LESSON II.-SABBATH, JULY 14, 1894

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 2, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 34.

LESSON II.—SABBATH, JULY 14, 1894.

DEPENDENCE ON GOD.

AND he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.
For the life is more than the food, and the body than the raiment.
Consider the ravens, that they sow not, neither reap; which have no store chamber nor barn; and God feedeth them; of how much more value are ye than the birds!
And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto his stature?
If then ye are not able to do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; but your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Howbeit seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning;
And be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him.
Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.
Be ye also ready, for in an hour that ye think not the Son of Man cometh.

VERSES 22-31 might be summarized by the words of the prophet: "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid." Isa. 12: 2. The remainder of the lesson is about the promised kingdom.

In the parable last studied, what was the rich man's sole care?
What difference should there be between him and the Christian?
What is more important than food and clothing?
To what are we referred for an example of God's care for his creatures?
How are we taught the uselessness of anxious care about ourselves?
By what are we again taught a lesson of God's care?
How do the lilies grow?
Yet how are they clothed?
What are we to learn from this?
Why do we not need to worry about our support?
What class of people do that?
What only need we seek after?
If we devote ourselves to seeking the kingdom of God, of what may we be assured?
Why need we not fear in any case?
What exhortation is given to them that have possessions?
Where should the treasure be? Why?
How should we be prepared?
Whom should we be like?
What is said of those servants who are found watching?
Do we know when the Lord will come?
What are we therefore exhorted to do?

NOTES.

1. Such trust as the Lord teaches in this chapter is not very common. Many who have much to say against spiritualizing Scripture are very loath to take this literally. It is easy to think that we are trusting the Lord when everything is abundant; but real trust is shown by not becoming worried and alarmed when the supply seems exhausted. It is impossible that a Christian should worry about food and clothing; for the eternal life is of more consequence than mere physical life; and he who really trusts God for that which is greatest, can easily trust him for that which is least. On "growing as the lily," see Hosea 14: 5. See also Isa. 61: 11. To be full of anxious care is a sign of heathenism, but not of Christianity. See Luke 12: 30.

2. "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." God delights to bestow blessings on men. "He delighteth in mercy." Micah 7: 18. He gave himself for us in the gift of Christ, who "ever liveth to make intercession for us." Therefore it is true that God lives for the purpose of bestowing the blessings of his kingdom upon us. Let us then receive it as freely as it is given, and thus add to the joy of the Lord.

3. WORD THOUGHTS.—"Take no thought" (v. 22). "Be not anxious" (R. V.); in other words, do not worry, do not place your care upon mere temporal things.—Life, from the Greek psuche, many times translated soul.—Meat (v. 23), better as in the R. V., "food," nutriment, nourishment.—Stature (v. 25), the original meaning is life or age. See R. V., margin. The thought is, Who can by thinking add to his age?—Consider (v. 27), from a word meaning to apprehend from within, to perceive, understand.—Oven (v. 28), Greek, klibanos, a covered earthen vessel, narrower at top than bottom, in which bread was baked by putting hot coals around it. The regular oven is noted by another word, ipnos.—Ye (v. 29), the "ye" is emphatic. "And ye, seek not," etc.—Bags (v. 23), the R. V. has purses: Wycliffe, satchels. The original word means that in which something is thrown.—Corrupteth, better as in R. V., "destroyeth." See James 5: 2.—Return (v. 36) analuse. The verb meant originally to "unloose." It here means the time when our Lord will unloose from that far country (Luke 19: 12) and return to this. It is this which Paul desired. Compare Phil. 1: 23, where the same word is rendered "depart."—Wedding, referring to the crowning of Christ, and the taking of his kingdom. Dan. 7: 13, 14.—Watching (v. 27). It is said that the guard in the temple who was not watching ready to salute the captain of the temple in the particular manner prescribed, was beaten or else his garments were set on fire. See Rev. 16: 15. The captain or superintending priest might come at any moment.—Gird himself, as a servant girds up his loose garments that he may better work.—Serve, minister, to them.—Cometh (v. 40), when Jesus leaves the sanctuary, when he comes with judgment.