Discussion with the Sadducees

‘HIPPED ill every debate, confounded in every question, condemned in every illustration, the three most powerful bodies of the hierarchy, the rabbis, scribes and elders, were for a while at a loss how further to proceed against Jesus, whose trenchant blade of ready answer, sublime wisdom and masterly power of prefigurement put them to confusion whenever they opened their mouths either to criticise or to question Him. Feeling their inability to cope with Him before the people, and unwilling to meet further mortification at His hands, these enemies decided to renew their efforts towards compromising Him with the Roman authorities. With this purpose the Pharisees decided to join hands with the Sadducees, and enlisting the latter, who had thus far taken no part in the Temple disputes, through them some obscure Jews were engaged to affect an air of great piety, and to go to Jesus in an outward spirit of sincere desire for instruction, with request for enlightenment upon some question of a political nature, which they hoped would elicit from Him a reply that would betray His contempt for Caesar. They understood how yielding was the nature of Pilate, the procurator, and that the slightest word spoken in disrespect of the Emperor might be made an excuse for the arrest of Jesus by the national authorities. In pursuance of this scheme to snare Jesus, a party of Jews thus engaged came to Him and obsequiously asked, “Master, we know that Thou art true, and carest for no man, for Thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest rightly the way of God in truth: tell us, therefore, what thinkest Thou. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or no? Shall we give or shall we not give?”

The delegation now before Jesus was composed of persons whom He did not know. Their professions of sincerity indicated that they were of the large mass of believers in Him, and that, foreseeing the conflict which must soon come and speedily end either in the establishment of the kingdom of God, in accordance with the expectation and traditions of the Jews, or the death of Jesus, that they really desired to know how much they owed to the authority of Caesar. But Christ saw the craftiness of His questioners, and was ready with reply to baffle them, just as he had so many times before disconcerted the most distinguished heads of the hierarchy. Thus He answered them: “Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? Show Me the tribute money; bring Me a penny, that I may see

(445)

it;” and they brought unto Him a penny. And He said unto them, “Whose

image and superscription is this stamped upon this coin?” They say unto Him,

‘•’ It is Caesar’s.” Then said He unto them,” Render therefore unto Caesar the

things which are Caesar’s; and unto God, the things that are God’s. And they

marveled at His answer, and held their peace, and left Him, and went their

way.”

In the reply which Jesus made He avoided any offending against the Romish

spirit, and yet how thoroughly is there expressed the duty which the Jews owed to

God, and inferentially His own superiority to Caesar, to whom was due the tribute

tax, which the Jews were to pay only so long as they accepted him as king, while

Jesus reserved to Himself those higher digniti”es and rights which belong to the

King of heaven.

No Marrying in Heaven.

So complete was their discomfiture that the Herodian spies and the Jewish hypocrites who thought to bring Jesus into conflict with the national authorities retired without desire to again test His wisdom and cutting sarcasm. But the Sadducees would now put their cunning against the prudence, sagacity and inspiration of Jesus. They had not met Him in discussion, and had not therefore such a measurement of His capacities as the Pharisees. They had thought over various means of annoying Jesus, and finally concluded that they could propound a question which would so embarass as to completely quiet and abash Him before the people. So, on the same day, several of the wisest or most self-conceited of the Sadducees approached Him and asked, “Master, Moses wrote unto us, if a a man die, having a wife, and without children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. Now, there were with us seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died without children, and left his wife to his brother; and the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they had no children and died. Last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

The Sadducees denied that there was any resurrection. They were in opposition to the Pharisees, who claimed to have from Moses an oral law declaring the resurrection of the body after death, and this question was so fiercely debated between the two sects that they were almost as bitter enemies as were the Jews and the Samaritans. And yet violent as their differences were, the two adopted a temporary truce in order to make a common war on Jesus, though the Sadducees did not join so vigorously in the demand for his execution. But opposing the teachings of Jesus, and especially the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, the questioners chuckled to themselves over the problem which they had propounded, and a solution of which they considered impossible.

The question was one which at any time might arise to perplex the Jews, so Jesus would not withhold an answer. Said He, “You are in error, since you do not understand the Scripture, nor the laws which Moses gave. It is true that Moses gave the law as you have stated, but your ignorance consists in limiting everything to affairs of this world. When men die, they rise again under new conditions, so that in heaven they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but become angels. Marriage is an institution of this earth, ordained by God for the prosperity of the race; but in heaven there is no such ordainment, for there all are angels in universal brotherhood and sisterhood. Persons are born and they die here; there are no births or deaths in heaven. Here there is thirst, and hunger, and physical vexations, and unsatisfied longings; but in heaven there is not. So that these differences between the material and spiritual life are such that there can be no such thing as husband and wife in heaven. But you also err in your beliefs respecting the resurrection, for Moses, whom you so highly regard as the giver of the laws which you observe, did show the resurrection of the body; for have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God, in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob? ‘God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.”

The answer, so explicitly spoken, even won the admiration of the scribes,

who condescended to compliment Jesus, saying,” Master, Thou hast well

said.”

Another Attempt to Puzzle Christ.

When the Pharisees saw how Jesus had vanquished the Sadducees, they put forth a lawyer, or one of the most learned rabbis, to ask another question, an answer to which appeared to them either impossible or such as would present Him in conflict with God Himself. The lawyer therefore asked Him, “Master, which is the first commandment of all — the one great commandment of the ten given?” If God gave all of the ten commandments, how could one be greater than another? If God be perfect, so must all His laws be perfect: hence, as there can be no comparison of perfect, each law must be equally important, and none can be the greatest.

It was thus that the Pharisees argued among themselves, and the little lawyer, who was a scribe, when he stood up to put the question, must have felt several sizes larger than he really was, though in the end he no doubt felt as many sizes too large for himself. The balloon is very round when full, but when punctured it falls down very flat.

But though Jesus knew the question was put to tempt Him, with the hope of embarrassing Him, and to destroy the popularity in which He was held, He nevertheless promptly answered.” Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one

Lord: and thou shalt love Him with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two hang all the law and prophets.” Jesus had answered this same question when the rich young man came to Him asking what he should do to be saved; but the present reply, made to the lawyer, had a new significance, for it served to show the departure of Israel from the true worship of God. The question was certainly put to perplex, but the answer was so definite and conclusive that even the questioner himself was soulfuUy impressed by it, since it gave by inference this explanation of the superiority of these two over the other eight commandments: God’s laws are perfect; so is the human body perfect, every part being essential to the whole, and the adjustment of each limb and organ is so wisely made that an injury to one becomes an impairment of all. But if an arm be cut off the functions of the body may continue, though the whole organism of the man is affected by the injury, because he is not able to minister so thoroughly to the needs of the body as he was before. But if the head be cut off the man must at once perish. This illustrates how the first commandment may be regarded as the head of the whole law without any disparagement of the other commands, and in this sense the lawyer evidently understood it, for his arrogant spirit was immediately humbled and his heart seems to have been suddenly illumined by the divine sunlight of righteous understanding. Therefore he replied, “Master, Thou hast said the truth, for there is one God, and none other but He; and to love Him with all the heart, strength, mind and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves, is more than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices.” He had read this declaration of the old prophet, and had possibly heard its re-enforcement by Jesus, and his conscience was thoroughly impressed by its truth. Seeing how sincere was the lawyer’s faith, Jesus said to Him, “Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.”

How is Christ the Son of David.

Having answered the most perplexing questions that the Pharisees and Sadducees could put to Him, Jesus now turned inquirer by asking them, “What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He?” And they answered, “The Son of David.” Jesus knew what their reply would be, and therefore understood how He might embarrass them, by showing their ignorance. In many of the old prophecies Christ was called the Son of David. It will be remembered how more than once the people when astounded by His miracles said to one another, “Is not this the Son of David?” and how the Syrophoenician wonian, and the two blind beggars at Capernaum, and blind Bartimeus of Jericho called for the mercy of the Son of David, and that the people welcoming Him into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David.” The belief that the Messiah should be the Son of David sprang out of the prophecies of Isaiah (xi.) and of Jeremiah (xxiii.) and of Zechariah (vi.), and the Jews were led to look forward to the establishment of the monarchy under the leadership of this “Branch which shall grow out of the root of Jesse,” by the glory foreshadowed by Isaiah in the prophecy,” Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice on the earth. In his day Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, ‘The Lord our Righteousness! ’ “But the’ Jews failed to comprehend the spiritual nature of Christ, all their thoughts being wedded to a material king who would come of Davidic lineage, to found a kingdom in which their sensual enjoj-ments would find fullest gratification. To dispel the prevailing belief in a fulfillment of such earthly ambitions, and to give the Jews a knowledge of the true nature of the” Lord our Righteousness,” Jesus referred His hearers to the testimony of David himself,” for David in the Book of Psalms (ex.) by the Holy Ghost, calls Him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ‘David therefore himself calleth Him Lord, and how is He then his Son?” Christ is thus at once the Son of David and the Son of God in one. But how can it be?

The question which Jesus thus asked is one which not only puzzled the Pharisees, who confessed their ignorance by making no reply, but one which the most learned of men have been unable to answer. It has continued and will ever remain the great insolvable problem of the ages, a mystery which belongs to the Deity, to be unfolded only in the great future. By human reasoning, we can only adopt a half-satisfying explanation by accepting Christ in a dual nature as the Son of David by earthly lineage, and as the Son of God by His spiritual generation.

A Scathing Anathema.

Jesus had stood on the defensive, but He had so effectually repulsed His enemies at every point of attack that He felt the occasion was now presented for a more vigorous arraignment of His adversaries whom He would expo.se before the people for their irreligion and immoralities practiced under the ma.sk of priestly duties. He knew that the time of His offering-up drew near, and He would now hasten an end to the conflict. But we stand in wondering amazement at the fearless attitude He occupies before the powerful men of the nation, and lift our mnids from consideration of Him as a man, to the contemplation of Him as a God, While “the people heard Him gladly,” His friends were not those having power to defend Him against the tides of bitter rancor and murderous persecution that were rolling towards Him, receding a little way from time to time, but only to gain greater impetuo.sity and to the more certainly engulf Him. He .saw the waves of tumult. He noted their foamy crests, He felt the spray dashing in His face, but He stood immovable on the shore of mercy, forgiveness and loyalty to God, and defied the mad breakers of iniquity. We see Him as a pale Nazarene, conscious of the tragic fate that would terminate His ministry three days later, standing alone before the great rulers, the learned men of the nation, the powerful chiefs of the hierarchy, a sea of faces is before Him, in which He observes images of hate, of contumely, of rage, of murder; enemies everywhere, not only about the sacred altar, and crowding the sanctuary, and filling the halls of council, but also in the palace, among the soldiery and in the governor’s chamber. And yet amid all these threatening surroundings Jesus is of all that audience the least excited, the most resolute, and the fiery accuser. It was His last appearance as a teacher, in the Temple, and a better sermon He never preached. He would denounce the scribes and rabbis to the people to emancipate them from the cruel thraldom under which they suffered, therefore spake Jesus somewhat in this wise:” The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Youi priests preach that which they fail to practice. They lay upon you the burdens of senseless proscriptions and bind you to meaningless ceremonies, and exact of you large payments which they use for their sensual enjoyments, nor do they observe the oppressive rituals which they order you to obey. Whatever they do of a pious nature is done publicly that they may obtain your praises, and to deceive ycu by exciting your belief in their righteousness. Beware of the scribes who make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and walk in long robes, and who crowd in and occupy the seats of honor at the feasts and in synagogues, and who expect to be called Master. All these they do manifesting their delight in their pre-eminence above you, as lords do in the subjection of their slaves. This I tell you is putting religion on dress-parade, and they make of themselves drum-majors in the procession. But you should call no man rabbi, for only one is your Master, and I am He. And call no man father on earth, for only one is your Father, which is in heavey. For I tell you that he who is greatest among you now shall become your servant.”

Having addressed His disciples and those who were His friends, Jesus turned directly to His enemies and bombarded them with bitter denunciation for their Iniquities, and a profanation of the service for which the priesthood had been established, and of the Temple which they had turned into a house of riot, oppression and gain. Said He,” Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither sufier ye them that are entering to go in.” And with equally bitter condemnings He accused them of devouring the substance of widows, under the guise of extreme sanctity and sacred guardianship, and of all manner of selfish ambitions, such as pride, and covetousness, and self-conceit, and of desiring

MODERN EASTER PILGRIMAGE TO BETHLEHEM. — From The Christian Herald.

U5i)

applause from their deceived followers; and of exacting tithes to support them in evil ways, and of showing signs of extreme piety, but only to mask the deformity of their hearts which were overflowing with extortion, rapacity, ungodliness and excess of every kind. “Woe unto you,” said He, “for you are like whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Ye outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”

“Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you. All these things shall come upon this generation.”

Murder of the Apostles.

How soon came to pass a verification of this terrible prophecy:

St. Stephen, stoned to death outside the walls of Jerusalem, having thus the honor of being the first Christian martyr.

St. Peter, crucified head downward in Rome.

St. Thomas, killed by a lance-thrust while preaching.

St. Matthew, burned alive in Arabia Felix.

St. Mark, killed in his church in Alexandria.

St. Matthias, chosen to fill the place of Judas, killed in Ethiopia.

St. Andrew, crucified at Patrea, in Achaia.

St. Bartholomew, roasted and then flayed alive at Albanopolis.

St. John, banished to Patmos.

And if we had the full history of the apostles we would no doubt know that at least ten of them became martyrs to the faith, and love and loyalty which they manifested for their lyord.

No wonder that Jesus, foreseeing these things, should break forth in lamentation, “O 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. Behold your house is left; unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth till ye shall say. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the L,ord.”