the desire of ages-第127节

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risees　did　know　that　Christ　said　and　taught　rightly；　and　by　their　own　testimony　will　they　be　judged。

Those　who　put　the　question　to　Jesus　thought　that　they　had　sufficiently　disguised　their　purpose；　but　Jesus　read　their　hearts　as　an　open　book；　and　sounded　their　hypocrisy。　〃Why　tempt　ye　Me？〃　He　said；　thus　giving　them　a　sign　they　had　not　asked；　by　showing　that　He　read　their　hidden　purpose。　They　were　still　more　confused　when　He　added；　〃Show　Me　a　penny。〃　They　brought　it；　and　He　asked　them；　〃Whose　image　and　superscription　hath　it？　They　answered　and　said；　Caesar's。〃　Pointing　to　the　inscription　on　the　coin；　Jesus　said；　〃Render　therefore　unto　Caesar　the　things　which　are　Caesar's；　and　unto　God　the　things　that　are　God's。〃

The　spies　had　expected　Jesus　to　answer　their　question　directly；　in　one　way　or　the　other。　If　He　should　say；　It　is　unlawful　to　give　tribute　to　Caesar；　He　would　be　reported　to　the　Roman　authorities　and　arrested　for　inciting　rebellion。　But　in　case　He　should　pronounce　it　lawful　to　pay　the　tribute；　they　designed　to　accuse　Him　to　the　people　as　opposing　the　law　of　God。　Now　they　felt　themselves　baffled　and　defeated。　Their　plans　were　disarranged。　The　summary　manner　in　which　their　question　had　been　settled　left　them　nothing　further　to　say。

Christ's　reply　was　no　evasion；　but　a　candid　answer　to　the　question。　Holding　in　His　hand　the　Roman　coin；　upon　which　were　stamped　the　name　and　image　of　Caesar；　He　declared　that　since　they　were　living　under　the　protection　of　the　Roman　power；　they　should　render　to　that　power　the　support　it　claimed；　so　long　as　this　did　not　conflict　with　a　higher　duty。　But　while　peaceably　subject　to　the　laws　of　the　land；　they　should　at　all　times　give　their　first　allegiance　to　God。

The　Saviour's　words；　〃Render　。　。　。　unto　God　the　things　that　are　God's；〃　were　a　severe　rebuke　to　the　intriguing　Jews。　Had　they　faithfully　fulfilled　their　obligations　to　God；　they　would　not　have　become　a　broken　nation；　subject　to　a　foreign　power。　No　Roman　ensign　would　have　waved　over　Jerusalem；　no　Roman　sentinel　would　have　stood　at　her　gates；　no　Roman　governor　would　have　ruled　within　her　walls。　The　Jewish　nation　was　then　paying　the　penalty　of　its　apostasy　from　God。

When　the　Pharisees　heard　Christ's　answer；　〃they　marveled；　and　left　Him；　and　went　their　way。〃　He　had　rebuked　their　hypocrisy　and　presumption；

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and　in　doing　this　He　had　stated　a　great　principle；　a　principle　that　clearly　defines　the　limits　of　man's　duty　to　the　civil　government　and　his　duty　to　God。　In　many　minds　a　vexed　question　had　been　settled。　Ever　after　they　held　to　the　right　principle。　And　although　many　went　away　dissatisfied；　they　saw　that　the　principle　underlying　the　question　had　been　clearly　set　forth；　and　they　marveled　at　Christ's　far…seeing　discernment。

No　sooner　were　the　Pharisees　silenced　than　the　Sadducees　came　forward　with　their　artful　questions。　The　two　parties　stood　in　bitter　opposition　to　each　other。　The　Pharisees　were　rigid　adherents　to　tradition。　They　were　exact　in　outward　ceremonies；　diligent　in　washings；　fastings；　and　long　prayers；　and　ostentatious　in　almsgiving。　But　Christ　declared　that　they　made　void　the　law　of　God　by　teaching　for　doctrines　the　commandments　of　men。　As　a　class　they　were　bigoted　and　hypocritical；　yet　among　them　were　persons　of　genuine　piety；　who　accepted　Christ's　teachings　and　became　His　disciples。　The　Sadducees　rejected　the　traditions　of　the　Pharisees。　They　professed　to　believe　the　greater　portion　of　the　Scriptures；　and　to　regard　them　as　the　rule　of　action；　but　practically　they　were　skeptics　and　materialists。

The　Sadducees　denied　the　existence　of　angels；　the　resurrection　of　the　dead；　and　the　doctrine　of　a　future　life；　with　its　rewards　and　punishments。　On　all　these　points　they　differed　with　the　Pharisees。　Between　the　two　parties　the　resurrection　was　especially　a　subject　of　controversy。　The　Pharisees　had　been　firm　believers　in　the　resurrection；　but　in　these　discussions

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their　views　in　regard　to　the　future　state　became　confused。　Death　became　to　them　an　inexplicable　mystery。　Their　inability　to　meet　the　arguments　of　the　Sadducees　gave　rise　to　continual　irritation。　The　discussions　between　the　two　parties　usually　resulted　in　angry　disputes；　leaving　them　farther　apart　than　before。

In　numbers　the　Sadducees　fell　far　below　their　opponents；　and　they　had　not　so　strong　a　hold　upon　the　common　people；　but　many　of　them　were　wealthy；　and　they　had　the　influence　which　wealth　imparts。　In　their　ranks　were　included　most　of　the　priests；　and　from　among　them　the　high　priest　was　usually　chosen。　This　was；　however；　with　the　express　stipulation　that　their　skeptical　opinions　should　not　be　made　prominent。　On　account　of　the　numbers　and　popularity　of　the　Pharisees；　it　was　necessary　for　the　Sadducees　to　concede　outwardly　to　their　doctrines　when　holding　any　priestly　office；　but　the　very　fact　that　they　were　eligible　to　such　office　gave　influence　to　their　errors。

The　Sadducees　rejected　the　teaching　of　Jesus；　He　was　animated　by　a　spirit　which　they　would　not　acknowledge　as　manifesting　itself　thus；　and　His　teaching　in　regard　to　God　and　the　future　life　contradicted　their　theories。　They　believed　in　God　as　the　only　being　superior　to　man；　but　they　argued　that　an　overruling　providence　and　a　divine　foresight　would　deprive　man　of　free　moral　agency；　and　degrade　him　to　the　position　of　a　slave。　It　was　their　belief；　that；　having　created　man；　God　had　left　him　to　himself；　independent　of　a　higher　influence。　They　held　that　man　was　free　to　control　his　own　life　and　to　shape　the　events　of　the　world；　that　his　destiny　was　in　his　own　hands。　They　denied　that　the　Spirit　of　God　works　through　human　efforts　or　natural　means。　Yet　they　still　held　that；　through　the　proper　employment　of　his　natural　powers；　man　could　become　elevated　and　enlightened；　that　by　rigorous　and　austere　exactions　his　life　could　be　purified。

Their　ideas　of　God　molded　their　own　character。　As　in　their　view　He　had　no　interest　in　man；　so　they　had　little　regard　for　one　another；　there　was　little　union　among　them。　Refusing　to　acknowledge　the　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit　upon　human　action；　they　lacked　His　power　in　their　lives。　Like　the　rest　of　the　Jews；　they　boasted　much　of　their　birthright　as　children　of　Abraham；　and　of　their　strict　adherence　to　the　requirements　of　the　law；　but　of　the　true　spirit　of　the　law　and　the　faith　and　benevolence　of　Abraham；　they　were　destitute。　Their　natural　sympathies　were　brought　within　a　narrow　compass。　They　believed　it　possible　for　all　men　to　secure

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the　comforts　and　blessings　of　life；　and　their　hearts　were　not　touched　by　the　wants　and　sufferings　of　others。　They　lived　for　themselves。

By　His　words　and　His　works；　Christ　testified　to　a　divine　power　that　produces　supernatural　results；　to　a　future　life　beyond　the　present；　to　God　as　a　Father　of　the　children　of　men；　ever　watchful　of　their　true　interests。　He　revealed　the　working　of　divine　power　in　benevolence　and　compassion　that　rebuked　the　selfish　exclusiveness　of　the　Sadducees。　He　taught　that　both　for　man's　temporal　and　for　his　eternal　good；　God　moves　upon　the　heart　by　the　Holy　Spirit。　He　showed　the　error　of　trusting　to　human　power　for　that　transformation　of　character　which　can　be　wrought　only　by　the　Spirit　of　God。

This　teaching　the　Sadducees　were　determined　to　discredit。　In　seeking　a　controversy　with　Jesus；　they　felt　confident　of　bringing　Him　into　disrepute；　even　if　they　could　not　secure　His　condemnation。　The　resurrection　was　the　subject　on　which　they　chose　to　question　Him。　Should　He　agree　with　them；　He　would　give　still　further　offense　to　the　Pharisees。　Should　He　differ　with　them；　they　designed　to　hold　His　teaching　up　to　ridicule。

The　Sadducees　reasoned　that　if　the　body　is　to　be　composed　of　the　same　particles　of　matter　in　its　immortal　as　in　its　mortal　state；　then　when　raised　from　the　dead　it　must　have　flesh　and　blood；　and　must　resume　in　the　eternal　world　the　life　interrupted　on　earth。　In　that　case　they　concluded　that　earthly　relationships　would　be　resumed；　husband　and　wife　would　be　reunited；　marriages　consummated；　and　all　things　go　on　the　same　as　before　death；　the　frailties　and　passions　of　this　life　being　perpetuated　in　the　life　beyond。

In　answer　to　their　questions；　Jesus　lifted　the　veil　from　the　future　life。　〃In　the　resurrection；〃　He　said；　〃they　neither　marry；　nor　are　given　in　marriage；　but　are　as　the　angels　of　God　in　heaven。〃　He　showed　that　the　Sadducees　were　wrong　in　their　belief。　Their　premises　were　false。　〃Ye　do　err；〃　He　added；　〃not　knowing　the　Scriptures；　nor　the　power　of　God。〃　He　did　not　charge　them；　as　He　had　charged　the　Pharisees；　with　hypocrisy；　but　with　error　of　belief。

The　Sadducees　had　flattered　themselves　that　they　of　all　men　adhered　most　strictly　to　the　Scriptures。　But　Jesus　showed　that　they　had　not　known　their　true　meaning。　That　knowledge　must　be　brought　home　to　the　heart　by　the　enlightenment　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　Their　ignorance　of　the　Scriptures　and　the　power　of　God　He　declared　to　be　the　cause　of　their

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confusion　of　faith　and　darkness　of　mind。　They　were　seeking　to　bring　the　mysteries　of　God　within　the　compass　of　their　finite　reasoning。　Christ　called　upon　them