus into a better way of life a personal invitation to each student0 Assignment LESSON 70 THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM /o Separate each beatitude tnto ttb two patts s a statement that people with a certain chaA.actefvi&ti.c one "bte-Med", and a statement ai to why they a/te catted "bte^ed" a 20 W/iZte. a bftie^ statement fiosi each beatitude gluing what you think Its meaning ts0 Introduction Make a brief review of the first four chapters0 Special attention to the transitional material in 4s12-25 should serve as a good introduction to the study of the Sermon on the Mount0 The first four chapters lay the groundwork for the Kingdom of God concept, which is developed throughout the book of Matthew0 Chapter l0 His births Royal ancestry—a right to earthly kingship0 Divine ancestry—a divine mission, to save from sin0 Chapter 20 His receptions Some expected him as a fulfillment of prophecyo These worshiped0 Others tried to kill him as a rival for powero These were thwarted by divine protection.. Chapter 30 His debuts Presented by John, preacher of the imminent kingdom0 Confirmed by voice from heaven as divine Sono Chapter 40 His missions Refuses to prove divine sonship or accept earthly kingshipo Announces the Kingdom and attracts followers by invitation and works0 - 282 - Lesson 6S The Kingdom Announced Discussion lo Discuss the announcement of the Kingdom. The Kingdom Announced Matto 4:18-25 — Jesus’ Actions The Fishermen’s Response Jesus’ Actions The Fishermen’s Response Jesus’ Actions The Crowd’s Response —— The First Disciples 18-22 He walked by the Sea of Galilee saw Peter and Andrew (brothers) said follow me and I will make you fishers of men They left their nets followed him immediately He saw James and John (brothers) called them They left the boat and their father followed him immediately The First Crowds 23-25 He went about Galilee teaching in synagogues preaching the gospel of the Kingdom healing every disease and infirmity His fame spread throughout Syria They brought all sick and diseased (various diseases, pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics) Great crowds followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, Transjordan0 Jesus is pictured as a leader: He calls men to followo Individuals and crowds follow0 He is recognized as a teacher in the synagogues0 His fame spreadso People bring others to him0 Jesus is pictured as a notable person: Men leave their businesses and families to be with him0 He gains recognition as a preacher and teacher0 He becomes famous as a healer0 He is known throughout Palestine, Syria, and Transjordano - 283 Lesson 60 The Kingdom Announced0 Jesus is pictured as a healer, for he cures: Every disease, Every infirmity. All the sick, Various diseases—pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics0 The first of these paragraphs (4:18-22) shows his appeal to in-dividualSo The second (4:23—25) shows his appeal to the populace and crowds0 The function of these paragraphs is to show the effect of his preaching and to set the stage for the Sermon on the Mounto They give the background for his influence and make the transition from concern with his personal life to the fulness of his public ministry,, 20 Introduce the Sermon on the Mount0 Matt0 5:1 is the connecting element between the last part of chapter 4 and the sermon: He sees the crowds0 He goes up to the mountain0 He sits down (teaching position)0 He begins teaching his disciples and through them he reaches the crowdso This is his method0 Compare his prayer in the upper room as recorded by John: ”1 am praying for them (disciples); I am not praying for the world*," However, "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who are to believe in me through their wordo” (John 17:9,20) Through a few select individuals he would reach the world0 This sermon has an appeal beyond the Christian community,. The general attitude of the world is that this sermon sets the supreme pattern for man’s life, but that its ideals are too high to be attained—it is beautiful, but impractical0 Ghandi was an illustration of the non-Christian admiration for the principles in this sermono In the light of Matthew’s topical here logically: organization the sermon is placed 1:1—4:16—’-The Credentials of the King 4:17-25—The Program of the King 5—7——The Nature of the Kingdom 30 Discuss assignment 20 ConA&mct a. Aummasiy zha/it chapter 5 &ie.a£tng mqaaqa 3-12 aA o ne. paAa.gM.ph.o . - 284 Lesson 60 The Kingdom Announced 5 Citizens and Law of the Kingdom 1 Citizenship Laws 21 48 1-12 Nature of the Citizens They are poor in spirit, Mourners, Meek, Seekers of righteousness, Merciful, Pure, Peacemakers, Persecuted, Reviled. 13-16 Mission of the Citizens They are the salt of earth and light of world. 17-20 Jesus and the Law He came not to abolish, but to fulfill the law® 21-26 Murder Anger is murder and requires reconciliation. 27-30 Adultery Lust is adultery. 31-32 Divorce Divorce is, or results from adulteryo 33-37 Perjury A "Yes” or ”No” from a citizen is emphatic enough. 38-42 Resistence Respond to an evil act with a good act. 43-48 Perfection Love your enemies, and become sons of heavenly Father, who is perfectly impartial. LESSON 7o THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM Objectives To understand the principles invluded in the beatitudes0 To lead to an acceptance of these principles as guides for presentday life0 Assignment LESSON 80 THE LAW OF THE KINGDOM U LZbt aZZ Z/ie conZizuZi you, &.nd Zn Matthew 5s 13 48O 20 In MaZZo 5:21-46 the oZd Zaw Za conZraiZed cvZZ/i Z/ie neiv Zaiv ofi the kZngdom0 In a 4enZence oa. Zivo 4ZaZe how JeitU ompZZ^Zed on. modt^Zeh the. oZd Zaw& to whteh he n.e^enAeds You AhaZZ not kZZZ You AhaZZ not eomnZt aduZtenjy You AhaZZ not Awean. ^aZAeZy An eye ^on. an eye, a tooth ^on. a tooth You AhaZZ Zove youn. neZghbon. and hate. youn. enemy Introduction In the last part of the fourth chapter we saw that the preaching and healing ministry of Jesus appealed to individuals and to great crowdso He chose a few persons to be closely associated with him as disciples or students0 In addition to these, great crowds followed him0 The theme of his preaching called people to repentance in preparation for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, which he had come to set up0 This preaching, healing, and appeal to the crowds set the stage for the Sermon on the Mount0 By the time he delivered this sermon his influence was already strong and wide0 In the first four chapters the author was concerned with Jesus® personal life and with the struggles of his early years0 From here on we will find that the concern of the book is with his public ministry,, Chapter five is divided into three principal sections: 3-12 These verses describe those who find happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven0 We might say that this is a description of the citizens of the Kingdom,, 13-20 Here the emphasis is on the importance of a sense of mission and upon conformity to the will of Godo 21-48 The standards of conduct for the citizens of the Kingdom are amplified, emphasizing not only acts but also motives,, We might call this section the Law of the Kingdom,, - 286 - Lesson 70 The Citizens of the Kingdom Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment,, Sepa/Late eadi beatitude tnto tt& two posit*: a statement that people with a eentatn ehaAacteAlAtte aAe "ble^ed", and a statement as to why they aAe catted "bleA^ed", CHARACTERISTIC — SUBSTANTIATION The poor in spirit Those who mourn The meek Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness The merciful The pure in heart The peacemakers Those who are persecuted for righteousness® sake You, when men revile you persecute you utter evil against you falsely on my account Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven They shall be comforted They shall inherit the earth They shall be satisfied They shall obtain mercy They shall see God They shall be called sons of God Theirs is the kingdom of heaven For your reward is great in heaven For so men persecuted the prophets who were before you 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 W/ixte a b/ite^ statement faon. each beatitude giving what you. think, tti meaning lt»B Below you will find two groups of discussions on the significance of the beatitudes0 It should be explained that the word, ’’blessed,” means to be truly happy0 As used in the beatitudes it could be translated: ”0 the happiness of 0 0 0” or "Happy are the o . „’’ It should be emphasized that the first thing Jesus says about the citizens of his kingdom is that they are truly happy0 - 287 - Lesson 70 The Citizens of the Kingdom Suggestions for Discussion The poor in spirit are contrasted with the self-sufficient0 Humility is contrasted with pride0 They already enjoy the spiritual blessing of the kingdom0 This is the keynote of the Sermono Those who mourn because of shortcomings will have their lacks supplied and their mourning comforted0 (Beatitudes 1, 2, 3, 4 all have to do with the spiritually humble, those who are conscious of their lackso This is the second in the series0 These first four are concerned with man-God relationships)0 Meekness implies a readiness to be commanded0 Submissiveness to God results in inheriting the eartho Meekness toward man is conditioned by meekness toward God0 Meekness is not weakness0 Moses was meek, but few have been so powerful! Jesus was meek, yet he could not be broken0 They hunger and thirst after righteousness0 This is the positive attitude of the humble, negatively stated in the proceeding three beatitudeSo The craving for righteousness shall be satisfied., One who is truly hungry and thirsty has a drive as compulsive as that of the narcotics addict0 The craving is torture, but the more intense it is, the more overwhelming is the experience of satisfaction when it is fulfilled., The merciful—the kind—shall obtain kindness and mercy., (Beginning with this beatitude consideration is given to the relationship of the blessed to their fellow men,) The assurance of their receiving mercy comes from God, hence the fulfillment may also be expected from Him0 God is merciful to the merciful., The pure in heart—in motives, not only in acts—will see Godo This is a prime emphasis in the sermon, especially from 5s21—6s210 Much unhappiness results from a conflict between motives and acts0 Wrong acts committed out of right motives are frustrating., Good acts which are prompted by evil motives cannot possibly bring happiness0 Only when the good act is prompted by the pure motive is there true satisfaction.. Such are classed with the humble—they will see Godo Peacemakers—the peaceful—are members of God’s family0 A peacemaker must be willing to give up more than his rights demand0 No man can always be peaceful and yet always demand his rights0 This is the second mile attitude0 Happy are those who sacrifice their own rights in order to maintain peaceo However, happiness results only from a willing submission—not if rights are given up because one is afraid or too weak to fight for them0 - 288 - Lesson 70 The Citizens of the Kingdom Those persecuted for righteousness sake, who for righteousness have lost physical well-being or possessions, are given the same promise as those who are poor in spirit0 It is the humble who are most likely to be taken advantage of and caused to suffer, but those who have lost in this world inherit the supreme pos-session—the kingdom0 Characteristics of the "Blessed88 as Indicated in DA 299-306 The poor in spirit: Recognize their spiritual poverty, recognize their need of redemption, are not spiritually proud, are humble and contrite, are convinced of their weakness and stripped of self-sufficiency, yield themselves to the control of God0 The Mourning: Itself no power to remove guilt0 Consists not in melancholy and lamentation0 Is not the sorrow because of the consequences of evil0 Is that which leads to the renunciation of sin0 Is the tears of the penitent0 Is an acknowledgment of iniquity0 May result from trial and sorrowo Is bitterness of grief and humiliation.. Is done by those who are humble before God in their self knowledge0 The Meekness: Hides itself in Christo Is the humility of our Master0 Is rising above the slights, rebufs and annoyances of daily life0 Includes self controlo Is calm trust in God under abuse and cruelty0 Consists in lowliness of heart, which is the strength that gives victory Makes one poor in spirit0 Characterizes the humble whose highest ambition is to do God's will0 Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: Make room in their hearts for Jesus0 Long to bear the likeness of God's character0 Keep the eyes fixed on Christo The merciful and pure in heart: Receive forgiveness through repentance0 Shun impurity of speech and thought0 Renounce selfishnessD Are humble and trustful in spirit0 - 289 - Lesson 70 The Citizens of the Kingdom The peacemakers: Have the grace of Christ implanted in their hearts0 Through Christ cast out evil passions that cause strife0 Those persecuted for righteousness: Give evidence of their rejection of sin and their yielding to the influence of the Holy Spirit0 Bear the reproach of Christo Tread the path trodden by the noblest of earths Are fitted by trial for work as colaborers with Christo Find that each conflict has its place in the great battle for righteousnesso Fulfill every duty irrespective of fear or favor of man, Will learn that each experience adds to the joy of final triumpho LESSON 80THE LAW OF THE KINGDOM Objectives To understand the amplification of the law made by Jesus0 To lead the students into the realization that sin has its roots in the motives, of which the outward acts of transgression are mere reflections0 Assignment LESSON 9o THE LAW MISREPRESENTED h Read PeAtsie o^ Age* Page* 79=26 (CHL 1~9)0 2, To whom waA JeAuA ChsitAt to fieoeat God? 19 s 2 (1s 2) 30 Hou) doeA Satan mtbtiepfteAent the taw o£ God? 24 s 3 (5.° 3) 40 Hou) dtd JeAuA ChfitAt dtA-pn.ove Satan9 A mtAsiepsieAentatton? 24s3--25s4 (5s3—8:1) Introduction In our previous lesson we studied some characteristics of those who become citizens of the kingdomo The traits which Jesus en~ numerated described the citizens of the Kingdom as being humble, meek, desirous of righteousness, kind, pure, peaceful, and willing to endure hardship for the sake of the Kingdom,, Citizens with these traits are happy in the Kingdom of God because they shall see God, own the earth, find complete satisfaction, receive kind treatment, become princes in the Kingdom as sons of God, own the earth and the Kingdom of heaven0 Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment,, LtAt att the eon&iaAtA you fitnd tn Matthew 5s13-480 - 291 » Lesson 8, The Law of the Kingdom CONTRASTS FOUND IN MATTHEW 5:13-48 13 15 17 19 21-24 29f 37 45 Salt of the earth Not under a bushel Not to abolish Relax a commandment You have heard Better lose one member Yes Evil Just or trodden under foot but on a stand but to fulfil does and teaches them but I say (each admonition is a contrast) than the whole body or no and good and unjust In verses 13-17 the true citizens are contrasted with the false citizenso The true are called the salt of the earth and the light of the world0 The false are likened to salt that has lost its flavor and to a light that is covered with a basket0 In Palestine much of the salt that is used even today is derived from the evaporation of water from the Mediterranean Sea0 At best, this is usually not as salty as the salt we use, In addition, if it stands around in the open air too long it becomes less and less salty until it is useless for seasoning purposes. Such salt is sometimes used in place of sand on a pathway. It is smooth to walk on, and it helps to keep down the weeds, Jesus used this as an illustration, ”If salt has lost its taste 0 0 0 it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men," So also is a citizen of the Kingdom who has lost the characteristics of a citizen, The illustration Jesus used to indicate the mission of the citizen as the light of the world is interesting because of its movement from the general to the particular,. The first statement depicted the citizen as, ’’the light of the world,” the brilliant sun0 The second brought this down to a smaller area of the world: "a city set on a hill cannot be hid„” This recalled the familiar sight of a lighted village at night. In the hilly country where the people lived to whom he was speaking, any village on a hilltop can be seen at night throughout the surrounding country. The final step in particularization pictured a lamp set on a lamp-stand to give light to all in the house. Thus the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven are to lighten the world, the community about them, and the house in which they live. In other words, Christians will act like Christians wherever they are, in the home, in their community, and in the world at large0 It is not enough for us to give offerings on Sabbath to send missionaries to lighten the world with the gospelo This is part of - 292 Lesson 80 The Law of the Kingdom the program0 This is an important part of our responsibility, but this is not enough0 We also must witness to the gospel in our own communities8 before all those who know us0 Even being a Christian among our friends and companions is not enougho A Christian will act like a Christian in his own home0 The figure of light is a very appropriate one0 It is just the opposite of some figures that people recall when they think of Christians? gloom, kill-joy, wet blanket, etc0 Jesus said a Christian will brighten his home, the community in which he lives, and the world0 20 Note some of the statements that Jesus made concerning the Law and its relationship to principles of the Kingdomo The Law0 Matto 5?17-20 I have come, not to abolish, but to fulfill the law and prophetso The law is as eternal as heaven and earth—nothing shall pass from the law until all is accomplishedo Whoever teaches the relaxing of any command of the law shall be least0 He who does and teaches them shall be called great—in the kingdom of heaveno One's righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven0 Relationships? 5g17-20 to 3-16 and 21-48 In 3-16 the whole emphasis appeared to be on spiritual relationships, attitudes, motives (except 16g ’’good works")0 Jewish legalism was concerned rather with regulations concerning the acts and outward appearanceo In 17-20 Jesus gave assurance that the emphasis he had made in 3-16 in no way undermined the moral and ethical requirements of Scripture0 Lest it be thought that he was suggesting principles of a lower standard than the Scribes and Pharisees, he asserted that their righteousness (those who hoped for the kingdom of which he was speaking) must exceed that of the legalists0 He would fulfil the law, not abolish it0 In 21-48 Jesus demonstrated how an emphsis on the motives, instead of on the outward act, magnifies rather than diminishes the law0 The resultant standard is much higher, not lower0 17-20 Forms a pivot for this section0 20 Might be regarded as the "text" of sermono 21-48 Is a substantiation of the text0 - 293 - Lesson 80 The Law of the Kingdom 3 Discuss part 2 of the assignments In Matto So 27=46 the otd taw Zb contrasted with the new taw oi the. ktngdom6 In a sentence on. two state how Jesus amptZited on. modified the otd taws to whteh he reienAeds You. shaZZ not kZZZ You shaZZ not commit aduZteny You. shaZZ not sweat. iatteZy An eye ion. an eye9 a tooth ion. a tooth You shatt Zove youn neighbor and hate your enemy YOU SHALL NOT KILL. Jesus amplified this commandment by equating anger, insult? and derision with murder0 He also required recon” ciliation with brother before attempting reconciliation with God (sacrifice)0 YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY0 Lust and divorce are adulteryo Control of the body is demanded0 YOU SHALL NOT SWEAR FALSELY0 Jesus forbade not only perjury, but also the use of oaths to support one's statements0 A Christian9s simple declarations should be completely reliable* AN EYE FOR AN EYE, A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH0 Jesus rejected this "law” corapletelyo Citizens of his kingdom must not retaliate, but do more than is required of them0 YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY. This command was also rejectedo Those who would be sons of the heavenly Father will love impartially as He does* This is perfection.. The following study charts are included for the use of the teacher in his own study0 He may want to use parts of them in class to clarify some of the contrasts between the old and new laws which Jesus made* Some of these may be used in connection with Lesson 9 as wello - 294 - Lesson 80 The Law of the Kingdom Matthew 5?21”26 You have heard YOU SHALL NOT KILL BUT I say I say - Whoever kills shall be liable to judgment Everyone angry shall be liable with his brother to judgment Whoever insults shall be liable his brother to the council Whoever [derides] shall be liable to hell of fire® SO IF You are offering your gift at the altar AND [You] remember that your brother has something against you [You] leave your gift there before the altar FIRST [You] go be reconciled to your brother THEN [You] come and offer your gift [You] make friends quickly with your accuser LEST Your accuser hand you over to the judge, and The judge to the guard, and You be put in prison® TRULY You will never get out Till you have paid the past penny® - 295 - Lesson 89 The Law of the Kingdom Matthew 5:27~32 You have heard BUT YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY I say It was also said BUT I say everyone who looks lustfully has committed adultery at a woman with her already in his heart IF Your right eye causes you to sin [You] pluck it out and throw it away IT IS BETTER You lose one of your members THAN Your whole body be thrown into hello IF Your right hand causes you to sin [You] cut it off and throw it away IT IS BETTER You lose one of your members THAN Your whole body go into hello Whoever divorces give a certificate his wife of divorce [to] her Everyone who divorces makes an adulteress his wife [of] her (except on the ground of unchastity) Whoever marries commits adultery a divorced woman - 296 - Lesson 84 The Law of the Kingdom Matthew 5:33-37 ; You have heard BUT I say YOU SHALL NOT SWEAR FALSELY BUT YOU SHALL PERFORM WHAT YOU HAVE SWORN TO THE LORD [You] do not swear at all, either by heaven (God’s throne) by earth (God’s footstool) by Jerusalem (King’s city) by your head (can’t change) what you say let be simple yes no Anything more comes from evil (than this) You have heard BUT I say Matthew 5:38-42 AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH [You] Do not resist one who is evil BUT IF Any one strikes you on the right cheek [You] turn to him the other also IF Any one would sue you to take your coat [You] let him have your cloak as well IF Any one forces you to go one mile [You] go with him two miles Who begs give to him from you Who would borrow do not refuse him from you - 297 - Lesson 80 The Law of the Kingdom Matthew 5s43-48 You have heard BUT I say To Love, LnpaA-tLatty Lb to be. Son o{ LnpaAtLaL Ha F. To Love. paJiLiaLly Lb to be. Like. pantLat tax. c.o& Le.ot.oKS & Ge.n-tLLzs0 You must be. as the, HoFo-“ peA.fie.ct, Ln-paAtLaL YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY. [You] love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you SO THAT [You] may be sons of your Father who is in heaven FOR He makes to rise His sun on the evil and on the good, and [He] sends rain on the just and on the unjust FOR IF You love those who love you You have what reward? Tax collectors do the samee AND IF You salute your brethren only You are doing what more than others? Gentiles do the same. THEREFORE You must be perfect AS Your heavenly Father is perfect. LESSON 9o THE LAW MISREPRESENTED Objectives To understand that a feeling which regards the Law of God burden” some has its origin with Satan0 To understand that in Jesus the true character of God and His law is revealed, and that the life patterned after Jesus will grow toward conformity to the law and toward God-likeness Assignment LESSON 10., RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM L Read Matthew 6*134a 20 Note, that the. AtAuctuAe o& thti> chapteA con^oAn& to the. fioZ-touting patterns A negattve tmpeAattve ("Vo notooot" "you. ma&t not000" etc0] A -wuon ^04. the. tmpeAattve ("fioA thenooot" "^oa they000" etc0) A po^ZZZve tmpeAattve (”go tnto youA Aoom0 0 0f" "pAay then ttke tht£00op” etCo) A Aeabon ^oa the tmpeAattve ("youA FatheA u)ho Aee& 0 0 0S)" "Foa o o of " etc.o) The naAAou) cotumn o^ youA chaAt tb fitted out0 Comptete the chaAt by uJAtttng bAtefi Atatementb u)htch AurrmaAtze the tmpeAattve^ and Aea&OAif and ptactng them tn the bAoad coZumn afcteA the coa-Aebpondtng Ae^eAence Aupptted tn the te^t coZumn0 Note the exampteb gtvena kJlbo note the bAeak tn the patteAn tn ve7ue2> 22“24p and comptete the tentence* uihtch oac & touted £oa you tn the bAoad coZumn0 The teacher should illustrate precisely what is wanted when making the assignmento The following example will illustrate how this might be doneo 1 Do not Reason 2-4 Do not Reason Do Reason Practice piety for publicity Your heavenly Father doesn’t reward it Call attention to your almsgiving for praise The attention received is the only reward Give alms anonymously Heavenly Father rewards such - 299 - Lesson 90 The Law Misrepresented Call attention to the fact that verses 22-24 contain an amplification of the preceding statements and do not conform to the pattern of the rest of the chapter0 These are included almost parenthetically here0 The pattern is resumed again in verse 25 and continues to the end of 34O Introduction We have been studying the principles of the Kingdom and the characteristics of its citizens from Matthew 50 Today we will be noting one reason it was necessary for Jesus to restate the law of God for the people of His day and for us0 Because the law of God, which we studied in some detail during the first semester, prohibits some things that we by nature are inclined to do, it is often looked upon not only as difficult to keep, but also as demanding a way of life which is unenjoyable and perhaps a real hardshipo Frequently people feel that it represents a very stern, somber, unkind God who has no interest in seeing His creatures have a good time, but only in keeping them subserviant to Him0 In our lesson today we will see the source of such ideas and how it was that Jesus came to correct these false impressions0 Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment To whom woa JeAuA Ch/uAt to neveat God? 19^2 (h°2) The reason Jesus came to this world was to reveal God, his Father, to man, who had developed a wrong concept of His character0 Although God had been trying through the centuries to reveal His true nature through His prophets and others. He had been unable to break through the misunderstanding of men sufficiently to give a true representation of Himself0 You might describe your father to us in considerable detail0 You might tell us the color of his hair, how large he is, whether he speaks in high or low voice, whether he looses his temper frequently or is very patient, what type of work he does, some of his personal traits, etCo However, we would not have a true idea of what your father is like unless we could actually see him, hear him, observe him as he goes about his work, and get acquainted with him person-ally0 Christ came to reveal God to men personallyo For more than thirty years he lived among people, talked with them, ate with them, attended their parties, taught in their schools, preached in their churches, participated in their celebrations, was arrested by their police, tried in their courts, and executed with their criminals0 After all this He could say, ”If you have seen me you have seen Godo’’ 300 Lesson 90 The Law Misrepresented According to The Desire of Ages 19s2 (1?2) Christ came to reveal God not only to men, but also to angels and to the unfallen beings of the other worlds0 (At this point the teacher might ask the students to suggest some reasons why angels and unfallen beings could learn more about God than they already knew by seeing Jesus on this eartho) We must remember that the other beings in the universe had never seen God in action in a sinful situation before0 This world presented an entirely new circumstance within which the character of God might be revealed0 Up to the time of the coming of sin they had known Him only under ideal conditions0 Sometimes a companion whom we have known only when things are going smoothly reveals quite a different kind of personality when we see him under pressure or when things start going against him0 20 Discuss parts 3 & 4 of the assignment,. How do&b Satan iMae.pa&&e.nt the. taw ofi God? 2413 (5? 3) How dtd JeAaA Ch/uAt dtA-paove. Satan9 A mtAacp^eA^ntatton? 24°*3-~25t4 {5s3—8sl] This should clarify the true nature of sin as the very antithesis of everything good and worthful0 It should not only contrast good and evil but also happiness and unhappiness9 value and disvalue, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, joy and sorrow, health and sickness, life and death, existence and anihilation, etc0 All these and more are included in the contrasts between God and Satan, righteousness and wickedness, obedience and disobedience, salvation and losso Other beings had known God as a God of love, the source of life and happiness in a perfect universe0 Would He be the same with people who rebelled against Him? Lucifer had claimed that he wouldn't,, He was quite ready to admit that God was easy-going so long as one did precisely what He said0 However9 He would be pretty unpleasant with anyone who crossed Him0 In fact, Lucifer claimed that anyone who disobeyed so much as even a little commandment would be killed by Godo Up to the time that Jesus came there had been no real demonstration as to whether Lucifer®s charge was true or noto The evidence seemed to be on his side, because everybody who had disobeyed God had also died? I ’’Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds0 The archapostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not understood his principles0 They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebelliono” DA, 758 However, during the trial, curcifixion, and death of Christ ’’Satan saw that his disguise was torn away0 His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe0 301 - Lesson 90 The Law Misrepresented He had revealed himself as a murderer0 By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beingso Henceforth his work was restricted0 Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christas brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin0 The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was brokeno” DA, 761 Up to the coming of Christ Satan had claimed that God was inflicting punishment, sickness, and unhappiness on the human race0 He claimed that God was killing people in revenge for their rebelliono Up to the death of Christ there was no proof that Satan was wrongo But Jesus never disobeyed God, never rebelled against Him, and yet he was subjected to torture and death0 The angels knew God had not killed HIM! For the first time it became unmistakably clear who it was that was doing the killing—Satan, the adversary of God, the enemy of all life, the source of all evil, the author of all sufferingo LESSON 10o RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM Objectives To note the continuing emphasis that Jesus placed on the importance of motive in Christian service0 To help the students understand that true religion is basically a matter of attitude and motivation arising out of trust in Godo Assignment LESSON Ho W LIKE THIS h Study the tnsthuettoni eoneehntng phayen. whteh JeAuA gave tn Matthew 6? 5“ J 5 0 Thtb pa&Aage t& made up two pahaghaphA 0 The ^thAt tt> eoncehned with how to pnay and the Aeeond with what to phay0 Wtthtn each oJ^heAe pataghaphA a eonthaAt tA dtawn between the who ng and the htght tn phaytng0 Make an anatyAiA on two chahtA0 In the tefct hand column o£ each put the Apectfite thtngA that A hoold oh Ahoutd not be done and Aatd tn phayeh0 In the htght hand column put the heaAon fioh the phohtbttton oh admonition tn each caAe0 Introduction Chapter 5 was concerned with characteristics of the citizens and the nature of the law of the Kingdom of heaven0 We have seen that the new law neither weakened nor did away with the oldo Rather9 the new law emphasized the part played by motives in conforming to the old lawo Sin is to be found not only in wrong acts, but also in the reasons for committing them0 Even the doing of a good act for a wrong reason may be sin0 This is the emphasis that we will find in Matthew 6, which we begin studying todayo Discussion l0 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Note that the Athuctuhe oft tht& chapteh confiohmA to the fallowing patternc A negative impehatlve ("Vo notao09" "you muAt not000" etc0) A heaAon fan. the Impehatlve ("fah then0OO," "fan they0 0 0 >s etc0) A poAttlve impenatlve ("go Into youn noom0 0 09" "Pnay then like tht&00 o, ” eXCo) A heaAon fan the impenatlve ("youn Eathen who Aeeb 0 0 0," "Fon0 0 09 " etc0) 303 Lesson 10o Righteousness of the Kingdom The naAAou) column o& youA chaAt I* oat0 Complete the chaAt by uniting bAle& statement* which AummAlze the ImpeAatlve* and Aea*on*» and placing them In the bAoad column a^teA the coMie* ponding Ae^eAence supplied In the lefat column* Note the example* given* M*o note the bAeah In the pattern In veA*e* 11-149 and complete the *entence* which oac *taAted io a you In the bAoad column* Make a paragraph analysis of chapter six on the chalkboard, similar to that which appears on the following chart0 Point out again that the author used a pattern which is a series ofs a warning or prohibition—"Do not," a reason for the prohibition,, a positive admonition—"Do," reason for the admonition0 The pattern is quite constant throughout the chapter with one or two variationso The exceptions to this pattern will be found in the first paragraph which has only the prohibition and its substantiation? "do not,” reasono The second paragraph (2-4) begins with a "do not”o The pattern remains constant to the end of the fifth paragraph (verses 19-21)0 The next two paragraphs (22-23 and 24) are illustrations which amplify what has gone before, and which serve to contrast the earthly with the heavenly0 The last two paragraphs (25-33 and 34) follow the usual pattern, except that v0 34 is a parallel to v0 19 having only the "Do not" and Reasono Structural Pattern for Matto 6 1. Do not Reason 2-4 Do not ; Reason Do Reason 5-6 1 Do not I Reason Do | Reason Practice piety for publicity Your heavenly Father doesn’t reward it Call attention to your almsgiving for praise The attention received is the only reward Give alms anonymously Heavenly Father rewards such Pray for effect on public Effect on public is the only reward Pray to Father in secret Father who sees in secret rewards such — 304 — Lesson 100 Righteousness of the Kingdom 7-15 ; Do not Reason Do Reason 16-18 1 Do not Reason Do Reason 19-21 Do not Reason Do Reason 22-24 Here the pattern is brok-| en in order to j make more contrast between earthly and | heavenly objectives or treasures Pray with repetitious empty phrases as Gentiles Father knows what you need without asking Pray to Father for forgiveness with forgiving spiri Father will forgive trespasses of such a one Fast for effect on public Effect on public is only reward Fast without letting it show to men Father who recognizes secrets will reward such Lay up treasures on earth Not enduring nor safe Lay up treasures in heaven They9re safe & your heart will also be there If eye is sound—body will be lighted (eye-lamp) If eye (lamp) is not sound—body will be dark If lamp (eye) darkness—darkness of body great Cannot serve two masters Will turn toward one and away from the other Can not serve God and mammon - 305 “ Lesson 10o Righteousness of the Kingdom 25-33 Do not Worry about supply of life's needs Reason Worry adds nothing of value to life Birds9 lilies, grass8 cared for by Father Father knows your needs Do Seek first His kingdom and righteousness Reason All these things shall be yours as well (as the Ko) 34 Do not Worry about tomorrow Reason Future will be anxious for itself Do Handle today0s troubles today 20 Note the commands of Jesus that he has given thus far in his sermons 5?22 Do not be angry 27 Do not look lustfully 34 Do not swear 38 Do not resist one who is evil 44 Love your enemies 48 You must be perfect 6«2 Sound no trumpet when giving alms 5 You must not be like hypocrites 7 Do not heap up empty phrases 9 Pray like this 16 Do not fast publicly 19 Do not lay up treasures on earth 25 ,31 Do not be anxious Call attention to the fact that the admonition, B5Do not be anxious/’ is just as much a command of Jesus as those that preceedo A brief discussion might be had at this point regarding the implication of this0 Just as the other acts prohibited by the commands listed above are indicative of an unsatisfactory relationship with God, just so worrying is symptomatic of a lack of complete trust in God0 3o Continue the discussion of the command, ”Do not be anxious,” by not” ing the rhetorical questions which are asked in the paragraph, 25-33s - 306 « Lesson 10o Righteousness of the Kingdom Is not life more than food and body more than clothing? God gave the greater-life and body? therefore™ He surely can give the lesser—food and clothing0 He can sustain that which He created0 Are you not more valuable than birds? Obviously! God cares for them9 therefore, He can care for you alsoo Birds8 of coursep work but they do not worry about the future0 Who can add one cubit to his span of life? A cubit is about the length of one step0 No one by worry can add to his life span the time needed to take one step0 So why worry—what good is it? Why be anxious about clothing? The lilies are gloriously clothedo The grass is clothedo The grass is less than lilies—lilies are less than birds™ birds are less than you0 If God clothes the least9 can He not be depended upon to clothe the highest of His creation? The provision of these things and concern about them is typically pagano Worry demonstrates a lack of faith0 Worry is not Christiano The Gentiles seek these things0 You should seek the Kingdom of Godo These things will be yours as a "by-product0” Two implications § Worry suggests that God takes care of everything and everybody except citizens of His own Kingdomo That the kingdom should be sought through the real and ordinary vocation and work of life0 LESSON lloPRAY LIKE THIS Objectives To gain a true understanding of Jesus- instructions regarding prayer0 To help the students make prayer a vital factor in their lives0 Assignment LESSON 12 0 GATEWAY OF THE KINGDOM 10 Read Matthew chaptea 70 2o Ltbt cM t/ie fiiguw ofa speech. uAed in thu chapter and Atate baiefity what you think, each. one. mean^o Introduction The sixth chapter is a series of contrasts between concern with one s inner relationship to God and concern with external things0 It opens with the admonition, ’’Beware of practicing your piety before man in order to be seen of them0’’ This might be regarded as the theme sentence for the entire chapterc Jesus repeatedly warned against making one’s relationship with God a means for personal exaltation among men0 In verse 24 he frankly stated that this was impossible to accomplisho Trying to make one’s service to God a means of serving men is trying to serve two masters, which is impossible0 You must choose which you will serve—you cannot serve both0 In today’s lesson we are particularly interested in the most basic of all religious practices—prayer0 One who truly makes prayer a vital and continuing practice in his life will find a true relationship with Godo Still, prayer wrongly practiced, or entered into with a wrong motive is nothing more than the mumbling of meaningless phraseso Jesus stated some fundamental principles regarding prayer and gave an example of a proper prayer0 This is our study for todayo Discussion l0 Discuss the assignment for the day0 Study the. inAtsiuctlonb conceaning pnayea which JeA&b gave, tn Matthew 6§5°?5O Thu pauage u made, up ofi two paaag/iaph& 0 The. ^tut u concerned with how to paay and the. Aecpnd with what to pfiay0 Within each ofi theue paaagxaphk a contact iu daawn between the. 308 - Lesson ll0 Pray Like This uiaong and. the. atght tn paaytngo Make. an analyst* on two chaat*0 In the left hand column of each put the specific thing* that should oa should not be done and *ald tn paayea0 In the atght hand column put the aea*on foa the paohtbttton oa admonition tn each ca*e0 HOW TO PRAYo 6:5-6 IMPERATIVE REASON | mo not You must not be like hypocrites they They love to stand and pray in the synagogues & at the street corners9 that they may be seen by men0 have their reward0 Do Go into your room and Shut the door and Pray to your Father Will who is in secret; & who sees in secret reward you r I 1 WHAT TO PRAYo 6:7-15 IMPERATIVE REASON Do not Heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do Be like them they Your For think they will be heard for their many words For Father knows what you need before you ask Him Do Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be Thy name0 Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as in heaven Give us This day our daily bread; Forgive us our debts9 as we have forgiven our debtors; Lead us not into temptation^ but deliber us from evil0 » 309 - Lesson ll0 Pray Like This For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory9 forever9 Amen0 For If you forgive men their trespasses Your heavenly Father also will forgive you; But If you do not forgive men their trespasses. Neither will your Father forgive youo If question is raised concerning the omition of the section, ’’For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever/' in the RSV text it should be explained that some of the manuscripts have it and some do noto The translators of the RSV evidently felt that the weight of evidence was against its inclusion^, However, it will be noted that omitting it breaks the author's pattern of giv“ ing a reason or substantiation for his imperatives0 This omitted portion of v0 13 substantiates the first part of the prayer (9=10)9 and verses 149 15 substantiate the last part of the prayer (ll»13)o Editions of the RSV which have footnotes include this portion there with an explanatory statemento 20 The Lord’s prayer should be more carefully examined by means of a study chart which the teacher might construct on the chalkboard0 The following is a sample of such an analysis0 Note that there are three divisions to the prayer: Father in heaven; Us on earth; Thine for ever0 The prayer opens and closes with worship to God0 Only the middle section is concerned with our personal needs0 The concern is with God’s namej God’s kingdom, God’s will, God’s power9 God’s glory, God’s eternity0 In regard to our personal needs there are only two concerns—that which is necessary to our physical lives (food)9 and that which is indispensable to our spiritual lives (forgiveness from sin) o — 310 ~ Lesson ll0 Pray Like This THE LORD9S PRAYER in heaven Thy name Thy kingdom Thy will AS [SO] be hallowed come be done in heaven on earth us . [on earth] Us our bread (daily) Us our debts AS Us into temptation BUT Us from evil give forgive our debtors we forgive lead not deliver THINE forever FOR Thine the kingdom [Thine] the power [Thine] the glory is [is] [is] AMEN LESSON 120 GATEWAY TO THE KINGDOM Objectives To acquire an appreciation of the use of figures of speech as illustrated in Matthew 70 To personalize Jesus- teaching concerning charity toward the faults of others without an indiscriminate sentimentality0 Assignment LESSON Ho THE KINGDOM OF GOV U ConAtsiuct cl aha/it o& Matthew 5z3~~7°°27 Ahowtng the. ouMtne? p^iZnctpaE te.aehtng&, and the, untty o& the, A&imon on the. mount0 Be. AuAe. to a&Atgn titter to the. chapter and matn A£ctton&o Introduction In Chapter 6 Jesus was concerned with the motives for Christian activitieso He condemned any righteous acts which are practiced for publicity0 Almsgiving is not to be advertised but to be done anonymouslyo Prayers are not to be made for their effect on the publicg but they are to be directed secretly to the Father in Heaven0 Fasting is not to be practiced as a demonstration of piety0 He who fasts should take special care not to let it be evident to others0 Treasures are not to be laid up on earth but in heaven9 for earthly concerns are not to be a cause for worry to the citizens of the Kingdom of God0 They are to seek first the Kingdom and God’s righteousness0 Then they are to trust Him to supply their earthly needs0 The model prayer which Jesus gave his disciples has six concerns? God’s holy name God’s coming kingdom God’s sovereign will Our material needs (bread) Our sins a which need forgiving Our temptations $ from which we need deliverance The attitude of the citizens of the Kingdom of heaven toward material things is set fortho They lay up their treasure in heaven and do not allow material concerns to be cause for worryo In our lesson for today we will see Jesus' teaching concerning the attitude of the citizens toward otherso We will also see some of the difficulties in finding an entrance into the Kingdomo This seventh chapter closes on the optimistic note that those who accept the principles of the Kingdom as given in the sermon will build characters that are substantial and enduringo — 312 “ Lesson 120 Gateway to the Kingdom Discussion 1„ Discuss the outline of Matthew 7s briefly pointing out the following features? 1-12 A dual theme? Be charitable toward others” faults0 Be discriminate in this charity0 This discrimination must never be on selfish grounds— only on obvious and objective evidence0 13-23 A dual theme? Man can judge character only by its obvious results in life0 God judges character on the basis of obedience to His will0 Man cannot evaluate other peoples” obedience to God8 for8 according to chapter 68 obedience cannot be evaluated aside from the motives8 which only God can see0 24-27 A dual theme? Obedience is termed wise9 for it results in strength and enduranceo Disobedience is termed foolish0 for it results in weakness and destruction,, 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment,, LuZ cM the. fiiguAeA o& speech uAe.d in thi& chapter and -&tat& b/iie^ty what you. think. e.ach one. me.an£0 SPECK IN BROTHER9S EYE—An irritant or imperfection so small that it cannot be seen by anyone without deliberate and intense searching0 LOG IN YOUR OWN EYE—An impossibly large obstruction which can be seen by everyone except by the one afflicted9 for it renders him unable to see anything—much less a speck in someone else8s eye! THINGS HOLY TO DOGS—Dogs are insensible to holinessB and swine are PEARLS TO SWINE not aware of beauty,. Dogs and swine have an entirely different set of values from what people have„ Howeverj since Jesus is talking to and about people he must be indicating that some people become as insensitive to beautiful and holy things as animals are0 When this happens how much different are they from animals? In the context of the admonition not to judge one”s brother this indicates that man is capable of and must deferentiate between man and dogg and between man and swine0 The admonition of verse 6 places a limitation on the statement of verse 18 ’’Judge noto” There are - 313 Lesson 12 0 Gateway to the Kingdom some things which man must judge0 However, it is judgment on an entirely different level to recognize the difference between a dog and a man than it is to determine whether a man has a speck in his eye or noto KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED TO YOU—This is in parallelism to the statement preceding, “Ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find0” The same parallelism is contained in verse 80 LOAF“-STONE”“-Two contrasts between that which is food and that PISH””SERPENT which is noto Here again judgment is required0 GIFTS TO CHILDREN~“The theme of judgment continues, indicating that even evil parents know what constitutes a good gift for their children,, Parents are here in contrast to the heavenly Father0 If even evil ones know good gifts9 how much more does the perfect heavenly Father know how to give good gifts0 WOLVES IN SHEEPS CLOTHING—All of these figures indicate how man’s GRAPES FROM THORNS judgment must be made0 The outward ap~ FIGS FROM THISTLES pearance of a wolf in sheep's clothing SOUND AND BAD TREES is that of a sheep, but he does not act GOOD AND EVIL FRUIT like a sheepo Judge him by his acts not CUT AND BURNED by his appearance0 Likewise, a sound tree and a bad tree may appear the same during some seasons, but not during harvest0 Judge by what the tree bearso As thorns do not bear grapes9 and thistles do not bear figs, so also an evil tree does not bear good fruit0 Trees that do not bear good fruit are destroyed0 HOUSE ON ROCKS continuation of the fruit bearing idea0 HOUSE ON SAND The character of the foundation of the RAIN, FLOODS, AND WINDS house may not be apparent in its appear” ance during good weather, but during a storm the difference becomes apparent0 He who hears and does the words of Christ will endure the storm, but he who hears and does not will fall”“even as the house with a sandy foundation 30 The contrasts between the narrow and broad ways, and between the destinies toward which they lead might be illustrated effectively by placing the following chart on the chalkboard,. ” 314 " LESSON 13o THE KINGDOM OF GOD Objectives To review the Sermon on the Mount® To impress the students with the present and eternal values which acrue to those who make the principles of the sermon the guide-lines of their lives0 Assignment LESSON 14a MIRACLES k Read Mattkeu) 20 On the chant paovtded tt&t att the mtaacteA deA entbed tn chapten. 8a Indicate the peopte tnvotved, the appaoaehet that they made to Je6u4, what thevi needt> wen.ef and what JeitU9 n.ei>ponAe wat tn each ca^e® Inetude the tefieaeneeA tn the cotumn de&tgnatedfi "Peopte/1 Introduction Today we take a look at the entire Sermon on the Mount again0 After studying the various facts and details we will try to follow the theme through the entire sermon to see what its total impact is0 It made a very strong impression on those that heard it, for we noted in our study of chapter 7 that "the crowds were astonished at his teaching®’’ (7?28)® An appropriate title for the Sermon might be, "The Kingdom of God0" Perhaps its "text" is to be found in chapter 5s20? "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Phariseest you will never enter the kingdom of heaven®" The scribes and Pharisees were the religious leaders and, apparently, the most religious and pious people of the land® Jesus was saying? "Unless you are better than the most religious people you know, you will never get into the kingdom which I have come to proclaim®’’ Discussion 18 Construct the chart called for in the assignment® Do this section by section and involve the students completely® SERMON; THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Part 1) Matthew 5-7 BEATITUDES 48 Texts ’’Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven0” 5:20 Citizens 16 Law 17 Their Character The citizens are happy because they are humble, sorrowful for sin, meek, longing for God’s character, kind, pure, peaceful, righteous enough to be rejected by the worldo They also rejoice because such a character allows them to see God, be comforted, inherit the earth, be satisfied, obtain kindness, become sons of God, attain the kingdom of heaven, receive great reward0 Their Mission The citizens are to be the salt of the earth and light of the world0 Fulfilling the Law Jesus fulfilled the law and prophets0 Whoever does and teaches them becomes great in the kingdom of heaven0 Legalists will never enter the kingdom, howevero Amplifying the Law Murder is anger, not only killings Reconciliation is required0 Adultery is extended to lust and divorcee Self control is requiredo Perjury is equated with any falsity, not only when under oatho Complete integrity is requiredo Retaliation is disallowedo The citizen does more than is requiredo Hatred is rejectedo Impartial love is characteristic of God and His sonso This is the only acceptable standard and is termed, perfection THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Part 2) GOLDEN RULE LORD9S PRAYER 27 34 / 7?1 Righteousness 7°12 Gateway Dominating Motive Not to be practiced for publicity—secretly 0 Almsgiving not to be advertized—done anonymously,. Prayers not made for effect on public—done in secret, to Father in heaven0 Prayers not to consist of repetitlons’-model prayer given: FATHER (in heaven) US (on earth) His name—let it be holy our bread-give His kingdom—let it come our debts—forgive His will—let it be done our temptations—lead deliver Fasting not to be done for "effect”—do it without letting it show0 Attitude Toward Material Treasures laid up, not on earth—in heaven0 Serve God—not mammon0 Material things no cause for worry—seek first Kingdom of God, His righteousnesso Attitude Toward Others Judge not other’s weaknesses—remove one’s own defects0 Divine blessings to be sought after0 Benevolent, with discrimination—do as you would be done untoo Entrance into Kingdom Narrow—few find it0 Some try to get thru by dis-guise—revealed by their fruitSo Some try to get thru by mighty works—exposed by Christo Obedience to will of the Father is the gateway0 Summary Obedience to Christ’s will results in a substantial & enduring character0 317 EFFECT OF THE SERMON? "The crowds were astonished at HLs teachings for He taught them as one who had authorityo 0 o” Matthew 7?28s299 - 318 - Lesson 13o The Kingdom of God 20 Discuss Jesus® identity as revealed in the sermono He speaks with authority regarding the Kingdom of Godo 5:3-12, He is a fulfiller of the law and the prophetso 5:17. He speaks with authority concerning, and amplifies the eternal, unchanging law0 He places his authority alongside that of the law0 5§21ff. He speaks with authority concerning the character and works of the Fathero 5:45,48. He speaks authoritatively concerning the God’s dwelling place (heaven) and of His response to man’s religious practices0 6:Iff., He speaks positively regarding the Father’s knowledge of man and of His interest in him0 6:6-11, He speaks authoritatively regarding both divine and human for-givenesso 6:12-15. He speaks positively regarding the Father’s continuous activities in nature and in the life of man0 6:26ff. He speaks as one who can commit the Father to a course of action0 7:7-12 . Judged by his own criterion (by their fruits) he was a unique in- dividual in world historyo 7:15-20, He accepts the title, ’’Lord’’, and claims the authority to admit or reject applicants for heaven0 7:21-23O The customary general, ’’your Father/’ here becomes the personal, ”my Father”o He identifies himself as the One by whom men have prophesied, cast out demons, done many mighty works0 7:22O He identifies himself as the judge of man0 7:23O He equates his authority and claim on man’s obedience with that of the Father0 7:21,24O He claims unconditional authority for his words as being determinative in the destinies of all, whether they accept or rejecto 7:24-27o The authority by which he taught astonished his listeners0 7:28,29 » 319 Lesson 130 The Kingdom of God 30 Discuss the sermon in relation to the theme of the book of Matthew0 In relation to Matthew’s purpose to present Jesus as the expected Messianic king the sermon presents the program of the kingdom0 5s3~16o The character and the mission of the citizens of the kingdom are described0 5?17-48O The law of the kingdom is characterized as a magnification of the old law which remains in force0 This is done by giving a new emphasis which shifts primary interest from the act to the motive, and by contrasting the results of the new emphasis with that of the old0 6sl”="7sl2o The righteousness of the citizens of the kingdom is de™ lienated by describings their dominating motive, their attitude toward the material, their attitude toward others0 7sl3“270 In the final section the sermon indicates how one may get into the kingdom, and summarizes it by stating that obedience to the will of the Father and to the words of Christ is pre-requisite0 40 Lead the class into a discussion of true obedienceo What is it? ”Obedience=”-the service and allegiance of love-~is the true sign of discipleshipo” (SC, cho 7?11) ”If we abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings , our thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law0” (SC cho 7212) Emphasize that the thoughts, feelings, purposes““=as well as actions are involved0 In fact, according to the Sermon the motives are more important than the actions0 The motive determines whether the act is sinful or noto UNIT 3o THE KING’S POWER LESSON 140 MIRACLES Ob j ectives To get an overview of Matthew 8=“10o To get a picture of Jesus work among people who desperately needed hinio Assignment LESSON ?50 POWER h ConAtAuct a ehaAt 9 as you. did 6oa chapteA 80 20 LUt all the. claims that JeAub made. 6oa fumAeti In chapteA 8 and 90 GZve the. AefieAence £oa each0 Introduction Today we begin our study of a new unito It begins with the clause which introduces each units in the book of Matthews *’When Jesus finished these sayings 0 o o” (7§28) In the previous unit we learned the principles of the kingdonu In the present unit we will see a demonstration of the authority of the King0 Chapters 8§1—9§34 describe the actions of Jesus9 and chapters 9§35—10§42 relate his teachings0 You will recall that at the beginning of our study of Matthew we said that each unit is divided into two parts—--actions and teachings 0 The detailed study today begins with the actions0 In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had assumed considerable authority0 He announced the principles of the kingdom, indicated how to get into it, and declared.that the nation’s religious leaders were not to be followedo When he finished, the crowds were astonished, "for he taught them as one who had authority 0 0 o” (7§29) In Jesus’ actions, which we are beginning to study today9 he demonstrated this authority and power0 In fact9 the demonstrations of his authority are more astonishing than his claims had been0 Discussion l0 Discuss assignment 20 On the chaAt pAovlded H&t all the mlAacleA deAcAlbed tn chapteA 80 Indicate the people Involved^ the appAoacheA that they made to JeAuA, what thelA needA weAe9 and what JeAuA9 AeAponAe wa& In each caAe0 Include the AefieAenceA In the column deAlgnated# ,,People0,i MIRACLES OF MATTHEW 8 PEOPLE APPROACH NEED JESUS* RESPONSE EFFECT ON WITNESSES| Leper (1-4) Knelt8 ”If you willg you can” cleanse0 Physical healing9 cleansingo Touched hinig Cleansed him9 Healed him0 (”Say nothing to anyone 0 0 » show yourself to the priest0”) Centurion^ his servant (5-13) Beseeching9 unworthy2 ’’only say the wordo” Servant was paralyzed 0 ”1 will come/’ Marvelled at faith9 Healed the servant0 Peter9s mother-in-law (14-15) Jesus enteredg saw8 and touched her hando Fever Touched her9 Removed the fever0 Brought many others to be healedo Many (16-17) Were brought to him0 Demons & sick Cast out spiritsg Healed all sick0 Disciples (18-27) They woke Jesusg ”Save9 Lord; we are perishingo98 Faith & salvation from storm Why fearg Little faithg Calmed winds and sea0 Marve 1 led—what sort of man is this? Two Gadarenes (28-34) Cried out8 ’’What have you to do with us9 0 Son of God?” Spiritual & physical cleaning0 Allowed the demons to leave the man and enter the swine0 Begged Jesus to leaveo Lesson 140 Miracles (The material in the last column was not assigned to the students0 It is added here for the use of the teacher in enriching the class discussiono) - 322 - Lesson 140 Miracles 20 If questions are raised in regard to the nature of demon possession the following observations might be of value in explaining why the epi” lepsy and insanity theories are not adequate to explain references to demon possession in the New Testament0 Demons were the first to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and the first to submit to his powero Jesus treated them differently than he did the other sick0 He spoke with the demons directly0 Demon possession is still known in many places8 and the phenomenon cannot be explained on purely psychological grounds0 The whole New Testament teaching concerning the reality of the spirit realm is the only adequate explanationo The "principalities and powers/’ "rulers of darkness/' etcos are a very real part of the New Testament concepts0 LESSON 15o POWER Objectives To get an appreciation of the power claimed and displayed by Jesus0 To understand that this power is adequate to meet all our needs0 Assignment LESSON ?60 OPPOSITION Jo Construct an analytical chart fior Matthew 9s 15, 16, 170 Note, that each verse is, a parable which Jeitu spoke in answer to a question asked by the disciples o& John tn verse 14, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 2a In a faw sentences indicate how these parables answered the question? 30 Study the attitude o£ the scribes and Pharisees as indicated by the opposition which they are beginning to manifest in Matthew 9 s 3, 11,34 0 In column one o^ the chart put the statements and question Q In column 2 indicate what you think each ofi these revealed concerning the scribes and Pharisees0 In column 3 state how Jesus handled the situation^ Matthew does not indicate how Jesus handled the situation in 9 s 34, but you can fand it in Mark 3s23-27o Introduction In Matthew 8 we studied miracles which Jesus performed to cleanse a leper8 heal the paralized servant of an army officer, cure the fever of Peter’s mother-in-law, calm a storm on the lake, restore two men to sanity by casting the demons from them0 He did these miracles by a touch, a promise, and a permission0 In addition to the specifically described miracles, it is said that many were brought to him and that he cast out spirits and healed all the sicko In the study of chapter 9 we are continuing our attention on miracles described in this group by Matthew0 After discussing the miracles themselves we will see that Jesus made some rather high claims for himselfo Perhaps someone who does the kind of work that he was doing has a right to make such claims! Discussion l0 Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 Construct a miracle chart far chapter 9 as you did far chapter 8 MIRACLES OF MATTHEW 9 PEOPLE APPROACH NEED JESUS’ RESPONSE EFFECT ON WITNESSES Paralytic (1-8) Ruler’s daughter (18919;23—26) Woman in crowd (20-22) Two men (27-31) Dumb demoniac (32-34) Brought lying on his bed. Knelt, "come lay your hand on her.*9 Touched fringe of garmento Followed crying aloud, "have mercy on us." Was brought to him. Sins forgiven & physical healing. Healing, resurrection. Healing of hemmor-rhage. Blind Speech restored, spiritual healing Your sins are forgiven. Rise, take your bed and go home. "Not deat but sleeping" Took her hand and raised her. "Your faith has made you whole." "Do you believe that I am able?" Touched their eyes. "According to your faith." Opened their eyes. "Don’t tell anyone." Cast out demons. Scribes—blasphemy Crowds—afraid Spread his fame throughout the district. Spread his fame throughout the district. Pharisees—"by prince of demons.’ Crowds—"never was anything like this seen in Israel." — ■ —————————- Lesson 150 Power 325 » Lesson 15o Power 2o Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Lt&t cM the. cZatmb that J&6&6 made. ion. htm&eti tn chapteAA 8 and 90 Power to cleanse (8s3) Power to heal (8g7) Son of Man (8?20; 9§6) Leadership (8s22; 9j9013915) Authority to forgive sins (9g296) Power to read thoughts (9 §4) Knowledge of the nature of death contrary to accepted view (9§24) 30 Review all indications of Jesus® authority in chapters 8 and 9„ The authority with which he taught astonished the crowds□ 7 § 28=290 He exercised his authority in harmony with existing proper authorities when he recognized the right of the priest to diagnose leprosy and to receive an offering0 8§4O His authority could be exercised at a distance9 even as that of a mi= litary officer,, 8?9813O His authority over demons was exercised with simply ”a wordo” 8§16O **He gave orders 0 o o” 8§18O He is to be obeyed regardless of personal interest or necessity,, 8?22o He rebuked the wind and the sea9 and his closest associates mar= veled that even the winds and the sea obeyed himc 8s26$270 He feared not to walk where no one else dared,, 8§28O Demons feared him as the son of God9 recognized his authority to torment them9 begged him to acceed to a request $ and obeyed him„ 8?31»33o A city of strangers came to meet him$ and they begged—not commanded— him to leave their neighborhood,, 8§34„ He claimed authority to forgive sins0 When challenged9 he sub= stantiated his claim by demonstrating his authority over the re= suits of sin0 9s2"60 Claimed the title$ ’’Son of Man0” The crowds reacted with fear$ yet they glorified God$ ’’who had given such authority to man0” 9§6$8O - 326 Lesson 150 Power He commanded and was obeyed by a tax collector, though it meant the loss of his careero 9s 90 He stated that his mission was to ’’call” sinners0 9s130 He claimed authority to cast the Kingdom into a new moldo 9sl4“170 A ruler came and knelt before him0 9sl80 His authority was effective even when its exercise was not fully understoodo (The woman thought touching his garment had healed her, but, actually, it was her faith that had accomplished it0) 9§21»22O He ordered the friends and employees of the ruler about0 They laughed, but obeyed0 9s 24,250 He demonstrated authority over death0 93251,260 He was called, and he accepted the title, ’’Son of David0" 9s270 He demonstrated power over blindness0 9s28“30o “Jesus sternly charged them”—but. they disobeyed him0 9s 30310 His authority over a demon of dumbness caused the crowd to marvel0 Nothing like this had ever been done before0 9:32-330 The Pharisees attribute his authority to the prince of demons0 9s340 It is interesting to note that he was obeyed by a military officer, by disease, by demons, by crowds, by a storm, by a tax official, by sinners, by disciples, by a ruler, and by death0 He was disobeyed only by two men who had benefited from his power? LESSON 16o OPPOSITION Objectives To note the beginning of opposition to Jesus® ministry0 To understand that the real motives for opposition to Jesus arise out of ignoranceg misunderstanding9 dishonesty, and selfishness0 Assignment LESSON ?70 DISCIPLESHIP Io Make tttteb and theme benteneeb io A the pastagaapfob ofi chapter 10o Vtvtde the paAagfiaphb ab ioltouibt 1-4, 5-15, 16-23, 24-25, 26-33, 34-39, 40-42o 2o In the itAbt eotumn oft the ehaAt ttbt the tmpeAattveb that Jebab A poke tn chapter 70s5 150 In the beeond eotumn ttbt any motiveb that Jebub tndteated ioA obeytng thebe trnpesiattveb 0 Introduction We have studied the ten miracles described in Matthew 8-9 0 We noted the claims of Jesus and the many substantiations of his au-thority given in these two chapters0 Today we will note that Jesus used these miracles not only as demonstrations of his power and authority, but also as teaching devices for impressing his audience with truth about himself and the kingdom which he was proclaimingo Discussion lo Several weeks agao we studied the ministry of John the Baptisto We felt that his message was a rather stern oneo John seems to have been a stern character0 He was not a popular party guest0 He was keenly aware of the evil in mankind and accepted as his mission the calling of men and women to repentance0 Evidently, he felt that it would not be so difficult for people to put evil from their lives if they did not enjoy the world so much0 His preaching, his teaching, and his example demanded a denial of sensual enjoyment0 Eating and drinking are the most frequent and regular sensory pleasures that people have0 John felt this to be the obvious place to begin to refrain from indulging pleasures0 For his disciples he prescribed frequent fastingo Since John the Baptist had been imprisoned 9 at least some of his disciples were following Jesus and - 328 - Lesson 160 Opposition his groupo After all, John had indicated that his own mission was merely to prepare the way for another0 However, something was disturbing the disciples of Johno The teaching and example of Jesus had a tone different from what they were accustomed too He was not so stern, and he and his disciples seemed to be enjoying life0 All the time they had been listening to him they had heard nothing about fasting0 Finally, they felt compelled to ask the reason for this difference between the ministries of these two leaderso Besides, the Pharisees, who were the nation0s religious leaders, fasted frequently0 How was it that Jesus presumed to go against all precedent and custom? How could he defy the leadership of the Pharisees and deny the teachings and example of his own forerunner? So they asked, “’Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" This was a natural and legitimate question,, Jesus treated it as such0 Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 ConitAuct an anaZt/ZZcaZ chaAt ^oa Matthew 9? 15, 16p ?70 Note that each veA6e Z6 a patabZe tvhZch Jeaiu 4pohe Zn aniiveA to a queAtZon 04 bed by the dZicZpZeA o^ John Zn veAie 14, "(Vht/ do and. the. Pha/uUeeA fiaAt, but you/t dtbctpteA do not ^a&t?n 329 Lesson 160 Opposition Matthew 9:15—17 Bridegroom Wine 15 The wedding guests can [they] mourn AS LONG AS The bridegroom is with them? The days will come WHEN The bridegroom is taken away from them AND THEN They will fasto 16 AND No one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old garment0 FOR The patch tears away from the garment AND A worse tear is made0 17 NEITHER New wine is put into old wineskins £ IF IT IS The skins burst, AND The wine is spilled, The skins are destroyed0 BUT New wine is put into fresh wineskins, AND SO both (wine & skins) are preserved0 - 330 - Lesson 160 Opposition 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 In a 4entence4 ZndZcate how -t/xe^e pa/iabZea anaweAed the que^tZon40 Jesus answered the query of John°s disciples by these three parables0 What was he actually saying thereby? PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOMo The presence of Jesus is cause for joy# not mourningo Conversely$ the absence of Jesus is cause for mourning 2 not joyo Therefore^ fasting is inappropriate when Jesus is presento It should be practiced in his absence0 PARABLE OF THE CLOTH0 The new kingdom cannot be patched onto the oldo Jesus had not come to correct Judaism but to declare a complete gospel0 When we accept the gospel we are not adding something to our shoddy liveso Rather $ we are forsaking an old life for a new one0 PARABLE OF THE WINE0 The new kingdom cannot be contained within the old formSo Both content and form will be lost if this is attemptedo The new kingdom must be case into its own mold so that both content and form will be retained0 Too many people try to fit their Christianity into their old lives and thus lose what pleasure they might have had from the world without receiving the pleasures of Christianity0 The old life must be forsaken and a new life in Christ be acceptedo Thus a new happiness will be found in a new life, with new aims? new ambitions9 and new methods for attaining them0 30 Discuss part 3 of the assignmento Study the attitude o£ the, Acntbeb and Phant&ee& a& Indicated by the opposition which they one beginning to manliest tn Matthew 9 s 119 34O In column one ofi the chant put the statements and question 0 In column 2 Indicate what you think each of these neo eat ed concerning the scntbes and Pharisees 0 In column 3 state how Jesus handled the situation^ Matthew does not Indicate how Jesus handled the situation tn 9s349 but you can find It tn Mank 3s 23-270 - 331 Lesson 160 Opposition PHARISEES’ ASSERTION WHAT IT REVEALED HOW JESUS HANDLED ’’This man is blaspheming 0” Ignorance of Jesus’ true nature Unwillingness to accept him or the evidence By demonstrating his insight into their thoughts 9 Linking spiritual and physical healing together, and Demonstrating power over body and mind as an evidence of his power ■ in the spiritual realm ’’Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Lack of understanding of human worth—class consciousness Unfittness of themselves to call sinners to repentance By indicating the need of sinners (sick), Calling attention to their misunderstanding of God’s requirements i (mercy not sacrifice)J Stating that he came to 1 fill the need of sin- | ners (not to call the righteous)0 ”He casts out demons by the prince of demons o 98 Dishonesty—they knew better In Mark 3:23-27 Jesus shows this to be illogical. 40 Matthew 9?35™38 is a transitional paragraph between the ’’action” and the ’’teaching” sections of this unit0 It might be helpful to analyze this in class by involving the students in the discussion as the main features are put on the chalkboard0 Jesus? Activity? He went about all cities and villages™” teaching in synagogues9 preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing every disease and infirmity0 Jesus® Motivation? He saw the crowds who were™™ harassed9 lielpless, like sheep without a shepherd0 He responded in compassion for them0 His activity was a response to their needs0 332 - Legson 160 Opposition Jesus® Challenges His disciples were to meet the need the harvest is plentiful (the needy crowds); the laborers are few (he and disciples); pray the lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest (themselves)0 The transition between the action and teaching sections of unit three is made by summarizing the actionsf indicating that the actions were in response to a tremendous need but inadequate in themselves to meet itg and by laying the burden for meeting the need upon his disciples0 Chapter 10 begins the story of the disciples” meeting of the great need0 LESSON 17o DISCIPLESHIP Obj ectives. To study the first commission of Jesus to his disciples0 To learn principles of discipleship applicable to our service0 Assignment LESSON 180 SPREAD OF THE KINGDOM h List alt the contrasts you fiind in ehapten. 10 and indicate the vense or verses tn which you ^ound them0 2a Meditate on 10s 16 and in a short paragraph state what it means to be as a sheep among wolvesa Ask yourself questions Such. as s What are the characteristics o£ wolves? What are the characteristics ol sheep? How should a sheep act when it ^inds itself among wolves? In what way is a serpent wise? How could a sheep act wisely and yet innocently among wolves? Is there any di^erence between the sheep ofi verse 16 and the sheep o^ verse 6? You may think ofi other questions0 Vo these help you to understand what Jesus said? Introduction We have been studying the activity part of this unit in which Jesus was performing miracles0 We now will give attention to the teach" ing portion of it0 Of course, as we have seen, Jesus taught by his activities as well as by his words0 The teaching in chapter 10 is directed particularly to his disciples0 They have heard him teach and preacho They have watched him minister to the needs of the people0 They have seen him heal the sick, stop a storm, and raise the dead0 They have witnessed demonstrations of his authority over crowds, army officers, and demons□ They have seen him exercise his power over disease, storms, and deatho Now this Man who has been obeyed by a military officer, by disease, by demons, by crowds, by a storm, by a tax official, by sinners, by a ruler, and by death, commands and charges the disciples to start work on their own of the same type that they have seen him doing! Will they obey? Will they be able to do it? - 334 - Lesson 170 Discipleship Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment. Make titles and tkeme tfoa Zke patagaap/u of chapter. 10o Divide, the. paAagAaphs as iottoMs 1-4. 5=/5, 16-23. 24 259 26-33. 34-39. 40-42o Matthew 10—POWER DELEGATED TO DISCIPLES0 (In most of the following only main ideas are given—not theme sentences) 1=4—ROLL CALLo The 12 are given power over demons and diseases0 5=15—GOo Go to the house of Israel onlyo Heal* raise, cleanse, cast out, without pay0 Stay in homes of villagers0 16”23“““BE NOT ANXIOUSo Beware of men0 Spirit of the Father will speak through them0 Treachery in families0 Will not get through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes0 24=25—DISCIPLES AND LORD0 Disciple not above master—should expect similar treatment0 26=33—FEAR GODo Fear not those who kill body0 Two sparrows, hairs numberedo I will acknowledge you to the Father,, 34=39—FIND LIFE0 Not peace but sword□ Find life—lose it0 40=42—DISCIPLE REPRESENT LORDo Who receives you receives me0 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment,, In the, &Jut>t column oft the, chant list the. ImpeAatlveA that Jeiiti &poke. In chapter 10s5-150 In the, Ae.cond column tl&t any motives that Je^aA Indicated fion. obeying thete. Imperatives 0 - 335 - Lesson 170 Discipleship Matthew 10:5-15 IMPERATIVES MOTIVES Go (5-6) Go not to Gentileso Go not to Samaritanso Go to the house of Israelo Mission (7-8) : Preach, ’’the kingdom of heaven is at hando” Heal the sicko i Raise the deado | Cleanse the lepers0 Cast out demonSo Salary (8-10) J Give without pay0 Take not gold, silver, copper, 1 bag, two tunics, sandals, staffo Visitation (11-14) Seek the worthy person in towno Stay with him0 Enter the house0 Salute ito Let your peace come upon the worthy houseo Withold your peace from unworthy houseo Shake off dust0 If not received leave house or town where rejected0 eI'“> You received without pay0 The laborer deserves his food0 (Should be supported by those whom he serves) The person is worthy0 The house is worthy0 House or town unworthy,, Day of judgment intolerable for unworthy towno 3o Give attention to Jesus® teaching regarding discipleship in Matto 8s 19-22 and 9:9O The Eager Disciple”’’! will follow you wherever you goo” (8:19-20) Jesus responded by asking him to count the costo Discipleship requires sacrifice of creature comforts0 This illustrates how straight the gate and narrow the way is (7:14) The Reluctant Disciple—’’Let me first go and bury my father0” (8:21-22) Jesus responded that there must be no divided affections in discipleshipo Of course, this man’s father wasn’t dead yet0 Had he been, the man would not have stood there talking to Jesus0 In those days (even today) a man was buried on the day of his death0 - 336 - Lesson 170 Discipleship His father may have been healthy with a life expectancy of another 20 or 30 years0 This was an expression of intent to follow—but later9 not now—a delaying tactic0 The Obedient Disciple—”He arose and followed0” (9 g 9) Jesus called this disciple with a simple^ ’’Follow me”0 No promises were made0 No deal was agreed too The invitation was unconditionalo This illustrates9 ”You cannot serve God and Mannon”o (6g24) There is probably a good story behind this brief call of a dis-ciple0 Matthew likely had a background of experience in seeing and hearing Jesus previouslyo He wanted his friends to know of his new decision,, To celebrate it he prepared a dinner for Je-sus and his disciples to which he invited many of his acquaint-anceso (Matto 9g10-11)0 Luke 5g27-29 indicates that this feast was prepared by Matthew0 40 The following materials will be of value in continuing the class discussiono PREACHING TO THE GENTILES lOg506o The commission forbade them going to the gentiles or entering any town of Samaritans0 Their mission was to the house of Israelo 10g180 He predicted that they would be taken before governors and kings to bear testimony before the Gentiles0 It would seem that these two paragraphs are concerned with different periods in their witness0 (He later also changed the order regarding going without money0 See Luke 22g359360) This would be in harmony with the instruction as recorded in Acts lg8S ”0 0 0 Witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth0” There is a progressive expansion of scope in this chapter0 Verses 5-15 seem to be concerned with the immediate mis-sion$ perhaps as long as Jesus remained with them0 10gl6-23o Here the persecution (as opposed to a mere refusal to listen) which they might expect is described,. At the same time Jesus promised that the Spirit would speak through them in time of trialo This seems to describe their work after Pentecost0 10g24-42o Beginning with verse 24 a more general tone is evident0 It is no longer ’’you/* but ’’disciples” 0 Although the "you” returns with verse 26, there is a growing intensification of ’’whoever” and ”he who”o These are universals and would indicate principles applicable for all time0 - 337 - Lesson 170 Discipleship DISCIPLES9, RESPONSE TO REJECTION 10:13-14o If the house is unworthy let your peace return to youo If anyone will not receive you shake the dust from your feet as you leave0 This is a reiteration of the principle stated in 7:6--Do not give dogs what is holy? do not throw your pearls before swineo DIVINE HEALING 10:80 Heal the sick; raise the dead; cleanse lepers; cast out demonSo You have received without pay, give without pay0 It should be noted that these imperatives follow the commission to preach the Kingdom of heaven0 In the succeeding paragraphs, where the emphasis is on a more general and universal ministry, the concern is with the proclaiming of their witness by speaking (18-20,27,32)0 Is this fulfilled by medical ministry? The medical ministry may heal the sick, cleans lepers, and perhaps even cast out demons, but how many dead does it raise? This was done by Peter and by Paul, even as it had been done by Elijah and Elisha before them! In 1 Coro 12:4-11 Paul lists the spiritual gifts as including: Utterance of wisdom, utterance of knowledge, faiths healing9 miracles, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, various tongues, interpretation of tongues0 In the same chapter, verses 28-31, these gifts are listed as offices in the church: Apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, healers, helpers, administrators , various tongues0 LESSON 18o SPREAD OF THE KINGDOM Objectives To see the structure of chapter 10 and to review the unit0 To develop further the students9 skill in observing structural devices and relationships for the purpose of better recognizing the significance of Scriptural content for their own lives0 Assignment LESSON 19 o THE OELGATWN FROM JOHN Io Read Ma£t/w mi—13s520 2a Au>tgn tttteA fan ekapteA4 11p 12? and 130 3o Make Txt£e4 and Xkeme 4e.nte.nce6 fan tke fant>t two panagnaph* oft chapteA 11 o PZvZde aA fattoutes 1-6? 7-150 Introduction In our previous lesson we saw Jesus instructing his disciples in methods of doing evangelism and missionary worko As is to be expected in any exhortation, many imperatives were used0 These includedg Go—5,6 Preach~»7 Heal—8 Cleanse—8 Raise—8 Cast out—8 Give—8 Take no00o8 norooo”—9,10 Find out-"11 Stay—11 Enter—12 Salute—12 Let your0 0 0 —13 Shake off—14 Leave—14 Bewiseooo0 innocent 0 0 o—16 Beware—17 Do not be anxious—19 Flee—23 Have no fear—26 Utter—27 Proclaim—27 Do not fear—28 Fear him—28 Fear not—31 Do not 0 o o—34 Today we are beginning our lesson with a look at another literary device—that of contrasts0 Discussion 1. Discuss part 1 of the assignment 1Z4X aVL the eontncut^ yoa fand tn ehapten 10 and tndtcate the ve>ue oa veAAe4 tn whteh yoa faand them0 - 339 - Lesson 18o Spread of the Kingdom — REFo CONTRASTS 5,6 Gentiles & Samaritans house of Israel 11-14 Salute and stay shake off dust and leave 16 sheep wolves 16 wise as serpent innocent as doves 20 not you who speak the Spirit of your Father 24 disciples teacher 24 servant master 25 master of the house those of his household 26 covered revealed 26 hidden known 27 dark light 27 whispered proclaim on house top 28 body soul 29 you many sparrows 32,33 who acknowledges me whoever denies me 34 peace sword 37 father or mother Christ 37 son or daughter Christ 38 he who does not take his cross he who follows me 39 find life lose it 39 _______ lose life find it 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Meditate on 10s 16 and Zn a Ahostt paAag/iaph. htatz what Zt meant to be at a theep among evolves 0 10g16o SHEEP9 WOLVES, SERPENTS, DOVES These sheep have a shepherd to lead, in contrast to the "lost sheep9' of verse 60 They are to be "sheep" that are wise as serpents, but not serpents wise as serpents0 A wise sheep among wolves does not act like a wolf, for this would be stupid indeedo A wise sheep in the midst of wolves does not try to out-bargain a wolf, but to avoid him0 In what does the wisdom of a serpent consist? In his slyness? or in his ability to get away from danger? Slyness is incomparable with innocenceo A sheep in the midst of wolves is wise if he can get out of that company alive0 He thus maintains his innocence, which would be lost if he either disguised himself as a wolf or fought with the sly tactics of a serpento - 340 - Lesson 180 Spread of the Kingdom 30 Review the literary structure of Matt0 8g1—=9s340 8:1®17O CONTINUITY—concerned with Leprosy cleansed Centurion’s paralyzed servant Peter’s mother®in”law—fever insignificant” peoples Physical outcast Gentile outcast Woman, not important (in East) 8:18-22O BREAK—followers opposed: Foxes and birds Let dead bury dead 8:23—9:80 CONTINUITY—power; Stilling the storm Demons and swine Your sins are forgiven 9:9‘”17O BREAK—opposition because of Matthew the tax collector Physician to the sick Unshrunken cloth, new wine Followers, would-be, because of power displayed Power over nature Power over demons Power over sin follower: Follower—called Opposition because of eating with outcasts Opposition because of eating while others fast 9:18“31o CONTINUITY—power by touch: Raising ruler’s daughter Over death by touch of the hand Woman with hemorrhage Power over disease by touch of his garment Two blind men Power over sight by touch of eyes 9:32-340 BREAK—followers and opposers: Dumb demoniac healed Crowds marvelled at the powero Pharisees attributed power to prince of demonso 40 The literary structure of 9:35—10:42 can be illustrated by a chart on the board such as the followingo Matthew 9 ?35—10? 42-=Structure cho 9 CHAPTER 10 Need for disciple. 35 38 ^Summary? Disciples & Others: Disciple- Go ship Preach Heal Give 14 5 15 Under Persecution: Be not anxious Rely on Spirit Endure 16 23 Summary ? Disciple ship 24 25 Under Persecution Fear God —not man God cares 26 33 ! ' ' Disciples : & himself? Finds life in commitment -“-not in ease 34 39 Summary* Discipleship 40 42 Call From that time to Crucifixion Pentecost to 70 AoDo For All Time Setting Commission Directions and Predictions _ Reward UNIT Ao THE KING IS OPPOSED LESSON 19o THE DELEGATION FROM JOHN Objectives To get an overview of the scope of Unit 3$ covering Matthew 11:1-13:52o To draw practical lessons of character greatness from the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist0 Assignment LESSON 20o WOE TO THE CITIES h Con6£tuc£ an anaZyticaZ chart far Matthew 11s16°190 Notice that 18 and 19 are tntroduced by the conjunction tndtcating that they *uppont or tZZju*trate what wa* *atd tn ve/tiea 16 and 170 The chant *ugge*t* the faame-work. otf tht* paragraph by the word* whtch appear tn the Ze fit hand coZumno-In the broad rtght hand coZumn fioZZow the u*uaZ procedure ofi putting the *ubject& on the Zefit third and the predtcate* on the rtght two thtrd*0 kfiter fitZZtng tn tht& cotumn you Ahoutd add to the tupptied won.d& tn the nann.ow coZumn ao that each become* a tttZe0 Ton. exampZee the ^tn*t won.d which appean* then.e t* Generation 0 We mtght add two word* maktng tht* a titZe9 ”A Contrary Generation^ 20 Lt*t the rea*on* faor whtch Je*u* condemned the cttie* tn Matthew 11s20-24o Introduction In the unit which we have just completed we saw the beginning of opposition to the work of Jesus0 In the unit which we begin today we shall see this opposition intensifying,. We will be interested not only in who was doing the opposing and why9 but also in the way Jesus met this opposition,, Jesus warned his disciples that some people would make their work difficult0 This has been true for Christians throughout the centuries0 It is true today0 Jesus admonished his disciples to be wise, yet innocent9 in the manner by which they met such opposition,, Perhaps9 as we see Jesus in action we will get a clearer idea of what he meant by this„ Discussion l0 Discuss part 2 of the assignment,, b**tgn title* fai chaptea* 11, 12, and 13 m 343 - Lesson 190 The Delegation from John It will be well for the teacher to add a sentence or two summariz-ing the contents of each chapter., The following suggestions might be helpfulo Chapter ll0 Questioned and Rejected The validity of Jesus' mission was questioned by a delegation sent by John the Baptistc and it was rejected by the cities where most of his mighty works had been done., Chapter 120 Plotted Against The Pharisees plotted against Jesus because of his refusal to stop doing good on the Sabbatho When they later opposed his good work even on other days by attributing his power to Beelzebub he denounced them as a brood of vipers0 Chapter. 130 Teaching by Parables The sharpened opposition to his work brought about a change in his teaching methodo This chapter contains eight parables and an explanation as to why he began using them in his teaching., 20 Review the character and message of John as portrayed in the third chapter and as suggested by 4sl20 CHARACTER AND MESSAGE OF JOHN0 Matthew 30 John was an outdoor man accustomed to the freedom of wilderness0 He not only lived outdoors, he also preached outdoors0 He reacted violently against the Pharisees and Sadducees who were unrepentent0 His message was stern, demanding confession of sins and baptism for repentanceo He regarded his ministry as preparatory for the mightier One who was to follow him, who would baptize "with the Holy Spirit and with fire/? who would do a work of judgment—winnow the harvest8 gather his wheat8 and burn the chaf with unquenchable fire0 JOHN'S EXPERIENCE IN THE INTERIMQ Matthew 4?12O Because he reproved Herod for marrying Herodias, wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3§19,20^ Matthew 14s3,4j Mark 6H7,18), he was imprisonedo According to Josephus (Ant0 XVIII, vs 2)t John was sent to Machaerus for imprisonment and was later put to death there0 This prison had dungeons cut into the solid rock just large enough to hold a man, with a stone lid on top which fitted loosely enough to allow air to enter0 For an outdoor man to be confined within such quarters for a period of months must have been an inconceivable agonyo In his confinement John was receiving reports of the activities of his successor,, Jesus was becoming popular with crowds (5?Ij 8sl; 9s36)o He associated with sinners and tax collectors at banquets (9H0), and was becoming known in some quarters as a - 344 - Lesson 190 The Delegation from John glutton and drunkard, companion to sinners (11g19)0 When John sent his disciples to ask Jesus about this feasting, they were merely told that as long as Jesus was with them his followers would be having a good time; after he left they would have plenty of time to be sad and to fast (9?14,15)O The latest news was that Jesus had moved his base of operations from the country into the cities (Ils 1)0 This was not the kind of ministry John had known, nor was it the kind he had anticipated in the successor for whom he had prepared the way0 And in all these months Jesus did not find time to make a single call on John in prison? 30 Discuss part 3 of the assignmento Make (xtZea and themz 6e,nte.n&&i> faon tke two pa/iagstaphA ehapteA Ho PZvZde a& F6, 7°?5O 11g2-6o Question and Answero The disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus whether he was the expected One or noto He answered them by continuing his regular work and telling them to relate to John what they saw and heard0 JOHN®S QUESTION? "When John heard in prison o o o” (lls2)o He sent a delegation of his disciples to confront Jesus0 The question was blunt and direct? "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (11§3) In view of the circumstances the question was understandableo JESUS* ANSWERS Jesus' method of dealing with the problem was to ask the delegation to watch him at work and then go back and re-port what they had heard and seen (11?4“=6)O The bulk of his activities were not concerned with banqueting and seeking popularity, but with the needs of humanity0 Through his ministry the blind received sight0 the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf could hear, the dead were raised, the poor had the good news preached to them0 After setting the record straight Jesus added the gentle, yet unmistakable reproof, "and blessed is he who takes no offense at me0” (lls6) OTHER POSSIBLE ANSWERS? Jesus could have argued that the reports which John had been receiving were exaggerated and ought not to be believed0 He could have defended his festive activities on public relations grounds 0 He could have pointed out to John's disciples that, after all, John was quite narrow in his concepts, that his ministry had not produced much by way of lasting results, and that if he had cultivated a little better public relations himself perhaps he wouldn’t be in prison where he could do precious little preaching! - 345 - Lesson 190 The Delegation from John He could have ignored the delegation as being representatives of a has-been and irrelevant to the new order0 He might have taken time from his work to go down to Machaerus and have a personal visit with John to explain the entire situa-tion0 He could have sent a delegation of his own disciples to straighten John out in his thinking0 He could have made his speech eulogizing John while John°s delega-tion was present0 hoping by flattery to win them and John to his cause0 JESUS0 METHOD MORE EFFECTIVE § The reports John had been receiving of Jesus’ ministry had been brought by his own disciples0 Now Jesus used the same disciples to carry back a different report.0 They had been reporting things they had seen and heard0 Jesus asked them to do some more of the same—to go back and tell John what they saw and heard of his ministry0 Evidently they had given their previous reports a critical slants and although basically true9 they did not represent the whole trutho Jesus merely asked that they give the complete picture with the emphasis where it ought to be0 Jesus relied on their honesty and fairness to correct a false impression which they had helped create0 Had he sent his own disciples this might have put the disciples of John on the defensive and made them even more criticalo In any argument between John’s disciples and those of Jesusp John would have been more impressed by the testimony of his owno Jesus relied upon the good judgment of John to understand correctly when he had all the facts0 If he couldn't judge aright on this basis there would be no use in trying anothero John was not susceptible to flattery0 He preached a stern message and expected a stern response0 When he asked a blunt question Jesus gave him a blunt£ unequivocal reply—an answer of deeds rather than of words0 The rebuke of verse 6 was probably given as much for the benefit of John°s disciples as it was for John himself0 7-15None greater0 Although no one in this world is greater than John the Baptistp yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he0 40 The following charts are included for the teacher s use0 They may help to clarify Jesus' teaching concerning John and his relationship to Elijaho “ 346 - Lesson 190 The Delegation from John Matthew 1127-15 7-10 Trembling Reed? NO’ : Soft clothes? NO! ■ A prophet? YES’ MORE , The Divinely: Predicted Pre-sent । Preparer You You You I He of whom ”1 Who did go into the wilderness to see WHAT? a reed shaken by the wind? did go out WHY? to see a man clothed in soft raiment did go out WHY? to see a prophet? tell you more than a prophet! this is it is written, send my messenger before thy face, shall prepare thy way before thee0” 347 Lesson 19 0 The Delegation from John 11—15 i Among those born of women Among those in the KH Men are storming into KH I Prophets predicted the KH John is the prophet who would precede the great day of the Lord^--the KH No one The least SINCE JOHN The KH Men of violence BEFORE JOHN All prophets and the law If you JOHN IS He [John] He who Let him is greater than John. is greater than John0 has been coming violently., j have been taking it by force prophesied [the KH] are willing to accept itp is Elijah who is to come0 has ears to hear hear 1cf0 Malachi 3?l“3j 4s5 ^cf0 Malachi 4s5 LESSON 20oWOE TO THE CITIES Objectives To understand that Jesus was rejected because of peoples® per~ verseness and because of their ignorance of him0 To make personal to the students Jesus® invitation to come learn of hims and to find satisfaction in partnership with him0 Assignment LESSON 210 BROOD OF VIPERS 10 Complete the chant Ahowtng how JeAuA met the oppoAttton deAentbed tn chapten. 12 0 The fiZnAt column haA been ^tXZed tn0 In the Aecond column Indicate the qualltleA on. attltudeA n.evealed by the op-poAQAAf and tn the thln.d column UAt the wayA tn which Je-aua dealt with the oppoAenA0 The £lnAt InAtance o^ op poAttton (18) haA been completed to ICluAtnate what Za expected0 Introduction In our previous lesson we saw how Jesus answered the delegates who had come from John to question him0 In the lesson today we are studying Jesus® denunication of his generation^ particularly those living in the cities where he did his greatest works0 We will also see that he followed this denunciation with an urgent invitation for all who are dissatisfied to come to him and find a better life0 Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment Construct an analytical chant fan. Matthew 11s16-190 349 - Lesson 20o Woe to the Cities A Contrary Generation A Contrary I Generation John didn’t dance to their tune Jesus didn’t mourn to | their wail Jesus’ deeds justify his course Matto This generation Children "We you we you FOR John and they [generation] "He The Son of man and they [generation] "Behold YET Wisdom 11:16-19 is like sitting in the market places & calling to their playmates, piped to you, did not dance; wailed, did not mourno" came neither eating nor drinking say has a demon" came eating and drinking, say, a glutton, a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors sinnerso" is justified by her deeds 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Ltbt the Ji&MonA whteh condemned the. etttei> tn Matthew 11t20-24o - 350 - Lesson 20o Woe to the Cities They did not repent0 They did not respond to his mighty works0 Pride0 The following structural outline of 11:20-24 may be of value in the discussion0 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been doneo BECAUSE They did not repent0 Woe to you, Chorazin! (2 miles from Capernaum) Woe to you, Bethsaida! (near Capernaum) FOR IF The mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre & Sidon8 They would have repented long ago in sackcloth & ashes0 BUT I TELL YOU It shall be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you0 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades0 FOR IF The mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom It would have remained until this day0 BUT I TELL YOU It shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for youo The basis for judgments here is the refusal of the cities to repent in spite of the demonstration of the power of the Kingdom in their midsto Jesus is indirectly claiming the right of eternal judgment, for this is what he is actually pronouncing here0 He is judging not only the cities of Israel, but also those of the Gentiles□ He is - 351 - Lesson 20o Woe to the Cities judging not only the cities of his own day* but also those of his-toryo He is even evaluating a divine judgment that has been executed, indicating that Sodom could and would have been treated differently had its people witnessed the things which were being witnessed in the vicinity of Capernaum0 30 Discuss the invitation of Jesus contained in lls25-30o The call should be made as urgent and as appealing as possible to the students0 "THOU HAST HIDDEN THESE THINGS”? (25) Judgment on the cities Significance of his mighty works Recognition of truth about John and Jesus Necessity for repentance Greatness of citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven The true nature of Jesus9 mission From the wise? The contrary generation The cities Revealed them to babes? The disciples The beneficiaries of his works THE FATHER AND THE SON? (27) The Father delivered all things to the Sono The Father only knows the Sono The Father is known by the Son, and by one to whom the Son reveals the Father THESE THINGS which were hidden from the wise and understanding but revealed to babes, actually were delivered to the Son, and he only can reveal them0 He had been trying to reveal them in these cities, but he had been unable to because of their refusal to repent o Therefore, the ’’hiding” is not an arbitrary act of the Father nor of the Son, but it is a result of contrariness and unwillingness to repent on the part of individuals to whom the Son seeks to reveal the Father0 THE INVITATIONj (28-30) Come to me0 Take my yokeo Learn from me0 WHO ARE INVITED? All who labor The heavy laden MOTIVATION? I will give you resto I am gentle and lowly in heart0 You will find rest for your souls0 My yoke is easy0 My burden is light0 352 - Lesson 20o Woe to the Cities Only in the close fellowship which results from a willing acceptance of Jesus* invitation can the Father be revealed0 Only by working day by day under a common yoke can one learn from the Son0 He reveals the Almighty God, exalted Lord of the universe, in gentleness and humility0 Compared with the burdens of the world the burden of the Kingdom is light0 No wonder many are ’’storming" the gates of the Kingdom to get in! Certainly, a refusal to lay down worldly labor in exchange for the rest of the Kingdom can be attributed only to a contrary spirit and a stubornness of will—not to a lack of evidence or motivation,, 40 A discussion of the contrast between the burdens of the world (the non-Christian) and the easy yoke or light burden of Christ (the true Christian) might follow here0 One direction this discussion might take is toward a realization that the worldling has troubles which come both from within and without, but that the growing Christian should become more and more free from those which originate within himselfo The establishment of the Kingdom of God within is the "easy yoke" and "light burden" of Christo Of course, only the full establishment of this Kingdom of Heaven on earth can free us from the troubles which come from without and have their origin in the sinfulness of the world and its resulting suffering0 LESSON 21o BROOD OF VIPERS Objectives To recognize the qualities and attitudes which characterized the opposers to Jesus and his ministry0 To learn from Jesus’ example how Christians should relate themselves to opposition they experience because of their religiono Assignment LESSON 22 0 SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM 10 Read Matthew 20 Make tZtZez and theme -sentences ^oh. the past.agst.aphA Zn I3?7-52O VZvZde at toUow? 1-9, 10-17, 18-23, 24-30, 31-32, 33, 34-35, 36-43, 44, 45-46, 47-50, 51-52O Introduction In the past few lessons we have observed an intensification of doubt and opposition in regard to Jesus ministry0 This development substantiated the warnings and predictions that Jesus made to his disciples when he sent them out to preach on their own0 He had warned them to beware of men8 when persecuted flee,, and that he had not come to bring peace but a swordo (10217-34) However^ he had also encouraged them in these anticipated situations by counseling them? do not be anxious8 have no fearg do not fear8 fear not9 rather fear God0 The validity of his ministry had been questioned by some of his closest friendso His ministry had been rejected in the towns where he had done his mightiest works0 However9 he still could pray a prayer of thanksgiving to his Father in heaven0 He stated his oneness with the Father9 and by virtue of this unity with God he offered rest and peace to the soul who would accept his invitation to come into his kingdom0 Discussion l0 Discuss the assignment for today0 Complete the ehasit AhowZng how JeAiu met the oppo-6 ZtZon deA-caZbed Zn chapter 120 OPPOSITION,, Matthew 12 THE OPPOSERS $ ” THE QUALITIES THEY REVEAL HOW JESUS DEALT WITH THEM Pharisees 1-8 Pharisees (they) 9-14 Pharisees 22-37 Critical spirito Concern for legal details in religiono Lack of concern for humanitarian needs0 Dishonesty—false pretense in questioning0 Desire to destroy what is good—Jesus® work0 Conniving spirito Inconsistency—objected to healing on Sabbath, but not to planning a killing on the same day0 Ruthlessness Jealousy Readiness to attribute work of God to Devil0 Evil motives । David’s physical need superceded ritual 1 prohibition (eating bread of Presence with his associates)o Performance of temple duty supercedes Sabbath prohibition0 One (something) greater than the temple is here0 Mercy supercedes sacrifice—humanitarian service supercedes ritual observance0 Jesus is greater than the Sabbath, but not disassociated from it—Lord of itc Showed that their concern for economic investment was greater than for human needso By contrasting value of man with sheep showed their inconsistencyo Declared that it is lawful to do good on Sabbath0 Answered their query by action—healed the man0 Answered their thoughts0 Showed their incons istencyo If he worked by power of Beelzebul, by what power did others (your sons) do the same work? These would judge them0 If he worked by the Spirit of God, then the KG was upon them0 THE OPPOSERS THE QUALITIES THEY REVEAL HOS JESUS DEALT WITH THEM Scribes & Pharisees 38-42 Doubt Sarcasm Refusal to accept evidence How could he ’’plunder” Beelzebul’s house without first binding him? Evidently he had bound him! Anyone (including Beelzebul & Spirit of God) is either with or against him, and either gathers with him or scatters from him0 Declared opposition to Holy Spirit to be unpardonable. As the tree, so the fruit. Brood of vipers! you are evil, hence cannot speak but evil—out of the abundance of the heart. That which is brought forth indicates the character, therefore— On the day of judgment words will determine justification or condemnation. Refused to give a sign. Denounced the evil generation. Predicted success of their plotting to be temporary—3 days. People of Nineveh responded in repentance to their "sign,” but people of Jesus’ generation didn’t respond to a greater one & will be condemned. Queen of Sheba will condemn the generation which rejected a wisdom greater than Solomon’s. 355 - 356 Lesson 210 Brood of Vipers 20 Discuss what it means to sin against the Holy Spirito 12?31-37O Every sin and blaspheme will be forgiven, But blaspheme against the Spirit will not be forgiven Whoever speaks against the Son of man will be forgiven, But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiveno A tree is known by its fruit0 Make the tree good—its fruit is good0 Make the tree bad—its fruit is bad0 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks0 You brood of vipers9 You are evil—how can you speak good0 A good man out of his good treasure brings forth goodo An evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil0 Day of judgment demands accounting for every careless wordo By your words (good)—you will be justified0 By your words (evil)—you will be condemned,, Blasphemy and speaking against the Holy Spirit indicate a blasphemous heart in opposition to the Holy Spirito It is the evil fruit which results from the evil tree0 It is the evil which was brought out of an evil treasure by an evil man0 Blasphemous words against the Holy Spirit denote the evil heart of an evil man who on the day of judgment must be condemned0 30 A very brief discussion of the last two paragraphs of chapter 12 may be desirable in order to clear the understanding of the students o This will be particularly true if questions have been raised in regard to them0 12g43°°450 This is an additional judgment on the generation which rejected Jesus0 Previously Jesus had condemned the generation because? It was characterized by the spirit of contrariness,. It was unwilling to accept either a John or a Jesus (11 16-19) 0 In spite of his mighty works among them they refused to repent, thus indicating greater stubbornness than Tyre, Sidon? or Sodom (lU20-24)o They attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan (12?24-32)0 It was an evil and adulterous generation rejecting one greater than Solomon (although the Queen of the South had come from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon) (12.38-42), Yet this very generation was much concerned with meticulous religious observanceo It was very cautious in accepting any new religious concepts or claimants to religious authority,, It was a generation determined to maintain its house in order and keep - 357 - Lesson 210 Brood of Vipers it meticulously clean0 The parable of 43-45 indicates that this is not enougho When the unclean spirit, which had come out of the man8 returned and found his former dwelling swept and put in order but empty, he brought with him seven other spirits more evil than himself to occupy the vacancy0 Jesus said this was the situation of his generationo Regardless of how clean it might be swept, or how orderly it might be kept, as long as it rejected him it remained vacant and, therefore, receptive to any and all wondering devils0 (cf0 1 Coro 3g 16; 2 Coro 6? 16—you are God’s temple and God’s Spirit dwells in you; God will live and move in His people)0 12g46”5Oo In 11225-30 Jesus had thanked his Father for revealing himself to babes0 He had stated that only he could reveal the Father and that this revelation could take place only within a close association, under a common yoke, and entered into freely by a personal acceptance of his invitationo In 12g46-50 he indicated that this relationship was closer than the •ties between blood relatives0 When Jesus was told that his mother and his brothers had come to see him, he pointed to his disciples— those who had accepted his invitation to follow him, who were sharing his daily yoke—and said, ’’Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mothero” The so-called wise and understanding, but actually evil and adulterous generation which refused to accept him in spite of the evidence of his worko JESUS CONTRASTED WITH The babes to whom God has been revealed by the Son, who have come into close association with him, and who are ready to do the will of his Father, thus to become members of his family! This is a relationship even more intimate and more holy than that of citizenship in his kingdom, which he had been proclaiming0 This climaxes the development in chapters 11 and 120 LESSON 22o SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM Objectives To survey the content of the parables in Matthew 130 To understand the purpose for and the nature of parable teaching0 Assignment LESSON 23O HE WENT AW Jo Read Matt/ieiv 13°°53-° 16s40 20 Lu£ att the Atatementb iv/u,c/i ZndZcate that Jz&ub& t& movtng 6*om ptace to ptace0 Give the siefieAence and tett to what ptace he went tn each ca^e0 Be sure to start the students on this assignment by giving the first example on the boardo Ask them to find the data necessary from their Bibles0 It may be necessary to make a suggestion or two as to how they should go about finding it0 Examples Where he was Statement Where he went House by the sea (13:1,36) He went away (13:53) To his own country (13s54) Introduction We have been studying the action part of Unit 40 Today we will take a look at the teaching part0 At this time Jesus introduced a new technique into his teaching—the use of parables0 What is a parable and why did he at this time begin to use this device in his teaching? A parable is an extended similie with one central truth0 It differs from an allegory in that the latter has meaning in its de-tailso It is an illustration or a story, which may or may not be true, that teaches a truth when considered within a certain context Jesus teaching by parables followed the beginning of severe op— positiono The appearance of this new factor called for a new approach Jesus was faced with the problem of teaching his followers in the presence of his critics0 The parable was a device by - 359 Lesson 22O Secrets of the Kingdom which he could reveal truth to the faithful yet hide his teaching from vicious rejectors0 This is in harmony with his admonition against casting pearles before swine0 If his severe critics understood the full implications of his teachings it would have hastened the coming crisis0 In addition, he did not. wish to harden their hearts further before they had a chance to experience a change of attitude0 A parable may reveal in concrete experiential terms a truth which might otherwise seem abstracto A parable makes recollection easy0 Where only the story is remembered at firstj truth may later germinate in the mind0 Inasmuch as the parables of Jesus were concerned largely with common experiences which are often repeated in every day life, the hearers would have frequent reminders of them0 The eyes of many of his hearers were willfully closed because they did not want to turn and be healed0 It has been said that an allegory is constructed like a house, but a parable lives like a flower0 Discussion lo Introduce the parables of Matthew 13 to the class placing on the board the features, central truths and interpretation of eacho This process should involve the entire class as much as possible0 The material on the board might resemble the following, but it should not be given in lecture formo Most of the class period will be required 0 THE SOILSo Matto 13?3-9, 18»23 FEATURES? one sower, one seed, four soils0 CENTRAL TRUTH? Receptivity is the determining factor in growth of the principles of the Kingdom within the individual0 DETAILS? The hardened path—hardened hearts0 Rocky soil—shallow lives, emotional response9 no counting of cost9 can’t endure trouble□ Thorny soil—the divided heart is too much with the world, unfruitful Good soil—full, active, complete reception, but not uniform production,. THE SEEDS0 Matto 13?24-30, 36-43 FEATURES? two sowers, two seeds, one soilo * 360 - Lesson 220 Secrets of the Kingdom CENTRAL TRUTH? There will be a continuing existence of evil with good until they are separated at the judgment0 DETAILS? The nature of the character is not always apparent—one must experience patience in judgment0 There is recognition of the work of Satan in opposing the Kingdomo There is also recognition of the work of the Son of Man and of the angels in judgment0 It predicts eternal separation between good and evil after the judgmento THE MUSTARD SEED0 Matto 13?31-32 FEATURES? Small seed, large shrub, nesting birds0 CENTRAL TRUTH? The Kingdom begins small but spreads to greatness-external growtho Looking back, we see this largely fulfilled? the gospel started with an insignificant carpenter, from a tiny village, in a conquered province, who died a criminal death, yet it grew to the greatness of the world-wide Christian church in history and todayo Might the birds represent the many advantages the world enjoys from the Kingdom, even though it does not accept it? (cf0 ’’You are the salt of the earth0”) THE LEAVENo Matto 13g33 CENTRAL TRUTH? The Kingdom exerts a permeating influence where-ever harbored—internal growtho The growth is silent0 It results from the power of the Kingdoms It enlarges the life0 Its growth cannot be forcedo The life must supply a congenial environment 0 THE TREASURE AND THE PEARL0 Matto 13?44-46 CENTRAL TRUTH? The Kingdom is of supreme value, and of ultimate goodo DETAILS ? There are different ways of obtaining the Kingdom, but both require ”all0” The treasure was rather an accidental find—yet it took the sacrifice of all to get it0 The pearl was found after a systematic and intense search— but to get it required the sacrifice of all0 - 361 Lesson 22O Secrets of the Kingdom THE NETo Matto 13?47-50 CENTRAL TRUTH? The Kingdom attracts both good and bad, which will be separated by the angels at the close of the age0 In the interpretation emphasis is placed on the fate of the evil— to be thrown into the furnace of fire to weep and gnash teeth0 THE HOUSEHOLDER0 Matto 13?51-52 CENTRAL TRUTH? New truth builds on oldo This Jesus did in his teachingo ”If the new has no roots in the old, it withers; If the old grows no new leaves, it dies0” (Anonymous) 20 The following suggestions for interpretation are included here in case questions are asked in regard to them0 Matto 13?14—16 You shall hear—but never understando You shall see—but never perceive0 FOR you have made your heart dull,, your ears heavy, your eyes closed, LEST you perceive, hear, and understand AND turn to me to heal youo This prophecy of Isaiah (6?9,10), Jesus said, was fulfilled by the crowds, but turning to his disciples he added, ’’but blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear0” Jesus was identifying the people of his day with the stubborn people of Isaiah’s day who refused to hear the word of the Lordo By implication he was dooming them to the same fate that the people of Isaiah’s day experienced-suffering, destruction, death from enemies0 Matt0 13 ? 35 Evidently this is a quotation from Ps0 78? 20 Matthew cited this, as he did so many Old Testament passages, to demonstrate that Jesus was in line with the great stream of prophetic activities0 Indeed, he was the great object of prophetic prediction - 362 Lesson 22O Secrets of the Kingdom 30 The paragraph titles and theme sentences which were assigned to the students are included here for the use of the teacher, but class time had best be spent on discussion suggestions in parts 1, 2 rather than on a reconstruction of these0 1-9 Parable of the Soils0 Weeds fell on path, rocks, shallow soil, thorn, and good soilo Only on the good soil did it bring forth0 10-17 Reason for Parables0 Parables teach truth selectively, depending upon the attitude of the hearers for receptiono 18-23 Explanation of the Soilso The soils represent different classes of hearerso Only those who willingly understand produce the fruits of the kingdomo 24-30 Wheat and Weeds0 Weeds sown by an enemy are allowed to grpw with the wheat until harvest time when separation is made0 31-32 Mustard Seed0 The small seed becomes a great tree0 33 Leaven and Lump0 The small hidden leaven causes the entire lump to growo 34 Fulfillment;, Speaking in parables fulfilled the prophecy of Pso 78?2o 36-43 Explanation of Wheat and Weeds0 The righteous and wicked will be separated at the close of the age0 44 Treasure0 The kingdom is worth all that a man has, and it costs it0 45-46 The Pearl0 The kingdom is worth all that a man has, and costs it o 47-50 The Net0 The kingdom gathers both good and bad, which will be separated at the close of the age0 51-52 Householdero One trained for the kingdom brings from his treasure both new and oldo UNIT 5o THE KING IS ACCEPTED LESSON 23oHE WENT AWAY Objectives To observe Jesus5 actions in response to an intensified oppositiono To interpret the movements of Jesus in the light of his admonition to his disciples § when among wolves be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (l(hl6)0 Assignment LESSON 24 o BEWARE OF THE TEACHI MG L ConA&UL&t a Autrniasiy cha/it ^oa chapter 15 and 160 Be -6 cue to tnctade tttteA ^on the chapter Introduction In the unit which we begin studying today emphasis will be placed repeatedly on the divine nature of Jesus0 There will be also a growing opposition^, but at the same time a very rapidly increasing popularity., Jesus attracted great crowds0 People by the thousands were coming to hear him0 Ministering to them made it difficult for Jesus to find time to teach and train his disciples0 It was exhausting him physically0 Within this unit is the literary pivot before and after which Matthew arranged the materials of his book0 Up to this point the question is repeatedly asked or impliedg ’’Who is he?” Evidences are given on which this question might be answeredg but in this unit we will see it answered positively and unequivocally by one who knew Jesus as well as anybody else0 After this we will become aware of a new tone and a new emphasis on another question which will continue throughout the rest of the book8 ’’What is his authority?” This will finally be answered unequivocally by Jesus himselfo In our lesson for today we will follow some of the movements of Jesus and see what it was that motivated themo Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Ltbt att the statements whteh tndtcate that Jesiu tb mowing fi/Lorn ptace to place0 Give the. ^e^e/Lcnce and tell to what place he went tn each case0 - 364 - Lesson 230 He Went Away MOVEMENTS OF JESUS0 Matto 13—15 WHERE HE WAS y II II ■■■■».■ ■ ■■■! »»»—— STATEMENT WHERE HE WENT J House by the sea (13?1) He went away (13?53) | To his own country (13?54) Galilee (13?54) He withdrew in a boat (14s13) To a lonely place (14?13) | A lonely place (14?15) He went (14?23) Up into the hills (14?23) In the hills (14?23) He came walking (14?25) To disciples on the sea (14?25) In the boat (14?32) They crossed over (14?34) Gennesaret (14?34) Uncertain Jesus went away (15?21) District of Tyre and Sidon (15?21) Phoenicia (15?21) Jesus went on (15?29) Hills near Sea of Galilee (15?29) Hills by the sea (15:29) Got into the boat and went (15?38) Region of Magadan (15:39) Magadan (15?39) He left and departed (16:4) The other side (16?5) 20 Notice the following features regarding the withdrawals of Jesus? The first withdrawal (13s53) was TO GET AWAY FROM THE CROWDS around the house by the sea (13?36)0 The second (14?13) was PROMPTED BY THE OPPOSITION he had met from his own people in Galilee (13?54-57) and from Herod (14?l)0 The next withdrawal (14?23) was TO GET AWAY FROM THE GREAT CROWDS who had followed him to the lonely place (14?14$19$21)0 The next movements from the hills out to the sea (14?25) and on over to Gennesaret in the boat (14?32) were merely TO REJOIN HIS DISCIPLES whom he had left in order to pray aloneo The next withdrawal (15?21) to the Tyre and Sidon region was in RESPONSE TO THE OPPOSITION which had been manifested by the Pharisees and the Scribes from Jerusalem (15?Iff)0 His return to Galilee (15?29) FOLLOWED THE INDICATION OF INTEREST in his ministry in Phoenicia^ whereas he regarded his mission to be primarily for his own people (15?24)O - 365 - Lesson 230 He Went Away His next withdrawal (15 39) is TO GET AWAY FROM THE GREAT CROWDS which had gathered (152 305)33,38)0 The final withdrawal which we noted (16?4) was again IN RESPONSE TO ANTAGONISM from the Pharisees and Sadducees (16?l)0 The pattern which emerges in quite clear0 If Jesus remained where there was severe opposition he either had to give in to his opposers or fighto Neither of these courses would have been wise nor would they have been innocent0 He could not give in without sacrificing the principles and truths he had come to teach- He could not fight without denying by his acts what he had taught in his words, ’"Blessed are the peace makers0” The only course open to him was to withdrawo When he was confronted by the great crowds his time was taken up entirely in ministering to their physical needs—healing their sick and feeding them0 He was glad to do this because of his great compassion for them, yet this was not the real purpose for his coming to eartho He had rejected this kind of Messiahship before he began his ministryo Satan had tempted him in the wilderness, ’"If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread0" (4?3) Jesus regarded his mission rather as that of speaking ”0 o 0 every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (4?4) Because of his love for the people he could not refuse to help them when he was with them0 However, because his mission was primarily a spiritual one he dared not allow all his time to be taken up by physical interestso Therefore, his only alternative was to withdraw whenever the crowds hindered the fulfillment of his true purpose0 Jesus knew that the work of teaching would never be completed by him personally0 This must be entrusted to his followers0 Consequently, it was imperative that he train his disciples as fully as possible0 For this he needed time with them aloneo He could not afford to allow either the opposition of his enemies or the wants of his friends to hinder him in the most important part of his work—the proclaiming of the Kingdom of God and the training of those who must carry on after he would be no longer with them0 (A brief discussion on how Jesus’ actions illustrated his admonition to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves might well follow at this point)o LESSON 24O BEWARE OF THE TEACHING Objectives To note the intensifying controversy between Jesus and the Jewish leaderso To see the end result of rejecting Jesus0 Assignment LESSON 25o ABOUT EATING Jo What dtd Jesus mean by hts statement Zn Matthieu) 15s10t 11? To detenmtne thtb you. wWL need to study the contexts Hene one some questtons to hetp you° What quettton ofi thz Phantsees was Jesus answentng? What does thz wond "de^tZe" mean hene? (Jesus exptatned tt tn v0 19o) Vtd Jesus mean that nothtng you pat tnto youn mouth can haAm you? [How about potson)? Vtd he mzan that you should eat wtth dtnty hands? Compane thz thnee ve^6e4 tn whtch Jesus used thz wond "defatted and tn two on thnee sentences Statz what you thtnk. hz neatZy mzant0 2o On thz chant compane thz mtnacutous fieedtng o£ thz two cnowds In thz second and thtnd cotumns put thz appnopntate descntp~ ttvz matzntat finom Matto 14°<13~21 and 15s29~390 Introduction In the previous lesson we saw Jesus withdrawing when opposition developed to his work or when his popularity with the crowds in-terferred with his mission of teaching the disciples and preaching the principles of the kingdomo We also noted yesterday that within this unit we would reach a climax in the book of Matthew in which the question, "Who is he?" would be definitely answeredo During the lesson today we will study in more detail the intensifying opposition0 Tomorrow we will study Jesusc relationship to the great crowds who were being attracted by his worko After that we will give attention to his training of the disciples0 An understanding of all three of these developments—rising opposition, increasing popularity {> training the disciples—is necessary for us to get the true impact of the climax when we come to it0 Matthew skillfully wove these themes into his writing for the purpose of revealing the true nature of Jesus Christo In our study and in all our discussions we must always remember this0 We are not interested primarily in the Pharisees9 in the crowds, or in the disciples0 We are very much interested in how Jesus® relations with these groups revealed his true identity, his mission, and his Father0 367 - Lesson 24 0 Beware of the Teaching Discussion » ..................... ■ ■ lo Discuss the four incidents of opposition in Matto 13:53—16:40 13:53-58: His own people—opposition on a personal basis0 What is his authority? He is just like they are, yet they recognize in him a mighty power0 However, they won’t admit the logical conclusion! Familiarity seems to preclude it? we know his father (the carpenter), his mother, his brothers and sisters,, Jesus reacted by accepting it calmly, philosophicallyo He did what he could0 When rejected he would go somewhere else0 14?1-12: Herod—governmental (civil, political) opposition,. His withdrawal indicated the danger this threatened to himself0 The disciples saw what the cost of discipleship might be0 15; 1-20: Pharisees and Scribes—church (religious) opposition,, (In this discussion do not get involved in an explanation of eating with unwashed hands0 Reserve this for the next lesson) This opposition was organized from Jerusalem0 It pitted tradition and legalism against the law of Godo Jesus met the charge (departure from orthodoxy) and its substantiation with a countercharge (hypocrisy in regard to requirements of God) and substantiation Their was a quibbling over externals, which is often indicative of hypocrisyo Jesus indicated that the externals do not effect the real issues of religion or of the human heart0 He appealed to his disciples and to the crowd to break with the exter-nalism Pharisees—’’let them alone0” This was a call to break with ceremonial legalism,, 16:1-4: Pharisees and Sadducees—more church opposition (mistaken teachings)„ Their motive was to entrap him and discredit him with the crowds0 They asked for a sign from heaven—they could hardly think of any on earth which he hadn’t already given! Jesus8 answer has a touch of sarcasm- They could forecast the weather by the color of the sky: red in the evening—fair; red in the morning—stormy,, Now, when they had asked for another sign from the sky he answered, ’’you are great sky interpreters, but you can’t interpret the signs that are all around you!8' For this obvious hypocrisy Jesus branded them "an evil and adulterous generationo’' Such dishonest seekers will be given no sign0 The sign of Jonaho In Matthew 12:39-41 two phases of the sign of Jonah are given: - 368 - Lesson 24O Beware of the Teaching His three days and three nights in the whale paralleled Jesus® three days and three nights in the grave0 The repentant response of the Ninevit.es to the preaching of Jonah contrasted with the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees in response to Jesus® preaching9 even though he was greater than Jonaho The people of Ninevah repented because of Jonah’s preaching of coining destruction--not because of his experience with the whale (they evidently knew nothing of that)0 The evil and adulterous generation of Jesus® day, which was refusing to repent at his preachingt would not be convinced by his death and resurrection,, (cf0 Luke 16?31 ”If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be con-vinced if some one should rise from the dead0”) In other words if the preaching of the Kingdom and a ministry of compassion will not bring one to repentance no amount of argument, proofs or sign will do sOo Both Jonah and Jesus demonstrated the miraculous power of God in most unusual ways0 To be swallowed by a whale and come out of it alive, or to be crucified, buried, and restored to life are, undeniably, direct acts of God0 However9 people who will respond to an earnest call for repentance will do so without being given such a miraculous sign0 Those who will not repent when confronted by the call of God through his messengers will not do so even if they are confronted with such an undeniable miracle0 The truth of Jesus® assertion at this time was proved later when he actually did rise from his grave after three days0 These Pharisees and Sadducees still refused to repent, and they bribed those who witnessed the resurrection to lie about it0 20 In Matto 15?9 Jesus declared the Pharisees® worship to be in vain, for their teachings were but the precepts of men, not the doctrines of Godo He contradicted flatly their teachings and branded them an "evil and adulterous generationo" He then warned his disciples against them again in the experience which followed, as recorded in 16?5-12O "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees0" (5) "How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees0" (11) "Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees0’’ (12) 3o If there is still class time it might be well to spend it looking at the overall pattern of chapters 15 and 160 A summary chart on the board with only the paragraph titles might be helpfulo (Theme sentences are added in the illustration below for the use of the teacher0) 369 Lesson 24O Beware of the Teaching LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES YOU ARE THE CHRIST ! 1-9 Unwashed hands The disciples transgressed tra-! dition of the elders—Pharisees transgressed commandments of God0 10-20 Blind Guides | Jesus deferentiated between ritual and reality0 21-28 Sheep and Dogs A Canaanite woman of unusual faith saw her daughter healed of a demono 29-31 Miracles in the Hills Great crowds brought lame, maimed, blind, dumb, etc09 and saw them healedo 32-39 Four Thousand Fed Seven loaves and a few fish fed the entire crowd and left seven baskets remaining0 1-4 Signs of the Times A request for a sign was denied to the enemies of Jesus—except the sign of Jonaho 5-12 Beware of the Leaven The disciples were warned against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees0 J 3-20 Who do You Say that I Am? ■11. cawaaan —-ariam mar-an- — -111111 obob Peter’s unequivocal confession is lauded as the rock on which the church of Christ would stand0 21-23 From that Time— Jesus began to speak of his coming suffering in Jerusalem., 24-28 What will it profit? Nothing in this world is comparable to the reward in the new0 | LESSON 25o ABOUT EATING Objectives To see the contrast between Jesus9 response to people who camp seek ing his help and to those who came to criticize To emphasize that Jesus is moved by human needs and is willing to use his power to supply them® Assignment LESSON 26® TRAINING THE DISCIPLES L By meanh o^ an analytical chant htudy Matthew 16°°13-20o The matenlal ^on the nannow column hah been hupplled® In the bnoad column put the hubjeeth o& the hentenceh on the lefit, and the pnedlcateh on the night o 20 On what th the chunch oft Chntht founded? Wnnte a ^ew hentenceh tn which you expnehh youn undeKhtandtng oft what Je-huh meant when he hold, ”on thlh nock. I will build my ehunch®” Study the following ne^enenceh tn connection with Matthew 16s Us 1 Cono 3?H; Eph0 2s19-22a Introduction We have seen controversies increasing between the leaders of Jewish people and Jesus0 In today9s lesson we will study in more detail one of these encounters® What Jesus said in that incident is sometimes misunderstood® We will also see Jesus in action with great crowds® Not only was opposition growing9 but his popularity with the people also was becoming enormous® In fact8 it is because of this that the opposition of his enemies became more intense® Had no one paid any atten* tion to Jesus9 teachings and ministry no one would have bothered to oppose him® However9 the more that people came to hear Jesus and the more they appreciated his healing work9 the more fearful did his enemies become that he might endanger their position® The Pharisees regarded themselves as the orthodox theologians of their day® They wanted no competition from Jesus9 who had not been taught in their schools and who disagreed with their theology® The Sadducees were in control of the priesthood® They received about thirty percent of the income of the nation through the temple offerings® They also got ’’kick-back” from money changers who were allowed to operate in the temple area and from other businesses related to the temple service (such as dealers in livestock from whom - 371 - Lesson 250 About Eating people bought animals to be sacrificed, meat markets in which surplus meat from sacrifices was sold, etco)o They had no intention of having their ’’rackets" threatened by a teacher who was unmasking their hypocrisyo Both Pharisees and Sadducees were concerned with outward forms of religion0 Jesus” emphasis was always on the spiritual realities of worshipo He was more concerned with the motive than he was with the acto To those primarily concerned with orthodoxy and finance,, motive is sometimes of little concern0 They are interested in outward conformity and in the amount of money that comes in0 Jesus taught that God is concerned with why people do what they doo His purpose was, and still is, to establish a personal relationship between himself and the worshipper0 Jesus” enemies recognized that there was no profit for them in this kind of religiono If he should become too influential it would cost them in prestige and in moneyo These were the real motives behind their opposition0 Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment What dtd JeAuA mean by htA Atatement tn Matthew 15s10t 11? To detenmtne thtA you. wttt need to Atudy the contexts Hene one Aome queAttonA to hetp you°° What queAtton oft the. PhaUAeeA waA JeAuA an&weAtng? What doeA the wo nd 9Sdeitte,s mean hene? (JeAuA explained tt tn v0 ) Vtd JeAuA mean that nothing you put Into youn mouth can hanm you? (Hou) about potion)? Vtd he mean that you Ahoutd eat with dtnty handi? Compane the thnee venAeA tn which JeAuA uAed the wo nd ”de£ttes\ and tn two on thnee AentenceA A tote what you think he neatly meant0 The Pharisees had asked, "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they eato” (15?2) This is the question that Jesus was answering when he said, "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the moutn, this defiles a man0" (15?11) Notice that their question is not concerned with cleanliness or hygiene, but with the tradition of the elderso In Leviticus 22?1-16 are found the instructions for the ceremonial ablution required of the priests before eating sacrifices offered in the temple0 It is quite possible that ’’the tradition of the elders" was an extension of this priestly regulation to others, on the theory that if a priest should be holy when he eats so should the rest of the peopleo The exact origin of - 372 - Lesson 25 o About Eating this tradition is not known, but the ceremonial washing of hands be-fore and after eating seems to have been adopted by the Pharisees early in the first century A0D0 Evidently it was a rather recent developmento The word "defile’ as used here has nothing to do with what is or is not healthfulo Jesus is not saying that swallowing poison, broken glassg or unhealthful food will not harm a persono What is it that defiles a person?—evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, stealing, lying, slandering—"these are what defile a mano” (15s 19,20) Neither in the question of the Pharisees nor in the answer of Jesus is the matter of health even hinted at0 The question has to do with what is sinfulo Does transgressing a tradition of the elders constitute sin? Jesus' answer is "No—the evil thoughts, evil acts, and evil speaking that proceed from within a person are what constitute sin"0 Whether or not one should eat with dirty hands was not involved either in the question or in Jesus’ answer0 The kind of washing the Pharisees referred to was not done with soap and water0 It was simply a ceremonial sprinkling0 Washing with soap and water did not fulfill their requirement0 The hands had to be sprinkled ceremonially, even though they already had been washed to get the dirt offo To say that Jesus taught we should eat with dirty hands is ridiculous0 To say he taught that it doesn’t matter what we eat is just as ridiculouso The three verses in which Jesus used the word, "defile," clarify what he meant, when we consider them in the light of the question that was askedo ll““"Not what goes into the mouth 0 o o but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man0" 18—"What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man " 20—"These (evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slandering) are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man0" When the Pharisees asked their question, "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?, Jesus countered with a question of his own, "Why do you transgress the commandment of God 0 0 0" He then pointed out that they put their traditions above the commandments of Godo It is the commandments of God which define what is sin0 Sin defiles0 Transgressing a tradition of the elders does not defile, for it is not sin0 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignmento On the ehaAt compare the mtAaeuZoab fieedtng ofi the. two cAowdAo In the. second and tluAd cotumnb put the appAopAtate deAcAttptve mateAtat ^Aom Matt0 14*13-21 and ?5?29~39O POINTS OF COMPARISON Matt® 14:13-21 Matt® 15:29-39 Place Why the crowds came? Jesus’ response to the crowds Suggestion of the disciples Materials Jesus used ; Prayer before eating s The feeding 1 Left-overs Number fed A lonely place apart Not told Had compassion on them and healed their sick Send the crowds away so they can buy food in the villages Five loaves and two fish Looked up to heaven and blessed Ordered the crowds to sit down on the grasso Broke the loaves0 Gave them to the disciples® Disciples gave them to crowd0 All ate and were satisfied0 Twelve baskets of broken pieces About five thousand besides women and children® In the hills To have their sick healed Had compassion on them because they were hungry Where are we to get food in the desert to feed a crowd? Seven loaves and a few small fish Gave thanks Commanded crowd to sit on the grass® Broke them® Gave them to the disciples® Disciples gave them to crowd® All ate and were satisfied® Seven baskets of broken pieces Four thousand men besides women and children® Lesson 25 o About Eating ” 374 " Lesson 25O About Eating 30 It is in the context of these two miracles and the encounter with the Pharisees concerning eating with unwashed hands that Jesus’ statement to the disciples, ’’take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees," (16?6) was made0 Note the features? The disciples evidently were discussing their forgetefulness to bring bread along on their journey0 Jesus said, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees0” They continued their discussion, ”we brought no bread"0 Jesus asked why they continued to worry about their lack of bread—"0 men of little faitho" Don’t you remember that five loaves were more than enough to feed five thousand? Or that seven loaves were more than enough to feed four thousand? How can you fail to understand that I wasn”t talking about bread? "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduceeso” Then the disciples understood that by "leaven" he was referring to the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees0 In the first miracle of feeding, five loaves and two fish had fed five thousand men, with a surplus of twelve full baskets0 In the feeding of the second crowd9 seven loaves and a few fish had fed four thousand meng with a surplus of seven full baskets0 The larger crowd had been fed from the smaller resources, yet there remained a larger surpluso In both cases the amount of food with which they started was absolutely negligeable0 Five loaves and two fish would be lunch for approximately two men0 (These loaves were probably the discs of bread such as are used by the Arabs today0 A man will eat several of these for a meal)0 From these, thousands were fed0 In each case much more was left over than that with which they began0 In other words, the amount of food with which they started had nothing to do with the number of people fed or with the amount left overo The people had been fed by the power of Jesus and not by the worldly resources with which he began0 In these two miracles Jesus gave indisputable support for what he had said in his sermon on the mount (perhaps in these very hills)0 "Do not be anxious about your life8 what you shall eat or what you shall drink 0 o o look at the birds of the air 0 o 0 your heavenly Father feeds them0 Are you not of more value than they 0 0 0 therefore do not be anxious saying, ®what shall we eat?9 or 9what shall we drink? o o o your heavenly Father knows that you need them all0 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as wello” (6§25-33) Still, his disciples ing to teach them?! little faitho" were worrying about their food while he was try-This is why he addressed them as, "men of - 375 - Lesson 250 About Eating Jesus had been trying to get his disciples to understand that his ministry was a spiritual one and not an earthly oneo They were saturated with the current messianic ideas which looked for a Messiah who would remove peoples® troubles and supply all their needs0 People wanted a Messiah who would free them from foreign political domination, give them an economy of plenty to eat and wear, and remove sickness and suffering from among them0 This is still the idea that many people have as to what constitutes the Kingdom of Godo We often think if we could only achieve freedom from, fear, freedom from want, freedom from disease, we would be living in paradise0 Let us not be too critical of the disciples for having similar hopes! Jesus had come to give a spiritual ministry0 He healed the people and fed them because he had compassion for them, not because he had come to fulfill their messianic hopeso Evidently, his disciples had difficulty understanding this0 40 Lead the class into a consideration of motives for Christian livingo The following questions are merely suggestive as possible starters0 The discussion should grow out of current interests and personal concerns 0 why do we attend church? why do we study our Bibles? why do we pay tithe? why do we pray before starting on a trip? why do we ask forgiveness for our sins? why do we behave ourselves in the classroom, library, or dormitory? How much of our motivation results from our love for and faith in God, and how much derives from dur self-interest? Are we, perhaps all too often, also "men of little faith” only concerned with, ”we brought no bread”? LESSON 26o TRAINING THE DISCIPLES Objectives To review the ways in which Jesus had been training the disciples up to this point0 To see the successful results, in spite of their slowness to learn and their distorted concepts0 Assignment LESSON 27. SUFFERING MV GLORY 1. Read Matthew 16:21—17:27. 20 Lt At the wotidA and aetA JeAuA tieeottded tn thtA paAAage whteh ^o/ieAhadowed htA Au.^entngA and death. 30 LtAt the wondA and aetA JeAuA tn the paAAage whteh tett ofi htA gto/itfiteatton. Introduction Near the outset of our study of Matthew we saw Jesus commence his ministry0 Coincident with the start of his preaching he began to gather about him a small group of disciples who were particularly interested in his work, and who could be taught to carry on his work after he should no longer be with them0 Matthew 4?17 states that "Jesus began to preacho" The following five verses describe the calling of his first four disciples0 They were the first "freshmen" in his schoolo Today we will make a quick review of the course of study he had put them through, and we will see what happened when he gave them their examination This was not their final examination, but it was a very important one0 One phase of his teaching was being brought to a close0 How well had they learned their lessons? Would they pass or fail? Before we answer let us take a backward look at their training up to this time0 Discussion l0 Review Jesus0 training of his disciples0 The following outline suggests the nature of his procedures up to this timeo It began (4H8-22) with the call of the first fouro The invitation was to followo Their response was to leave their activities and follow Jesuso 377 Lesson 26O Training the Disciples The sermon on the mount (chs0 5—7) seems to have been directed particularly toward the disciples, as well as toward the crowds about0 In this he revealed the principles of the Kingdom with emphasis on its citizens, its laws, its righteousness, and its gateway0 In his mighty works (chs0 8—9) his disciples were with him0 Those who had already been called saw him turn away some would-be disciples who were attracted by the demonstrations of his power (8s20-22)o He rebuked them for their lack of faith when they feared a storm (8§26), and they marvelled at his power over the elements0 They watched him call other disciples (9s9) from other social classes (publican)t and they saw them respond just as they hado They had heard Jesus defend their lack of fasting before the disciples of John (9214-17)o Jesus sent them out (chapter 10) for field work on their own0 He preceded this with some intensive instruction regarding where they were to go, what they were to preach, what work they were to do, how they were to handle their finances, where they were to lodge, how long they were to stay in a place, how they were to greet the people of a house, what they were to do when refused, how they were to act when brought to trial, how they should relate themselves to persecution, what attitude they should develop toward earthly powers as compared with divine powero He counseled them not to worry, yet they were not to expect an easy time0 He identified himself with them and also with those whom they had been servingo On the Sabbath (chapter 12) he defended the disciples’ work in providing for their physical needso He took issue with the Pharisees who critisized these activities, and he claimed superiority over the temple and over the Sabbatho He continued to demonstrate before his disciples that his work of compassion in the alleviation of human suffering were at the heart of his public activities, even though his primary mission was to save from sin0 He added the device of the parable (in 13) whereby he could teach his disciples, who had now progressed in their understanding of the Kingdom beyond that of the crowds, without offending those who were not so advanced and without arousing undue opposition from his enemieso He was careful to evaluate the quality of their learning through this new device by questioning their understanding0 By involving them in feeding the 5000 (ch0 14) he taught them by his example and through their own experience, of the unlimited power available to those who obey him in service0 They also learned by watching Peter on the water that such power was available only on condition of a continuing faitho - 378 - Lesson 26O Training the Disciples He expressed surprise at their lack of progress (15s16) in undestand-ing his parableso They learned by his encounter with the Canaanite woman that faith transcends national boundaries0 Through another miracle of feeding (15s32-39) he re-emphasized his compassion for the crowds and his concern for their physical needs0 The disciples were also involved in this service0 Again Jesus was surprised (16s5-12) at their slowness to learno When he used a parabolic explanation concerning the leaven of the Pharisees, and they interpreted this as referring to ordinary bread, he rebuked them in a series of pointed questions and explained plainly what he meant0 20 The time for examination had arrivedo The test would have two parts0 In fact just two questionss Who do men say that the Son of Man is? Who do you say that I am? The question, "Who is he?", had been asked and answered in numerous ways and by different peopleo Now the teacher asks the question directly of the pupilso (At this poing the study chart which was assigned should be put on the board taking as little time as possible with the mechanicso) YOU ARE THE CHRIST0 Matt0 16:13-19 13-14 WHO DO MEN SAY THE So OF Mo IS? Disciples: John Elij ah Jeremiah Prophet Some say John the Baptist Others say Elijah Others [say] Jeremiah One of the prophets Peter: Christ Son of God 15-16 WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? You are the Christ the Son of the living God - 379 - Lesson 26O Training the Disciples 17 JESUS ANSWERED Jesus: God revealed this You (Simon) are blessed, for Flesh & blood has not revealed this to you but My Father [has revealed (in heaven) this to you] 18-19 AND I TELL YOU You are Peter, and My Church I will build my church on this rock, and The powers shall not prevail (of death) against it Key of the Kingdom I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, & Whatever you bind on earth [it] shall be bound in heaven, & Earth & Heaven Whatever you loose on earth [it] shall be loosed in heaven This chart shows the examination questions, the answers given by the students, and the scoring by the teacher0 The first question, ’’Who do men say that the Son of Man is?” was answered by a number of the studentso However, their answers were correct, for men were saying that Jesus was John, Elijah, Jeremiah, or a propheto The second question was much more important to the students; ’’Who do you say that I am?" To this question one of the students gave an unequivocal answer0 Peter, who had not always been making "A” grades, came through with top honors on this examination0 He answered positively, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living Godo" - 380 - Lesson 26O Training the Disciples The teacher was pleased, ’’Blessed are you8 Simon 0 0 He wasn”t just complimenting him for getting his home-work doneo In fact, Jesus said that Peter had not learned this by ordinary means, but that it had been revealed to him by the Father in heaven0 For this he had hopedo For this he had laboredo For this he had taught0 Now that this revelation of the Father concerning the true nature of the Son had been apprehended by this small group of followers Jesus could think about building his churcho 3o ”0n this rock I will build my churcho” This must be understood in the context of Christ®s entire relationship with Peter recorded in 16?13“23O To the question, "Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ the Son of the living Godo” To this Jesus res-ponded, "Simon Bar-Jona you are blessed!"““Why? "FOR 0 0 o my Father who is in heaven” has revealed this to youo Jesus continued, "You are Peter, and "on this rock I will build my church 0 0 o "I will give you the keys of the kingdon of heaven, and "whatever you bind on earth 0 0 0 and "whatever you loose on earth 0 o o" shall be bound and loosed in heaven Jesus responded to Peter9s rebuke for saying he would be killed? "Get behind me, Satan! "You are a hindrance to me; for "you are not on the side of God, but of mano" What distinguished Peter from among the others? Two things in this contexto First, he had apprehended the revelation of God in recog™ nizing Jesus as the Christ, the Son of Godo Second, he was a hindrance to Jesus and not on the side of God, but on the side of man—which is the position of Satan0 Was such a vascilating man the foundation of the Chrsitian church? Did Jesus expect him to be? What are the historical facts? By no stretch of imagination can Peter be recognized as the foundation of the Christian church in the book of Acts or in the epistles0 If any man aside from Jesus became the foundation of the Christian church it must, without question, have been Paul by virtue of his missionary activities and his writingso Certainly Jesus was cognizant of this at the time he made this statement concerning the foundation of his churcho On what is the church of Christ founded? First and foremost, on the person of Jesus Christo Secondly, on the reception by individuals of the revelation of God in the Son, the Christo And thirdly, upon the profession of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God by those who have received the divine revelationo - 381 - Lesson 26O Training the Disciples All these three factors are present in this passage0 Jesus was there in person speaking0 Peter had received the revelation of the Father identifying Jesus as the Christo He had made his unequivocal confession, ’’You are the Christ, the Son of the living Godo” It does not seem that Jesus was speaking of himself personallyo However, the revelation of the Father had been received, and the profession of faith in Christ as the Son of God had been made0 In this, P&t7tO4 was distinguished from the other disciples0 Therefore, on this Pe£ta—the revelation received and the confession made by the disciples—Jesus would build his church0 Verse 23 confirms this judgment, for there it is clear that Peter enjoyed no preeminence personally0 On the contrary, he was actually a ’’problem" disciple0 LESSON 27o SUFFERING AND GLORY Ob j ectives To observe the change of emphasis in Jesus0 teaching that began immediately after Peter's confessiono To see that suffering and glorification are inseparable parts of the experience to be expected by citizens of the Kingdom of God while they are living on earth0 Assignment LESSON 28, UJHO IS THE GREATEST? L Read chapten 18, 20 Make tttteA and theme AentenceA fcon the. panagnaphA tn thtA chapten, Vtvtde aA fcoUowAs 1-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-14, 15-20, 21-22, 23-35, 30 In a Aentence on two wntte an anAwen to the. queAtton aAked by the dtActpteA tn 18s1, Introduction In our last lesson we saw Jesus bring the training of his disciples to a climaxo After living with them, working with them9 and teaching them in many different situations he was ready to test them to see whether or not they had really learned his true natureo They hado Peter0s declaration, ’’You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,’* indicated that they had, indeed, recognized his uniqueness0 However, they were not yet aware of the full implications of this0 Their training would continue0 About a week later they were to share a phenomenon with Jesus, different from anything they had experienced before0 This will be a part of our study today0 However, before we talk about that we must observe the change in emphasis that Jesus was to give in his ministry from this time forwardo Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment placing the words and pharses on the board as they are given by the students0 LtAt the wondA and actA ofc JeAuA seconded tn tht& paAAage whtch fcone-Ahadowed htA AafcfcentngA and death. - 383 - Lesson 270 Suffering and Glory 16:21 — ’’From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, 0 0 0” On the outline chart for the book of Matthew, which we noted at the beginning of this semester, it was indicated that in Matthew 16:21 the phrase, "From that time 0 o 0" marks the beginning of the second large division of the book0 The first time this phrase appears is in chapter 4:17: "From that time Jesus began to preach 0 0 0” Now in 16:21 it is said, ’’From that time Jesus began to show 0 0 0 that he must 0 0 0 suffer many things 0 0 0 and be killed 0 0 0" From here on there is a repeated emphasis on the passion of our Lord0 The recurring interest is centered around the question, "What is his authority?” Up to this point the emphasis has been on the teachings and works of Jesus by which he was revealed as the Son of Godo Now that his disciples recognized his true nature, the second phase of their training must begin0 They must be prepared for the shock of loosing him and for the responsibility of carrying on his work after he was goneo 17s9 — "Tell no man the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the deado" This is a statement which also fits into the list of expressions which tell of his glorificationo We include it here because it does refer to his death0 17:12 — "So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands0” Here Jesus was saying that the enmity and hatred against John the Baptist which culminated in his death would follow a similar course with himselfo Jesus too would suffer at the hands of those whom he had come to save0 17:22 — "The Son of man is to be delivered unto the hands of men, and they will kill him, 0 0 0" Matthew inserted this statement, even though it has no relation either to the narrative which precedes it or to the one which follows0 It adds another emphasis to the change in the tone of Jesus” teaching, "From that time 0 0 0" After the first statement Peter rebuked Jesus for saying that he must suffer and be killedo The disciples were sure this could never happen to him0 After the second statement the disciples indicated a misunderstanding of what Jesus was emphasizing,, They did not seem to notice the reference to his coming suffering and death but indicated - 384 - Lesson 270 Suffering and Glory interest only in a theological point”—why was the coming of Elijah still expected? When Jesus said Elijah had already come and repeated that he must suffer as John had, their interest shifted from Elijah to John, but they still did not catch the reference to Jesus coming deatho Their response to the fourth statement, which was as clear and positive as his first one had been, was to become ’’greatly distressed0” They were expecting a miracle-working king0 They had seen Jesus work the miracles0 They had seen him feed huge crowds with practically no food at all0 They had seen his growing popularityo They were convinced that he could, indeed, become a king0 They had recognized him not only as a super man but as the Son of Godo Surely nothing, no one, nor any power, could stop him0 Just at the time they reached this conclusion Jesus began to talk about being mishandled, persecuted, and killed0 No wonder they were distressed! They couldnBt fit this into their concept of him, his nature and his missiono But Jesus® statements were not all gloomy0 He did not have a one-track mindo He could think about other things as well0 Interspersed between these references to his expected suffering and death are statements and expressions indicating the highest optimism and his eventual glorification,, 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment Lttit the. wofaU and. act* JeAuA tn the. paAAage, whtc.h tett o{} htA gto^it^teatton0 16;21 — ” o o o and on the third day be raisedo” Jesus predicted not only his death, but also his resurrection,. It seems that this was overlooked by Peter0< He was so shocked at Jesus® statement concerning his suffering and death that he did not hear the rest of the sentence□ This statement of eventual triumph was to be repeated with Jesus® prediction of his death quite regularly 0 16;27,28 — "The Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father 0 0 o See the Son of man coming in his kingdomo’’ These statements conclude his teaching on discipleship—that he who would follow must be ready to follow him into suffering and death0 Placing on life a value greater than on right principle will result in the loss of life0 On the other hand, one who values his discipleship more than life will thereby find real life0 Which is worth more? One’s life, or possession of the world? This can be answered by pure logic—the former (life) is necessary to the - 385 - Lesson 27O Suffering and Glory latter (possession), but the latter (possession) is not necessary to the former (life)0 This is true even for the brief life that man enjoys on this worldo Howeverg Jesus was speaking in the context of an eternal life to be granted to his followers at the time of his coming with angels in the glory and majesty of his Fathero Jesus was looking beyond the sufferings, beyond the tomb, beyond the kingdoms of this worlds to the setting up of the kingdom of heaven in its fullnesso How could this be possible if he were to be put to death? He had said in the first reference to his coming death that on the third day he would be raised again0 Death would not be the end for him0 Now he had assured his disciples that death would not be the end for his followers either0 Whoever dies as a disciple of Jesus will still find life—glorious life in the King” dome of Godo 17§ 1-8 — Transfiguration The following outline may be helpful in discussing this experience0 The teacher should endeavor to make it as vivid and realistic as possible, leading the students into an empathy with the experience0 He led Peter, James, and John up a high mountain ^part0 There he was transfigured before them His face shone like the sun0 His garments became white as light0 He talked with Mo.es and Elijaho Peter broke into the conversations ”It is good to be here0 I will build three cabins here0” While overshadowed by bright clouds a voice said, ’’This is my beloved Son; with him I am well pleased0 Listen to him0" The disciples were overawed—fell on their faces0 Jesus touched them and said? ’’Rise, have no fear0” The disciples looked up and saw Jesus only0 In this awesome experience the disciples were given a glimpse of what glorification in the kingdom of heaven might mean0 The very appearance of Jesus and his garments completely changed0 He was not the weary mountain climber with whom they had come up, but a glorious being shining with the brilliance of the sun0 Then who should come to visit with them but Moses and Elijah! The former had died nearly a millenium and a half before0 The latter had not been seen for eight centuries—but here they both were! The disciples could see them and hear them talking0 The Kingdom of Heaven not only supersedes the kingdoms of this world in appearance, but it also transcends the limits of time0 Here were three generations—each separated by many centuries—alive at the same time and visiting with each other0 Here was a demonstration of what Jesus - 386 - Lesson 27O Suffering and Glory had just been telling them® For a servant of God life in this world is only a beginningo Death is not a barrier to the Kingdom, nor is it the gateway to the Kingdom0 Actually, death has nothing to do with the Kingdom of Heaven® It is a part of life on this earth0 Moses died, yet he was in the Kingdomo Elijah did not die, and he was in the Kingdom too® Jesus the king was still of this worldo He would soon be killed in this world, yet a voice from this cloud assured them, ’’this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him®’’ (17:5)0 This was divine confirmation for their belief that Jesus was the Son of God0 The entire experience proved the righteness of the things that they were believing, and also the things that Jesus had said which they could not understando Yes! Jesus was the Son of God! Yes! even though he died he could live again! Yes! he would have the glory of his Father and his angels! Yes! it was possible for the followers to get into the kingdom even though they died! Yes! it was possible to get into the kingdom without seeing death (cf 16:28)! Yes! the kingdom of heaven was more glorious than the kingdoms of this world! 17:9 — ’’Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead®" There would be no point in describing the transfiguration experience until after Jesus was raised from death, for it would not be meaningful nor understood until that time0 The transfiguration was a demonstration of glorificationo Such glorification could not be envisioned in the context of suffering and death, but only in view of the exaltation of a resurrection® 17:23 — " a o o he will be raised on the third day0” The fact that the disciples were greatly distressed at this statement indicates that they still were hearing only the tragic part of his prediction® However, it is also another proof that Jesus looked forward to his trials with optimism, for he could see beyond the tomb® Is Jesus the only one who could see beyond the tomb? Is not his entire ministry and life an assurance that all followers of his may also look beyond the tomb? Although death is never to be desired or welcomed, it ought not to be the fearsome thing to Christians that it is to most people® They should be able to see beyond to a new glorious life in the kingdom of God® 3® Peter and the temple tax® Matt® 17:24-27® The Capernaum tax agents asked Peter, "Doesn’t your teacher pay the tax?" Peter’s quick (as always!) answer was, "Yes®" - 387 - Lesson 270 Suffering and Glory Jesus said to Peters What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings take tribute? From their sons—or from others? Peter answered— ’’From others o” Jesus said to Peterg Then the sons are free0 However, not to give offenses Go to the sea, cast a hook, take the first fish, open its mouth, find a shekel, take it, and pay our taxes with it0 The tax here referred to was not the governmental levy0 It was assessed for the support of the temple0 When the collectors asked Peter if his teacher paid the tax he quickly answered, ”Yes0” Peter always had an answer—it might not be the right answer, but he had an answero Jesus made use of this opportunity to teach Peter more about the King domo Do kings get their support from their sons9 or from others? The answer was obvious, for palace expenses were not paid by the sons of the kingo The implication was clear0 The temple was the house of Godo Must it be supported by the sons of God? Peter had recently been so positive in his declaration that Jesus was the Son of Godo Jesus here suggested that he be consistent and recognize his prerogatives as sucho However, so that they would give no offense, Jesus told Peter to go fishingo From the mouth of the first fish, he should take a shekel, and with it pay the tax for both of them (a half shekel each)0 At first sight this sounds like a ridiculous thing to do, but let us take a little closer looko What was Peter9s usual occupation? He was a fisherman, but he had the ambition to become an official in the Kingdom he expected Jesus to set up0 In telling him to obtain the tax money in this way Jesus was teaching several things0 First, support of the temple was to be obtained from the income of one’s usual occupation0 Secondly, Jesus maintained his freedom from the tax by right of his sonship, for it was Peter who was going to pay his tax0 And thirdly, in the common pursuit of life and by supporting the work of God on earth from the income of those pursuits, Peter would find an identification with Jesus Christ, ’’Take that, and give it to them for me and for yourself0H LESSON 28o WHO IS THE GREATEST Objectives To get an overview of Jesus” teaching in Matthew 180 To see that true greatness is characterized by humility and a readiness to serve0 Assignment LESSON 29O FORGIVENESS h Make a tt&t ofi the. teaehtng^ eoneenntng fiongtveneAA tn Matthew 18s21-350 20 In a Btbte dtettonany on eneyctopedta fitnd the punehaAtng vatae o^ ten thousand tatenti and ofi one handled dtnantt0 Introduction We have completed our study of the action part of Unit 50 The actions included mighty works, healing of many sick, the miraculous feeding of many thousands of people on two different occasions, walking on Water, healing people who merely touched the fringe of his garment, conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees, confrontation of his disciples with the question, ’’Who do you say that I am?”, the transfiguration experience (in the context of predictions regarding his suffering, death, and resurrection), healing an epileptic boy whom the disciples couldn°t cure, and sending Peter to find tax money in the mouth of a fish0 The descriptions of these activities filled more than four chapters0 Today we begin the study of the teaching section of this unit0 It consists of only one chapter, but this is a very important oneo It opens with a question, and the rest of the chapter is Jesus” answer to ito The question was one which interested the disciples very mucho In fact, Luke s account of this story (Luke 9?46-48) indicates that the disciples were having an argument about it0 Evidently they decided to have Jesus settle their argument, for they asked him, ’’Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Make tttte& and theme AenteneeA ^on the panagnaphb tn thtb ehapten0 Vtvtde 06 iottoMt 1-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-14, 15-20, 21-22, 23-250 - 389 - Lesson 28O Who Is The Greatest Each of the paragraphs in Matto 18 includes truths important to Christian livingo 1-4 — Who is Greatest? Jesus answered his disciples” question by stating that greatness consists in humility,, 5-6 — Millstone Around His Neck0 The seriousness of leading a child into sin emphasized0 7-9 — Offending Hand, Foot, or Eye It is better for one to be mutilated in this life than to be consigned to hello 10-14 — The Lost Sheep0 The angels and Father are concerned with each child, as the shepherd is with the lost sheep„ 15-20 — Church Discipline,, Church given authority to deal with erring brothers0 21-22 — Seventy Times Seven,, Peter s concept of forgiveness is broadened,, 23-35 — The Unforgiving Servant0 The servant who had been forgiven ten thousand talents refused to forgive a hundred dinarii and consequently was imprisoned for the debt which he had been forgiveno 20 Jesus1 answer to the disciples1 question almost gives a personality profile of one who is regarded as great in the Kingdom of Heaven0 The seven paragraphs of the chapter describe seven different phases of such a personality,, These seven phases are grouped around two emphases? teachings concerning childlikeness (not childishness), and teachings concerning forgiveness,, In the first one (2-14) stress is placed on the admonition not to sin against others□ In the second one (15-35) the emphasis is on the admonition to forgive the sins of otherso 3o Discuss verses Matto 18s2-40 For the first part of his answer Jesus directed the attention of his disciples to a little child? Unless you change and become like children you will not even get into the kingdom of Heaven,, They had been arguing about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom0 No doubt, each had his own personal candidate for such honor—himself 0 Jesus told them that unless they changed their attitudes they wouldn9t even get into the kingdom, let alone be great there0 What did he mean by becoming like children? This he answered, ’’Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven0’’ The way to greatness is through humility,, Indeed, humility is a prerequisite for even getting into the Kingdom,, - 390 - Lesson 28O Who Is The Greatest 40 Discuss verses 59 60 It would seem that Jesus had answered their question, but he had more to say0 Next he identified himself with such a child0 He was not asking his disciples to do what he himself would not do? ’’Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me0” But what about someone who doesn”t receive a little child? Worse yet, how about someone who leads a little child into sin? Jesus seemingly had no way of expressing how serious such an offense is0 The best he could do was to say that if a person had a choice between leading a child into sin or having his neck tied to a millstone and dropped into the seas he would do better to choose the latter0 Certainly, the child is representative of many who are weak0 Death is better than to be responsible for the fall of one who is weak0 5o Discuss verse 7-90 Jesus continued the theme concerning the leading of others into sin, ”Woe to the world for temptations to sin! 0 0 o Woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!” He recognized that the very nature of the world was such that temptations come to all, but the fact that the world is sinful and that temptations are inevitable does not absolve any individual of the responsibility of his own influence,, Jesus illustrated the gravity of one person leading another into sin by figures that are just as drastic as the one he used in the preceding paragrapho If your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin cut it off, pluck it out, throw it away0 If one must choose between being maimed or going into hell fire he better choose the former,. These are figures used for purposes of extreme emphasis0 He is not saying that one should have an eye, a hand, or a foot amputated0 Such surgery could scarcely reduce ones temptation to sin0 Neither did he mean to recommend the drowning of a person while tied to a millstone as preventative therapy against leading a weak one into sin0 He was using these drastic illustrations to drive home the extreme seriousness of being responsible for someone else’s fall into sin0 6„ Discuss verses 10-14o In this paragraph Jesus re-emphasized the importance of each individual in his kingdom regardless of how little he may be„ The disciples were concerned with the greatest in the kingdom,, Jesus was concerned with the smallest in the kingdom,, Speaking to these men who were arguing about greatness and were very ambitious for their own personal promotion, he said, ’’See that you do not despise one of these little ones,,” God is interested in them0 The angels assigned to their care have direct access to the presence of Godo - 391 Lesson 28O Who Is The Greatest He then introduced a short parable, one that has been made famous by artistso Most of this parable is in the form of a questiono What does the owner of hundred sheep do when one of them goes astray? Doesn t he leave the ninety-nine to search for the weak one who became separated from the flock? To people who lived in a country of shepherds the answer was obvious0 He not only goes to look for that lost sheep, but when he finds it he knows a joy that he hadn°t experienced even in the possession of the entire flocko The conclusion which Jesus drew from this was, ”So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish0” Jesus did not suggest here that one sheep is worth more than ninety-nine 0 However, he said very emphatically that the heavenly Father is concerned not only for the community of sheep, but also for every individual, even though he be weak0 Perhaps he was also suggesting something else0 Remember, he was still answering the question, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He had said? He who is humble is the greatest, but everyone who gets there is humbleo He identified himself with the humble child, and who can be greater in the kingdom than the king? Not even the ninety-nine are greater than one humble oneo Is he not telling his disciples that their argument and their question are meaningless? God has infinite regard for every one of His children0 His regard cannot be ’’more infinite” for one——not even for a crowd— than it is for any single individual The matter the disciples and we should be concerned with is that we be the humble recipients of God”s regardo The only fear that should worry us is the jeopardy arising from our proneness to lead others into sin0 LESSON 29o FORGIVENESS Objectives To learn Jesus9 teachings regarding forgiveness0 To emphasize the vital importance of maintaining a charitable and forgiving spirit toward the faults and wrongs of others0 Assignment LESSON 30 0 THIS IS THE PROPHET L Read Matthew chaptenA 19~-21O 20 On the summony chant asstgn tM.es fion. the chaptent and pana-gn.aphs0 You. an.e not asked to make summon, y sentences0 However, the tM.es should be des ent pttoe ofi the pan.agn.aph contents 0 Introduction Reconstruct on the board the upper section of the chart on page p0 394O Leave it there to be added to during the class discussion0 By the end of the class period the chart should be completed for the entire chaptero Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 Make a ttst o£ the teachtngs concenntng fiongtueness tn Matthew 18s2J~350 The following is a suggestive list of the teachings concerning forgiveness: Willingness to forgive should be unlimited,, (21,22) Some wrongs cannot be made righto (24,25) Forgiveness should be asked for0 (26) Forgiveness is motivated by compassiono (27) Receiving forgiveness carries with it an obligation to forgive otherso (32,33) Forgiveness is granted because it is requested, not because it is deservedo (32) In the matter of forgiveness, mercy supercedes justice (justice would demand payment)0 (33) If I feal to forgive one who has wronged me the forgiveness which I have received for my own wrongs will be cancelledo (34) - 393 - Lesson 290 Forgiveness Forgiveness must come from the heart0 (35) Our sins against God are unpayable,, (24925935) This is an illustration of what Jesus meant by, "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors J 0 0 0 if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses?’ (Matto 6?12,15) It also illustrates that mercy is the only way sin can be dealt witho If the debt was unpayable while the servant was free, it certainly remained unpayable while he was in prisono Justice would demand payment, but our debt against God is unpayable0 The only way it can be dealt with at all is through God”s infinite mercy0 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 In a BxMe dtettonan.y on eneyetopedta fitnd the pundiaAtng value oi ten thousand, talents and. ofi one kandned dlnanti0 "It is not always realized, perhaps, how vast was the difference in the amounts owing in this parable (18?23ff)0 The one servant owed 100 dinarii, the other 10,000 talents or sixty million dinarii0 The one debt, occupying little more space than 100 sixpences, could be carried in the pockety for the payment of the other, an army of nearly 8600 carriers, each with a sack 60 lbs0 in weight, would be required,, If these were placed in single file, a yard apart, the train would be almost five miles in lengths" (James Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible, New York? Charles Scribners & Sons, 1937, p0 630) The dinarius was a dayss wage for a Jewish common laborer (Matto 20?2)0 Translating this into purchasing power today we calculate as follows? One day9s wages @ $lo50 per hour $12o00 100 dinarii (100 days9 wages) $l,200o00 10,000 talents (60 million dinarii) $720,000,000o00 Putting it another way, the debt that was owed to the servant could be earned by a common laborer in one hundred days, or a little more than three months0 The debt which was owed to the lord would require the total wages for sixty million days of labor—or about 16,520 years! The point, of course, is that the debt to the servant was one that could be paid, but the debt owed to the lord was absolutely unpayable by any servant0 This illustrates the unpayable nature of our indebtedness to God, as differentiated from the indebtedness that may be owed to us by otherso God is willing to forgive us our unpayable debts0 In return He expects us to forgive the wrongs which others commit against us, even though they are small by comparison0 30 Complete the summary chart for this chapter0 Stress each of the seven answers to the question, "Who is the greatest?", which are found between the diagonal dividers of the chart on the following page0 WHO IS THE GREATEST? MattQ 18 He Who Is ✓ He Who Lives / He Who Is / Each ’’Found” / Humble / Responsibly / Self-Critical / Individual 1_____________________4 / 5__________ 6/7__________________ 9/10 14. SIN NOT AGAINST OTHERS Humility: prerequisite to entrance into the Kingdom,, Way to greatness in Kingdomo Christ is present in the humble life0 Death is better than being responsible for sin by the weak0 Sinful world does not absolve individual of responsibility for his influence o Mutilation is better than to retain avenue of corruption (cf0 v0 17) Weak are watched over by angels of God0 Return of straying one is cause for joyo Father concerned not only for community, but also for every individuale WHO IS THE GREATEST? Matt, 18 394 / He Who Is Part Of The / He Who / He Who ' Christian Community / Forgives Always / Forgives at Cost 15 20 / 21 22 / 23 35 / FORGIVE SINS OF OTHERS Correcting fault in brother: Personal interview Visit with one or two others 0 Church council0 Excommunication, if all failso Church exercises divine authority in such matter, if acting in the name of Christ Forgiving fault of a brother: Forgiveness to be extended without limito (In light of this, evidently excommunication is for protection of others 0 cf0 v0 8) King forgave unpayable debt out of compassion,. Forgiven servant refused to forgiveo King withdrew forgiveness and condemned un-forgiver8 God’s forgiveness dependent upon forgiving spirit among brothers0 UNIT 6o THE KING IS MISUNDERSTOOD LESSON 30o THIS IS THE PROPHET Objectives To get an overview of the activity portion of unit 60 To help the students see that among those who knew Jesus personally he was popular and beloved0 Assignment LESSON ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM L On the chant Aapptted ttbt the. queAttonA and anAweAA concern-tng dtvonce iound tn Matthew 19t3-12a In the, teit hand cotumn necond the. queAtton a& aAked^ tn the narrow mtddte cotumn tndtcate the petAonA aAhtng the queAtton^ and tn the ntght hand cotumn Aunmartze JeAuA0 anAWer to each tn your own word6o 20 Fottow the Aame procedure ior the queAttonA concerntng eternat ttie tn oeueA 16-29O Introduction In our previous lesson we heard Jesus answer the question8 ’’Who is the greatest?” by a seven-fold characterization? he who is humble9 he who lives responsibly8 he who is self critical, he who has been reclaimed9 he who is in the churchs he who forgives always8 he who forgives though the cost is higho Today we begin the longest unit of the book0 The first three chapters describe the activities of Jesus toward the close of his ministry0 The last four summarize many of his teachings0 This is the most important group of teachings since the second unit in which three chapters were devoted to the Sermon on the Mount0 This unit ends our study of the active ministry of Jesus0 We will see his popularity with the people and also his controversy with their leaders climaxedo Likewise^ his work of training the disciples will be consumatedo Today we will take an overall view of the activity part of the Unite Discussion lo The chart which follows supplies theme sentences as well as the titles which were assigned in part 20 On the Aummany chant aAAtgn tttteA ion the chaptenA and paragraphs0 You ate not asked to make Aummary AentenceA0 However, the ttttes Ahoutd be deAcrtpttve oi the paragraph contents 0 MATTHEW 19 21 DISCIPLESHIP REWARDS TRIUMPH 19 20 21 1-2 1-16 1-11 Large Crowds Followed Jesus went from Galilee to Trans- Jordan where he healed the crowds0 3-9 Divorce When asked whether divorce was lawful, Jesus answered that it was legal but not in God"s plan0 10-12 He Who is Able Jesus recognized that not everyone would live up to the standard but still upheld it as the ideal0 13-15 The Children Jesus blessed the children, and said, ”to such belongs the kingdomo’ 16-22 A Rich Young Man Jesus told the young man that eternal life is granted upon obedience, selflessness, and following Christo 23-30 The Eye of a Needle It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for rich men to enter the Kingdom, yet with God even this is possible0 The Last Shall be First By the parable of the laborers who received the same pay for different amounts of work, Jesus indicated that the rewards of the Kingdom are dependent upon the generosity of the Lord and not upon the amount of service given0 17-19 Prediction of Death On the way to Jerusalem Jesus repeated to his disciples the prediction that he would be crucified and raised on the third day0 20-28 The Great Will Serve Responding to another quarrel over who was to be greatest, Jesus stated that true greatness consists in service to others0 29-34 Two Blind Men The cry of two blind men for mercy called forth the pity of Jesus, who restored their sight with a toucho Hosannah Jesus stirred the whole city by riding into Jerusalem to the acclaim of the multitudes as the son of Davido 12-13^ Money Changers He drove the money changers from the temple, which he called ”my houseo” 14-17 Miracles in the Temple While he healed in the temple,the priests became indignant at the acclaim of the children0 Jesus called it, ’’perfect praise0’’ 18-22 Fig Tree After dooming a fig tree Jesus assured his disciples that they could move a mountain into the sea by a prayer of faitho 23-27 By What Authority? Answering this challenge Jesus asked by what authority John baptizedo When the elders refused to answer, so did he0 i 396 LESSON 31o ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM Obj ectives To stress the sacredness of the marriage relationship0 To emphasize that preparation for the kingdom demands selfless discipleshipo Assignment LESSON 32 0 REWARPS ANO GREATNESS 1a On the chant pnovtded Lat the tune o& day each gnoap o& wonk,^ men u)a& htnedp ZTe wage^ agneed uponf number ofi houAA they wonked^ and the pay they wieZuecL Matto 20s M60 20 W/iZZe 2° 3 ^entenceA Zn whtch you ktate the centnat theme taught by the panabte oft the househotden and the tabonenA tn the vtneyand, 30 W/iZte A ho fit -Sentenced ^unwatZzZng each pant ok the da cab A ton on gneatnea tn the ktngdomo Vtvtde the dtscu^&ton tnto the fiotlowtng oen&e gnoup^&s Uatt0 20t20-229 23-24* 25=2SO Introduction Today we begin our detailed study of the activities of Jesus recorded in Unit 60 The beginning of this division in the book of Matthew is indicated by the usual statementD ’’Now when Jesus had finished these sayings 0 0 o” (19g1)0 The first activity we see Jesus engaged in is travelo He and his disciples are journeying from Galilee to the area which today is known as the Kingdom of Jordano There9 as in Galilee he is surrounded and followed by large crowdso He responds to them as he did to the others by healing the sick and sufferingo Our study today opens with another catch question asked by his enemies 8 the Phariseeso Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 On the chant ^apptted List the queattonA and anArtens concenntng dt-vonce fiound tn Matthew 19 s 3-12 0 In the. te^t hand eotumn neeond t'ke queAtton a& a&ke.dg tn the nanjwu) iniddte eotumn tndteate the penbon^ abktng the queAtton# and tn the fttght hand eotumn ^umnantze Jeiia0 an&iven to each tn youn oivn ivond60 - $98 - Lesson 310 Entrance into the Kingdom DIVORCEo Matthew 19:3-12 QUESTIONS BY WHOM ANSWERS 3 "Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause? Pharisees Man and wife become one, joined by God, and should not be separatedo 2 "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and put her away?" Pharisees Divorce allowed because of human failings, but it was not intendedo 10 "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry0" Disciples Not all are able to receive, this precept, but he who is able should do soo Celibacy may result from the will as well as from physical causes0 The following material may be of help in clarifying the issues and principles ennunciated by Jesuso QUESTION: "Is it lawful to divorce one*s wife for any cause?” (3) ANSWER: The Creator made them male and female and decreed that man should be joined to his wife0 So they are no longer two but oneo What God has joined let no man separate0 SUMMARY: Marriage was instituted by God as an indisoluble union0 QUESTION: "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to put her away?” (7) ANSWER: Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of man’s heart, but from the beginning it was not so intended0 He who divorces his wife except for unchastity, and marries another commits adulteryo SUMMARY: Divorce is an expediency allowed because of sin, but not for just any sin0 Jesus allowed it only for a sin which involves unfaithfulness to the marriage vow, namely unchastity0 It would seem that a marriage can be disrupted only by unfaithfulness—not by legal procedureo 399 Lesson 310 Entrance into the Kingdom QUESTION? (Implied)o ”lf such is the case of a man with his wife it is not expedient to marry0" (10) ANSWER? Not all can receive this precept—only those "to whom it is given0” Celibacy may result from conditions at births surgery, will powero "He who is able to receive this9 let him receive it." SUMMARY? It appears the disciples felt that such permanency in marriage made it too great a risk0 Jesus6 discussion of celibacy in this context does not suggest that he regarded it as a superior state0 It must be understood as applicable to the person who is divorced for some cause other than unchastity0 Jesus9 remarks that not all can live this principle do not lessen the seriousness of divorce and remarriage for other grounds0 They simply indicate that such adultery is not the unpardonable sin0 2C Discuss part 2 of the assignment FoZZocv the pAoeeduAe, the ^u&AtZona eoFiceAntng eXoAnaZ Llfa Zu. vqa&q^ 16~29O WHAT DO I LACK? Matto 19H6-29 QUESTIONS BY WHOM ANSWER 16 "Teacherj what good deed A young man "Keep the commandments„" must I do9 to have eternal life?" 18 "Which?" A young man Do not? kill9 commit adul- 20 "All these I have observed; A young man tery, steal or lie; honor parents and love neighbors 8 Sell your possessions, give what do I still lack?” 25 "Who then can be saved?" Disciples to the poor, follow me0 Though it is impossible 27 "Lo, we have left every- Peter with man it is possible with Godo In the new world you will thing and followed you, what then shall we have?" sit on thrones of judgment and receive a hundredfold and eternal life0 — 400 — Lesson 310 Entrance into the Kingdom A more complete discussion of the principles involved in this teach-ing concerning riches is suggested by the following outline,, QUESTION? "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" ANSWER? "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good0 If you would enter life, keep the commandments0" SUMMARY? The questioner was interested in a good deedo Jesus was concerned about a good person0 One who keeps the commandments is good, even as the One reflected by the commandments is goodo If one would have eternal life because of his own goodness he must be as good as the One who is eternal0 QUESTION? "Which?” ANSWER? Do not kill, commit adultery, steal, lie0 Honor father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself0 SUMMARY? In answer to the technicality raised by the young man Jesus identified the commandments as being the ethical portion of the decalogueo However, in place of the tenth, or "covet," commandment Jesus gave the positive statement of the principle, "Love your neighbor as yourselfo" One does not covet his own possessions, nor those of another whom he loves as himself0 It appears that the young man9s ethics had been negative rather than active0 QUESTION? "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" ANSWER? If you would be perfect? go, sell what you possess, give to the poor, have treasure in heaven, come, follow me0 SUMMARY? The young man”s negative response to the answer indicated that his lack was in the area of his love for his neighbor0 He was perfectly ethical in his outward relations, but he was coveteouso He could not love the poor as he loved himself0 Jesus® answer gave him the choice of having treasure on earth or treasure in heaven0 The young man’s reaction showed that he loved temporal life more than eternal life0 His original question indicated that he was prepared to do a good deed to obtain eternal life, but evidently this had not become his first interest0 He was not yet seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness0 The young man was interested in THINGS instead of in PERSONS0 To him eternal life was just another possession,. He was prepared to pay for this possession with a good deed provided the price was righto Jesus was interested in persons—not WHAT is good, but WHO is good0 Eternal life is not something to GET but to ENTERo Jesus was not in - 401 - Lesson 310 Entrance into the Kingdom terested in what the young man NEEDED (lack)8 but in what he WAS or SHOULD BE (perfect)o The young man did not need to get anything—he needed to get rid of somethings? coveteousness8 and the possessions which were the result and evidence of this coveteousnesso In place of his earthly possessions he would have treasures in heaven0 In place of his money-making occupation he would become a disciple of Jesus0 Through this he would achieve perfection and enter into life0 JESUS9 COMMENT? ”0 0 o it will be hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven0 0 0 0 it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Godo” QUESTION? ’’Who then can be saved?" ANSWER? "With man it is impossible 0 0 0 With God all things are possible 0” SUMMARY? In the opinion of the disciples if anyone could be saved it would be a rich man—if not he8 then who? In order for a camel to go through the eye of a needle either the needle s eye would have to be miraculously enlarged or the camel would have to be miraculously contracted0 The camel could accomplish neither oneo Neither can a rich man (or anyone) enter the Kingdom of God except by a miracle of God0 QUESTION? ”0 0 0 we have left everything and followed you0 What then shall we have?" ANSWER? In the new worlds when the Son of Man shall sit on his glorious throne2 you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel0 Everyone who has left houses9 brothers9 sisters8 father8 mother9 children^ lands9 for my name's sake8 will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life0 SUMMARY? Peter8 like the young rich mans was concerned with things0 Although they had not much to leave8 such as they had8 they had left and followed Jesus—precisely what the rich young man had refused to doo What would they get in exchange? The reward would be8 as Jesus had said to the young man9 given in the new worldo The rewards to the disciples would not be granted before the reward to the Master0 When the Son of Man sits on his throne his followers will sit on their thrones0 The investment of earthly things will be reimbursed immeasurably by heavenly things0 The treasure in heaven is incomparably greater than the earthly possessions with which it was "purchased0" Eternal life is a bonus inheritance—not a treasure in exchange for something else0 This inheritance comes to those who follow Jesuso LESSON 32o REWARDS AND GREATNESS Objectives To clarify Jesus'* teaching regarding rewards for discipleship0 To understand that true greatness consists in service0 Assignment LESSON 33O TRIUMPH L Lt&t alt the ■Atatementi and. actt> (ofi the. peopteB the dtt>etp£eA9 and Jet>u&) whteh attJitbute ktng^htp and authosutij to JeAuA ioand tn Matthew 20 29^2T°17, 2a What tt> the Atgntfitcance oft JeAaA! endtng htA tsitumphat entity tnto JetiuAatem tn the tempte? How woutd the emphaAtA have been dt^e/ient had JeAutA ted the c/towd to the govetino^A patace tnAtead? Introduction In our previous lesson we studied Jesus® teaching regarding riches and rewards for discipleship0 Our lesson for today continues the same themeo Jesus had said that it was impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, but he quickly added that even the impossible is possible with Godo The disciples had seen the rich young man reject the invitation of Jesus to follow hinio Peter, thinking that this was a good opportunity to get a little information, pointed out that he and the other dis°» ciples had done much better0 They had accepted the invitation, left everything, and followedo In other words, "You told this young man that if he wanted to be perfect he should give his possessions to the poor and follow youo We have done this0 We have left all our possessions , and we have followed youo Now what are we going to get for it? What do you pay for this kind of discipleship?" Jesus answered that the full rewards for discipleship would not be realized in this world, but that in the new world any sacrifices made here will be rewarded a hundredfold, and each disciple will be given eternal life0 This was fully in harmony with what he had said to the rich young man, "o o o you will have treasure in heaven0" Rewards to disciples will not be granted before the reward to the Master0 When the Son of Man sits on his throne, his followers will sit on their thrones0 Then, to make sure that they did not misunderstand and assume that rewards in the future were proportionate to the type of service given here, Jesus told the parable of the householder0 He wanted them to know that "eternal life" and "a hundredfold" were not granted on a commission basis for services renderedo - 403 “ Lesson 320 Rewards and Greatness Discussion lo Discuss parts 1 and 2 of the assignment0 On the ehaAt pAovtded tUt the tM dag each gtoup oi woAkmen htAed, the wag&6 agAeed upon, numb e a houAA they woAk.edt and the pay they Aeeetvedo Matt0 20°°1~Uo Wntte 2“3 4catenae* tn ivhteh you Atate the, central theme taught by the paAabte the hou&ehotdeA and the taboAeAA tn the vtneyaAd0 LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD0 Matto 20:1-16 time of day AGREED WAGES HOURS WORKED PAY RECEIVED Probably sunrish One dinarius Twelve hours One dinarius Third hour One dinarius Nine hours One dinarius Sixth hour One dinarius Six hours One dinarius Ninth hour One dinarius Three hours One dinarius Eleventh hour One dinarius One hour One dinarius The day was reckoned from sunrise, and the hours were numbered con-secutively thereafter ’’Early in the morning” was the beginning of the working day, which was at sunrise0 Obviously, the householder, was not paying these laberers by the hour0 A dinarius was the standard wage for a dayps worko Therefore, his offer to the first men he hired at sunrise was a fair one, and it was accepted by them without questiono When, at the end of the day, they were paid the prevailing wage and the amount to which they had agreed, they were being treated fairly0 Their dissatisfaction arose not out of the householder s unfairness or breach of contract0 They were dissatisfied because of the amount that was paid to others0 In chapter 19§28-30 Jesus had indicated that the heavenly reward is not comparable to the earthly sacrifice0 In fact, verse 30 specifically indicates that there is no proportionate relation0 In this parable the same theme is further emphasized0 The laborers who worked one hour were given as much as (and before) those who worked twelve hours0 They were paid, not according to the amount of their labor, but according to the generosity of the householder0 This, Jesus said, is the way it is in the Kingdom of Heaven0 No one will be paid on the basis of service rendered0 Rewards of the Kingdom are given to citizens out of the generosity of the Kingo According to his statement in 19:29 — 404 — Lesson 320 Rewards and Greatness he is generous indeed, for the followers ’’will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life0” Applying this principle to the parable, we conclude that had the householder been the heavenly Father, when it came time to pay the workmen he would have given them each a hundred dinarii, plus a partnership with himself, plus never-ending life! Obviously, such treatment could not be regarded as paying wageso No matter how hard the twelve-hour workmen had worked, nor how hot the sun had been, nor how disagreeable the task may have been, they could by no stretch of imagination earn such a reward0 This can be regarded only as a beautiful gift from a generous master0 This is what Jesus wanted his disciples to understando 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment0 WAZte Aho^t Aentencet Aurma/itztng each posit oft the dtbciUAton on gsteatneAA tn the ktngdomo Vtvtde the ctti canton tnto the fiottowtng veAAe g/ioupt>s Matt. 20s20-22, 23-24, 25-280 20?20~22o The request of James9 and Johns* mother on their behalf that they be given positions at the right and left hand of the King indicated that they did not comprehend Jesus9 prediction of his sufferings and death in 20s17-190 Jesus9 response was, ’’You do not know what you ask o 23-24o Jesus assured them that they would share his fate, but the positions of honor must be assigned by the Father0 The indignation of the other ten indicated that they had no better understanding than James and John0 All twelve were still interested in advancement in this worldo They were still concerned about, ’’What then shall we have?” (19s27) 25-280 Greatness among the followers of Jesus consists of service to otherso Greatness among the gentiles consists of power over other peopleo The statement, "0 o 0 whoever would be first among you must be your slave,” is a re-statement of the same principle set forth in? 19?14 ’’Let the children come to me 0 0 □ for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven0" 21 ”If you would be perfect, go sell your possessiono” 30 ”0 o o many that are first will be lasto” 20?16 ”So the last will be first, and the first last0” The King set the example for such service0 He came to serve and to give his life for men0 30 The last paragraph of chapter 20 relates the story of the healing of the two blind men0 At Jericho Jesus began his journey which was to become a great triumphal procession into Jerusalem., A great crowd was 405 Lesson 320 Rewards and Greatness following hinio By the side of the road two blind men heard the crowd and were told that Jesus was passing by0 They cried out, ’’Have mercy on us, Son of David!” Using this form of address was the same as at” tributing royalty to Jesus0 Evidently the crowd at the very beginning of this march felt that big things were about to happen0 People shouted back, telling the blind men to keep still, but they continued to cry out for mercy0 Jesus, unable to deny or ignore any call for mercy, stopped and inquired what it was they wanted him to dOo They asked for the most precious gift that could be given a blind man—the restoration of sighto Jesus compassion, which was constantly manifested, went out to these men0 He touched their eyes instantaneously restoring their sighto Two more men had joined the crowd o It is of interest to note certain parallels and contrasts which exist between the paragraphs 19s20-28 and 29-340 Parallels § Both describe petitioners0 In both cases the petitioners were ’’blind 0” In both cases the petitioners attributed royalty to Jesus0 Both aroused the antagonism of the disciples0 In both cases Jesus asked what the petitioners wanted of himo Contrastss In the first the request involved personal exaltationo In the second it concerned a personal need which only Jesus could fillo The first appealed to Jesus partiality (which he did not have)0 The second appealed to his mercy (of which he had much)o The first could be granted only by the Father in the new worldo The second could be granted by Jesus immediately0 To the first Jesus responded with a lecture0 To the second he responded in compassionate actiono In the first the petitioners were interested in being leaders0 In the second the petitioners became followers0 LESSON 33O TRIUMPH Ob j ectives To observe Jesus at the pinnacle of his popularityo To emphasize that when Jesus was confronted again with a choice between a spiritual and a worldly mission he unequivocally chose the spiritualo Assignment LESSON 34o NO MORE QUESTIONS 10 Statz the. quzsttons askzd of Jzbus tn Matthzw 21 and 22O In zach zasz tndtcatz who ashzd thz question, what Jzsas0 anAWza was, and gtvz a summary of thz stgntftzancz of thz zncountzao Introduction We have seen Jesus begin his journey to Jerusalem from Jericho0 He was accompanied by a great crowd which grew larger along the way0 As he approached the eastern slope of the Mount of Olivaes, he paused in his journey while two disciples went to the village of Bethphage to borrow a donkey for him to ride over the mountain, down the western slope and into the city of Jerusalem,, Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment,, Ltst cM thz statzmznts and acts (of thz pzoptz, thz dtsctptzs, and Jzs&s) whtch att/itbutz ktng-shtp and authoatty to Jzsas found tn Matthzw 20*29—21:17, Two blind men addressed Jesus as the son of David (20:29-31)0 Jesus told his disciples to borrow the donkeys on his authority— ’’The Lord has need of them0” (21s3) The disciples obeyed9 and so did the owner of the animals0 (21s6) The crowd covered the road with garments and branches from the trees—indicative of their adoration9 (21:8) Crowds ahead and behind shouted the most exalted adulations they knew: (21:9) "Hosannah to the Son of David!" "Blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosannah in the highest!" » 407 - Lesson 33O Triumph The demonstration was so great that the entire city was stirred up0 (21°.1O) The crowds declared8 "This is the prophet 0 o o” (21s11) In the temple Jesus drove out the merchants8 overturning their tables and chairso (21g12) By his statement0 "my house shall be called a house of prayerhe claimed lordship over the temple0 (21?13) The children continued to cry8 "Hosannah to the Son of David!" (21:15) Jesus pronounced this to be "perfect praise9’8 thus accepting the im~ plications of royalty and authorityo (21g16) 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment (The descriptive and background materials in DAg chs0 63 & 64 will be of distinct help to the teacher in his attempt to make the class discussion vivid and vitalo) W/iaZ zU the ■AZgnZfiZeanee ofi to to encUng to tsiZwmphaZ entAy Znto JeAatiaZem Zn the tewpZe? How wouZd the emphaAZb have been dZ^eAent had Je&a& Zed the eAowd to the goveAnoA'1* paZaee ZnAtead? By making the temple the terminus of his teiumphal entry Jesus emphasized that he was concerned with the spiritual kingdomo Had he marched on to the governor's palace he would have been leading an insurrection against the earthly kingdomo This trip from Jericho to the temple climaxed the pattern of his mi“ nistry0 Contrary to the wishes of the excited mob he stopped for an act of compassionate restore sight to two blind men0 This was the act of one who regarded his mission as being one of service to the needs of humanity9 not of lordship over peopleo When he rode into Jerusalem it was not on a war horse but on the lowly donkeys the mode of travel for the poor8 rather than for kings0 Even this animal was borrowed! He came unaccompanied by the military0 No swords or spears were being waved in his behalf0 The only "weapons" that the crowd had were their cloaks and branches from the trees0 In Jerusalem he was announced as a prophet8 not as a general0 He did not demand that the merchants in the temple henceforth pay their commissions to him0 He did not expell them in order to make room for his headquarters from which to direct a revolution0 He did not say8 "From henceforth this will be my judgment hallo” He objected to the merchandizing in the temple because the spirit of sharp trading and ordinary commerce was contrary to the principles of His house 8 which was to be a house of prayer0 — 408 •“ Lesson 330 Triumph He did not remain there to interview dissatisfied army officers and leaders of intrigue0 He did not send his disciples out to round up support for a coup d9etat0 He remained to receive the blind and the lame who came for healing0 It was not the great and strong nor the near-great and ambitious who continued to shout his praise0 It was the children who cried out in the temple, ’’Hosanna to the Son of David!” Yes, children—those to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs0 The kingdoms of this earth certainly do not belong to the children0 He did not remain in the city to capitalize on the popular support his acts had evokedo He left the temple, went out of the city, crossed the Mount of Olives again, and returned to the home of his friends in Bethany to spend a quiet night0 LESSON 34O NO MORE QUESTIONS Objectives To observe Jesus under the severest oppositions To emphasize that under pressure and provocation Jesus consistently pursued a spiritual ministry, even as he did at the height of his popularityo Assignment LESSON 35O THE KINGDOM MILL BE TAKEN FROM YOU L List the questions ashed bij Zn Matthew 21 and 22 0 Indicate the. answers and who gave them, SumnanLze the sLgnLfiLcance o£ each o£ these encounters 0 20 State the prLncLpat truth ex.pr.essed Ln each oft the three parabtest 21s28~32f 2U33-43, 22s2~140 Introduction In our previous lesson we observed Jesus at the height of his popularity with the crowdso Today we will see him under his severest tests so far0 He will be challenged by the chief priests, the Herodians, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees0 The results of these encounters crystalized the determination of his enemies to arrest him0 They were deterred only by their fear of the crowds, who were still following and revering Jesus0 Let us take a look at some of the questions they asked him and see how he answered them0 Discussion l0 The teacher should familiarize himself with the issues involved in this question-and-answer encounter between Jesus and his enemies0 The materials which are supplied may be of help in clarifying each case for the student0 State the questions asked o£ Jesus Ln Matthew 21 and 220 In each case LndLcate who asked the question, what Jesus' answer was, and gLve a summary o^ the sLgnL^Lcance ofi the encounter0 21;15,16 QUESTIONS ”Do you hear what these are saying?”--asked by the Scribes and Pharisees referring to the claim of the children in the temple, ’’Hosannah to the Son of Davids” 410 Lesson 34O No more Questions ANSWER2 "Yes 0 0 o out of the mouth of babes 0 0 o thou hast brought perfect praise0" SIGNIFICANCE ? The question was a challenge demanding a response from Jesus to the acclaim0 Jesus® answer gave unequivocal approval by term-ing itg, ’’perfect praise0" The issue is drawn; Jesus meets it0 The time for diplomacy with his antagonists is pasto 21.20-22 QUESTION? ”How did the fig tree wither at once?"—asked by the disciples referring to the doomed fig tree0 ANSWER? If you have faith and never doubt you will do even more than thisj for a mountain can be moved into the sea at your command, and "whatever you ask in prayer you will receive, if you have faith0" SIGNIFICANCE? This was a reiteration of 17? 20,21—a mountain may be moved with the faith of a mustard seed,, and nothing will be impossibleo It should be noted that Jesus never moved a mountain himself0 He uses this expression to emphasize the more inclusive assurance? nothing will be impossible to you (17?21), and whatever you ask in prayer you will receive (21?22)O The condition to such power is? to have faith and never doubt (21?21), if you have faith (21?22), if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed (17?20)o The expression concerning the mountain is a hyperbole used to illustrate the unlimited power of prayer of faith0 The only limitation is the petitioner’s faith in God (not in his petition)0 It should be emphasized that faith is directed toward God, not toward one’s self nor toward the things asked foro 21?23-24 QUESTION? "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"—asked by the chief priest and elders while Jesus was teaching in the temple0 ANSWER? Jesus agreed to answer their question only if they would answer one of his0 When they refused, he refused0 SIGNIFICANCE? Here was a question evidently designed to discredit Jesus before the crowdo It was a dilemma question, for any answer would have been turned against him0 His reply was another dilemma question, for any answer would have discredited them with the crowdo The encounter ended in a draw, except that foiling them at their own game worked to the advantage of Jesus0 Lesson 34O No more Questions “ All 010 22? 15-2.2 QUESTION? "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" This was asked by the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees0 ANSWER? Aware of their malice, Jesus branded them as hypocrites and asked that they show him the tax money, whereupon they brought him a coino After they had identified the inscription as Caesar®s Jesus replied? "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar®s and to God the things that are God s0" SIGNIFICANCE? This was intended to be another dilemma question, and Jesus recognized it as such0 Unlike his response to the temple tax, which he paid as a matter of policy rather than of duty (17?24-27), Jesus here recognized a clear duty to the state0 Caesar not only was head of the state, but he also made claims to deityo The point of Jesus’ answer is that paying taxes only fulfills a civil duty—not a religious one0 He was not making a political, philosophical, or legal pronouncement regarding the separation of church and state0 He simply was insisting that man owes an allegiance to both the state and to God, and that fulfilling his obligations to one does not necessarily fulfill his obligations to the other0 22?23-28 QUESTION? "In the resurrection, therefore, to which of the seven will she be wife? for they all had her0" This was asked by the Sadducees in regard to a hypothetical seven-time widow0 ANSWER? "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of Godo For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven0 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 91 am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?® He is not God of the dead, but of the living0" SIGNIFICANCE? Jesus answer is a three-fold one: "YOU ARE WRONG" Evidently he was referring to Sadducees® non-belief in the resurrection, an error which stemmed from ignorance of two things: You do not know - 412 - Lesson 340 No more Questions the Scriptures; you do not know the power of Godo Knowledge of the Scriptures would have taught them the truth of the resurrectiono A knowledge of the power of God would dispel any concern over such a problem as they posed0 for a situation which appears unsolvable to man does not mean that it is a difficult problem for Godo THE RESURRECTION The connective^ ’’for/8 is one of substantiationo Jesus indicated that the problem they posed was not a problem for God8 for in the resurrection there is no marriage—at least not in the same sense or on the same terms as in the present0 The addition of the contrasting statement that they ’’are like angels in heavaen/’ is not particularly enlightening because we do not know what the angels are like0 Are the angels lonely individualists with no social desires? Do they find social fulfillment only in groups? Do they have special friendships (this would seem almost a certain corollary to any beings with individual differences)? Are there en-during companionships among them? If there are special friendships and enduring companionships what is the smallest unit of clique? (With humanity this is a couple9 which may be united into one in the person of a childo With God there is one comprised of a trinity)0 Do the angels ever have privacy? in homes? in bachelors® quarters? in dormitories? or are they constantly and eternally in public? What* ever the truth about the angels9 social life may beg the only thing we can say for sure is that Jesus did not reveal it0 If Jesus answer is regarded as an indication that angels and resurrected people are sexless it must be remembered that this would not solve the problemo Although sex is the biological basis for marriaget the relationship between husband and wife can continue as an increasingly close and exclusive union after this biological basis has largely or entirely disappeared0 Thus far the answer of Jesus has simply reaffirmed what he said in another setting to the disciplesg ’’with man this is impossible8 but with God all things are possibleo” (19?26) GOD OF THE LIVING Jesus applied God’s affirmation to Moses that He was God of Abraham^ Isaac9 and Jacob (Ex0 3?6) out of context but quite in keeping with rabbinical principles of interpretationo When God made this statement the patriarchs were dead0 How then could He make this affirmation in the present tense? After ruling out the possibility of God being a God of the dead only two alternatives remains (1) were the patriarchs not really dead? or (2) was God speaking of death as being merely a temporary intermediate state—without meaning in sequential time—between life on earth and life in the resurrection? - 413 Lesson 34o No more Questions Surely, the second alternative is the correct one0 In the first place, Jesus made this statement to substantiate the reality of the resurrection Furthermore, it is clear from the sermon of Peter on the day of Pentecost that the first alternative must be ruled out0 Referring to David, who was quite as much a saint as the three patriarchs, Peter declared that David died, was buried, his tomb continued, and that David did not ascend into the heavens0 (Acts 2:29,34) Jesus did not spell out the mathematics of the question posed0 He answered this one as he did so many others, by going to the heart of the principle involved rather than by dealing with the technicalities or superficialities of the wording0 The real question was not, "whose wife will she be?", but rather, "is there really a resurrection?" The answer treated the first by stating that the power of God is adequate for solving the problem of a resurrected person who in former life had been married more than onceo However, the main emphasis of Jesus® answer was on the second (unstated, but implied): yes, there is a resurrection of the dead0 It would be well for Bible students not to try to make the answer more specific by supposition and reasoning0 Whatever answer might result from such a procedure on the basis of Jesus9 statements here would still have to be enlightened and understood in view of other scriptural concepts0 If it was not good for man to be alone in Eden, will it be any better for him to be alone in Eden restored? If a helpmeet was necessary to make the first paradise complete, will it be any more complete without one in the second paradise? If there is no continuation of individual differences then there is no true individual immortality0 The purpose in creating Eve was to provide a companion for Adam, not merely to provide a means for the perpetuation of the race0 Whether one views the new earth society as based on the home and there fore a fulfillment in close and enduring companionship, or as a vast depersonalized society may depend not so much on his skill in biblical exegesis as in the satisfactory or unsatisfactory character of his own present home! 22:34-40 QUESTION: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" This was asked by a Pharisee lawyer, and it involved the type of question that was debated ad infinitum in the rabbinical schoolso ANSWER: You shall love God with all your heart, soul, and mind0 This is the great and first commandment, and a second is like ito You shall love your neighbor as yourself On these two depend all the law and prophets0 414 Lesson 340 No more Questions SIGNIFICANCE2 This was not so much a dilemma question as one whose technicalities could be disputed interminably0 Jesus by-passed the technicality which would pit one commandment against another as though they were competing for importance0 His answer affirmed that each commandment was a partial expression of one basic principle— love0 Love requires an objecto True love requires an object that can return loveo Whenever one loves things instead of persons this is perversion, for things cannot return loveo The totality of human love should be directed toward God and toward other human beingso Whatever else may be required in the commandments or admonished by the prophets is included in this principle, which demands not only a way of life but a singular motive for life0 20 Note the procedure of Jesus in these discussions0 His method points the way to the turning of contentious argument into an effective witnesso The following principles are obvious0 The teacher may discover others0 Jesus did not argue0 He re-stated what had been said by his antagonists placing the emphasis in such a way as to highlight the real issue involved0 His answer included illustrations which required interpretation by his opponentso He pointed out their misunderstanding of Scripture’s true meaning0 He refused to be maneuvered into a duel of technicalities0 Instead he forced the discussion directly onto the basic problemo When he counter-attacked it was with questions that demanded personal committmento He insisted that situations impossible of solution by human wisdom present no problems to Godo Jesus was more interested in saving people than in winning arguments LESSON 35o THE KINGDOM WILL BE TAKEN FROM YOU Objectives To observe a counter-attack by Jesus in which he demonstrated what it means to be wise as a serpent and innocent as a doveo To understand how the kingdom of God may be losto Assignment LESSON 36O THEY PREACH BUT THEY 00 NOT PRACTICE 1 o U4e a BZbZe dictionang to determine the meaning o£ the fiotLowing tvoAcUo4 phgiactenie*, fining e, nab bia 20 Make an anaig*i* ofi Matthew 23s 112 on the. chant, You wid see that then.e one thn.ee division* (7-7; 8-10; 11,12) each ofi which i* divided into two coiumn*o In the. fiin*t divi*ion Tist ad the. thing* that Jesu* *aid the. Phani*ee* do and do not do0 In the *econd division iist the thing* that Jesu* *aid peopie * ho aid not do and the n.ea*on* fion. thl*0 In the thind. division iist the. thn.ee statement* on gneatne**, dividing them a* indicated bg the phna*e* on the chant 0 3o Bning go an copg ofi The 0 esine o£ Age* to da** tomonnow. Introduction We have observed Jesus under fire0 We have seen him respond to the questions of his antagonists0 In our lesson today we will see him counter-attack with questions of his owno He is now a sheep among wolvesj as he had warned his disciples that they would be some day0 Let us watch for indications in his acts which will explain more fully what he meant when he advised his disciples to be wise as serpents but innocent as doves in such situations0 Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 List the question* asked bg J e*u* in Matthew 21 and 22O Indicate the an*wen* and who gave them, Surnnanize the *ignifiicance ofi each ofi these encounten*o 21 <16 QUESTION« ’’Have you never read 0 o o?” This was asked in response to the question asked by the chief priests, ”Do you not hear what — 416 - Lesson 35O The Kingdom Will Be Taken From You these (the praising children) are saying?” Jesus asked them whether they hadn’t read Ps0 8$20 (Have someone read this0) ANSWERS No answer is given0 This was actually a rhetorical question the answer to which was obvious0 Of course, they had read the Psalms! SIGNIFICANCES The priests and scribes had implied that Jesus ought to disclaim the right to receive the adulation of the children, ’’Hosannah to the Son of David!’ Jesus had answered them by asking whether they were not acquainted with the Psalm that said from the mouth of the babes comes perfect praiseo In this way he tacitly accepted the praise by placing the responsibility for it on the Scriptures0 He did not declare his acceptance of it on his own authority,, With him they could argue, but they were not prepared to argue with the Scriptures0 21:25 QUESTIONg The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men?” This was in response to their demand that he tell them by what authority he was doing his great works and who granted him the authority 0 ANSWER: "We do not know0” The priests and elders recognized this as a dilemma question,. If they answered that the baptism of John was from heaventhey knew he would challenge them, ’’Why then did you not believe him?” On the other hand, if they answered that John’s baptism was of men they would be in trouble with the crowd, for these people held John to be a prophet0 Their answer was one of expediency— not of honesty0 SIGNIFICANCEo The priests and elders had challenged Jesus with a dilemma question, ”By what authority are you doing these things?" Any answer that Jesus might have given would have been turned against him0 Therefore, he agreed to answer it only on the condition that they answer a question of his0 Then he asked a dilemma question of his own 0 Any answer that they might give to this could be turned against them0 When they hedged by saying that they did not know, Jesus bluntly refused to answer their question□ He had put his attackers on the defensive by demonstrating that there were some questions that they did not want to answer before a crowd either,, 21:28.31 QUESTION: "What do you think? 0 0 0 Which of the two did the will of the Father?” These questions refer to the two sons, one of whom refused to obey his father but afterwards repented and obeyed0 The other son agreed to obey but did not actually do so„ ANSWER: The Pharisees said, "The first0" The son who refused to obey but repented did the will of the father rather than the second oneo 417 - Lesson 350 The Kingdom Will Be Taken From You SIGNIFICANCES Jesus agreed with their answer and applied it to their situation0 The first son who said he wouldn’t obey but did, represents the lowest type of sinners who live in open rebellion against God but who repent at the preaching of righteousness0 The second son who agreed to obey but didn’t, represents the hypocrites who by their profession and outward appearance serve God but who in actuality reject the preaching of true righteousness and refuse to believe or truly obeyo The first group has a better chance of salvation than the second0 2U40 QUESTIONS "When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” Jesus had told the parable of the householder who had rented out his vineyard to tenants before going on a journey0 As he sent his agents to collect the rent they were killed by the tenantso When he finally sent his son, he was treated in the same way0 ANSWERS The priests and elders answered, ”He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their season," SIGNIFICANCE? Jesus applied this to them0 They were the tenants who had killed the messengers of God and were now about to kill his sono By answering Jesus’ question they had actually described their own doom0 The kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to others who would be better tenants—who would produce the fruits of the kingdom0 When the priests and Pharisees understood that he was talking about them they tried to arrest him but desisted, for they feared the multitude who looked upon Jesus as a prophet0 22?18,20 QUESTIONS? ’’Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 0 0 o Whose likeness and inscription is this?" This is another question in answer to a questiono Jesus recognized it as another intended dilemma questiono However, this time Jesus did not ask a dilemma question in return, but used their answer as a ’’springboard" from which to answer their "loaded" question., ANSWER? The Herodians said the likeness and inscription were "Caesar s0" SIGNIFICANCE? In this instance Jesus was neither entrapped himself, nor did he entangle his questioners. He penetrated to the problem of whether Jews ought to pay taxes to Romans or noto Any positive answer to this question would arouse heated emotions, but it would contribute little to calm judgments. On the other hand, no one could take issue with the assertion that a government has claims on its citizens and that it is the duty of each to fulfill his obligation both to the state and to Godo Jesus handled the situation so skillfully that his antagonists marveled and left0 - 418 - Lesson 35O The Kingdom Will Be Taken From You 22:31,32 QUESTION: " 0 0 0 have you not read what was said to you by God, 91 am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob9?" This question was in response to another supposedly unanswerable question regarding the marriage status of a resurrected woman who had belonged to seven successive husbands in this life0 ANSWER: Jesus answered his own question: "He is not God of the dead, but of the livingo" SIGNIFICANCE: Jesus refused to become involved in mathematical speculation concerning problems raised by the resurrection0 Again he penetrated beyond the form of the question to the basic principle involvedo The Sadducees were not really interested in whose wife this hypothetical woman would be, for they did not believe in a resurrection o The real point they were trying to make was that belief in a resurrection is ridiculous0 Therefore, Jesus ignored the mathematics of the hypothetical situation and simply stated that the power of God is adequate to solve any problems posed by the resurrec-tion0 He then re-emphasized the truth that there is a resurrection of the dead0 22:42 QUESTION: "What do you think of the Christ?" This was asked of the Pharisees with whom Jesus had been engaged in a question and answer exchange 0 ANSWER: "The Son of David0" SIGNIFICANCE: This was a non-committal answer in a sense,, but in another it was casting reflection upon the conditions surrounding Jesus9 birth, for if he were genealogically the son of David then Joseph was his father, and Jesus was an illegitimate child0 22:43-45 QUESTIONS: "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, ”The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet*? If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?" Jesus deliberately entrapped the Pharisees with their answer to his first question^, If the Christ is the Son of David how is it that David addresses him as Lord? Certainly an oriental father does not address his son as lord! Obviously, the Christ is more than the Son of David0 ANSWER: "No one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions0" — 419 — Lesson 350 The Kingdom Will Be Taken From You SIGNIFICANCE? This was the climax of his questioning0 Jesus asked the last question, and he had the last wordo As a sheep among wolves he had come out very wello He had been as wise as any serpent in a difficult situation,. On the other hand, he had been as innocent as a dove8 for he had never compromised principles0 He had never told an untruth0 He had never given a false impression,, Through this encounter it was clear to the crowd who was the sheep and who were the wolveso There was no question concerning which side was right and which was wrong0 Not only was this true regarding matters of fact but also concerning the attitudes and motivations displayed0 In the game of questions and answers Jesus’ enemies were no match for him0 In the far more important area of integrity and purity of character they could but cast a long dark shadow in his presence0 20 Jesus’ methods in combat are instructive for all who would be effective witnesses,. Note these briefly? In answer to an antagonistic question, he frequently asked another question which either made the answer to the first one easy or in-dicated why an answer could not be given0 The questions he asked provided meaningful experiences, both for those who answered and for those who listened0 He sometimes asked self-evident questions to relieve tension,, On occasion he might bluntly refuse to answer at all, but only after he maneuvered his antagonists into demonstrating that it might not be prudent to answer0 As authority for doctine he cited Scripture—not himself, even though he was—and is—God? 30 Discuss part 2 of the assignment,. State the ptbincipaZ Vuith. expA.e64ed Zn each the thAee patabte4 21128-32, 21s33~43, 22°.2-140 The Two Sons, Matto 21?28-32 Obedience, not promises, is what counts0 He who opeiily opposes the will of God is more likely to be aware of his lost condition and repent of it than one who pretends to obey but doesn’to Hypocrisy is one of the most destructive of all sins0 The Wretched Tenants, Matto 21?33-43 Those who rejected the prophets and Jesus Christ lost the Kingdom, for God gave it to others who would produce its fruitso The Kingdom of God is lost by refusing to accept God’s messengers and His Son0 It is received by bearing the life-fruits of committment to God as re- ( vealed by these messengers0 420 - Lesson 350 The Kingdom Will Be Taken From You Marriage Feast of the Prince, Matto 22g2-14 God first invited the righteous (the son who said he would obey, the first tenants of the householder, the Jews^—particularly their reli— gious leadersg all who make a pretense of morality, etc0) into the Kingdom0 However8 those who reject the invitation offered by Jesus’ ministry are left out, and those of the streets (the son who at first refused to obey but later did, the nation producing the fruits of the Kingdom, the Gentiles, all who are aware of their needs) who are more receptive, are brought in to share the joys of salvation0 However, only those clothed with the garment of righteousness (cf0 Revo 19 s 8) may participate0 LESSON 36o THEY PREACH BUT THEY DO NOT PRACTICE Objectives To summarize the reason for the severe woes that Jesus pronounced on the Sadducees and the Pharisees0 To re-emphasize the role of humility in the achievement of true greatnesso Assignment LESSON 37o WOE TO YOU 10 EnumeAate tn bAte^ ^oAm the ehaAgeA that JeAuA made. agatnAt the. ScAtbeA and PhaAtAeeA tn ehapteA 23°13-36O 20 Lt&t the. admontttonA that JeAuA added afateA maktng htA ehaAgeA tn the Aeeond^ thtnd, and ^ounth woeAo What Aentenee dtd he pAonounce upon the PhaAtAeeA at the etoAe o^ the Atxth aloe? 3o What doeA the ^tnat paAagAaph ofi ehapteA 23 (3739) Aeveat eon-ceAntng the AptAtt tn which JeAuA pAonouneed theAe woeA? 40 Bntng youA copy o& The OeAtAe o£ AgeA to ctaAA tomoAWh Introduction We have observed the controversy between Jesus and the religious leaders of his nation growing in intensity0 The controversy in the temple became so sharp that the priests and the Pharisees wanted to arrest Jesuso They refrained only because his popularity with the crowds made this hazardous0 Before they could arrest him they must discredit him before the people0 The twenty-second chapter relates the organized attack on Jesus by three waves of antagonists0 First, the Herodians tried to turn the crowd against him by asking his opinion on a very unpopular legal question—Roman taxationo The second group was made up of Sadducees , who attempted to ridicule Jesuss teaching concerning the afterlife o The third group were Pharisees, among whom was a lawyer who tried to engage Jesus in a debate on a question which could be argued without end—a process in which the lawyer hoped to make Jesus look foolish0 In each case the attackers were silenced so completely that they "marveled," or ’’were astonished," or were unable "to answer him a wordo" Furthermore, in each case the antagonists had discredited themselves rather than Jesus0 - 422 - Lesson 360 They Preach But They Do Not Practice Throughout his ministry up to this point Jesus had avoided controversy whenever possible0 When he had been forced into it he had dealt with it as quickly as possible in order to avoid public denunciations0 Just as he had asked his disciples, "who do you say that I am?”, he now asked the Pharisees, "What do you think of the Christ? whose son is he?" They gave evidence of their rejection by giving a non-committal answero In his controversies Jesus had come out the winner in the eyes of the crowdo He knew that he would be with them only a few more dayso Now was the time to press his advantage and brand the Pharisees and Scribes as the hypocrites that they really wereo What followed were the most severe and blunt charges that Jesus ever brought against any group0 Discussion lo In order that the analysis and the discussion of the first twelve verses may go on without interruption it will be well to discuss the definitions firsts a BZbZe dletlo nasty to determine the meaning o( the frMowlrig wosidbt phylaeteAle^ i^lnge^ /tab bl o ^PHYLACTERIESo l0 a small, leather case holding slips inscribed with scripture passages? one is fastened with leather thongs to the forehead and one to the left arm by men of orthodox Jewish faith during morning prayer? cf0 Deuto ll?180 20 a reminder0 30 something worn as a charm or safeguard0 FRINGEo Tassels worn by the Israelites on the four corners of their garments as reminders of "all the commandments of Jehovaho" in accordance with the law set out in Numbers 15?37-41 and Deut0 22?12O RABBIo The transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning ”my masteros In Matthew 23 it is referred to as 9the usual form of address with which the learned were greeted0; in the following verse it is regarded as synonymous with 9teacher09 John the Baptist is once called 9Rabbi® by his disciples (John 3?26)O Elsewhere in the Gospels it is our Lord who is thus addressedo 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 The teacher would do well to check a bit further into these words, particularly, "Phylaterieso" The articles in Hastings dictionary of the Bible or the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia are excellent,. The above definitions are taken from the latter,, - 423 » Lesson 360 They Preach But They Do Not Practice Make. an anaZ^Za o& Matthew 23s1~12 on the. chaat0 You wilt *ee that thene a/te tfoiee division* (77; SI0? 11,12) each o& which i* divided into two column* a In the fainAt division li*t all the thing* that Je*a* *aid the PhaAl*ee* do and do not do* In the *econd division li*t the thing* that Je*ut* *aid people *hould not do and the aea*on* £oa this, In the thiad divi*ion li*t the thaee *tatement* on gaeat-ne**, dividing them a* indicated by the phaa*e* on the cha/it0 MATTHEW 23.3-12 Practice and observe what the Pharisees tell you, but not what they do, FOR? The Pharisees do: preach lay heavy burdens on men deeds to be seen by men: make their phylacteries broad make their fringes long love place of honor at feasts love best seats in synagogue love salutations in market love being called rabbi 3-7 BUT The Pharisees do not: practice move them with their finger You are not: to be called rabbi to call a man father to be called masters 8—10 FOR You have: one teacher all are brethren one Father in heaven one Master, the Christ He who: is greatest exalts himself humbles himself 11.12 Shall be: your servant humbled exalted This chart should be placed on the chalkboard and thoroughly discussed as the students respond with the materials0 Remember, there are two things to be stressed in this passage; The hypocrisy of the Scribes and the Pharisees, and Humility is the road to, and the character of, true greatnesso - 424 — Lesson 36O They Preach But They Do Not Practice 30 Perhaps nothing that Jesus said in this passage was more representative of the character of the Pharisees than his reference to the importance they attached to the wearing of the phylacteries0 They wore these to attract attention to their professed concern with the law of God, but these were worn externally onlyo Within they were self-seeking men exposing their pride and egotism before the people0 This is the very antithesis of humility, which Jesus stated to be the mark of true greatness0 Such an attitude puts others ahead of one-self, not only in outward act, but also in the inermost concerns of the hearto ”As the word of God is meditated upon and practiced, the whole man will be ennobledo In righteous and merciful dealing, the hands will reveal, as a signet, the principles of God’s law0 They will be kept clean from bribes, and from all that is corrupt and deceptive0 They will be active in works of love and compassiono The eyes, directed toward a noble purpose, will be clear and true0 The expressive countenance, the speaking eye, will testify to the blameless character of him who loves and honors the word of Godo But by the Jews of Christ’s day all this was undiscernedo The command given to Moses was construed into a direction that the precepts of Scripture should be worn upon the per-sono They were accordingly written upon strips of parchment, and bound in a conspicuous manner about the head and wrists0 But this did not cause the law of God to take a firmer hold of the mind and heart These parchments were worn merely as badges, to attract attention., They were thought to give the wearers an air of devotion which would command the reverence of the peopleo Jesus struck a blow at this vain pretense? ”®But all their works they do for to be seen of men? they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbio But be not ye called Rabbi? for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.. And call no man your father upon the earth? for One is your Father, which is in heaven0 Neither be ye called master? for One is your Master, even Christo’ In such plain words the Saviour revealed the selfish ambition that was ever reaching for place and power, displaying a mock humility, while the heart was filled with avarice and envy0 When persons were invited to a feast, the guests were seated according to their rank, and those who were given the most honorable place received the first attention and special favors0 The Pharisees were ever scheming to secure these honors0 This practice Jesus rebukedo ”He also reproved the vanity shown in coveting the title of rabbi, or mastero Such a title, He declared, belonged not to men, but to Christo Priests, scribes, and rulers, expounders and administrators of the law, were all brethren, children of one Father0 Jesus impressed upon 425 “ Lesson 36O They Preach But They Do Not Practice the people that they were to give no man a title of honor indicating his control of their conscience or their faith0 ”If Christ were on earth today, surrounded by those who bear the title of ’Reverend9 or ’Right Reverend,9 would He not repeat His saying, ’Neither be ye called masters? for One is your Master, even Christ9? The Scripture declares of God, ’Holy and reverend is His name09 Ps0 lll?90 To what human being is such a title befitting? How little does man reveal of the wisdom and righteousness it indicates! How many of those who assume this title are misrepresenting the name and character of God! Alas, how often have worldly ambition, despotism, and the basest sins been hidden under the broidered garments of a high and holy office! The Saviour continued? ’’’But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant0 And whomsoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exaltedo9 Again and again Christ had taught that true greatness is measured by moral wortho In the estimation of heaven, greatness of character consists in living for the welfare of our fellow men, in doing works of love and mercy0 Christ the King of glory was a servant to fallen menon Desire of Ages, 612“614O (CHL 596-598) LESSON 37o WO E TO YOU Objectives To study the nature of hypocrisyo To understand that no sin is more certain to lead one to destruction than hypocrisy, for no sin is more difficult to eradicate., Assignment LESSON 38O WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN? L Read Matthew 24 and 25O 20 Make a Aurnnany chant fan thete chaptens0 Von°t fanget ehapten titter a Introduction The introduction to the woes Jesus pronounced against the Scribes and the Pharisees identified their basic sin as being hypocrisy., In addition, Jesus pointed out that although the motive for hypocrisy is to attain prestige and personal exaltation, its result is just the opposite0 He reiterated the principle that greatness is to be attained through humility and service0 This latter principle has been proved to be sound even in the business worldo To have a good product is not enougho The most successful business is quite likely to be the one that gives the best service0 It takes a certain amount of humility to continue business on the basis that "the customer is always righto" Actually, the customer is not always righto However, many great businesses have become successful by operating on that policyo We need only to look at our own attitude toward salesman, service station attendants, clerks in stores, etc0, to realize that we are most likely to patronize those places where we find that the people are really trying to make our interest and our satisfaction their major concerno Furthermore, the moment we begin to feel that such an attitude on their part is hypocrisy we are likely to start looking for another place to trade0 In our lesson today we will see Jesus spelling out in detail what he meant by the introductory statement, "practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice0" (2,3) “ 427 " Lesson 37 0 Woe to you Discussion lo Discuss part 1 and 2 of the assignment0 Enu/neAate. Zn bAZeZ the chaages that Jesus made agatnst the. Scathes and Phaatsees tn ehaptea 23s13-360 List the admo nittons that Jesus added a^tea making his ehaages tn the second^ thtad, and fouath woeso What sentence did he paonounee upon the Phaaisees at the dose o[ the sixth woe? The following chart will provide a skeleton which the teacher may wish to place on the board0 The discussion of the principles involved should take up most of the class periodo 23?13~15O CHARGE? Hypocrites’ You shut the kingdom of heaven against men0 You do not enter yourselves0 You do not allow those who desire to enter0 You make proselytes, but The proselytes do not become children of the kingdom but of hello 23H6 22o CHARGE? Blind guides’ Blind fools’ Blind men! You regard temple gold more sacred than the temple0 You regard the altar gift more sacred than the altar0 (By implication? you regard heaven as more sacred than Godo) ADMONITION? The temple makes the gold sacred and includes it as well as Him who dwells in ito (Actually, the gold and the temple derived their sacredness from the presence of Godo) The altar makes the gift sacred and includes ito Heaven includes the throne of God and God himself0 (Heaven and the throne derive their sacredness from God)0 23?23~24o CHARGE? Hypocrites’ Blind guides! You are very particular about details of religious practice0 You neglect the weightier matters? justice, mercy, and faith0 You strain out a gnat but swallow a camelo (The camel gave the milk out of which they strained the gnat! You strain a gnat out of your milk, but drink the cow who gave it!) ADMONITION? You should neglect neither the details nor the weightier matterso 23?25-260 CHARGE? Hypocrites! Blind Pharisees! You clean the outside, but The inside is full of extortion and rapacity0 ADMONITION? Clean up the inside so that the outside may be clean also 428 - Lesson 37O Woe to you 23 g 27~28o CHARGE? Hypocrites! You appear well on the outside—like white-washed tombs0 You are full of dead menus bones—just like any tomb, white washed or noto You appear right outwardly, but Inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity0 .23g29-36o CHARGES Hypocrites! Serpents! Brood of vipers! You raise monuments to the righteous—but dead—prophets 0 You piously assert that you would not have joined your fathers in killingo You are the sons of prophet murderers0 You kill, crucify, scourge, and persecute living prophets and wise men0 THE SENTENCE? You cannot escape being sentended to hell! Upon you will come the righteous blood shed on earth from Abel to the present0 (Barachiah, evidently, had been recently assassinated.,) All these will come upon this generation0 2P Discuss part 3 of the assignmenta wto doe* the. fcnat pcAagiaph ofi chapter 23 (37=39) /teveaZ eoncaeAnZng -the. ApZAZt Zn u)hZc.h Jcalla ptionou.nc.e.d the^e. These verses are a heart-rendering lament0 Jesus looked back through the ages during which he, as the Son of God, had done everything possible to bring the people of Jerusalem (symbolizing the leaders of the people of the covenant) to repentance and into a reconciliation with Godo Repeatedly he had sent prophets to invite his people to put their trust in Him0 Instead, they had stoned and killed them0 Prophet after prophet had been rejectedo Invitation after invitation had been turned downo Finally, he had come himselfo Now he was being treated the same as the prophets before him0 The bitter result could only be, ”your house is forsaken and desolate0" He would not return to the temple until the day that he should return in judgment and be acclaimed as ”he who comes in the name of the Lordo” ’’Christ9s indignation was directed against the hypocrisy, the gross sins, by which men were destroying their own souls, deceiving the people and dishonoring Godo In the specious deceptive reasoning of the priests and rulers He discerned the working of satanic agencieso Keen and searching had been His denunciation of sin; but He spoke no words of retaliation., He had a holy wrath against the prince of darkness; but He manifested no irritated temper0 So the Christian who lives in harmony with God, possessing the sweet attributes of love and mercy, will feel a righteous indignation against sin; but he will not be roused by passion to revile those who revile him0 Even in meeting those who are moved by a power from beneath to maintain falsehood, in Christ he will still preserve calmness and self-possession., - 429 Lesson 370 Woe to you ’’Divine pity marked the countenance of the Son of God as He cast one lingering look upon the temple and then upon His hearers0 In a voice chocked by deep anguish of heart and bitter tears He exclaimed, ®0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!9 This is the separation struggle0 In the lamentation of Christ the very heart of God is pouring itself forth0 It is the mysterious farewell of the long-suffering love of the Deity0 ’’Pharisees and Sadducees were alike silenced0 Jesus summoned His disciples, and prepared to leave the temple, not as one defeated and forced from the presence of his adversaries, but as one whose work was accomplishedo He retired a victor from the contesto" Desire of Ages, 619, 620o LESSON 38oWHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN? Objectives To recognize Matthew 24 and 25 as a literary unite To get an overview of the scope of the Lord’s great prophecy0 Assignment LESSON 390 WHEW WILL THIS BE? h In the bload Ught hand column o£ the cha/it list all the signs Je&iu gave'In answer to the disciples9 questions0 {Matt0 24) 0 In the navtou) column cute listed the admonitions and explanations given by Jesus In connection with the signs 0 Place the signs opposite the related statements 0 Introduction During the past few lessons we have observed Jesus involved in in-tense controversy with his enemies0 This was climaxed in his woes on the Scribes and Pharisees0 He knew he was nearing the end of his ministry0 He was very popular with the crowds, but he knew that this was due primarily to the fact that he had healed their sick and had fed them when they were hungry0 Because of his compassion for suffering humanity he was happy to minister to their physical ne-nessitieso However, this was not the reason for his coming to earth0 Their lack of perception concerning the nature of his spiritual ministry, their continued concern with the kingdom of this world9 and their inability to grasp the significance of the kingdom of heaven were great disappointments to him0 Still more serious was the situation with the religious leaders who should have been the first to espouse his cause0 Unlike the crowds, they did grasp the implication of his teaching concerning the kingdom of heaven0 They did recognize a messianic quality in his person and ministry0 However, they not only were indifferent, but they became vehemently hostile0 For Jesus this was heart—breaking0 In deep sorrow and with tears he uttered his woes upon these hypocrites who made such a pretence of being holy, yet who always concerned themselves only with outward appearance0 Jesus described them as white-washed tombs9 which appear clean on the outside but which are putrid with death on the inside0 He knew that just as they had persecuted the prophets before they would continue to persecute, scourge, crucify, and kill those whom he would send to them in the futureo As they had rejected those whom he had sent so they had rejected him0 On Mount Sinai he had Instructed Moses to ” 0 0 0 let them make, me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midsto" (Ex0 25f8) Throughout - 431 » Lesson 38O What Shall Be The Sign their history they had ignored his presence0 They had refused to keep their covenant with him0 Now, when he had come personally to dwell in their midst, they were about to kill him0 The temple had become a place for ceremonies and for business0 The house of prayer had become a den of thieves0 He was about to leave it for the last time0 What a pathetic farewell it was then he said, ’’Behold, your house is forsaken and desolateo For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ’Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lordo0’9 (23g38,39)o Then, followed by his disciples, Jesus left the temple0 The crowd had accepted him, but even his most ardent followers did not unders~ tand his ministry0 The religious leaders understood his ministry but refused to accept him0 Only a few disciples had begun to recognize his true nature and were still willing to accept and follow him0 The little time that he had left he would devote to their preparation to carry on without him0 What he had just said about the temple being left desolate shocked even his disciples On their way out they couldn’t help reminding him of the splendor of this magnificent building0 How could such an edifice be regarded as desloate and forsaken? His only answer was, ”000 there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown downo” (24?2) This completed the shock0 It seems that the entire group walked on in silence until they had left the city, crossed the Kidron valley, and come up the Mount of Olives0 As he sat down to rest, the city of Jerusalem^-dominated by the splendor of the temple” spread out before him, the disciples could restrain themselves no longer0 They demanded, ’’tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and the close of the age?” (24?3)O Jesus’ answer to that question will be the subject of our study for the next few days0 Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Mabe a chcux thexe chapter Von°t fiosig&t chapter It is recommended that the remainder of the period be devoted to a re-construetion of the summary chart on the board0 Time should not be spent in the interpretation or application of the signs0 The objective here is the mastery of content0 Adequate time will be devqted later to the application Emphasis should be given to the unity of these two chapters, for Jesus’ answer to the question of his disciples fills both chapters0 Signs of the Coming Judgment at the Coming 1 When?—Signs 35 36 No One Knows!—Be Ready 46 432 1-2 32-35 Not One Stone Left This Generation ‘ Jesus predicted the com- The appearance of the i plete destruction of the signs would indicate | temple. the imminence of his 3-8 coming, and the ge- ' False Signs neration would not Jesus warned against de- pass until all would ception by false Christs, take place, rumors of wars, famines 36-44 and earthquakes—these No One Knows would be but the begin- Only the Father knows ning of sufferings. the day and hour of ,9-14 Christ’s return—man Tribulation and Mission must watch and be ready He warned that many would for an unexpected re-be persecuted, betray one turn, another, fall away, and 45-51 go astray. Still, the My Master is Delayed gospel must be preached Jesus contrasted the universally and then servant who fulfilled the end would come. his duties in the mas- 29-31 ter’s absence with the The Powers of Heaven one who was unfaith- After the tribulation ful because his mas- signs would be seen in ter’s return was de- the heavens, including layed0 the appearance of Christ coming to gather the elect. 1-13 31-46 Virgins Sheep and Goats This parable contrasts The separation and re- ' those who prepare for a ward of those who feed : delay with those who do the hungry, give drink j not, and ends with the to the thirsty, welcome ' admonition to, Watch, for the stranger, clothe the ; you know not when the Lord naked, visit the sick, i will return. minister to prisoners, 14-3.0 from those who did not “ Talents so serve will take place This parable contrasts when all nations are ! the servants of a mas- gathered before the Son । ter who was away for a of man when he comes in long time—two were faith- his glory, ful and rewarded, but the third was slothful, and was cast into darkness. LESSON J9o W H E N WILL THIS BE? Objectives To see the structural relationship between the several parts of Jesus* great prophecy® To understand each part of the prophecy as an answer to the threefold questions When will the temple be destroyed? What will be the sign of your coming? What will be the sign of the close of the age? Assignment LESSON 40o THE POWERS OF HEAVEN SHAKEN 1® The. favobt cotumn ofi the chant AappEtes nefienences to pnophectes concenntng -stgn-6 tn the. eanth^ 6kyt san# moonf and 6tans0 Study each ne^enence and Etst the events tt pnedtets tn the appnopntate coEumnsa In the fcinaE coEumn Etst any Indications gtven as to when theAe thtng-s wene to take pEace0 Introduction We have made a survey of the contents of Matthew 24 & 250 They begin with the statement of Jesus that the temple would be completely destroyed® The disciples were certain that this building was so enduring and permanent that it would stand as long as the earth stood® Surely9 Jesus must have referred to the end of the world when he spoke of the end of the temple’. When they asked him, ’’Tell usj when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” they thought all three questions concerned the same event® They could not imagine that the temple would be destroyed before the coming of Christ and the end of the world® Of course, we know that these two events did not come at the same time® The reason we know it is that the temple was destroyed long ago—-less than forty years after Jesus made this prediction® We also know that Jesus has not returned and that the end of the world has not yet come® Surely, Jesus knew this would be the case when he answered their questions, but in the prophecies which he gave he did not differentiate between signs connected with the destruction of Jerusalem and those relating to his second coming® Why he didnst may become clearer as we continue our study® The fact that Jesus did not differentiate is probably reason enough for us not to try to decide which of these signs concern the destruction of Jerusalem and which his second coming® The fact is that the entire prophecy applies to both® - 434 - Lesson 390 When Will This Be? "The prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its meanings while fore shadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the ter-rors of the last great day0" GO, 25O "All the predictions given by Christ concerning the destruction of Jerusalem were fulfilled to the letter 0 0 0 Signs and wonders appeared £ foreboding disaster and doomo" GC, 29O "The Saviour s prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadowo" GCa 360 "As He warned His disciples of Jerusalem's destructions giving them a sign of the approaching ruin, that they might make their escape; so He has warned the world of the day of final destruction, and has given them tokens of its approach, that all who will may flee from the wrath to comeo" GC? 37o In our lesson for today we will be making a more detailed study of the various parts of this prophecy0 The question of the disciples actually had three partss When will the temple be destroyed? What will be the sign of your coming? What will be the sign of the close of the age? Today we can answer the first questions The temple was destroyed by the Roman army under the command of Titus in 70 A0D0, or about 1900 years ago0 Therefore, our interest in Jesus® answer is centered about the significance of these signs as a preparation for his coming and the close of the age0 Discussion lo Discuss the assignment0 In X/ie blood night hand column the chant tl&t all the sign* gave tn an*u)ei to the dlbdple** question*0 (Matt0 24) 0 In the naniou) column ale tided the admonition* and explanation* given by Je*u* In connection ulth the *lgn*0 Place the *lgn* oppo*xte the letated *tatement*0 - 435 WHEN WILL THIS BE? WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN Matthew 24 5 "" 8 Don’t be led astray alarmed End is not yet Many false christs Wars and rumors of wars Famines Earthquakes Beginning of sufferings 9-14 He who endures to the end will be saved Disciples will be persecuted put to death hated by all nations Many will fall away betray one another be led astray by false prophets Most men’s love will grow cold because wickedness will be multiplied Gospel preached throughout world—then end will come Flee to mountains 15 * 28 Desolating Sacrilege: flee without personal belongings sorrow for those with babies pray that it not be winter or sabbath Great tribulation: unequalled all human beings threatened to be shortened for elect’s sake Many will be led astray Don’t believe false: christs prophets signs wonders I have told you beforehand The coming of the Son of man will be as: the lightening the gathering of eagles 436 “ When Will This Be? What Will Be The Sign? (Cont’d) Matthew 24 29 - 31 1 Immediately after the tribulation Sun will be darkened Moon will be darkened Stars will fall Powers of heaven will be shaken Sign of the Son will appear in heaven Tribes of the earth will mourn see Son in clouds of heaven with power and great glory Son will send angels with trumpet call will gather elect from four winds one end of heaven to other 32 - 35 When fig branch becomes tender puts forth leaves You know summer is near When you see all 1 these things You know he is near at the very gates Till all these things take place This generation will not pass away Heaven and earth will pass away My words will not pass away « 437 Lesson 39 0 When Will This Be? 20 Note that three cycles in this prophecy are indicated by the chart0 It might help clarify the relationships if the chart were placed on the boardo Signsg Nations Don’t be led 4 8 Signs; Church Some will be 9 14 False Signs Don’t 15 28 Signs in 29 31 Be Alert to 32 35 Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Each cycle ends with the coming of Christo Both of first two cycles cover the span from Jesus9 day to the second coming□ The second one also makes reference to the fall of Jerusalem0 These cycles are characterized by warnings not to be led astray, alarmed, nor deceived by the signs, for; The end is not yet0 This is but the beginning□ Many will fall away0 Endure to the end0 When Christ comes He will need no one to announce him0 The third cycle may be thought of as covering the same span0 However, this interpretation is the result of a historical approach from our viewpoint, rather than from the viewpoint of Matthew’s writingo In the third cycle the generation to which Jesus was speaking is identified with the generation which will see him coming 0 ’’Immediately after the tribulation of those days 0 0 0” The tribulation is, of course, that of verse 21, which is describing the suffering in connection with the destruction of JerusalemQ ’’The sun will be darkened,” etc0 The signs in the heavens were to take place immediately after that tribulation0 ’’Then will appear 0 o 0 the Son of man in heaven0” His coming in glory and the gathering of the elect by the angels0 "This generation will not pass away 0 o o” For a fuller understanding of this we must await our study for tomorrowo LESSON 40o THE POWERS OF HEAVEN SHAKEN ObjectIves To review various Bible prophecies concerning disruptions of the usual courses of the sun, moon, and the stars0 To emphasize that the signs were given to make people in each ge=~ neration conscious of their imminent relation to judgment, and that the final culmination of all these signs will be seen in the second coming of Christo Assignment LESSON 41o NO ONE KNOWS 10 On the. Atudy chant make an analyAlA o[ the panagnaph, Matthew 24s 36-440 The. nannow column haA been [Hied outo You. one to put the. AubjeetA tn the. le[t thlnd o[ the. bnoad column and the. pnedleateA tn the night two-thlndt>, oa you have-done pnevlouAlyo Undenllne each Ataternent that AayA anything about knowing on not knowing the time o[ JeAuA0 coming0 20 ContnaAt the two typeA o[ AenvantA depleted In the panagnaph, 24s45-51 o In the [In&t column o[ the chant dcAenlbe the wonk a6Algned0 In the Aeeond column Indicate how each Aenvant ne-lated hlmAel[ to hlA neAponAlbllltteA 0 In the thlnd column Atate the newand each woa given when the maAten netunned0 3a Unite a Aentenee [on each o[ the two panagnaphA you have Atudled, Aummanlzlng the teaching o[ eaeh0 You one to wnlte two AenteneeA the [InAt one Ahould Atate the teaching o[ the panagnaph 36-44, and the Aeeond o[ the panagnaph 45-510 Introduction Thus far we have seen that in answer to the question of his disciples ”0 o o what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” Jesus gave them quite a list of things to watch foro SIGNS False christs—4,5,23-26 Wars—6,7 Famines—7 Earthquakes—7 Tribulation—9,21,29 (after) Hatred—10 False prophets—11,24 Wickedness multiplied—12 Gospel preached—14 End“”,14 Persecution’—-9 Apostacy—10 Betrayal—10 Coming—27 heaven and earth—30,31 Coming—27 - 439 - Lesson 40o The Powers of Heaven Shaken Heav€*.n & earth pass—35 Powers of heaven shaken—29 Desolating sacrilege—15 Lightening from east to Sun & moon dark—29 west—27,30 (sign of Son of man) Stars fall—29 All take place in this generation—34 ADMONITIONS REGARDING SIGNS Do not be led astray or alarmed at false christs, wars, famines, and earthquakes—the end is not yeto These are but the beginnings Many will be led astray by false christs, signs, and wonderso I have told you beforehand—the coming of the Son will be as lighten-ingo You will need no one to tell youo You will need no signs0 Flee to the mountains during the time of great persecution. He who endures to the end will be saved9 Many will not endure but will fall away and betray some who endure0 When you see all these you will know that the coming of the Son is near o The natural question for people in any generation reading this prophecy is, ’’What specific events was Jesus referring to when he gave these signs?” There have been wars, famines, earthquakes, persecutions, apostacies, betrayals, hatred, false prophets, wickedness, darkening of the sun, darkening of the moon, and showers of meteors in nearly every generation since Jesus gave this prophecy® In fact, this had been true also of nearly every previous generationo Which specific ones could he be referring to? Today we will endeavor to learn some principles basic to a true understanding of the Lord’s prophecy0 We will not be able to finish this until we complete the latter part of chapter 24 and all of chapter 25o However, the present lesson should give us a good starts Discussion l0 Discuss the assignments The ilA*t column o£ the chaAt *upplle* AefieAence* to pAophecle* con-ceAnlng *lgn* In the eaAth, *un, moon, and *taA*0 Study each AefieAence and ll*t the event* £t pAedlct* In the appAopAlate column* 0 In the ^Inal column Hit any Indication* given a* to when the*e thing* weAe to take place0 REFERENCE EARTH & SKY SUN Is, 13:9,10 Earth is desolate Destroy sinners Dark at rising Is, 24:18-23 Earth: foundations tremble utterly broken rent assunder violently shaken staggers like a drunken man sways like hut falls & will not rise again windows of heaven are Will be ashamed open Is, 34:4 Sky roll up like scroll Amos 8;9 Heavens covered Covered with a The land darkened cloud Dark MOON STARS WHEN 9 O 9 ■ Not shed light Will be confounded Not give its light Constellations not give light Punish the host of heaven in heaven Host of heaven shall rot away and fall as leaves from vine and fig tree Day of Lord Judgment on the nations & the Lord will reign Judgment of Edom and nations The day of God REFERENCE EARTH & SKY SUN MOON STARS WHEN Joel 2s10 Joel 3:15 Matto 24:29 2 Peto 3:10- 12 Revo 6:12,13 Quake Earthquakes in various places Heavens pass away with a loud noise Elements dissolve and melt with fire Earth and its works burned up Great earthquake Dark Darkened Darkened Black as hair-sackcloth Dark Darkened Not give light As blood Withdraw shining Withdraw shining Fall from heaven Fall to earth as fig tree’s fruits Day of Lord Day of Lord in valley of decision Between tribulation and coming of Son of man or as part of it Coming of Christ J - 442 - Lesson 40 0 The Powers of Heaven are Shaken 20 It should be noted that the times to which these prophecies refer are not always the same0 Ezo 32?7 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem0 ISo 3424 — coincides with the judgment of Edom and the nations0 Iso 24i18-23 depicts the judgment of the nations0 Amos 8;9 — refers to Israel’s punishment0 The rest refer to the day of the Lord or the coming of Christo One thing all have in common—all are concerned with divine judgment0 Egypt® Edom, Israel and other nations have already experienced the judg* ment of Godo However, they have not passed through the final judgment0 They will not see this until all other nations doo The prophets were conscious of living under a nontinuing divine judg-ment0 If a nation was over-run and made to suffer in war, the prophet saw this as a judgment of Godo If a great famine was caused by lack of rain, a plague of grasshoppers, or an untimely hail, the prophet recognized this as a judgment of Godo Indeed, any occurrence which interfered with the ordinary course of life, any force which thwarted the plans of man, or any phenomenon which indicated that the natural processes of the earth or sky could not always be counted on were pointed to by the prophets as indications that God’s power supercedes that of man and of nature0 The prophetic messages called men to a recognition of their dependence upon Godo They sought to turn the attention of man away from the world and from himself to his Creator0 The prophet repeatedly warned that the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the seasons, day and night, etc0—’all those things upon which man is dependent and which seem so constant and sure—are neither constant nor sure0 They, too, are dependent upon Godo When man has filled his cup of iniquity and comes fully under the judgment of God these natural forces upon which he relies will fail him and disappear This is the great day of the Lordo When Jesus included such a prophecy with the signs of his coming he was identifying his return to earth with "the great day of the Lord” to which the prophets had been pointing0 Note the identification he makes? (24s29-31) The sun will be darkened0 The moon will not give its light0 The stars will fall from heaven0 The powers of heaven will be shaken0 THEN Will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven0 All the tribes of the earth will mourno Will see the Son of man coming on clouds with power and gloryo He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet callo They will gather his elect from one end of the heaven to the othero W> - Lesson 40 0 The Powers of Heaven are Shaken Certainly, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken before his comingo Of course, there will be wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, etc0, preceding the end of the worlds All of these phenomena are reminders that man constantly lives under the judgment of Godo As these become more intense, more wide spread, more intolerable, man should be aware that he is nearing the end of God’s patience with him0 As these catastrophies approach a severity which will make it impossible for life to continue on earth, man should realize that he is nearing the great day of the Lord in which final judgment is to be executed upon sin and sinners0 30 ’’This generation0” The question will, no doubt, arise as to the meaning of this phraseo It is not the only time Jesus made a similar statemento This one plus two others are charted below for the teacher’s studyo Matto 10;23 All towns of Israel When they persecute you in one town flee to the next For you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel Before the Son of man comes0 Matto 16:28 Some will not taste death There are some standing here who will not taste death Before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdomo Matto 24:34 This generation This generation will not pass away Till all these things take place0 (Signs of destruction of Jerusalem Signs of coming of Christ The end of the world) - 444 - Lesson 40o The Powers of Heaven are Shaken This generation—which? The same one referred to as, ’’when they per-secute you 0 0 o” and, ’’There are some standing here 0 0 0 ” Obviously, the one within which he was speaking0 No other generation is mentioned or impliedo If it be asserted that he meant the generation that sees "all these things” (Vo 33) the conclusion must be the same0 What are "these things?” All the signs he has given0 Who is to see them? "When you (the disciples) see all these things0" Bear in mind the "all these things” includes not only the preliminary signs, but also "the sign of the Son of man in heaven0" Whatever Jesus might have meant, it is clear that Matthew thought he meant that his (Matthew®s) own genera1 tion would see the fulfillment of all signs and the return of Jesus0 Compare the disciples® question on ascension day. Acts ls6=80 "Lord will you at this time restore the Kingdom of Israel?” Jesus® answer was blunti "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authorityo BUT you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you AND you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem Judea Samaria to end of earth0” It was Jesus® intent that every genration should expect his return0 Probably each generation could point to happenings which might be regarded as fulfillments of the prophecy of Matthew 24O If it be argued that the gospel has never been preached to all the world, it should be remembered that Paul felt that even this sign had been fulfilled in his day0 He admonished the church at Colossae to ”0 0 o continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven 0 0 o" (Colo 1;23 cf0 DA 633)0 Have all previous generations had a false expectation? Certainly noto The fact is that every individual always lives but a moment removed from the judgment day! Each one of us is but a heartbeat away from seeing the Son of man come in his glory! The moment that death claims an individual is for him the moment that he appears before the judgment of Godo Time in the tomb awaiting that day does not exist for the - 445 - Lesson 400 The Powers of Heaven are Shaken person in the tombo The closing of the eyes in death and their opening on the day of resurrection is to their owner, but a blink0 The true doctrine of the soon return of Christ is one which will lead his followers to expect him at any moment0 Whenever we look at a prophecy and say, ’’Here is a sign that is not yet fulfilled,” or ’’There is an event that must take place before Christ comes,” we are in effect saying, ’’The Lord delayeth his coming0" Similarly, when we look at some event in the past or look at some event that may have happened more than a century and a quarter ago and say, “That was a sign that Jesus’ return is near,” the effect is to raise the question as to what we mean by ”near0” Does the word, "near”, mean, "in a century or so?” Surely, there is abundant evidence today that this wold cannot continue much longer in its sinful ways0 Natural disasters could destroy man at any time0 Worse yet, for the first time in the world’s history man himself has the power to destroy all life from this planet0 When we remember that man has never learned anything, has never made any discovery that he hasn’t put to an evil use, it is a terrifying thought0 Unquestionably the great day of the Lord is near and it hasteneth greatly! But far more important to every individual is the consciousness that he personally is living but a moment separated from divine judgment,. For you, for me, the coming of Christ may be any moment0 Because of this solemn truth Jesus continued his answer to the disciples’ question with another emphasis—"Be ready0" This will be our study tomorrow0 LESSON Mo N 0 ONE KNOWS Objectives To emphasize that the time of Christ’s coming cannot be known until it actually takes place0 to stress the necessity for constant readiness for Christ’s coming9 which may take place at any moment0 Assignment LESSOW 42 o WELL PONE! L Study the panabte ofi the. maLdenA (Matto 25s 7-73)0 In the. thnee cotumnA o£ the. chant LL&t: (7) what aLL ten o£ them dLdf (2) what onty the. jJZve. fiooLLbh dLdt (3) what onty the, 6Lve wLac dLd? 20 State. Ln one. on two AentenceA the centnaL tnuth taught by thLA panabte a& a pant ofi JeAuA9 anAwen to the queAtLon o£ the dLA-cLpteA Ln 24?30 30 Study the panable o£ the tatentA (Matt0 25? 14-30), In the thnee cotumnA ofi the chant LndLcate? {1) what the maAten gave to eachp (2) what each dLd wLth ht& tnuAt9 (3) the nejwand and chanactenLzatLon the maAten aAALgned to each when he ne-tunnedo 40 State the centnat tnuth ofi thLt> panabte Ln netatLon to the queAtLon aAked by the ctiAcLpteA Ln 24? 3 0 Introduction Up to this point the answer of Jesus to the disciples’ question, ’’What will be the sign of your coming and the close of the age?” has given the disciples what they had asked for—’signs 0 However, interspersed with these Jesus gave repeated warningss take heed that no one leads you astray; see that you are not alarmed, the end is not yet; if possible they will lead astray the elect; do not go out; do not believe it0 We have seen that the signs he gave included great and shocking events in the heavens, on earth, among the nations, and in the church0 We have also noted that probably every generation since that time could point to happenings that might be thought of as fulfillments of these predictions0 No doubt, Jesus intended that every generation — 447 — Lesson 410 No One Knows should do so, for belief in and hope for his immediate return is a necessary element to a vital faith and to Christian growtho We also noted that there is an enormous intensifying of some of the signs in our own days, and that these are of such a nature that they threaten the earth and all life on it with disintegration0 No generation ever could say while reading these signs, ’’None of these things are taking place now0 It must be a long time before the Lord comes0” Jesus did not give these signs to make it possible for anyone at any time to say that, according to Bible prophecy, the Lord will not come for a while yet0 Instead of this, Christ wanted every follower of his in every generation to understand that he was living moment by moment only an instant away from the judgment0 He wanted his own generation—beginning with the disciples who had asked the question—to expect his return in their day0 In actual fact this is a true expectation and has always been so9 for Christ will come to each generation at the same time0 There is no passage of time to people in their graves0 There is not even an instant between the death and the judgment, as far as the person who dies is concerned0 Jesus gave the signs not that people might know how long it is before he will return, but rather that they be aware of the imminent return each day of their lives□ That we have not misunderstood his prophecy will become more clear as we continue our study today and tomorrow,, Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 On the Atudy chaat make an analysts o& the paAagtiaph, Matthew 24°°36~44O The namow column has been fitted outo You oaz to pat the subjects tn the lefit thtnd o[ the baoad column and the p>te~ dicates tn the atght two~tht%.ds, as you. have done previously, Underline each statement that anything about knowing or not knowing the time o& Jesus'1 coming a This chart shoudl be re-constructed on the chalkboard0 The underlining will be more emphatic if it is done after the chart has been completed0 448 - Lesson 410 No One Knows Only the Father Knowss Matto 24:36-44 36 Day & Hour No one knows s not even angels nor the Son The Father only knows 37-39 ■ As days of Noah so will be They atej drank, married until Noah entered the arl i The coining of the Son They did not know until the flood came swept them away 40-42 । Watch therefore Two will be in field: one taken one left Two will be grinding: one taken one left On what day Lord is coming You do not know 43-44 He would have watched If householder had known when the thief was coming You must be ready for at an hour you do not expect the Son is coming Lesson 410 No One Knows - 4 49 - 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment.. Contrast the two types ofi servants depicted in the paragraph, 24?45-570 In the fiirst column o{y the chart describe the wo Ah assigned, In the second column indicate how each seAvant debated himself to his Aes-possibilities 0 In the third column state the AewaAd each was given when the master AetaAned, TYPE WORK ASSIGNED HOW EACH ACTED REWARD Faithful & wise servant Set over household to care for their needs 0 When the master returned he was found so doingo The master set him over all his pos-sessionso Wicked servant Same Said, "My master is delayedo" Beat his fellow servants o Ate and drank with drunkeno At the unexpected return of the master he was: punished put with the hypocrites put where men weep and gnash their teetho 30 Discuss part 3 of the assignments Write a sentence fcoA each o[ the two paragAaphs you have studied, summarizing the teaching ofa each* You are to write two sentences, the ^inst one should state the teaching 06 the paragAaph 36-44, and the second o{} the paragAaph 45-510 Ask for several suggestions as to what the main theme of each paragraph is, and then incorporate these into sentences0 The following are illustrations0 36-440 Two main emphases: No one knows the time of Jesus* returns Watch and be ready for his coming at any time0 Theme sentence: Since no one can prepare for a specific time of Jesus9 coming all must expect and be prepared for his coming at all times0 - 450 - Lesson 410 No One Knows0 45-51o Three main emphases 2 Preparation for the master’s return consists of doing one’s assigned tasks faithfully0 A belief that the master’s return is delayed encourages unfaithfulness in the assigned task0 The master rewards his servants upon his return according to their faithfulness during his absence0 Theme sentences One who faithfully fulfills his assigned responsibilities during his master’s absence is rewarded, but he who violates his trust in the belief that his master’s return is delayed is punished 0 40 At this point review the warnings Jesus gave in regard to the signs in chapter 24O The following outline might be placed on the chalkboard if time permits0 40 Take heed that no one leads you astray 60 See that you are not alarmed the end is not yet 80 All this is but the beginning of sufferings False christs Wars Famines Earthquakes False christs and prophets Showing great signs and wonders Coming of Son of Man Master and two servants 23O Do not believe it 24O If possible lead astray the elect 25o I have told you beforehand 26o Do not go out Do not believe it 36o No one knows the day and hour 39o As people in the days of Noah didn’t know until flood came 42o You do not know the day 44o Must be ready, for at an hour you do not expect 48o Master delayed 50o Master will come on day not expected at hour not known LESSON 42O WELL DONE! ObJ ectIves To understand the teachings of the parables of the Ten Maidens and the Talentso To emphasize again that preparation for the coming of the Lord consists of faithfully doing our assigned responsibilities during the Lord’s absenceo Assignment LESSON 43 0 THE LAST NIGHT 1a Ke.ad Matthew 26—28- 20 ConstAuet a Aunwiaay c.haAt faoA chapteA 26 0 Otvtde the paua-gAaphs 06 ioZZowts 1-2; 3-5; 6-13; 14-16; 17-19; 20-25; 26-29; 30-35; 36-46; 47-56; 57-68; 69-750 You. wZZZ need iw than one. coZumn ^oa tht60 Put £oua paaa-cptaphA tn each o& the. thAzz coZumnA ofi the. chaAt pAovtdzd0 30 fritng youA copy The. QzaZaz o£ Agz-t> to cZa66 tomoA)iow0 Introduction Our lesson today continues the theme of the previous one—that the time of the coming of the Lord cannot be known beforehand and that his followers must be ready at all times to meet him0 There is an additional emphasis given here to a thought that was included in the parable of the Two Servants, namely, that watchfulness and readiness consist in fulfilling one’s assigned responsibilities faithfully during the absence of the Lord0 Chapter 25 contains two parables and a description of the day of judgment0 You have studied the two parables, and we shall add the description of the judgment to our discussion this morning0 Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignment Study the. paAabZz ofi the. maidznA (Matt. 25? 1-13) 0 In the. thAzz coZumnA ofi the. chaAt ZZbt: (7) what aZZ tzn ofi them dtd, (2) what onZy the. faive ^ooZZbh dZd, (3) what onZy the. £Zve wZbe dZd0 - 452 ■= Lesson 42 0 Well Done WHAT ALL TEN DID WHAT THE FOOLISH DID WHAT THE WISE DID Took their lamps. Took no extra oil Took extra flasks of oil. Went to meet the bride- Asked the wise to give Answered they did not groom. Slumbered and slept. them oil for their failing lamps. Went to buy oil. have enough to share. Recommended that the foolish buy some from , the dealers. Rose at the announcement Cried in vain for the Entered the marriage of the bridegroom’s coming* Trimmed their lamps. door to be opened for them. feast with the bridegroom * 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignments. State tn one. on two sentences the. centnat tnuth taught by thtb panabte at a pant antwen to the. question o^ the. dZ&ctptet tn 24“3O This parable should be understood as a part of Jesus’ answer to the question of the disciples, "When will this be?" It will be difficult to improve on the summary sentence that Jesus gave this parable, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the houro" (25sl3)0 Not too much time should be used in getting suggestions from the students, but a sentence should be given—pref erebly on the board0 The following is a samples The kingdom of heaven is likened to maidens participating in a wedding procession0 Those who came prepared for a delay were welcomed into the feast, while those who were not so prepared were shut outo It should be pointed out that in the parable of the Two Servants the master returned before he was expected® In the parable of -the Maidens the master came later than he was expected0 In both parables some were prepared for his return and some were noto Also, in both parables the preparation consisted in being faithful to the responsibilities which were assigned0 30 Discuss part 3 of the assignmento Study the. panabte o£ the. tatenti (Matto 25s 14-30). In the. thnee columns o{} the. chant tndtcate* (1) what the. ma&ten gave, to each, (2) what each dtd wtth htt tnutt, (3) the. neiwand and chanactentzatton the marten at^tgned to each when he netunned0 ’’After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them” Matto 25?19 SERVANT WHAT HE RECEIVED WHAT HE DID REWARD AND CHARACTERIZATION XX V Ki LU1C.11UO Traded with them and made Well done First five talents more Good and faithful servant You have been faithful over a little I will set you over much Enter into the joy of your master Second Two talents Made two talents more Well done Good and faithful servant You have been faithful over a little I will set you over much Enter into the joy of your master Third One talent Hid it in the ground Regarded his master as being hard and grasping Was afraid Wicked and slothful servant You misjudged my character You misused my money Take his talent and give it to Number 1 Worthless servant Cast into outer darkness where men weep and gnash their teeth - 454 ~ Lesson 420 Well Done 40 Discuss part 4 of the assignment0 Statz the, ozn&iat tfiuth thti pa/iabtz tn fetation to thz question a^kzd by thz dt&ctpte^ tn 24s 30 This parable is also a part of Jesus’ answer to his disciples7 question, ’’When will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” Jesus said it would be as when a man goes on a long journey and entrusts his affairs to servants0 After a long time he returns and finds that some have been faithful to their trust and some have noto He rewards or punishes them according to their faithfulness. This parable contributes to the indefiniteness of Jesus9 answer in regard to the time of his comingc However, it adds to the definiteness of his answer in regard to what he expects of his followers while he is away0 He expects them faithfully to bear the responsibilities he has entrusted to them0 50 Discuss the concluding paragraph of Matthew 25-“(31”46)0 The fol” lowing outline may be of help0 THE SETTING When the Son of man comes in his glory With all his holy angels Sitting on his glorious throne, All nations gather before him0 THE ACTION He will separate the people of the nations one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats0 He will place the sheep at his right hand0 He will place the goats at his left hand0 THE INVITATION Come, 0 blessed of my Father, Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world0 THE SUBSTANTIATION--FOR When I was hungry you fed me0 When I was thirsty you gave me drink0 When I was a stranger you welcomed me When I was naked you clothed me0 When I was sick you visited me0 When I was in prison you came to me0 - 455 - Lesson 42® Well Done THE RESPONSE OF THE INVITED When did we feed you? When did we give you drink? When did we welcome you? When did we clothe you? When did we visit you? THE KING’S ANSWER When you did it to the lowliest of the needy you did it to me® THE CONDEMNATION Depart from me, You cursed, Into eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels® THE SUBSTANTIATION—FOR When I was hungry you did not feed me® When I was thirsty you did not : give me drink® When I was a stranger you did not welcome me® When I was naked you did not clothe me® When I was sick and in prison you did not visit me THE RESPONSE OF THE CONDEMNED When did we not minister to you? THE ANSWER OF THE KING When you did not do to the lowliest of the needy you did not do to me® THE DISPOSITION The condemned will go away into eternal punishment® The righteous will enter into eternal life® The tendency is to see this only as a description of the judgment® In a sense it is that® However, it is doubtful that this is the real intent or emphasis in this context® This is the summary and final answer of Jesus to the question asked by his disciples® Up to this point he had stressed several things: His followers should constantly expect his imminent return® The time of his coming cannot be known beforehand® - 456 “ Lesson 42O Well Done His followers must watch in readiness for his return at any moment0 In his absence his followers must faithfully fulfil their assignments 0 At his return his followers will be called to account0 In describing this judgment scene Jesus added a new element to his answer to the question, ’’What will be the sign of your coming?" Here he says that he actually will never be away! Although it seems to the world that he is absent, in fact he is always present in the persons of the needy0 He who would have a relationship with Christ must nurture that relationship through the needy of the worldo One’s faithfulness or unfaithfulness to Christ is determined by his service to those who need him0 In other words, the important questions for the followers of Jesus are not? When will the temple be destroyed? By what sign may we know when you are about to return? By what sign will we know that the end of the world is near? No! The really important questions ares Am I ready for his return at any moment? Am I faithfully discharging the responsibilities en-trusted to me? Am I serving Christ by ministering to those in whose needs he is present? In the parable of the Two Servants, the Ten Maidens, and The Talents, rewards and punishments were given not on the basis of their answer to the first set of questions, but rather on their response to the second set0 In his description of the great day of the Lord and the glorious return of Christ, Jesus re-stated this in unmistakable termso Is he not here saying, "If you are serving me while I am present in the needs of those about you, you needn’t worry about the exact time of my coming in power and gloryo If you visit me while I dwell among you in lowliness and need, you may come and dwell with me when I visit you in power and gloryo" UNIT 7o THE KING IS REJECTED LESSON A3„ T H E LAST NIGHT Objectives To survey the events of Jesus* last night before his crucifixion,, To emphasize the significance of the last supper and Gethsemane,, Assignment LESSON 44 0 THE KING IS JUVGEO Io On the chants ocMZne the events o£ Jesus0 totals befiooe CaZaphas and PZZate as desenZbed Zn Matthew 26:57~~27:26O Supply the ZnfionmatZon Zn each column as called fioo by the heading „ 20 Note each mention o£ Judas Zn 26: 14--27: 10 and watte a sentence ioo each Incident descAlbZng what happened0 30 BnZng youa copy ofi The Oeslae ofc Ages to class 0 Introduction Today we begin the final unit in our study of the book of Matthew,, This stody of a king began with his ancestors0 From the outset it was clear that this king was different from any other king that the world had ever seen0 First of all, he not only had a royal lineage, but he was truly what many legendary heroes were imagined to be—’the Son of Godo When he came of age he rejected a career which could have taken him to glory, wealth, and power, for one which would be difficult and would end in apparent failure,, The reason for this choice was that only in this way could he serve his heavenly Father0 Thus, he left an example of the only sound basis for the choosing of one's life career0 When he announced the principles of his kingdom in a sermon on a moun-tain side he tried to make it clear that although his kingdom is a heavenly one, it begins on this earth0 The principles were revolutionary and the citizens who would truly live them would be quite different from the citizens of ordinary kingdoms0 Throughout his subsequent teaching and working among the people he emphasized by precept and example the same principles0 His primary teaching objective was the training of his disciples for a work of preaching and teaching after he would leave them0 He taught ~ 458 Lesson 43o The Last. Night them not only in class but also by involving them in actual experiene0 He sent them out to put into practice the principles and methods that he had been teaching0 Through their close relationship with him the disciples came to recognize him as the Christ, the Son of Godo The people saw him primarily as a miracle-working doctor who could heal their physical diseases and who would occasionally give them a free meal0 This brought him popularity, but not true understanding0 Repeatedly the crowds hindered his work, and he had to withdraw to continue his training of the disciples0 At the same time that his disciples were coming to understand his divine mission, and while the crowds were seeking him out and eagerly following him, the religious leaders were becoming embittered against him0 His emphasis on heart religion, his exhortation to serve God rather than man, his insistence that true religion consisted in the establishment of a personal relationship with God rather than in the performance of certain outward ceremonies, seemed to be a threat to the economic position of the Sadducees and the influential status of the Phariseeso When he actually demonstrated by his acts in the temple that he seriously meant what he said—that praying to God was more important than doing business in the temple--they determined that he must be done away with before his influence should spread farther0 The events of our final Unit took place only a few days latero He had publicly denounced the leadership and characteristics of the Scribes and Phariseeso They would not rest until he was silencedo How they went about silencing him is the story of this unit0 In their acts during the events of one night and the days following they demonstrated that everything he had said about them in the woes was true0 They were, indeed, hypocrites, children of hell, blind guides, fools, white-washed tombs, outwardly right but inwardly full of iniquity, serpents, a brood of vipers, certainly destined to hello These are the men who will put Jesus to trial on the pretext of defending their faith! Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment? It might be advisable to note briefly the titles and theme sentences0 Not much time should be given to this exercise0 Ample time should be reserved to discuss events of the Supper and Gethsemane0 ConbtAuet a ehcuit faon chapter 260 PZvZde the paAagfiaphA 06 1-2; 3 5; 6=43; 14-16; 17-19; 20-25; 26-29; 30-35; 36-46; 47-56; 57-61; 69-75. You ivZZZ need mooe than one. eotumn fcoA thtb. Put ^ou/t paAagstaphA tn each oft the th/iee co£umn& oft the cha/it pAovtded. Conspiracy MATTHEW 26 Supper Arrest 36 75 । /I 16 17 35 la2 17-19 36-46 After Two Days At the close of his great prophecy My Time is at Hand As Thou Wilt The disciples prepared for the In Gethsemane Jesus prayed, while | Jesus said that after two days he passover according to Jesus9 di- the disciples slept, until the would be crucifiedo rectionso betrayer arrived0 3-5 20-25 4,7-56 ! The Consjpiracy, One Will Betray Me With Swords and Clubs The plans for secret arrest and During the evening meal Jesus After greeting his betrayer with, murder after the feast were laid identified his betrayer0 ’’Friend”, rebuking his defender, by the priests and elders in the 26-29 and stating that he had more palace of the high priest0 My Body; My Blood than twelve legions of angels 6-13 The broken bread and the wine at his command, Jesus submitted Expensive Ointment were blessed as symbols of Jesus* to the mobo His annointing by a woman during body and blood which he was giv- 57-68 a meal at Bethany was defended ing for the forgiveness of sins0 Perjury and Condemnation by Jesus as a beautiful prepara- 30-35 Before Caiaphas Jesus was con- tion for his burialo You Will Deny Me demned and manhandled after he 14-16 On Mount Olives after supper Je- admitted that he was the Son of Thirty Pieces of Silver sus warned that all his disciples God, although he had refused to Judas volunteered to betray Jesus would forsake him and that Peter answer false charges0 for moneyo would deny him three times that nighto 69-75 I do not Know the Man Out in the court yard three times Peter denied any knowledge of Jesus, but upon hearing the cock crow he fled to weep bit-terly0 Lesson 43O The Last Night i 460“" Lesson 43O The Last Night 20 Study the Last Supper passage in 26s17=”29O The following outline may be of help0 Facts added by other gospels are included0 THE PREPARATION On Thursday afternoon Jesus sent his disciples into Jerusalem to arrange for the eating of the passover0 In Luke 22g8 it is indicated that Peter and John were the ones who actually made the arrangements0 Luke also says that they were to follow a man bearing a pitcher of water and make preparations in a large, furnished, second-floor room at his home0 THE PASSOVER That evening Jesus and his disciples ate the meal prepared0 Luke records an argument among the disciples at the table as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom0 Jesus9 reply to them reiterated the principle that he who would be great must serve0 John 13?1-20 gives a description of how Jesus demonstrated the principle he had just stated0 He who was recognized by all of them as the king of the kingdom took a basin and a towel and washed the feet of all the discipleso ”If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet0 0 o o a servant is not greater than his master0” (John 1321,16) Jesus then identified Judas as the one who would betray him0 However, this was done rather subtly, for there is little indication that the disciples comprehended the significance of what Jesus meant0 John adds that right after being identified as the betrayer Judas left the group0 He also indicates that the disciples did not know what Judas was going to do0 THE NEW SUPPER Jesus instituted a supper with symbolic significance0 The bread which he broke symbolized his body, which would soon be mutilatedo The wine symbolized his bloody which was soon to be poured out for the forgive™ ness of sinso The passover they had been eating reminded them of the deliverance of their forefathers from Egyptian bondage0 In type it also pointed forward to the slaying of the Lamb of God for deliverance from the bondage of sin0 On this Thursday evening the passover was eaten for the last time with this foreshadowing significance0 In its place Jesus instituted a new supper which has come to be known to Christians by several nameso It is called the ’’Lord’s Supper", "Ordinances of the last sup™ per", "The Eucharist,", "Holy Communion", etc0 - 461 - Lesson 43o The Last Night The entire service has three parts: the ordinance of washing (also known as the ordinance of humility, the ordinance of service, the ordinance of feet washing, etc3$ the ordinance of the broken bread; the ordinance of the wine0 Jesus asked his disciples to participate with him that evening,. He then added that he would not partake of the wine again until he would join them in his Father’s kingdom,. At this point the gospel of John adds much material which fills four chapters (14-17)„ These include: His beautiful assurance that he was going to prepare a place for his followers in his Father’s house and come again to receive them unto himself„ (In the upper room) His promise of the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, who would abide with them after he returned to his Father0 (In the upper room) His discussion of unity between himself and his followers, and between himself and his Father—as the vine and the branches0 (On the way to the Mount of Olives) His description of the work of the Holy Spirit and his assurance that although he was returning to his Father he would see them againo (On the way to the Mount of Olives) His intercessory prayer for his disciples in which he prayed that they would be sanctified, kept from sin, and be granted the privilege of being with him and knowing the love of the Father, even as he had known it0 (On the way to Mount of Olives) 30 Discuss the Gethsemane experience. THE PRAYER When they reached Gethsemane (a place on the side of the Mount of Olives) Jesus left eight of his disciples and took Peter, James, and John a little farther to pray„ He told these three that he was sorrowful even to death, and asked that they remain together and keep awake while he went on a little farther,. Going on alone he fell to the ground and prayed0 My Father let this cup pass from me (if it be possible); not as I will, but as Thou wilt (nevertheless)c When he returned to his disciples he found them sleeping. He asked Peter, ’’Couldn’t you watch with me even an hour?” He then admonished them to watch and pray that they may not enter into temptation,, v For the second time he went on to pray0 My Father if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Thy will be done® He returned to find-the disciples sleeping again0 It seems that this time he didn’t disturb them0 462 - Lesson 43O The Last Night For the third time he went away to pray the same prayer0 Upon his return he asked the disciples, evidently in deep disappointment, ’’Are you sleeping and taking your rest?" He then added that the hour had come when he was to be betrayed into the hands of sinners0 Then he called, "Rise, let us be going} see, my betrayer is at hand0" The following quotations may help the students appreciate the real issues involved in Gethsemane0 This lesson should afford a good opportunity for a solemn heart-appeal for each student to respond to the love of Christ manifested in Gethsemane0 "Christ was now standing in a different attitude from that in which He had ever stood beforeo His suffering can best be described in the words of the prophet, ’Awake, 0 sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hostso9 Zech0 13? 7 0 As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice,. He saw what justice meant0 Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himselfo "As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness0 In the wilderness of temptation the destiny of the human race had been at stake,, Christ was then conqueror0 Now the tempter had come for the last fearful struggle,, For this he had been preparing during the three years of Christ9s ministry0 Everything was at stake with him0 If he failed here, his hope of mastery was lost; the kingdoms of the world would finally become Christ’s; he him” self would be overthrown and cast out. But if Christ could be overcome, the earth would become Satan’s kingdom, and the human race would be forever in his power0 With the issues of the conflict before Him, Christ’s soul was filled with dread of separation from Godo Satan told Him that if He became the surety for a sinful world, the separation would be eternalo He would be identified with Satan’s kingdom and would nevermore be one with Godo" Desire of Ages, 686,687 (CHL 674) 0 "Behold Him contemplating the price to be paid for the human soul„ In His agony He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from Godo The chilling dew of night falls upon His brostrate form, but He heeds it not0 From His pale lips comes the bitter cry, ®0 MY Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Meos Yet even now He adds, ’Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilto’ "The human heart longs for sympathy in suffering0 This longing Christ felt to the very depths of His being0 In the supreme agony of His soul He came to His disciples with a yearning desire to hear some words of comfort from those whom He had so often blessed and comforted, and shielded in sorrow and distress0 The One who had always had words of - 463 Lesson 43e The Last Night sympathy for them was now suffering superhuman agony, and He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the malignity of sin! Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear the consequences of its own guilt, while He stood innocent before God0 If He could only know that His disciples understood and appreciated this, He would be strengthenedDesire of Ages, 687,688 (CHL 675). He is just as desirous of having his followers appreciate and understand his sacrifice today as he was that nighte He is just as interested in our response to his suffering on our behalf as he was in the response of the disciples that night in Gethsemane, LESSON Wo T H E KING IS JUDGED Objectives To study the trials of Jesus before Caiaphas and Pilate0 To admire the character of Jesus in contrast to his accusers0 Assignment LESSON 45o THE KING IS PEAP h List the events ivhZc/i took place neon. the cnott9 at detctilbed tn Matthew 27:32~50o 20 List the events which took place elsewhere dueling, on thontly a^tens the cnucl^txtone as neconded tn Matthew 27s51°66a 3 o Bnlng youn copy ofi The Pet Ine o£ Aget to clast a Introduction When Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane he declared that he could call for protection by twelve legions (about 72,000) of angels, but he would not allow his disciples to defend him0 Instead, he chided the mobs ’’Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to cap” ture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me0” He then went with them to be judged0 Matthew”s record of the trials is incomplete0 The following outline will help us see where his description fits into the total picture0 JEWISH TRIAL (three stages)3 Examination by Annas, the ex-high priest (Jn0 18gl2“14; 19-23)0 Friday before dawn0 Condemnation by Caiaphas (Mt0 27s1; Lk0 22g66-71)0 Friday at dawn0 THE ROMAN TRIAL (three stages) i Before Pilate (Mt0 27s2,ll“14; Jn0 18?28”38)O Friday early morning0 Before Herod (Lk0 23s6-12)0 Friday early morningo Before Pilate (Mt0 27H5-26; Jn3 18?39-“19sl6)0 Shortly after sunrise0 Discussion lo Discuss assignment l0 On the chant outline the events ofi Jet at totals begone Caiaphas and Pilate as described tn Matthew 26.°57=~ 27? 260 Supply the tn^owiatton tn each column as called ion by the heading0 Matthew 26:57-75 I Acts & Words of Caiaphas Acts of Priests, Scribes & Elders Testimony of the Witnesses Acts of Peter Response of Jesus Stood upe Asked j ’’have you no answer to make?” "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God?" Tore his robes, "He has uttered blasphemy,, ... what is your judgment?" Gathered at Caiaphas5 palace. Sought false testimony on which to condemn him. They found none. Answered, "He deserves death." Spat in his face. Struck him. Some slapped him. Mocked, "prophesy to us, you Christ! who is it that struck you?"* Many false witnesses came forward. The last two: "This fellow said, *1 am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. Followed afar off. Sat with the officers to see the end. Sat in outer court. Denied knowing Jesus. Went out to the porch. Denied, with an oath, knowing Jesus. Cursed and swore that he didn’t know Jesus. Remembered Jesus* prediction that he would deny him three times before the morning cock would crow. Went out and wept bitterly. Was silent. "You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’1 465 *(According to John 18:12 and Luke 22:63,64 it appears that this manhandling was actually done by the Jewish guards). Matthew 27?1-26 Acts of Pilate Acts of Priests & Elders Acts of the People Acts of Judas Response of Jesus "Are you King of the Jews?” “Do you not hear how they testify against you?" Wondered greatly0 "Release Barabbas or Jesus?" Knew it was out of envy that they had delivered him0 Heard of wife’s dream, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man0" "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "What shall I do with Jesus?" Saidt "Why, what evil has he done?" Saw that a riot was beginning 0 Washed his hands before crowd< "I am innocent of this man’s bloodj see to it yourselves0" Released Bar’s; scourged Jesus 0 Delivered him to be cruel™ fiedo Bound Jesuso Took him to Pilate0 Said to Judas, "What is that to us? see to it yourselfo" Agreed they could not put blood money into the1 treasuryo Bought the potter’s field for burial of strangerso Accused Jesuso _________ Asked for release of Barabbas & death of Christo Said? "Let him be crucifiedo" Shouted? "Let him be crucifiedo" Answered, "His blood be upon us and upon our childreno" Regretted his betrayal 0 Returned the silver to the priests and elders 0 Said, "I have sinned in betraying innocent bloodo" Threw the money down in the temple0 Departed and hanged himselfo "You have said soo" No answero No answer to a single charge0 “ 467 — Lesson 440 The King is Judged 20 In regard to the issues involved in the condemnation of Jesus the fol“ lowing quotations from the Desire of Ages may be of help0 Stress the fact that the condemnation of Jesus was brought about by a combina-tion of jealousy and weakness0 Pilate recognized that the accusations against Jesus grew out of envy (Matthew 27218)0 Too often jealousy is looked upon as a respectable emotiono Its results in the heinous be-haviour of the religious leaders should be a fearful warning as to its true natureo Likewise, an inclination to compromise is often regarded as an admirable trait, and so it is, provided principles of right and wrong are not involved□ When they are, the willingness to compromise may lead one into the most despicable evil, as it did Pilate0 The crowd that blindly followed its leaders is another illustration of the depths to which one may fall within a few minutes or hours when he neglects to think straight for himselfo COMMENTS CONCERNING THE TRIAL BEFORE CAIAPHAS "When the condemnation of Jesus was pronounced by the judges, a Satanic fury took possession of the people0 The roar of voices was like that of wild beasts0 The crowd made a rush toward Jesus, crying, He is guilty, put Him to death! Had it not been for the Roman soldiers, Jesus would not have lived to be nailed to the cross of Calvary0 He would have been torn in pieces before His judges, had not Roman authority interfered, and by force of arms restrained the violence of the mobo "Heathen men were angry at the brutal treatment of one against whom nothing had been proved0 The Roman officers declared that the Jews in pronouncing condemnation upon Jesus were infringing upon the Roman power, and that it was even against the Jewish law to condemn a man to death upon his own testimony0 This intervention brought a momentary lull in the proceedings; but the Jewish leaders were dead alike to pity and to shame0 "Priests and rulers forgot the dignity of their office, and abused the Son of God with foul epithets 0 They taunted Him with His parentage0 They declared that His presumption in proclaiming Himself the Messiah made Him deserving of the most ignominious death0 The most dissolute men engaged in infamous abuse of the Saviour0 An old garment was thrown over His head, and His persecutors struck Him in the face, saying, ®Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ, Who is he that smote Thee?® When the garment was removed, one poor wretch spat in His faceo "The angels of God faithfully recorded every insulting look, work, and act against their beloved Commander□ One day the base men who scorned and spat upon the calm, pale face of Christ will look upon it in its glory, shining brighter than the sun0" Desire of Ages, 715 (CHL 700,701)0 "Pilate longed to deliver Jesus0 But he saw that he could not do this, and yet retain his own position and honoro Rather than lose his worldly power, he chose to sacrifice an innocent life0 How many, to 468 — Lesson 440 The King is Judged escape loss or suffering, in like manner sacrifice principle0 Conscience and duty point one way, and self-interest points anothero The current sets strongly in the wrong direction, and he who compromises with evil is swept away into the thick darkness of guilt0 ’’Pilate yielded to the demands of the mobo Rather than risk losing his position, he delivered Jesus up to be crucifiedo But in spite of his precautions, the very thing he dreaded afterward came upon him0 His honors were stripped from him, he was cast down from his high office, and, stung by remorse and wounded pride, not long after the crucifixion he ended his own life0 So all who compromise with sin will gain only sorrow and ruin0 There is a way which seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of deatho®” Prov0 14s12, Desire of Ages, p0 738 (CHL 729)0 30 Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 Note each mention o& Jada& tn 26z14~~27i10 and Mtte a sentence £oa. each Incident det c/tlblng what happened0 26H4-16O Judas volunteered to deliver Jesus to the chief priests for money and agreed to accept thirty pieces of silver0 26§25o In response to Jesus' statement that the one who dipped in the dish with him would betray him, Judas asked, "Is it I, Master?" to which Jesus replied, "You have said soo” 26247-49o Judas led the crowd to Gethsemane where he identified Jesus by greeting and kissing him0 27§3-5o When Judas saw Jesus condemned he regretted his betrayal, returned the blood money to the priests, and cried out, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood0" When they indicated complete callousness toward his confession he threw the money on the temple floor and went out to commit suicide by hanging□ "Judas had naturally a strong love for money; but he had not always been corrupt enough to do such a deed as this0 He had fostered the evil spirit of avarice until it had become the ruling motive of his life0 The love of mammon overbalanced his love for Christo Through becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan, to be driven to any lengths in sin0" Desire of Ages, 716 (CHL 703)0 "Judas did not, however, believe that Christ would permit Himself to be arrestedo In betraying Him, it was his purpose to teach Him a lessono He intended to play a part that would make the Saviour careful thenceforth to treat him with due respect0 But Judas knew not that he was giving Christ up to death0 How often, as the Saviour taught in parables, the scribes and Pharisees had been carried away with His striking illustrations 8 How often they had pronounced judgment against themselves! - 469 Lesson 440 The King is Judged Often when the truth was brought home to their hearts, they had been filled with rage, and had taken up stones to cast at Him; but again and again He had made His escape0 Since He had escaped so many snares, thought Judass He certainly would not now allow Himself to be taken0” Desire of Ages, 720,721 (CHL 708)0 ”As the trial drew to a close, Judas could endure the torture of his guilty conscience no longer0 Suddenly a hoarse voice rang through the hall, sending a thrill of terror to all hearts: He is innocent; spare Him, 0 Caiaphas! ’’The tall form of Judas was now seen pressing through the startled throngo His face was pale and haggard, and great drops of sweat stood on his foreheado Rushing to the throne of judgment, he threw down before the high priest the pieces of silver that had been the price of his Lord9s betrayalo Eagerly grasping the robe of Caiaphas, he implored him to release Jesus, declaring that He had done nothing worthy of deatho Caiaphas angrily shook him off, but was confused, and knew not what to say0 The perfidy of the priests was revealed0 It was evident that they had bribed the disciple to betray his Master0” Desire of Ages, 721,722 (CHL 709) 0 ’’Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself0 The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer0 He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israelo Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnationo He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world0 "Judas saw that his entreaties were in vain, and he rushed from the hall exclaiming, It is too late! It is too late! He felt that he could not live to see Jesus cricified, and in despair went out and hanged himselfo” Desire of Ages, 722 (CHL 709,710)0 LESSON 45o T H E KING IS DEAD Objectives To study the events connected with the crucifixion0 To emphasize the tragic cost of sin0 Assignment LESSON 46O LONG LIVE THE KING Jo LXit aZZ the, ^aet& Zn Matthew 28 whtch gtve. evidence that Jetai m actuaZZy ne^iM.e.cted0 20 By meanA o& a cha/it analyze Je^a&° f&iaZ comnc&AZon to ht& dt&-ctpZ&&0 Introduction As we have seen- the so-called trials of Jesus were a mockery of justice 0 ^one of the charges could be made to stick even by the use of perjured testimonyo The only charge which Jesus admitted was his claim to be the Christ8 the Son of Godo This was branded blasphemy by the priest and was immediately seized upon by the mobg which had determined to lynch him0 Of course9 blasphemy was not a crime in any Roman court0 Before Pilate the priests and elders brought other charges, to which Jesus gave no answer0 Luke (23s2) and John (18i30) indicate the nature of some of these charges as beings perverting our nation9 forbidding to give tribute to Caesar9 claiming to be a King$ and being an evil doer—else they wouldnst have brought him to trial0 However9 Pilate could find no grounds for condemnation and declared him an innocent man0 Then9 contrary to all decent legal proceduresp he turned this man whom he had adjudged innocent over to a mob for their vengeance0 What happened after that is the story for today0 Discussion lo The Roman soldiers subjected Jesus to abuse similar to that which he had endured in the palace of Caiaphas0 They mocked his kingship by outfitting him with a scarlet robe9 a crown of thorns9 and a reed scepter in his hand0 Then9 kneeling before him9 they would cry out„ ’’Hail King of the Jews!” For the Roman soldiers this was a mockery of all Jews even more than it was a mockery of Jesus0 They showed their contempt for this people whom they had to govern by spitting upon their - 471 Lesson 45O The King is Dead ’’king/' and by taking the reed (a mock scepter) and striking him on his crown and head0 They then gave him back his own clothes and led him out for crucifixiono 20 Discuss part 1 of the assignment0 Lt&t the. e.ve.ntt> whtcJn took ptaee. ne.a/i the. cJtoa>f 06 deacAZbed tn Matthew 27°°32~50o On the way Simon, a Cyrenian, was compelled to carry the cross0 At Golgotha Jesus was offered wine and gall, but he refused it0 While he hung on the cross his guards gambled for his garments0 Above his head they put a sign, "This is the King of the Jews0” His cross stood between the crosses of two thieves0 He was mocked and chided by those who passed by: You can destroy the temple in three days—so destroy your cross! Play like the cross is heaven and come down from it—Son of God! He saved others—he cannot save himself0 If this King will descend from the cross we will accept him0 He trusts God, calls Him "Father," let God deliver him0 The robbers also reviled Jesus0 It became dark until the ninth hour (3 PoMo)o At 3:00 PoMo Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” The by-standers thought he called for Elijah and said, "Let us wait to see whether Elijah will save him0" (The cry, "my God, my GodOoo" is from Ps0 22:1, which in Hebrew is "Eli, Eliooo" which was misunderstood to be "Elijah0") One put a sponge of vinegar on the end of a stick for him to drink0 As Jesus cried out again loudly he died0 30 The other gospels indicate that Jesus said other things from the cross as wello During the first three hours (from 9 A0M0 until noon) the apparent order of his sayings is as followsg Prayer for his enemies0 (Luke 23:34) Promise to the thief who asked to be rememberedo (Luke 23:43) Charge to his mother and to John, concerning her care0 (John 19:26,27) Darkness settled down over the land at noon (Matt0 27:45)0 At the close of this darkness^ or about 3 P0M0 (46), Jesus made four more statements, probably in the following sequence? Why hast Thou forsaken me? (Matto 27:46) His cry of thirst0 (John 19:28) His pronouncement, "It is finished0" (John 19s30) The committing of his spirit to the Father0 (Luke 23:46) It might be noted that the first three of these referred to others0 The last four concerned himself and the completion of his missiono 472 ” Lesson 450 The King is Dead 40 Discuss part 2 of the assignment; the event* whteh. took ptace et*ewhen.e duAtng, on. *hontty o^ten, the cnact^tzton., a* neconded tn Matthew 27s51~660 The curtain of the temple was ripped from top to the bottomo An earthquake occurred0 Tombs were opened0 Saints were resurrected and seen in Jerusalem (Sunday A0M0)0 Centurion, filled with awe, declared, "Truly this was a Son of God!" Many women who had followed Jesus, including two Marys, watched from afar0 That evening Joseph or Arimathea obtained permission from Pilate to bury Jesus in his own newly hewn tombo There he laid the body of Jesus, wrapped in a linen shroud, and closed the door with a great stone0 The two Marys remained sitting opposite the tombo The next day (Sabbath) the chief priests and Pharisees asked that Pilate have the tomb guarded until the third day, lest his disciples steal the body of Jesus and claim that he had risen from the dead0 With Pilate9s permission they sealed the stone before the tomb opening and placed a guard of soldiers0 It is interesting to note that in their attempt to prevent any possi-bility of a claim to resurrection the priests and Pharisees were pro-viding the means for its proof0 If there had been no guard at the tomb there probably would have been no witnesses to the resurrection event0 Had the tomb not been watched constantly, they could very easily have said that it was empty because his followers removed the bodyo However, the soldiers were not disciples of his0 They could not be charged with acting in collusion with the friends of Jesus0 5o The following excerpts from the chapter, "It is Finished," should be of help in understanding something of the true nature of what was accomplished at the cross? "Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds0 The archapostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not un= derstood his principles0 They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebellion0" Desire of Ages, 758 (CHL 748)0 "God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this0 Rebellion was not to be overcome by forceo Compelling power is found only under Satan’s government0 The Lord’s principles are not of this order0 His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used0 God’s government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power0" Desire of Ages, 759 (CHL 748)o - 473 - Lesson 450 The King is Dead ”At the beginning of the great controversy, the angels did not understand thiSo Had Satan and his host then been left to reap the full result of their sin, they would have perished; but it would not have been apparent to heavenly beings that this was the inevitable result of sin0 A doubt of God's goodness would have remained in their minds as evil seed, to produce its deadly fruit of sin and woeo ’’But not so when the great controversy shall be ended0 Then, the plan of redemption having been completed, the character of God is revealed to all created intelligences0 The precepts of his law are seen to be perfect and immutable0 Then sin has made manifest its nature, Satan his character0 Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God's love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law0 ’’Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure0 Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary0 To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, 'It is finishedo9” Desire of Ages, 764 (CHL 755,756)o LESSON 46« L 0 N G LIVE THE KING Objectives To reaffirm the reality of the resurrection of Jesus0 To make the great commission of Jesus to his disciples a motivating power in the lives of the students0 Assignment LESSON 47O THE KING IS WORSHIPPED 1. Read PeA tn.e of &geAf pageA 829-835. (CHL 819-825) 0 20 In a Aentence on. A o tndlcate the AlgnZflcance of the. Noant of OZlveA to the mtiAton of Jcaua paAt and fatane. 30 Wnlte theme AentenceA fon. each of the pan.agn.aphA fnom 830s4 to 832i3. (CHL 820--3 - 82113). 4. In the left hand cotamn of the chant make a ZlAt of phnaAeA on. AtatementA dcAcnlpttve of how JeAoA woa welcomed back tnto heaven. In the night hand cotumn ZlAt oa many thtngA oa yoa can necatl n.egandtng hlA comtng Into thtA wonld which wene At-mtZan. on. tn contnaAt to thlA welcome. 50 Snlng youn. copy of StepA to ChnlAt with yoa when yoa come to cIoaa. Introduction Following the death of Jesus about 3?00 P0M0 Friday several incidents occurred which we should briefly recall0 The Jewish leaders did not want men hanging on crosses out on Golgotha to be distraction to the people during the Sabbath0 They went to Pilate and asked that the condemned be removed and their legs be broken to prevent escape0 What more horrible evidence could they give of the hypocrisy for which Jesus condemned them! Prisoners usually lived for days, some times for a week or so, on a cross before they died0 Think for a moment about the attitude of these self-righteous Jews0 They demanded for an innocent man the most cruel type of execution knowno Then, in order not to have this interfere with their supposed Sabbath keeping, they demanded that he be brought down and his legs deliberately broken0 Compare this approach to Sabbath keeping with that of Jesus when he said, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbatho” They had condemned him for healing a cripple on the Sabbatho Now, they were eager to make men into cripples to preserve the sanctity of the Sabbath! What monstrous religion is that? 475 ” Lesson 46O Long Live The King On Sabbath morning the priests and Pharisees went to Pilate again and reported that Jesus had predicted his resurrection after three days0 They then demanded that the tomb be placed under guard so that his disciples could not steal his body and claim that he had risen0 Again Pilate acceeded to their wishes by giving them a guard of soldiers0 They then went to the tomb, sealed the stone which closed the entrance, and placed the guard0 The Sabbath was too holy to allow the healing of a sick person, but evidently not too holy for them to attend to legal and military business0 Certainly Jesus did not exaggerate when a few days before he branded them hypocrites, blind guides, blind fools, white-washed tombs full of iniquity, serpents, brood of vipers who strained out a gnat but were quite willing to swallow a camel0 No wonder they could not escape being sentenced to hell! Discussion lo Discuss part 1 of the assignmento IZaZ att thz fiactA In Matthew 28 which give evidence that Jcaua woa ac. tliaZtlj /LZAULM.Q.CtQ.dc, A STATEMENT OF THE ANGEL0 The bright angel who rolled back the stone and sat on it was seen by the trembling guards, and by the women to whom he said, ”Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified o He is not here; for he is risen, as he said0 Come, see the place where he lay0” THE WOMEN ARE CONVINCED0 The women who saw the angel and the empty tomb, and heard the angel’s statement, joyfully ran to tell the disciples the good newso THE WOMEN ENCOUNTER JESUS0 On the way Jesus met and greeted them0 They took hold of his feet and worshipped him0 He then said, ”Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me0” TESTIMONY OF THE GUARDS0 Some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests what had happened0 THE PRIESTS AND ELDERS ARE CONVINCED0 Those who led out in the condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus were sufficiently convinced of his resurrection to bribe the soldiers to lie and say that while they slept his disciples stole the bodyo The priests also guaranteed that if this ’’sleep” were reported to the Governor they would ’’fix it0” The guards accepted the bribe and spread the lie0 THE MEETING IN GALILEE0 Jesus was met in Galilee by his eleven disciples who worshipped him0 At that time he commissioned them to preach the gospelo - 476 - Lesson 46. Long Live the King 20 In order to complete the picture recount all the appearances of Jesus after thr resurrection which are recorded in the New Testament. The following list with references is for the teacher’s guidance., (See Ao To Robertson, A Harmony of the Gospels0) The angel accompanied by an earthquake opens the tomb and frightens the Roman guard0 Sunday before sunrise0 (Mt0 28s2-4) Visit to the tomb by the women who see and hear the angel0 About sunrise Sunday0 (Mt0 28:5-8; Mk0 16:2-8; Lk0 24:1-8; Jn0 20:1) Peter and John visit the tomba Sunday A.M. (Lk0 24:9-12; Jn0 20:2-10) Appearance to Mary Magdalene0 Sunday0 (Mk0 16:9-11; Jn0 20:11-18) Appearance to other women. Sunday. (Mt0 28:9-10) Report of the guard. Sunday morningo (Mt0 28:11-15) Appearance to two from Emmaus0 Sunday P.M0 (Mk0 16:12,13; Lk0 24:13-22) Report from Emmaus and seen by Peter0 Sunday P0M0 (Lk0 24:33-35; 1 Cor. 15:5) Appearance to disciples (not Thomas). Sunday P0M0 (Mk0 16:14; Lk: 24:36-43; Jn. 20:19-25) Appearance to the disciples (with Thomas)0 Next Sunday. (Jn0 20:26-31; 1 Coro 15:5) Appearance to seven disciples at the sea of Galilee. (Jn0 21) Appearance to 500 in Galilee. (Mt. 28:16-20; Mk0 16:15-18; 1 Cor. 15:6) Appearance to James. (1 Cor. 15:7) Appearance to the disciples. (Lk. 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8) Appearance to disciples at ascension. (Mk. 16:19,20; Lk0 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-12) 30 Discuss part 2 of the assignment: The Great Commission of Matto 28:18-20o St/ mean* a chant aYiatyze. Je4tu’ fitnat commas ton to ht* dt4ctpt&i0 Authority All authority in heaven & earth has been given to me THEREFORE You go make disciples of all nations Commission baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit AND teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you Companion I am with you always to the close of the age LESSON ^7o THE KING IS WORSHIPPED Objectives To see the climax to Christ’s earthly missiono To contrast his acceptance by holy beings with that of his rejection of sinful men0 Assignment LESSON 4S0 G0S9S LOVE FOR MAM—I 10 Open your copy of Steps to Christ to the table of contents 0 Now very carefully and nearly number the chapter^ Place ordinary numbers (not Roman numerals) to the left of each chapter title aa follows °* 1g God s Love for Man ooooooooooooooeoo 9 20 The Sinner9 4 Need of Christ 0 0 o o 0 0 0 o o 0 o 0 17 Continue this through the last chapter whtch is Number 130 Now turn to page 9, whtch Is the first page of chapter 1a Number the paragraphs consecutively throughout the chapter0 Place regular numbers tn the margin to the left of the opening sentence0 On page 9 you will have paragraphs 1 and 20 Page 10 will have paragraphs 3e 4, and 50 Page 11f paragraphs 6 and 1 o Continue this to the last paragraph which will be number 16 on page 150 Vo this carefully and neatly0 2o Tor tomorrow familiarize yourself with the outline for chapter 1, which is supplied here* God’s Love is Revealed* By Nature (1-3) By the Word, of God (4) By the Son of God (5-6) The Son Revealed the Father9s Love* * ' By a ministry of compassion (79) By his redemptive act of atonement (10-13) By his eternal Identification with humanity (14-16] 3o Read chapter 1 (pp0 9-15) paragraph by paragraphs kfter reading each paragraph (before going on to the next) glance back, throughout the sentences and underline the one which you feel states the main thought of the paragraph best0 Use a ruler and do your underlining as neatly as you can0 Careless underlining ruins a book0 Careful underlining makes it more valuable^ Assignment #1 should be done under the teacher’s supervision in classo Demonstrate and emphasize carefulness, accuracy, and neatness0 - 478 - Lesson 47 0 The King is Worshipped Introduction The story of Jesus’ last meeting with his disciples and his ascension to heaven is told very briefly in the Bible0 By piecing together the records of Mark, Luke, and Acts we get the following narrative,, Luke 24j50,51„ Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them„ While he blessed them, he parted from them0 Acts Is9-11o o o o as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight„ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ’’Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Je'sus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven„ Luke 24s52,53„ And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God„ Mark 16s20o And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it0 In our study for today we are taken boyond that cloud to witness the welcome Jesus received into heaven,, This was quite a contrast to the reception he had experienced when he entered this world0 It was in even greater contrast to his severe rejection only a few weeks before in Jerusalem,, Discussion l0 Discuss part 2 of the assignment,. In a sentence o-t ho tndtcate, the, htgnt^tcanee. o[ the. Mount 0Ztvet to the, mthhton o£ Jauh paht and [utuAe,. PASTo The Mount of Olives was chosen for the sight of his ascension because there he had prayed, wept, taught, been acclaimed as a king, and on its slopes had found loving hospitality in the home of Lazarus0 FUTUREo At his second coming he will return to this mountain to be acclaimed by the redeemed and crowned Lord of allo 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment0 W/ute theme, he.nte,nceh ^ofi each ofi the, paAagtiaphh fa.om 830:4 to 832:3. (CHL 820:3 - 821:3). 830s4o As Jesus bestowed his final blessing he was drawn heavenward to be enveloped in a cloud while the disciples anxiously looked after him0 - 479 - Lesson 47 0 The King is Worshipped 831?20 Two angels remained to assure the disciples that Jesus would returno 832s2o Although these angels longed to be with the joyous multitude accompanying Jesus to heavenj their love and sympathy for the disciples made them happy to remain to give comfort0 832:3o Just as Christ ascended in the company of rejoicing angelss so shall he return in triumph to receive his followers0 30 Discuss part 4 of the assignmento In the Zefct hand column o£ the chant make a tint ofi phnanen on ntate-mentn dencnlptlve of how Jen an wan welcomed back Into heaven0 In the night hand column lint an many thlngn an you can necatl negandlng hln coming Into thin wonld which wene nlmilan on tn contnant to thin welcome 0 Welcomed into Heaven Birth into this World All heaven was waiting to welcome him0 Announced to the city of God by shouts of joy and sining of an-gelSo Angels greeted him as King of glory Angels and representatives from sinless worlds glorified him as Kingo Before his Father he showed his wounds—tokens of his triumpho He declared to his Father that he had completed his redemptive work0 His supremacy was acknowledged by rulers9 principalities, powers, and angels0 The family of heaven and the family of earth have been united in him0 Was refused a room in which to be borno Announced to the shepherds by angelso Wise men worshipped while Herod fearedo Herod and his soldiers sought to kill him for fear he might become kingo Held by his parents he appeared helpless and his mission was not understoodo As an infant he scarcely knew of his existence much less his missiono Except for the quiet magi and curious shepherds the only sounds he heard were the noises common to any barn0 The incarnation united the families of heaven and earth, but this was not yet recognized0 UNIT 80 STEPS TO CHRIST LESSON ^80 GOD’S LOVE FOR MAN Objectives To introduce the students to their study of the book Steps to Christ by Ellen Go White0 To lead them into a clearer awareness of the evidences they have of God’s love for them- Assignment LESSON 49O GOVS LOVE FOR MAN—II Io Wht/ ZZ neae66otf/ ion God96 Aon to neveat God96 cha/tacZeA? We/te not the nevetatlonA tn natune and the wnltten wo nd adequate.? (Chapten h5, 60 W/tZZe youn anAwens tn the. Apace. provided 0 ) 2o On the. chant tlAt what JeAaA did and did not do tn hts ministry 0 (7^) 3o On the chart ior part 3 list the AaenlilceA that the Aon made (what he gave apt what he endured* etc<>) and the thlngA that he accomplished by his Aacnlilcea (10-13) 40 Write a bnlei paragraph tn whteh you. Aummartzes (14-16) What It means ior the Aon to be Identified etennatty with humanity What effect connection with the Aon can have on oua AtatuA What the effect Is on ua when we think about the love of God revealed In Christ Introduction We have just completed studying the story of Jesus Christ as written by Matthewo We have seen how appealing he was to great crowds, to children, and especially to those who knew him best—his disciples0 No doubt we have wished that we could have been among those who heard him teach and conversed with him0 Perhaps we have even envied the disciples their opportunity of being so closely associated with him0 Jesus’ promise to his followers that he would be with them even to the end of the world indicated that companionship with him would be possible even though he was not here in visible formo The questions naturally arise, "How is this possible? How can I associate with Jesus? - 481 - Lesson 48o Godss Love for Man - I How can his life and his power be significant to me now?” In this final unit of our study we will find some answers to these questions in a book that has been written specifically for the purpose of giv-ing them0 It is appropriately entitled9 Steps to Christo It des-cribes step by step how a person today may come into a genuinely per’ sonal relationship with the same Jesus of whom we have been studying in the book of Matthewo The author8 Ellen Go Whites was uniquely qualified to write such a booko Through a very severe struggle? and through great personal suf-fering as a teen-ager she found her way into such a relationship0 Throughout her subsequent life this relationship to Christ developed into a fellowship such as few individuals ever experience0 She wrote many books and many magazine articles for the purpose of helping others attain such a communion0 The one which we are beginning to study is one of the smallest and yet one of the finest which she produced0 In briefp concise? and specific language she passed on to us what she had learned about getting acquainted with Christy and the vital sig-nificance such an acquaintance can have for our every-day lives and activitieso (Call attention to the Foreword on pages 5 and 60 Point out such facts as you feel will be of interest and help to the students0) Discussion lo Discuss parts 2 and 3 of the assignment0 FomcZZa/iZze youAbeZ^ wZth the oattZne £oa chapteA le whZch Z& tup-pZZed heAe6 Read chapteA 1 ipp0 9-15) paAagAaph by paAagAaph0 AfrteA AeadZng each paAagAaph jbefioAe goZng on to the next) gZance back thAoughout the -bentenezb and undeAZine the one whZeh you. ^eeZ btateb the maZn thought o£ the paAagAaph best0 The outline might be developed on the board by adding the theme sentences which the students have underlined to the skeleton provided in the assignment0 Not everyone will have underlined the same sentences o You may not agree with the ones that are provided here0 These are merely suggestions0 - 482 - Lesson 48O God’s Love for Man - I GOD’S LOVE IS REVEALED In Nature8 1-3? Nature and revelation alike testify of God’s love® Even amid the suffering that results from sin, God’s love is revealedo ”God is love" is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass0 In the Word of God, 4s The word of God reveals His character0 By the Son of God, 5-62 Though all these evidences have been given, the enemy of good blinded the minds of men, so that they looked upon God with fear; they thought of Him as severe and unforgiving0 The Son of God came from heaven to make manifest the Fathero THE SON OF GOD REVEALED THE FATHER’S LOVE By a ministry of compassion, 7-9: He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by Satano While He ever bore Himself with divine dignity, He bowed with the tenderest regard to every member of the family of God0 It is from the Father’s heart that the streams of divine compassion, manifest in Christ, flow out to the children of men0 By his redemptive act of atonement, 10-13: It was to redeem us that Jesus lived and suffered and died0 The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves us0 My Father has so loved you that He even loves Me more for giving my life to redeem youo Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen man could express the Father’s love to lost humanity,. By his eternal identification with humanity, 14-16: He who was one with God has linked Himself with the children of men by ties that are never to be broken0 Through jEaith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ the sons of Adam may become the sons of Godo The more we study the divine character in the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern innumerable evidences of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing a mother’s yearning sympathy for her wayward child0 20 Ask the students to open their books to page 9 and from paragraphs 1-3 indicate the ways in which nature reveals the love of Godo - 483 Lesson 48 0 God’s Loce for Man ~ I GOD'S LOVE IS REVEALED 1) By the Good in Nature 2) By life wisdom Sources j oy God wonderful and beautiful things sunshine . Adapted to needs and rain happiness of? hills man seas all living creatures plains daily needs of all creatures Mixture of Good and Evil in Nature? 3) By suffering woe Even these results of transgression death reveal God"s love^ for they are cursed ground part of the training which lifts difficulties man from ruin and degradation,, trials life of toil and care thorns with roses thistles with flowers Beauty & Happiness in Nature? opening bud These reveal God’s faithspire of grass ful care and His desire happy songs of birds for our happiness0 Each tinted and perfumed flowers declares that God is love0 lofty trees with living foliage 3o Ask. the students to find in paragraph 4 what the written word of God reveals in addition to that which is revealed in nature0 It reveals God s character by Describing His? infinite love infinite pity goodness (this is His glory) mercy (He delights in it) grace (graciousness) longsuffering patience abundant goodness, abundant truth forgiving spirit slowness to anger great kindness LESSON *+9o GOD’S LOVE FOR MAN — II Ob j ectives To see our need for the revelation of God given by Jesus Christo To lead the students into an understanding of how Christ may be influential in their own lives0 Assignment LESSON 50o THE SINNER’S NEED OP CHRIST h Read diapWt 2 "The. Stnnen."* Need ofi ChAt*t0" 20 In each pa/tagsiaph undefittne the *entence ivhtch you fieet *tate* tt* matn thought the be*t0 30 Plow pa/tag/iaph* 1 and 2 make two Zt*t* whtch tndtcatz* What change* tn man0* nature sie*u£ted ptom hi* *tn Why *tnne/i* cannot be permitted tn heaven Introduction In our previous lesson we saw that God’s love for man is revealed by the good, the beautiful, and the joyous in nature0 We noted that even the mixture of evil with good assists in lifting man from his own degradation We learned also that the word of God reveals His character in ways which nature is unable to doc In the written word the goodness, mercy, grace, patience, forgiveness, and kindness of God are described more definitely than nature can possibly declare them0 Today we will give attention to a third revelation of God which is more complete, more understandable, and more definitive than either nature or the written word0 One can never become fully acquainted with another person by examining the things that he has cone and made, or by reading descriptions of himo The only way to really know a person is to associate with him personally0 In nature we see what God has done0 In the Bible we read what has been written about Him0 However, not until the Son of God came to earth did men have an opportunity to associate with God as with other peopleo In the person of Jesus Christ God is revealed personallyo “ 485 “ Lesson 49 0 God s Love for Man - II Discussion l0 Discuss part 1 of the assignment□ Why it nzczAAany [on God9 A Aon to nzozat God9 A chanactzn? Wznz not thz nzuztationA in natanz and thz wnittzn wond adzqaatz? (Chaptzn Is 5,60 Wndtz youn anAwznA in thz Apacz pnovidzdo) 5) Satan so blinded the minds of men that they did not recognize God*s revelation in the things of nature0 Men had come to fear God0 They thought of Him as a severe judge, unforgiving, harsh, an exacting creditor0 They regarded him as watching with jealous eyes their mistakes in order to visit judgment on them0 6) The Son of God came to reveal the Father clearly0 Only the Son has seen God, declared God, known God, revealed God0 Seeing the Son is seeing the Father0 The Son of God came to demonstrate that Satan’s misrepresentation of God*s character was false0 In our study of the Gospel of Matthew we saw how compassionate Jesus was toward the sufferings and errors of men0 His character was just the opposite of that which Satan had led men to believe about the nature of Godo Whatever was the character of Jesus is the character of God the Father0 20 While discussing part 2 of the assignment allow the students to use their books, but keep up a pressure for speed in order to encourage use of recallo On thz chant Utt what Jzaua did and did not do in hiA miniAtny0 (7-S)o - 486 - Lesson 49o God’s Love for Man - II JESUS DID JESUS DID NOT Utter truth always in love0 Supress one word of truth® Exercise the greatest tact and Ever act rudely0 thoughtful, kind attention.. Needlessly speak a severe wordo Denounce hypocrisy, unbelief, iniquity—’With tears in his voice□ Give needless pain to a sensitive soul o Tenderly weep over Jerusalem which rejected him0 Censure human weakness0 Deny self0 Care for others0 Bear himself with dignity0 See all men as fallen souls whom he wanted to save0 30 Two students might be asked to write on the board the responses from the class to part 3 of the assignment0 On the chant fan pant 3 ttbt the baentfaeeA that the. ton made, (what he gave up, what he endaned, ete0) and the thtng* that he aceomptttdied bij ht& bacjitfateez (1013) 0 WHAT HE SACRIFICED WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED Became a man of sorrows® Left a world of glory to live in one marred by sin and death0 Gave up companionship of the Father and adoring angels to suffer insulte shame, humility, and deatho Accepted the burden of sin and the separation from God it broughto Was killed by a sense of the terrible enormity of sin and separation from Godo Revealed the Father’s loveo Became the channel for God’s love to the fallen worlde Paid our ransom by infinite love in Gethsemane and Calvary® Increased the Father’s love for the Son by his sacrifice., Made it possible for God to be both just and the Justifier® Revealed the extent of God’s loveo - 487 - Lesson 490 God’s Love for Man =» IX 40 Discuss part 4 of the assignment0 (V/iZte a pa>tap>taph Zn which you 4un*na/iZzeeo [14-16] What It mean& the, 6 on to be Identified eternally with humanity What e^eet connection with the £on can have on own. &tatuA What the effect Z& on at when we think about the love ofa God revealed In ChnZ&to Jesus9 eternal identification with the human race has made him not only someone who once lived and died here but also one who is forever concerned with the interests of humanity0 He was not only our sac-= rifice2 but he also remains our advocate and our brother to bear our human form before the throne of the universe eternally0 When the Son of God became the Son of Man he made it possible for the sons of men to become the sons of God0 By becoming man he did not degrade divinitybut he elevated humanity0 Through connection with him a person may become worthy to be a son of Godo Meditation upon the mercy9 tenderness9 forgiveness2 justice $ infinite love2 and tender pity which are revealed in the life and sacrifice of Jesus„ and upon the fact that through him we may become children of the heavenly King2 subdues the mind into voluntary captivity to the will of Godo LESSON 50o THE SINNER’S NEED OF CHRIST Objectives To understand that salvation may be obtained only through Christo To realize why salvation through Christ is necessary0 Assignment LESSON 510 REPENTANCE - I h Read the ftut 15 pan,agn,aphi of ehapten. 3, "Repentance.," (pp0 23-28) 20 On the, chant tlbt the, chanactentAtlcA of tnue n.epentance and of false repentance as given tn paragraphs 2-5, 3o Study the prayer of Pavld as an Illustration of genuine sorrow for sins List the ehaaactenlsttcs of such prayer as given tn the first pant of paragraph 6» 40 Make a lest of Davidas petitions as given tn Psalm 51'1-14 (p0 25) 0 Introduction Our past two lessons have been entitled, "God’s Love for Man"0 A love relationship must be a two way affair0 Ideally, our present chapter should be entitled, Man’s love for God", but we are not in an ideal worldo We are not in an ideal relationship with Godo This entire book which we are studying is concerned with the steps necessary to come back to God0 That is the reason it is entitled, Steps to Christo Inasmuch as we cannot begin by talking about man’s love for God we must speak of man’s need for Godo Therefore, the chapter we are studying today is about the sinner’s need of Christo The following is an outlineo THE SINNER’S NEED OF CHRIST Man’s nature and relationship to God was altered by sin: Originally man was perfect and in harmony with Godo Through disobedience his nature was perverted and his relationship with God was disrupted0 Man cannot restore his original state and harmony: His power is inadequate to deliver him from sin0 Development of the good in him is not enough0 To understand God’s character, law, and love are not enougho 489 - Lesson 5Oo The Sinner’s Need of Christ Jesus is the only means by which man can be restored: Christ bridged the gulf between man and God0 Christ is indespensible to human progress and excellence of charactere Through Christ the redemptive activities of all heavenly beings are chanelled0 An appeal: We have the strongest incentives to give ourselves in service to Christc We have the strongest warnings against serving Satan0 Let us accept God's salvation0 Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment0 In each pafiagsiaph undeAttne. the Aente.nce. ivhtch you. ^eeZ AtateA ttA matn thought the, bcAt., The following sentences are suggested as those which state the main thoughts in the paragraphs0 You will note that occasionally a sentence is not used in its entirety, and parts of more than one sentence may appear0 1) His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evilo 2) ooa after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of Godo 0 0 0 It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven: they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship 0 3) There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness0 4) The Saviour said, ’’Except a man be born from above,” unless he shall receive a new heart, new desires, purposes, and motives, leading to a new life, ”he cannot see the kingdom of Godo” 5) It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character0 0 o o to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of loveo 6) The mystic ladder of his dream represented Jesus, the only medium of communication between God and mam - 490 - Lesson 50o The Sinner’s Need of Christ 7) With His own merits, Christ has bridged the gulf which sin had made, so that the ministering angels can hold communion with man0 8) But in vain are man’s dreams of progress, in vain all efforts for the uplifting of humanity, if they neglect the one Source of hope and help for the fallen race0 9) In giving up His son, He has poured out to us all heaven in one gifto 10) Let us try to appreciate the labor and energy that Heaven is expending to reclaim the lost, and bring them back to the Father’s houseo 11) o o o the judgments of God 0 0 o are presented in God’s word to warn us against .the service of Satan0 12) Let us avail ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His likeness, and be restored to fellowship with the ministering angels, to harmony and communion with the Father and the Sono 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment0 Etom pa/tag/iaph4 / and 2 mate two ttbtA which. indicate: What change* in man’* nata/ce aebutted &iom hi* *in Why *innesi* cannot be permitted in heaven CHANGES IN MAN’S NATURE BECAUSE OF SIN Original State Perversion by Disobedience Noble powers Balanced mind Perfection of being Harmony with God Pure aims Holy thoughts Selfishness replaced love His nature was weakened Strength against evil became weak Became captive to Satan Divine plan for him was thwarted Earth filled with woe & desolation No longer enjoyed holiness Sought to hide from God’s presence Out of harmony with God No longer had communion with God Unhappy in God’s presence Feared companionship of holy ones - 491 - Lesson 5Oo The Sinner’s Need of Christ Why Sinners Cannot be Permitted in Heaven Because of the changes in man’s nature due to sin as indicated above if he were taken into heaven in his conditions it would have no joy for him; he would not respond to the unselfish spirit there; his thoughts, interests, and motives would be out of place; he would be the ’’odd” one (discordant note); heaven would be torture to him; he would long to be hidden from God; God’s glory would be a consuming fire; he would welcome death as the ”way out”c 30 The following outline of the entire chapter is included here to furnish a guide for further discussion in the class0 The teacher will have to select those portions which will be most meaningful0 THE SINNER'S NEED OF CHRIST MAN CANNOT RESTORE HIS ORIGINAL STATE AND HARMONY His power is inadequate to deliver him from sin0 Of himself man cannot; escape from his pit of sin, bring a clean thing from an unclean, become subject to the law of God, purify his heart by education, culture, or efforto He must have the grace and power of Christ to? work from within, receive new life from above, change him from sin to holiness, quicken his lifeless faculties, attract him to God’s holiness0 Development of the good in him is not enough0 It is fatal deception to think that? it is only necessary to develop the good in man; the natural man can receive the things of the Spirit; man can know that change is spiritually discerned0 Man must receive? a new heart, new desires, new purposes, new motives, the new birth experience, Christ, who only can save0 - 492 - Lesson 50 0 The Sinner’s Need of Christ To understand God’s character, law, and love is not enough. It is not enough to see and understand: God’s loving kindness, God’s benevolence, God’s fatherly tenderness, God’s character, The law’s wisdom, The law’s justice, The law’s eternal basis of love, Man’s willingness for purity and righteousness can be met only by: deliverance from beyond himself the Lamb of God to take away his sin JESUS IS THE ONLY MEANS BY WHICH MAN CAN BE RESTORED Christ bridged the gulf between man and God, Illustrated by Jacob’s dream in which Jacob: was weighted with the sense of guilt, felt his sin had cut him off from God, saw a ladder reaching into heaven, saw angels moving between him and heaven, heard the divine voice in comfort and hope, learned of a Saviour who could restore communion with God, The gulf: apostasy cut man off from heaven, across it there could be no communion,. The bridge: Christ connects man with infinite power, Angels can again commune with man. Christ is indespensible to progress & excellence of character: There is no true excellence of character apart from God, The way to God is Christo Through Christ all redemptive activities are chanelled: His examplary life, His atoning death, His intercession, The ministry of angels, The pleading of the Spirit, The Father’s working above and through all, The constant interest of heavenly beingsa - 493 - Lesson 50 0 The Sinner’s Need of Christ AN APPEAL We have the strongest incentives to give ourselves to Christ: God’s amazing sacrifice, The exceeding rewards for right-doing, The enjoyment of heaven, The society of angels, The communion and love of God, The elevation and extension of our powers eternally. We have the strongest warnings against serving Satan: The judgments of God against sin, The inevitable ^retribution, The degradation of our character, The final destruction. Let us accept God’s salvation. God could do no more for us in mercy. Let us come into relationship with Him who so loved us. Let us avail ourselves of his salvation so that we may: be transformed into his likeness, be restored to fellowship with angels, come into harmony and communion with the Father and the Son. LESSON 51o REPENTANCE I Objectives To study the nature of true repentances To lead the students into an understanding of how to achieve it. Assignment LESSON 52 0 REPENTANCE - II 10 Read the ZaAt part chapter 3, "Repentance.” (pp. 28-36). 20 In two oft three sentences Aummrtze the matn tdea that tf> devetoped tn paragraph* 16-19. 3o In a *entence* *unwiartze what t* *atd regardtng the *ertou*~ ne** ofa *tn tn paragraph* 23-29. Introduction Thus far we have studied God’s love for man and the sinner’s need of Christo In these chapters we have seen what God has done for us and our great need of Him0 But the title of our book is Steps to Christ o This suggests not only how God comes to us and how much we need Him, but how we may approach Him, In today’s lesson we are beginning our study of the first step0 There will be four in all. In our previous lesson we were reminded that we are sinners and therefore are in desperate need of Christ, who came that we might stop being sinners and enter into communion with God. Obviously, this requires a drastic change0 The first step in making a change is to feel dissatisfied with the present and have a desire for something better0 The Bible calls this repentance0 This is the step to Christ we are studying today0 Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment On the chart £Z*t the characteAi*ttc* ofi tAae repentance and o$ fia£*e repentance a* gtven tn paragraph* 2-5. - 495 - Lesson 510 Repentance - I TRUE REPENTANCE FALSE REPENTANCE Sorrow for sin0 Seeing the sinfulness of sin. Turning away from sin. Yielding the heart to the Spirit’s influence0 Quickening of the conscience. Discerning the depth and breadth of God’s law. Illumination of every secret of the soul. Conviction of heart and mind0 Sense of God’s righteousness, A terror of appearing alone in guilt before the Searcher of hearts, A realization of God’s love, the beauty of holiness, the joy of purity, A longing to be cleansed and restored to communion with heaven. Fear that wrong-doing will bring suffering. Outward reformation. Sorrow for suffering rather than for sin. The kind of sorrow which disappears when the suffering stops (e.g., Pharaoh). 30 Discuss part 3 of the assignment. Study the pnayen ofi David a* an lllubtnatlan o{} genuine Aonnow fan Ain: LlAt the ehanaetenlAtlcA ofi Auch. pnayen oa given In the fanAt pant panagnaph 60 Characteristics of true repentance illustrated by David’s prayer: It was sincere and deep9 He made no effort to palliate his guilt. It was not motivated by a desire to escape judgment. He saw the enormity of his transgression. He saw the defilement of his soul. He loathed his sin0 He prayed for purity of heart as well as for pardon. He longed for the joy of holiness. He longed to be restored to harmony and communion with God. 4o Discuss part 4 of the assignment. Make. a tls>t David9A petition^ oa given In Pa alm 51:1-14 (p, 25), (Although the students were asked only to list the petitions, the subs-tantiations for the petitions are included here for the teacher’s use. It should be noted that there are two basic concerns which characterize these petitions. In verses 1-7 David asked for cleansing. In verses 8-14 he prayed for the joy of reconciliation). Lesson 510 Repentance - I - 4^6 - DAVID’S PRAYER DAVID’S PETITIONS BASED ON Have mercy on me (1) Blot out my transgressions (1) Wash me from iniquity (2) Cleanse me from sin (2) Teach me heart wisdom (6) Purge me (7) Wash me (7) Fill me with joy and gladness (8) Let me rejoice though chastized (8) Don’t look at my sins (9) Blot out my iniquities (9) Create in me a clean heart (10) Put a new and right spirit within me (10) Cast me not from thy presence (11) Take not from me thy Holy Spirit(11) Restore to me joy (12) Uphold me (12) Deliver me from bloodguiltiness(14) God’s steadfast love (1) God’s abundant mercy (1) David’s recognition of his sin (3) David’s acknowledgment of his re- bellion against God (4) David’s acceptance of God’s judgment (4) David’s realization of his own sinful nature (5) God’s desire for inward truthfulness (6) David’s desire for cleanliness (7) David’s desire for whiteness (7) God’s salvation (12) God’s willing spirit (12) David’s willingness to serve (13) The God of his salvation (14) David’s willingness to respond (14) 50 Theme sentences for paragraphs 1-15 are suggested below as an aid to the teacher in planning his work: 1) How are we to come to Christ? 0 . « ’’Repent, . » . and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out0” Acts 3:19O 2) Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it0 3) o00 fear that 0 « 0 wrongdoing will bring suffering . . „ o o o is not repentance in the Bible sense0 4) These all lamented the results of sin, but did not sorrow for the sin itself0 5) ooo when the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of God’s holy law. - 497 - Lesson 510 Repentance - I 6) The prayer of David after his fall, illustrates the nature of true sorrow for sin0 7) A repentance such as this, . . . is obtained only from Christ, 8) ooo must the sinner wait till he has repented before he can come to Jesus? 9) It is the virtue that goes forth from Christ, that leads to genuine repentance0 10) Christ is the source of every right impulse. 11) o o o as we behold the Lamb of God upon the cross of Calvary, the mystery of redemption begins to unfold to our minds and the goodness of God leads us to repentance. 12) 0 e 0 whenever they make an effort to reform, from a sincere desire to do right, it is the power of Christ that is drawing them0 13) The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus . . . 14) Through influences seen and unseen, our Saviour is constantly at work to attract the minds of men from the unsatisfying pleasures of sin to the infinite blessings that may be theirs in Him. 15) Ask Him to give you repentance, to reveal Christ to you in His infinite love, in His perfect purity. 60 The following outline of paragraphs 7 - 15 is included here as an aid to further discussion: MUST REPENTANCE PRECEDE OUR COMING TO JESUS? True repentance is beyond our capacity0 We cannot accomplish it in our own power® It can be obtained only from Christ as a gift. The Problem: Many think they must repent first. Repentance must precede forgiveness. Only the repentant heart feels the need of a Saviour. (In other words is lack of repentance, of which man is incapable, an obstacle to his coming to Jesus, for which man feels no need without repentance?) - 498 - Lesson 510 Repentance - I CHRIST TAKES THE INITIATIVE He extends the invitation, "Come." He extends to man virtue that will lead to repentance. He gives repentance as well as forgiveness. We cannot repent without Christ any more than we can be forgiven without him. Only Christ can implant within us: right impulses immunity to sin a desire for truth and purity a conviction of sinfulness HOW DOES THIS WORK OUT IN PRACTICE? The revelation of Christ as the dying Saviour draws the sinner. Beholding him on the cross unfolds the goodness of God, Dying for sinners reveals an incomprehensible love* Beholding such love: softens the heart, impresses the mind, inspires contrition. The sinner may be drawn without realizing it. It may begin with a shame for sinful ways. Every effort to do right is a result of the power of Christ. Christ exerts an influence which: works upon the soul, quickens the conscience, amends the outward life. The conscience is affected by Christ’s commandment. The sinner becomes aware of his wickedness and sin. He comprehends something of Christ’s righteousness. Sinners are attracted by both seen and unseen influences. If he doesn’t resist he will be: drawn to Jesus, led to repentance by a knowledge of the plan of salvation. The divine mind creates a craving in the sinner for something better. The Spirit of God pleads with man to seek the grace of Christ and the joy of holiness. The Saviour attracts minds toward infinite blessings. Pleasures of sin become unsatisfying. A longing for something better than the world is the voice of God. We should ask for a revelation of Christ. Such a revelation reveals our sinfulness. LESSON 52o REPENTANCE II Ob ,j ect ives. To learn that only through divine revelation can the sinner realize his true condition,. To impress the students with the eternal consequences of cherishing sin or procrastinating in turning from it0 Assignment LESSON 53o CONCESSION 1o Read chapter 4, Suppose that you. had dettbesiatty ttcd to youA mother In otideA to obtatn fiosigtve.ne.AA : What muAt happen tn youA. own attttu.de.? What pAocediPte Ahoutd you. fiottow tn confieAAton? Coa each Atatement tn youA ZtAt tndtcate the. nuynbeA ofi the. paAa-gAaph tn thtA chapteA whtch AabAtanttateA tt„ Introduction In our previous lesson it was emphasized that true repentance is more than fear of its consequences, more than an outward reformationc It can arise only out of an understanding of the true nature of sina It involves a sorrow for the sin itself rather than for its consequences0 If sorrow is only for the suffering that may result from the sin, then when the suffering has passed, or if the sinner thinks he might be able to escape it, there is nothing to prevent his repeating it0 On the other hand, true sorrow for the sin results in a growing hatred and turning away from it0 The criminal who keeps the law only when the police are looking, or who refrains from committing a crime only when he is afraid he will get caught, is not repentant of crime0 Only one who has developed a hatred for law breaking itself has become a good citizen6 He is not likely to return to a life of crimee Conviction for sin results from a sense of God’s righteousness and a realization of his love0 When one learns the joy and satisfaction of a pure life he longs to be cleansed from his evil9 Our lesson today continues in this theme0 We will begin by taking a look at a feeling that is too common among us—the attitude that we really are very good people in our own righto - 500 - Lesson 520 Repentance - II Discussion l0 Discuss part 2 of the assignmento In two on thne.e, be.nte.nceb .aiamio/iZze the. maZn Zde.a. that Zb developed Zn panagnaphb 16-19 0 Even though our lives may appear outwardly correct the revelation of Christ to us reveals that selfishness motivates and defiles every act0 It takes but one glimpse of the purity of Christ to lay bare the impurity and defects of the human character0 The experiences of Daniel and Paul illustrate how overwhelming the sense of one’s weakness in sin becomes when the holiness of God and of His law is understood,, 20 Discuss paragraphs 20-22, a brief outline for which appears below: GOD AND MAN DO NOT EVALUATE GUILT BY THE SAME SCALE Pride, selfishness, coveteousness are specially offensive to Godo These close the heart of man against Christo They deprive man of his sense of need0 The grosser sins are more conducive to a sense of shame and need of grace0 Illustrated by: The publican, who regarded himself as a wicked man, prayed for God’s mercyo The Pharisee regarded himself as righteous, and his prayer was merely a boast„ In order to receive the gracious power of the Spirit one must feel a need for it0 A RECOGNITION OF SINFULNESS IS THE PREREQUISITE Don’t wait to become better before coming to Christo One can become better only by the help of God„ We must come to Christ if we are to be savede 30 Discuss part 3 of the assignmento In a bumnanZze. what Zb baZd ne.gandZng the. benZoabne^bb ofa bZn Zn panagnaphb 23-290 Although God will welcome the surrender of any sinner, His great love and mercy are not extended to those who reject His offer of grace0 The suffering and death of Christ show the enormity of sin. The fact that others continue in sin is no excuse for us to delay forsaking our sins0 The fall of Adam and Eve illustrates that no sin is trivial or of small consequence,. Persistence in any cherished sin destroys one’s desire to change and eventually neutralizes the drawing power of the gospelo - 501 - Lesson 52O Repentance - II 40 The following suggested theme sentences for paragraphs 16-35 may serve as an outline for a review of this part of the chapter in completing the discussion for the day0 Particular attention should be given to paragraphs 30-35, inasmuch as they have not been included in any of the previous discussion suggestionso 16) o o o when the light from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life® 17) o o o one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character» 18) When the prophet Daniel beheld the glory surrounding the heavenly messenger that was sent unto him, he was overwhelmed with a sense of his own weakness and imperfection® 19) Paul says that 0 ® ® as far as outward acts were concerned—he was ’’blameless”; but when the spiritual character of the law was discerned, he saw himself a sinner® 20) o o, o pride, selfishness, and coveteousness ® 8 0 are sins that are specially offensive to God0 21) The poor publican 0 o o regarded himself as a very wicked man ® . ® The Pharisee’s 0 o o heart was closed against the influence of the Holy Spirit® 22) We must come to Christ just as we are® 23) But let none deceive themselves with the thought that God, in His great love and mercy, will yet save even the rejectors of His grace0 24) o e o the sins and defects of others do not excuse anyone, for the Lord has not given us an erring human pattern® 25) Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus® 26) Let us not regard sin as a trivial thing® 27) Every act of transgression ® e ® is hardening the heart® 28) Many are quieting a troubled conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose; 0 » ® But this is not so easily done0 - 502 - Lesson 52, Repentance - II 29) Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. 30) Christ is ready to set us free from sin, but He does not force the will, 31) Go to Him with your soul all stained as it is, 32) Let it be your prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; . , . 33) Study God’s word prayerfully,, 34) As you see the enormity of sin, as you see yourself as you really are, do not give up to despair, 35) Acknowledge your sin, but tell the enemy that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" and that you may be saved by His matchless love9 5. Make a very personal appeal for true repentance, and close with prayer, LESSON 53o CONFESSION Objectives To understand the nature and what is involved in true confession,, To help the students understand what it actually means when practiced0 Assignment LESSON 54O CONSECRATION 16 Read chapter 5, "Con*ecfiattono" 2o The. {y otto wing statement* a/ie chajiactefii*tic the attitude ofi *ome peopteo Efiom pafiagftaph 1-5 get the. tfiue ^act* which. *how what i* wfiong with the*e attitude* 0 (Wftite the*e with the. pa-ftagftaph fiefafience* tn the. ptace* pfiovided.) To be a Chfii*tian I have to *top thinking fan. my*etfi and btindty take onden*0 I am witting to behave tike a Chni*ttan, but don”t expect me to gtve up my goat tn tifa--to become fitch and fiamou*! I have been tfiytng vefiy hafid to be a Chni*tian, but I am not getting much out o/y it, and it i* *uch a bone! 3o The fattowing question* one a*ked tn chapten fave0 In youn own wond* *how how each *houtd be an*wened (gtve panagnaph nefanence*0) "Oo you fact that it i* too gneat a *acniface to ytetd att to Chni*t?" "Why need I go tn penitence and humittation befane I can have the a**unance o£ my acceptance with God?" "What do we gtve up when we give att?" "How am I to make the *unnenden o^ my*et^ to God?" Introduction The past two lessons have led us into a study of the first step toward Christ“~repentance0 We have seen that this involves a sorrow and hatred for sin sufficent to cause us to turn away from it0 It has also been emphasized that this can result only by a combination of divine action on us and a willing response to it on our part6 This is a long step toward Christ, but it is only one. - 504 - Lesson 53. Confession A sinful act involves more than just ourselves. It always involves God and frequently other people* Being sorry for it is not enough* True repentance must be followed by another step—confession. What this is and what it demands of us is the subject for our discussion today. Discussion l0 Below is an outline of the chapter which may serve as a basis for discussion of the principles involved. A discussion in which these principles are applied to a specific situation is outlined separately. These may be discussed consecutively, or the teacher may prefer to combine them and discuss the principles in connection with the situation. Either procedure may be effective. CONFESSION Theme Sentence? He that confesses and forsakes his sins shall have mercy. THE CONDITIONS FOR OBTAINING GOD’S MERCY (2-4) The Lord does not require: some griveous act, a wearisome pilgrimage, painful penances. He does require: confession of sin to God, forsaking sin, confessing of false to the person wronged, the forgiving of confessed wrong, confession to God of wrong to one of His children. Acknowledgement of guilt is the first condition of acceptance. Repentance brings humiliation. Humiliation because of sin instills an abhorrence for it. Abhorence causes one to seek forgiveness. Seeking is prerequisite to finding. Unwillingness to be humiliated prevents remission. Confession (public or private): must be heart-felt, must be freely expressed, should not be urged or forced, should not be flippant or careless, should be the outpouring of the inmost soul. - 505 - Lesson 53O Confession THE NATURE OF TRUE CONFESSION (5-10) It is specific in character,. Specifically addressed: to God, to individuals, to a publico Specifically indicated: adknowledge particular sins e0goS Israel confessed the evil: ”to ask us a king#’’ It results in reformation,, Everything offensive to God must be put awaye Must cease to do evil0 Must learn to do well: seek justice, relieve the oppressed, plead for the fortunate, walk in the way of life0 It is made without excuse0 Without conviction of the Holy Spirit confession is insincere— an excuseo Adam blamed Eve and God0 Eve blamed the serpent and Godo Such confession is not acceptable,. True repentance leads to honest acknowledgement or responses Publican asked only mercy for himself as sinner, such will be justifiedo Paul acknowledged his atrocities and himself as chief of sinners Christ came to the world to save suche The humble broken heart appreciates something of the cost of sins, and presents them before God who: forgives our sins, cleanses us from our unrighteousnesse 20 Discuss part 2 of the assignment„ Suppose that you. had deZtbeAateZy Lied to youA motheA, In oKdeA to obtatn ^0Kgtve.neA-b°' What most happe.n tn youA own attttade.? What pA.oce.duAe. ahoutd you. faottow tn confie^Aton? Fok each *tateme.nt tn youA Wst tndtcate. the. numbeA ofi the. paAagKaph tn thts ehapteA whtch -sub^tanttate^ tt» - 506 - Lesson 53O Confession THE CHANGE IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD Yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit0 (8) Realize the enormity of the evil of lying. (8) True repentance for having lied0 (4) Abhorrence for lying0 (4) True humiliation for having lied0 (4) THE PROCEDURE YOU SHOULD FOLLOW IN CONFESSION Acknowledge the wrong to your mother» (3) Specifically acknowledge the lie0 (5) Make no excuses for it0 (9) Ask God for forgiveness0 (3) Be definite and to the point in acknowledging the lie0 (5,6) Be sure that your confession both to your mother and to God is heart felt and freely expressed., (4) Make no excuses to God0 (9,10) Change your relationship with others so that you do not lie any more0 (7) Instead, learn to be truthful0 (7) Be assured that you have been forgiven and cleansed0 (11) LESSON 5^0 CONSECRATION Objectives To understand what is involved in entire consecration.. To motivate the students into such a consecration. Assignment LESSON 55o FAITH AMD ACCEPTAMCE h Read chaptea 6, "Faith and Acceptance»" 20 Make a ZZiT In column one. ofi all the, thingA thlA chaptea counAelt uA to beZZeve. In column two Utt the, aeatonA, when given, why we a hoold believe, Introduction We have studied the first two steps to Christ—repentance and confession Both of these steps are, in a sense, negative in nature. They involve us in sorrow, regret and process of "mending" past mistakes. True, the process of yielding to the Holy Spirit is a positive act on our part, but we react negatively toward things we have done. This is just as necessary to the making of a good character as is the cleaning and removing of trash from a house to make it liveable. However, our third step is a more positive one. Its concern is with the present and with the future. Repentance and confession have taken care of the past8 but what about from now on? This is the concern of steps three and four. Today we will consider the third one—consecration. Discussion l0 Discuss part 2 of the assignment. The. following AtatemenlA aae chaaactealAtlc o^ the, attitude o^ Aome peopleo Faom paaagaaph 1-5 get the, taae fiaetA which A how what 1a waong with theAe attltudeA 0 (Waite theAe with the, paaagaaph aefieaenceA In the. plaeeA paovlded.) To be a Chait tian I have to Atop thinking fioa myAelfi and blindly take oadeot>a I am willing to behave like a ChaltUan, bat don’t expect me to give up my goald In ll^e—to become alch and ^amouAl I have been laying veay haad to be a Chaltilan, but I am not getting much out ofi It, and It 1A Auch a boae! - 508 - Lesson 54e Consecration These are attitudes characteristic of adolescentss Deal carefully and conclusively with them, "TO BE A CHRISTIAN I HAVE TO STOP THINKING FOR MYSELF AND BLINDLY TAKE ORDERS," God does not want blind submission, He does not seek unreasoning control, He appeals to the intellect and conscience,, He will not force the will of His creatures, In fact. He will not accept service or surrender that is not willingly and intelligently given, Rather, His will for each person is that he reach his highest possible development, Such a yielding to His will frees us from our bondage to sin and gives us the freedom to attain our highest potential, (4) "I AM WILLING TO BEHAVE LIKE A CHRISTIAN, BUT DON’T EXPECT ME TO GIVE UP MY GOAL IN LIFE—TO BECOME RICH AND FAMOUS!" Surrender to God means giving up only that which might separate us from Him, Anything which draws our affections away from Him, whether it be the love of money, the desire for worldly honor, the hope for a life or selfish ease, or the fear of responsibility, must be relinquished. We cannot be half the Lord’s and half the world’s, (5) "I HAVE BEEN TRYING VERY HARD TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT I AM NOT GETTING MUCH OUT OF IT, AND IT IS SUCH A BORE!" He who takes such an attitude probably is relying on his own efforts to obey God’s law and to form a right character. The heart ought to be moved by a deep sense of the love of Christ, Without such love the profession of Christianity is mere talk, dry formality, and heavy drudgery. On the other hand, when Christ dwells within, one becomes so filled with his love and the joy of communion that he forgets self and clings to Christ, Love for Christ becomes the motive for all his actions. No one is bored by association with someone he truly loves, (6) 2, Discuss part 3 of the assignment. The. fioZZowing question* aste a&ked in chapter fiive, In youA own wosidi 4 how how each thoaZd be antweAed (give paAagtaph siefiesiencetc'] "Vo you fieeZ that it too gneat a AacAZfiice to yieZd aZZ to ChfuiAt?" "Why need I go in venZtencc and humiZiation befione I can have. the. aMuAance. ofi my acceptance with God?" "What do we give up when we give aZZ?" "How am I to make the AuAAendett ofi myteZfi to God?" - 509 “ Lesson 54O Consecration "DO YOU FEEL THAT IT IS TOO GREAT A SACRIFICE TO YIELD ALL TO CHRIST?" One should ask himself, "What has Christ given for me?" When we understand that the Son of God gave everything—*his suffering, his life, and his love—and submitted to infinite humiliation, we will scarcely be able to complain when our redemption requires us to pass through conflict and self abasement® (7) "WHY NEED I GO IN PENITENCE AND HUMILIATION BEFORE I CAN HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF MY ACCEPTANCE WITH GOD?" The answer to this question becomes obvious when we look at Christo If he who was sinless had to experience humiliation, how can I, who am a sinner, expect acceptance with God without humiliation? (8) "WAT DO WE GIVE UP WHEN WE GIVE ALL?" All we have to give is a sin-polluted heart which needs to be cleaned up® We give up nothing that is for our best interest to retain® We are asked only to shun those indulgences that will bring suffering and disappointment in this life and close the door to the happiness in heaveno (9-11) "HOW AM I TO MAKE THE SURRENDER OF MYSELF TO GOD?" In view of my weakness, slavery to doubt, worthless resolutions, uncontrollable thoughts and affections, and fear that God cannot accept me, this seems to be a real problem® The solution lies in the fact that we have the power of choice and decision® I am able to choose to serve God® When I have done this He will strengthen me and bring me under the control of His Spirit, center my affection on Him, and bring my thoughts into harmony with His® By such a choice I ally myself with the supreme power which will change my life and strenghen me to live the new life of faith® (12-14) 3® The following outline is given as a guide to more detailed discussion® CONSECRATION Theme Sentences "Ye shall seek me, and find me, when he shall search for me with all your heart®" CONSECRATION REQUIRES A COMPLETE YIELDING TO GOD The sinner is a captive of Satan, faint, weak, dead® Healing and freeing requires entire transformation by God® Therefore, an entire yielding to Him is necessary® This requires the most severe struggle against self® But this is not submission to unreasonable control® God wills that each shall reach the highest possible development® Submission to His will frees one from bondage to sin® - 510 - Lesson 54. Consecration THIS SUBMISSION INCLUDES (5) Giving up all that separates one from God: love of money and wealth, worship of reputation and honor, selfish ease, shirking of responsibility, even half an allegience to the world. Motivation out of a deep sense of the love of Christ. Cannot rely on own efforts to obey the divine law. Must not perform Christian duties in order to earn heaven. Christ dwells within: fills the soul with his love, fills one with the joy of communion, motivates a clinging to Christ and forgetting of self. Does not seek how low but how perfectly one may be in conformity. Profession of Christianity without such motivation is: mere talk, dry formality, heavy drudgery. IS THIS TOO MUCH TO GIVE? (7,8) Compare this with what Christ gave. He gave all for our redemption: life, love, suffering. Every moment we are partakers of his: blessings, grace, salvation. We caused his suffering and infinite humiliation. Shall we complain when conflict and humiliation are prerequisites to life? If his suffering was necessary, why not ours? What is given up? (9) a sin polluted heart to be cleaned, nothing which is good to retain, self injury, the way to misery and destruction. Something vastly better is received in return (10-11) God is not pleased to see suffering. God is interested in man’s happiness. God closes no avenues of joy. God accepts man with his wants and weaknesses. God will satisfy the heart longings and grant rest. God requires only those duties which lead to highest happiness. He who surrenders receives a joyous life in return. - 511 - Lesson 54 0 Consecration HOW DOES ONE SURRENDER? (12-14) You as sinner: are weak, are in slavery are controlled to doubt, by habits of sin, make worthless promises and resolutions, have uncontrollable thoughts and affections, lack confidence in your sincerity, feel that God cannot accept youo You need to understand the force of the will0 Decision, choice, is the governing power in the nature of man0 You can choose to serve Godo You can give Him your will0 He will then* strengthen your will to serve Him, bring your nature under control of His Spirit, center your affections on Him, bring your thoughts into harmony with Hime You must choose, not merely desire, to be a Christiano By yielding your will to Christ you: ally yourself with supreme power, make an entire change in your life, receive strength to remain steadfast, will live the new life of faithe LESSON 55« FAITH AND ACCEPTANCE Objectives To understand that faith makes forgiveness real. To inspire such a faith in the students. Assignment LESSON 56. TEST OF PISC1PLESH1P - I I. Read the /? paAaq4zip/i6 chapter 7, "The Te^Z ofi Ptbccpte-Ahtp," 20 Make a Etbt oi the chaAacteAtAttcA oi the. converted dtActpZe ab gtven tn pa/tag/iaphA 2-6, 3. In paAagAaph. 11 thtb Aentence appeaAbt "Obe.dte.nce.--the. AeAvtce and aEZegtence oi Zove--tA the &iue Atgn oi dtbctpZebhtp," In a iew AentenceA AumnaAtze what tb Aatd about obedtence betng a AeAvtce oi Zove, (PaAagiaphA 7-11,) Introduction After taking three steps toward Christ—repentance, confession, and consecration—we need just one more to complete the trip. In our previous lesson we emphasized the need to exercise our ability to decide, to choose. In today’s lesson we will study another ability we have and see the importance of using it. This is the capacity to believe. This faculty is important to our lives in many ways. How much do you learn from a book that you don’t believe? What do you learn from a person whom you don’t trust? How much to you enjoy playing a game of baseball if you have no confidence in the umpire? How close a friendship do you develop with someone whose word you will not accept? People who like to disbelieve, who are suspicious, who question everyone’s sincerity, are called cynics. They are a rather miserable group of individuals. Faith, belief, acceptance, confidence, trust--these are all just as important in our relationship with Christ as they are in our relationships with other people. Just how this is true is the subject of our study for today. - 513 - Lesson 55 0 Faith and Acceptance Discussion lo Discuss assignment 20 Make a ttst in cotumn one. ofi ait the. thing* this chapter. coan*e^.* a* to betle.ve.0 In column two ti*t the. x.e.a*on*, whe.n give.n, why we. *hoatd betie.ve.o I MUST BELIEVE THAT: I MUST BELIEVE IT BECAUSE: 3) God will wash my sins and give a new hearts I will receive the gift God promised 0 Jesus has power to forgive sins0 Jesus is Christ9 the Son of God® He promised. Jesus demonstrated by his miracles. Proved by healing. Of his miracles. 4) I am forgiveno As the paralytic believed he was healed. When he willed to walk in belief he walked. 5) My sins are atoned for. My heart is changed. I am made holyo His promise to forgive and cleanse is true. God promised. It is so if I believe. 6) I am made whole. God has promised. 7) I receive the blessings of cleansing and holinesss I have received them (blessings). It is God’s will. 8) Holy Spirit has begotten new life in hearto 9) God is0 It is accomplished through the act of believing. 11) God’s promises are for me per-sonallyo It is God’s word. 17) God is my helper. It is His nature to be, and He wants to restore His moral image in man. - 514 - Lesson 55* Faith and Acceptance 2. The paragraph by paragraph outline below is supplied in the hope that it may be of value to the teacher in conducting the lesson discussion. FAITH AND ACCEPTANCE YOUR NEED (1) You long to be forgiven for you: have been quickened by the Holy Spirit, regard sin with abhorrence, feel sin has separated you from God, realize your bondage to evil, see your helplessness in your struggles, have been motivated by selfishness, long for harmony with God. You need forgiveness, peace, love. (2) It cannot be obtained by: money, intellect, wisdom, your own efforts, God offers it: as a gift, for you to reach out and grasp it, along with a new heart. GOD FILLS IT—BELIEVE IT (3) Believe that God gives it. You have met the conditions: confessed and put away sins, given yourself to God. Now go to Him: ask that he wash away your sins and give a new heart, believe that He does it: because He has promised, because He has demonstrated it through miracles. Believe like those who were healed. (4) Paralytic at Bethesda was helpless. Jesus bade him "Rise . . . and walk." He believed that he was healed. He willed to walk. He made the effort. He walked. He acted on the word of Christ. God gave the power. - 515 - Lesson 550 Faith and Acceptance So also you, a sinner? (5) cannot atone for sins, cannot become holy, must believe God’s promise to do this, confess your sins, give yourself to God, will to serve Him, then God will supply the fact—”It is so if you believe it0" God’s will is to cleanse us from sin0 (6) when we pray for cleansing it is according to His willo Therefore we may believe that we receive it0 We should thank God that we have received it« A NEW CREATURE—BELIEVE IT (7-8) You are now a new creature, for you: have been bought by the blood of Christ, have been reborn by the Holy Spirit, have been born into the family of God are loved even as His son was loved0 Do not draw backo (9) Do not take yourself away from Him0 Daily remind yourself of your surrender0 Ask for the keeping power of Spirit„ Live in Him by faith as you have given yourself to Him0 You are not on probation,, (10) You need not prove your reformation before claiming His blessing. His grace and Spirit are necessary to resisting evil. He loves us in the sinful state0 He accepts us and cleanses us in our weakness, folly, sin0 Take Him at his word0 (11) Thousands cannot believe that they are personally pardoned * All who comply with conditions may know they are pardoned0 Do not suspicion that you are an exceptione Ministering angels strengthen every repentant believing soulo None are too sinful to find strength, purity, righteousness. Jesus is waiting to exchange robes of righteousness for rags0 GOD DRAWS YOU TO HIMSELF—BELIEVE IT (12) God deals not as man0 His thoughts are of mercy, love, compassion,, He asks that the wicked forsake their way and return. He promises to have mercy and pardon0 He will blot our sins0 - 516 - Lesson 55. Faith and Acceptance Satan seeks to rob you of assurance,, (13) Must not permit him to do it0 Do not listen to him. Reply that Jesus has offered you life. Repeat that the Father has received you—as prodigal. Actually God was drawing you before you came. (14) While sinner is far from God he is divinely loved. God awakens longing in the soul to return. His Spirit entreats the sinner to return. A wong concept of the Father destroys the soul. (15) Can you doubt the Bible promises? Can you believe that the longing sinner is repeled? God loves the sinner, though He hates sin. He died to make acceptance possible. He remembers better than a mother does her infant. Thank God, and come claim His blessing. (16) The heart of Infinite love is drawn toward the sinner. As you draw near to Him with confession and repentance, He will draw near to you with mercy and forgiveness. (17) 30 This is a good point at which to discuss the difference between feeling and faith. The key statement is in paragraph 6, "Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say ’I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.”’ God supplies the fact. It is so if we believe it. LESSON 56. TEST OF DISCIPLESHIP — I Objectives To study the characteristics of a true disciple. To provide motivation for discipleship. Assignment LESSON 57. TEST OF DISCIPLESHIP - ll I. Read paAag/tap/u 12-22 oi chapteA 7. 2. Tajj to 4 tote tn one. 4entence the. main theme o$ paA.agA.aph4 12-14O (Ju4t one 4entence—not onz &OA. each paAagAaph.) 3. In paA.agaaph4 15-17 you wiU fiind the fallowing to be hey woA.d4t Adam, we, ChAist, obedience, Aighteou4ne44, faith, imputed (betteA took, this one up) . A4 b/iie^ty 04 po44ibte 4ummaAize what i4 4aid about the4e key woAd4a 4a Explain what is meant by this 4tatement: "The clo4eA you come to Je4u4, the moAe faulty you wilt appeaA . . ." Introduction We have studied the four steps necessary to come to Jesus. The question now arises, "What do we do when we get there?” We saw in our study of the book of Matthew that people reacted differently to Jesus’ ministryo Some were antagonistic. They caused him trouble and eventually killed him. Others came to him, listened, perhaps were fed or healed by him, but went away. It seems that the majority of the people were of this group. However, there was a small group who came, listened, and stayed with him. These were called disciples. It is to these that his ministry was truly significant. Our interest throughout the rest of this book will be directed toward what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. We will be seeing how it effects our lives, how we can make it more meaningful, and the pleasure we may derive from it0 Today we are concerned with the characteristics of a disciple and what it is that motivates him in his discipleship. Discussion 1. Discuss part 2 of the assignment. Make a list ofi the chaAacteAistics o£ a conveAted di4cipte a4 given in paA.agaaph4 2=6. - 518 - Lesson 560 Test of Discipleship - I The life reveals that the grace of God is within. Habits, words, and acts reveal a change in character. The heart, thoughts, conversation, affections and energies are directed toward Godo He is entirely consecrated to Him. He longs to bear the image, breathe the Spirit, do the will of Christ, and to please him. His life is characterized by love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meakness, temperance. He no longer follows his former lusts. He follows Christ’s steps by faith. He reflects Christ’s character. He is purified. He hates what he once loved. He loves what he once hated. He becomes meek. He becomes serious and unobtrusive. He becomes sober. He discards vain customs and fashions. He seeks beauty of disposition—a meek and quiet spirit. He keeps his pledges. He gives back anything he may have stolen. He confesses his sins. He loves God. He loves his fellow men. 2. Discuss part 3 of the assignment. In paaagaaph, 11 thtb apne.aM>t "Obe.dte.nce.--the. and. atZe.gte.nce. ofi tove.~-tA the. t/cuc Atgn o£ In a Ae.nte.nceA Aurnnzsitze. what tA Aatd about obe.dte.nce. be.tng a AeAvtce. ofa £ove.a (PaaagaaphA 7-/7.) The true disciple is motivated in all of his actions by his love for God and for his fellow men. This makes the performance of his duties, even the unpleasant ones, a delight. Such love is of God and cannot be produced in the unconsecrated heart. A genuine love for God is accompanied by a deep desire to become God-like. The character of God is described in His law of love. Becoming God-like is coming into harmony with this law. Thus, obedience is not mere outward compliance, but it becomes a way of life, for that is the way one who is becoming God-like wants to live. 3. The following is a detailed outline of the first eleven paragraphs of this chapter. Care should be exercised in the entire discussion to avoid making this merely a theoretical or doctrinal exercise. It should be illustrated by and applied to the real life situations of the studentso - 519 - Lesson 56O Test of Discipleship - I THE TEST OF DISCIPLESHIP - I A NEW CREATURE (1-2) By the Spirits One may not know the time, place, or chain of circumstances in process of conversiono Like the invisible wind causing visible effects, so is the work of the Spirit on the heart0 A regenerating power whichs is unseen, begets new life, creates a new being in the image of God, is silent, is imperceptible, effects manifest in the lifec We cannot? change our hearts, bring ourselves into harmony with God, trust ourselves or our good works0 But our livess will reveal whether the grace of God is within, will change in character, will reveal character by the tendency of habitual words and acts0 Outward correctness: (3) May be achieved without power of Christo May be motivated by? love of influence, desire for esteem, self-respect, selfish hearto EVIDENCE THAT ONE IS A NEW CREATURE (4-5) Marks of the new creature in Christ: Who has the: heart? thoughts? conversation? affections? energies? If we are Christas” Our sweetest thoughts are of Him0 All we have and are is consecrated to Him, We long to: bear His image, breathe His Spirit, do His will, please Him0 - 520 - Lesson 56. Test of Discipleship - I Will bring forth fruits of the Spirit: love , joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, Will no longer follow former lusts, but will: follow Christ’s steps by faith, reflect Christ’s character, purify self as Christ is pure, hate what was once loved, love what was once hated, become meek and lowly, become serious and unobtrusive, become sober, become pure, lay aside vain customs and fashions, seek inward adorning—meek and quiet spirit8 Reformation of life0 (6) Sinner may be sure of passing from death to life if he: restores the pledge, gives back what he stole, confesses sins, loves God, loves fellow men0 Motivated by loveo (7) Burdens become light. Duty becomes a delight0 Sacrifice becomes a pleasure,. The dark path becomes bright„ The character of Christ is seen in his followers. (8) He delighted to do the will of God. He was controlled by love and zeal for God. His actions were ennobled by love. Love is of God. Unconsecrated heart cannot produce it. It is found only in Christ ruled heart. Love in heart is response to God’s love. It modifies chracter: governs impulses, controls passions, subdues enmity, ennobles affections, sweetens the life, sheds a refining influence on all around. - 521 - Lesson 56. Test of Discipleship - I RESULTS OF BECOMING A NEW CREATURE (9-10) Two errors: Looking to own works to bring us into harmony with God. This is attempting the impossible. What man does is polluted with selfishness and sin. Only the grace of Christ, through faith, can make holy. Belief that: faith releases our obligation to law, works have nothing to do with redemption. Obedience, the sign of discipleship. (11) Obedience is not a mere outward compliance. It is the service of love, Law is an expression of God’s nature—love. The heart renewed in His likeness: with divine love implanted in soul, renewed after image of Creator, will shape the life in harmony with law of love—law of God. Loving God and breaking His commandments—incompatible. Faith does not release from, but supplies enabling power for keeping the law. Obedience, the fruit of faith. (12) Does not earn salvation. Salvation is a free gift received by faith. Obedience is the result of faith. He who abides in Christ: sins not, has love of God within, is in harmony with the will of God—His law, is righteous, as defined by ten pommandments. Obedience not nullified by faith. (13) We are saved through faith by grace. Faith without works is dead. Christ delights to do God’s law. Christ kept Father’s commandments abiding in His love. Keeping commandments is evidence of love. He who abides in Christ walks as He walked. Obedience is a condition for eternal life. (14) It has been since Eden0 Eternal life cannot be granted on other conditions without immor talizing sin, woe, misery. LESSON 57o TEST OF DISCIPLESHIP— II Objectives To understand the continuing needs in the life of a disciple of Jesus 0 To help the students realize that forgiveness and divine power are still necessary and available after conversion as well as before. Assignment LESSON 58. GROWING UP INTO CHRIST L The. matn headings ^oa a sketeton outttne have. been supptted on the. ehaAt. Complete the. outline by fittttng tn one. subheading ^oa each paaagAaph ofa chapteA 8, "GAowtng up tnto ChAtst." Indicate the numbeA ofi the paAagAaph. &Aom whteh each subhead ts deAtved. Introduction Today we continue our study of the test of discipleship. We have noted that conversion is to make of us new creatures and that our lives will indicate that we are different than we used to be. We have seen that obedience to the will of God is the real test, evidence, and result of our new relationship with Him. It was emphasized that this obedience is not like that which is forced upon us by the policeo Rather, it is the result of our love toward God and desire to be like Him0 In other words, the true disciple obeys Christ by doing as he pleases, for he has become so Christ-like that he desires to do as Christ did. On the other hand, everyone knows that no one—not even the very best, most faithful, most sincere follower of Christ—always does what is righto This means that no one is always obedient. Is there such a thing as a disobedient disciple? This is the concern of our lesson for today. Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment. Taij to state tn one sentence the matn theme o£ paAagAaphs 12-14. (Just one sentence—not one sentence £oa each paAagAaph.) Faith does not take the place of but results in obedience to God’s law—the conditions for eternal life. - 523 - Lesson 57O Test of Discipleship =» II 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment0 In paiagiaphA 15= 17 you. wZEZ the fiottowtng to be key woidAt kdamf we, ChitAt, obedtenee, itghteouAneAA, (aith, imputed (bettei took thiA one up)6 A* biiefity 04 poAAtbte Aummaitze what ts> Aatd about theAe key woidAo It might be well to define the word ’’impute" before beginning the discuss ion o To impute is to attribute to, or to lay to one’s account0 Sometimes we try to tell why somebody did a certain thing0 We attempt to identify his motiveso We don’t really know his motives'—we are imputing a good or bad motive to him0 In the theological sense of the word, to impute is to attribute anything to a person or persons, upon adequate grounds, as the judicial or meritorious reason of reward or punishment, ioeo, of the bestowment of good or the infliction of evilo (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology0 New York: Charles Scribner & Cbo, 1888, Vol II, p0 194)0 Before he sinned, Adam was capable of developing a righteous character by obedience to Godo However, when we come to God we are always sinful, and perfect obedience from then on, even if this were possible, would not erase the evil that we have already built into our characters0 The only way we can become righteous before God is to ask Him to impute to us Christ’s sinless character0 When in faith we accept this and surrender the will to Christ he works within us the desire and ability to obey0 He allowes his character to stand in place of ours in the judgment0 30 Discuss part 4 of the assignment0 Explain what 1a meant by thiA Atatement* "The eloAei you come to JeAuA, the mole faulty you wM appeal 0 . This is only part of the statement taken from paragraph 20, The rest of it is the key to its understanding: "The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect natures" Just as the comparison of a model plane with the real one shows up the defects in the model and emphasizes the superiority of the real one, so the closer we come to Christ the more our own faults show up and the more his superiority is evidento Anyone who thinks that his model plane has no shortcomings, obviously, has never seen a real one0 Likewise, anyone who feels that his own character is perfect has never really seen Jesus0 - 524 - Lesson 57O Test of Discipleship - II 40 The following outline is supplied as a help for the teacher in planning a discussion0 TEST OF DISCIPLESHIP—II NEEDS OF THE NEW CREATURE (15) Needs help because of past disobedience* We cannot make our fallen nature righteous* Sinful beings cannot perfectly obey the holy law* Christ made a way for us: lived on earth amid trials such as ours, lived a sinless life, died atoning death, now offers to exchange his righteousness for our sins, accounts us righteous for his sake, offers his character in lieu of our in judgment. Needs help in maintaining obedience. (16) Christ changes the heart and abides there by faith. We maintain connection and surrender our wills by faith. He then works in us to will obedience0 Thus we live by faith in the Son of God* Thus it is the Spirit which speaks within us0 Thus we manifest the same spirit and works of righteousness and obedience as did Christ. Thus the only hope for obedience is: (17) to receive the imputed righteousness of Christ, to allow the Spirit to work in and through us. Belief and faith® (18) Belief: in existence and power of God, in truth of His word, this is acceptance of facts. Faith is this plus: submission to will of God, yielding heart to Him, fixing affections upon Him, working by love, purifying of soul, renewal of heart in the image of God. Such faith results in: delight to obey, love of God*s law, walking after the Spirit. - 525 - Lesson 57O Test of Discipleship - II SHORTCOMINGS OF THE NEW CREATURE Continue to be Seen. (19) Even those who have been forgiven and desire to be pure: realize that character is imperfect, see that life is faulty, are inclined to doubt that they have been renewed. Do not be discouraged. God does not cast off the one overcome by enemy, Christ makes intercession as Advocate. The Father still: loves, desires to restore, continues to do work of renewing. We must: pray more fervently, believe more fully, distrust our own power, trust power of Redeemer, praise Him who is our health. Will be seen more distinctly0 (20) Coming closer to Jesus: makes us appear more faulty by comparison, clarifies our vision, shows imperfections more distinctly by contrast. This is evidence that: Satan’s delusions are losing their power, Holy Spirit is arousing us. Seeing them is prerequisite to love for Jesus. (21) Cannot love Christ without realizing our sinfulness. Transformed soul admires Christ’s divine character. Blindness to our deformity is evidence that we are blind to the beauty and excellence of Christ. Diminishing esteem for self: (22) Concurrent with growing esteem for Christ. View of our sinfulness: drives us to Him who can pardon, shows our helplessness, inspires a reaching out after Him, results in reception in His revelation, drives us to Him, drives us to the word of God. The more exalted our views of His character, the more fully we reflect His image. LESSON 58O GROWING UP INTO CHRIST Objectives To understand that growth in Christian grace requires the same conditions and power that conversion does: a will surrendered in faith to Christ and divine power extended in return. To help the students recognize the reality of such a divine-human union and the desirable effects it has on one’s attitudes toward an enjoyment of life. Assignment LESSON 59. THE WORK MV THE LIFE 1o Re.ad c/iap£e.A 9, "The. Nosik. and the. LZ^e,." 2 . Make, a Etit ofa the. way* tn ivhZch paAtalzeAA ofi the. g^aee. ofa Chtbiit H.e,act to theMt e.neounte.A. wZth hZm, ai stated tn paAagttaph 6. 3 d PaAag/taph 7 ope.wi ivZth thZi itatewe.nt, "The. e.^o^t to bEe^-i others wZEE Jie.act tn bEeM>Zng<& upon oauetve^." Enumerate. the. way* tn whZch a peAAon Zb ^e^)a/tde.d Zn hZb e.^o^tb to bEebb othe.Kbt ab Zn-dZcate.d Zn patiagsiaphb 7-11. Introduction In our last lesson we studied the nature of discipleship. A disciple is a follower or a pupil. We have seen that only through an act of Jesus Christ, by which he imputes to us his righteousness, can we become his discipleso Likewise, only through his continuing action on our hearts can we remain obedient disciples. Both of these activations he is not only willing but eager to do for us. Our part in this relationship is to believe the truths that have been revealed and to fix our affections upon him. Such a faith results in a love, not only for the person of Christ, but also for living according to his will. This is the experience that we discussed in our first semester study of Psalm 119, wherein the Psalmist used the 176 verses to express his love for God’s law, his delight to do His will, and his desire to walk in His ways. Perhaps an appropriate title for it would be, ”A Psalm of Discipleship.” We also found in our previous study that a disciple is not perfect and that the more ardent his discipleship becomes and the better he comes to know his Master the more clearly he sees his own imperfections. Now the question arises, ’’What is one to do about these?" - 527 Lesson 58. Growing Up Into Christ The experience is not much different from that of the student in school. The more he learns the more he realizes his ignorance. The more knowledge he acquires the more he sees how incomplete and fragmentary his knowledge is0 The only cure for this is to continue learning. So it is with the disciple who sees his imperfection. The only way to find a satisfactory relationship with Christ is to continue his growth toward his Master’s perfection. This is the subject for our discussion today, "Growing up into Christ." Discussion l0 Discuss the assignment for today. The moZn heacUnq^ ^oa. a ^heteton oatttne. have, be.e.n Aupptte.d on the. chant a Complete. the. outttne. bij fMtng tn one. 4abhe.adtng ^oa e.ach paA.agA.aph ofi chapter 8, "GA.owtng up tnto ChAtAt." Indteate. the. number ofi the. paA.agA.aph fatom whtch e.ac.h *abhe.ad tb de.Atve.do GROWING UP INTO CHRIST GROWTH REQUIRES THE SAME POWER AS BIRTH 1) Spiritual birth, like natural birth, demands subsequent growth. 2) Spiritual birth, like natural birth, is possible only by the power of God. 3) Spiritual growth, like natural growth, happens only by the power of God. 4) An atmosphere of grace, like the atmosphere of air, surrounds the world0 5) The Sun of Righteousness, like the sun in the sky, radiates power for growtho THE DISCIPLE IS TO BE UNITED WITH CHRIST 6) As the branch remains fruitless without connection with the vine so the disciple cannot grow without union with Christ. 7) Daily, hourly communion with Christ is indispensable to growth in grace® 8) As faith is the means by which one becomes a disciple so it is also the means by which the disciple grows. 9) A new consecration and surrender should be made to God each morning. - 528 - Lesson 58* Growing Un Into Christ 10) By loving Christ, copying him, depending upon him, a disciple is transformed into his likeness, 11) Union with Christ implies rest, stability, and confidence* 12) Christ must replace self as the center of one’s anxiety and trust® CHRIST HAS BEEN UNITED WITH HUMANITY 13) The tie of love by which Christ was bound to humanity in his incarnation can be broken only by the choice of man, 14) His first disciples grew in his likeness by following him in the house, at the table, in the closet, in the field, as nupils, and as servants, 15) The self assertive, ambitious, impeteous, and resentful John became the beloved disciple by undergoing a transformation of character under the power of the love of Christ, CHRIST’S PRESENCE REMAINED EVEN AFTER HIS ASCENSION 16) A sense, of his personal presence remained with his disciples as they looked forward to his promised return, 17) Christ continued to abide with his disciples through the Holy Spirit, 18) All that Christ was to his disciples he desires to be to his children today, 19) Through this continuing union with Chris't we may grow up into him to will and to do his good pleasure, LESSON 59o T H E WORK AND THE LIFE Objectives To understand that true discipleship is translated into a life of active service to our fellowmen. To help every student realize that regardless of his abilities and background he can be a blessing to others and find true happiness in such serviceo Assignment LESSON 60 0 A KNOWLEVGE OF GOV 1, A AfoeZeZon oatttne. ^on chapter 10, ”A Knowledge. o^ God", tb psto-vtde.da Ai you. lead the. chapter lAVitte. a Ae.nte.nce. fio*. each. paaa-gfiaph tndicattng Zt4 con&itbutton to the. div tA ton o£ uihtch tt tA a. paota Introduction Our lesson for today is a continuation of the previous one0 In a sense the work and the life, as discussed in this chapter, result from growing up into Christ, as presented in chapter 8, In a broader sense, they develop together, One does not precede the other, A growth in Christ’s grace results in active service for Christ, On the other hand, the life of service is in itself a factor in one’s growth in Christ, They cannot be separated. Your love for a friend results in certain attitudes toward him. It effects the way you talk about him, what you are willing to do for him, etc. On the other hand, what you think about him, what you say about him, and what you do for him distinctly affect your association with him and your affections for him. Today’s chapter opens with the reminder that God is the source of life, light, and joy to the entire universe. This is followed by the logical assertion that those who are becoming God-like, themselves become sources of light and joy to others. What true disciples do, where they do it, and who may be included in such activities are some of the considerations for our discussion today. - 530 Lesson 590 The Work and The Life Discussion lo Discuss part 2 of the assignment., Make a tUt o£ the wayb tn rthtch paAtak.eAi> o£ the. gAaee ofi ChAtf>t Aeaet to thetA eneounteA ivtth htn% 06 stated tn paAagAaph 60 Those who are partakers of the grace of Christ wills be ready to make any sacrifice that others may share this heavenly gift, do all they can to make the world better, develop a desire to make known to others what a precious friend Jesus is, not shut up the saving and sanctifying truth within the heart, not be able to keep quiet ("hold our peace"), have something to tell, invite others into Christ’s presence, seek to bring to others the attractions of Christ and the reali~ ties of the world to come, have an intense desire to follow in the path that Jesus trod, have an earnest longing that those around us may behold the Lamb of Godo 20 Discuss part 3 of the assignment0 PaAagAaph 1 opens ttitth. tht& statement, "The. e^oAt to btess otheAS wttt Aeaet tn bless tngs upon ouas elves 0" EnumeAate the. ways tn whteh a peASon ts AewaAded tn hts e^oAts to bless otheAS, as tndteated tn paAagAaph 7-H0 The effort to bless others reacts in blessings upon ourselves as follows § Diffusing blessings to our fellow men is the highest honor and the greatest joy that it is possible for God to bestow upon us0 p Participants in the labors of love are brought nearest to their Creators Co-workers with God share the blessings, the joy, and the spiritual uplifting which result from such unselfish ministry., - 531 - Lesson 590 The Work and The Life Through the fellowship of service we are brought into sympathy with Christo Every act of sacrifice for others allies one more closely to the Redeemer of the world0 Working as Christ designs reveals the need of a deeper experience and a greater knowledge in divine things0 We will plead with God and our faith will be strengthened0 Encountering opposition and trial drives us to the Bible and to prayero We will grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, and develop a rich experience0 Unselfish labor for others gives depth, stability, and Christ-like loveliness to our character0 Such an unselfish spirit brings peace and happiness to its possessor,, One’s aspirations are elevated0 We loose sloth and selfishness,, An exercise of Christ’s graces results in greater strength to work for Godo It also results in clearer spiritual perceptions, a steadily growing faith, and an increased power In prayer and faitho In effect, this is working out one’s own salvation0 3o Discuss part 4 of the assignmento In Xhe two coZumnA ofi the. cha/it tiAt who one. to amlvq. and wh