the desire of ages-第130节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


h　they　presented　with　great　ostentation。　Jesus　looked　upon　them　sadly；　but　made　no　comment　on　their　liberal　offerings。　Presently　His　countenance　lighted　as　He　saw　a　poor　widow　approach　hesitatingly；　as　though　fearful　of　being　observed。　As　the　rich　and　haughty　swept　by；　to　deposit　their　offerings；　she　shrank　back　as　if　hardly　daring　to　venture　farther。　And　yet　she　longed　to　do　something；　little　though　it　might　be；　for　the　cause　she　loved。　She　looked　at　the　gift　in　her　hand。　It　was　very　small　in　comparison　with　the　gifts　of　those　around　her；　yet　it　was　her　all。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　615

Watching　her　opportunity；　she　hurriedly　threw　in　her　two　mites；　and　turned　to　hasten　away。　But　in　doing　this　she　caught　the　eye　of　Jesus；　which　was　fastened　earnestly　upon　her。

The　Saviour　called　His　disciples　to　Him；　and　bade　them　mark　the　widow's　poverty。　Then　His　words　of　commendation　fell　upon　her　ear：　〃Of　a　truth　I　say　unto　you；　that　this　poor　widow　hath　cast　in　more　than　they　all。〃　Tears　of　joy　filled　her　eyes　as　she　felt　that　her　act　was　understood　and　appreciated。　Many　would　have　advised　her　to　keep　her　pittance　for　her　own　use；　given　into　the　hands　of　the　well…fed　priests；　it　would　be　lost　sight　of　among　the　many　costly　gifts　brought　to　the　treasury。　But　Jesus　understood　her　motive。　She　believed　the　service　of　the　temple　to　be　of　God's　appointment；　and　she　was　anxious　to　do　her　utmost　to　sustain　it。　She　did　what　she　could；　and　her　act　was　to　be　a　monument　to　her　memory　through　all　time；　and　her　joy　in　eternity。　Her　heart　went　with　her　gift；　its　value　was　estimated；　not　by　the　worth　of　the　coin；　but　by　the　love　to　God　and　the　interest　in　His　work　that　had　prompted　the　deed。

Jesus　said　of　the　poor　widow；　She　〃hath　cast　in　more　than　they　all。〃　The　rich　had　bestowed　from　their　abundance；　many　of　them　to　be　seen　and　honored　by　men。　Their　large　donations　had　deprived　them　of　no　comfort；　or　even　luxury；　they　had　required　no　sacrifice；　and　could　not　be　compared　in　value　with　the　widow's　mite。

It　is　the　motive　that　gives　character　to　our　acts；　stamping　them　with　ignominy　or　with　high　moral　worth。　Not　the　great　things　which　every　eye　sees　and　every　tongue　praises　does　God　account　most　precious。　The　little　duties　cheerfully　done；　the　little　gifts　which　make　no　show；　and　which　to　human　eyes　may　appear　worthless；　often　stand　highest　in　His　sight。　A　heart　of　faith　and　love　is　dearer　to　God　than　the　most　costly　gift。　The　poor　widow　gave　her　living　to　do　the　little　that　she　did。　She　deprived　herself　of　food　in　order　to　give　those　two　mites　to　the　cause　she　loved。　And　she　did　it　in　faith；　believing　that　her　heavenly　Father　would　not　overlook　her　great　need。　It　was　this　unselfish　spirit　and　childlike　faith　that　won　the　Saviour's　commendation。

Among　the　poor　there　are　many　who　long　to　show　their　gratitude　to　God　for　His　grace　and　truth。　They　greatly　desire　to　share　with　their　more　prosperous　brethren　in　sustaining　His　service。　These　souls　should　not　be　repulsed。　Let　them　lay　up　their　mites　in　the　bank　of　heaven。　If　given　from　a　heart　filled　with　love　for　God；　these　seeming　trifles　become　consecrated　gifts；　priceless　offerings；　which　God　smiles　upon　and　blesses。

616


When　Jesus　said　of　the　widow；　She　〃hath　cast　in　more　than　they　all；〃　His　words　were　true；　not　only　of　the　motive；　but　of　the　results　of　her　gift。　The　〃two　mites　which　make　a　farthing〃　have　brought　to　God's　treasury　an　amount　of　money　far　greater　than　the　contributions　of　those　rich　Jews。　The　influence　of　that　little　gift　has　been　like　a　stream；　small　in　its　beginning；　but　widening　and　deepening　as　it　flowed　down　through　the　ages。　In　a　thousand　ways　it　has　contributed　to　the　relief　of　the　poor　and　the　spread　of　the　gospel。　Her　example　of　self…sacrifice　has　acted　and　reacted　upon　thousands　of　hearts　in　every　land　and　in　every　age。　It　has　appealed　to　both　the　rich　and　the　poor；　and　their　offerings　have　swelled　the　value　of　her　gift。　God's　blessing　upon　the　widow's　mite　has　made　it　the　source　of　great　results。　So　with　every　gift　bestowed　and　every　act　performed　with　a　sincere　desire　for　God's　glory。　It　is　linked　with　the　purposes　of　Omnipotence。　Its　results　for　good　no　man　can　measure。

The　Saviour　continued　His　denunciations　of　the　scribes　and　Pharisees：　〃Woe　unto　you；　ye　blind　guides；　which　say；　Whosoever　shall　swear　by　the　temple；　it　is　nothing；　but　whosoever　shall　swear　by　the　gold　of　the　temple；　he　is　a　debtor！　Ye　fools　and　blind：　for　whether　is　greater；　the　gold；　or　the　temple　that　sanctifieth　the　gold？　and；　Whosoever　shall　swear　by　the　altar；　it　is　nothing；　but　whosoever　sweareth　by　the　gift　that　is　upon　it；　he　is　guilty。　Ye　fools　and　blind：　for　whether　is　greater；　the　gift；　or　the　altar　that　sanctifieth　the　gift？〃　The　priests　interpreted　God's　requirements　according　to　their　own　false　and　narrow　standard。　They　presumed　to　make　nice　distinctions　as　to　the　comparative　guilt　of　various　sins；　passing　over　some　lightly；　and　treating　others　of　perhaps　less　consequence　as　unpardonable。　For　a　money　consideration　they　excused　persons　from　their　vows。　And　for　large　sums　of　money　they　sometimes　passed　over　aggravated　crimes。　At　the　same　time　these　priests　and　rulers　would　in　other　cases　pronounce　severe　judgment　for　trivial　offenses。

〃Woe　unto　you；　scribes　and　Pharisees；　hypocrites！　for　ye　pay　tithe　of　mint　and　anise　and　cummin；　and　have　omitted　the　weightier　matters　of　the　law；　judgment；　mercy；　and　faith：　these　ought　ye　to　have　done；　and　not　to　leave　the　other　undone。〃　In　these　words　Christ　again　condemns　the　abuse　of　sacred　obligation。　The　obligation　itself　He　does　not　set　aside。　The　tithing　system　was　ordained　by　God；　and　it　had　been　observed　from　the　earliest　times。　Abraham；　the　father　of　the　faithful；　paid　tithes　of　all　that　he　possessed。　The　Jewish　rulers　recognized　the　obligation　of　tithing；　and　this　was　right；　but　they　did　not　leave　the　people　to　carry

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　617

out　their　own　convictions　of　duty。　Arbitrary　rules　were　laid　down　for　every　case。　The　requirements　had　become　so　complicated　that　it　was　impossible　for　them　to　be　fulfilled。　None　knew　when　their　obligations　were　met。　As　God　gave　it；　the　system　was　just　and　reasonable；　but　the　priests　and　rabbis　had　made　it　a　wearisome　burden。

All　that　God　commands　is　of　consequence。　Christ　recognized　the　payment　of　tithes　as　a　duty；　but　He　showed　that　this　could　not　excuse　the　neglect　of　other　duties。　The　Pharisees　were　very　exact　in　tithing　garden　herbs；　such　as　mint；　anise；　and　rue；　this　cost　them　little；　and　it　gave　them　a　reputation　for　exactness　and　sanctity。　At　the　same　time　their　useless　restrictions　oppressed　the　people　and　destroyed　respect　for　the　sacred　system　of　God's　own　appointing。　They　occupied　men's　minds　with　trifling　distinctions；　and　turned　their　attention　from　essential　truths。　The　weightier　matters　of　the　law；　justice；　mercy；　and　truth；　were　neglected。　〃These；〃　Christ　said；　〃ought　ye　to　have　done；　and　not　to　leave　the　other　undone。〃

Other　laws　had　been　perverted　by　the　rabbis　in　like　manner。　In　the　directions　given　through　Moses　it　was　forbidden　to　eat　any　unclean　thing。　The　use　of　swine's　flesh；　and　the　flesh　of　certain　other　animals；　was　prohibited；　as　likely　to　fill　the　blood　with　impurities；　and　to　shorten　life。　But　the　Pharisees　did　not　leave　these　restrictions　as　God　had　given　them。　They　went　to　unwarranted　extremes。　Among　other　things　the　people　were　required　to　strain　all　the　water　used；　lest　it　should　contain　the　smallest　insect；　which　might　be　classed　with　the　unclean　animals。　Jesus；　contrasting　these　trivial　exactions　with　the　magnitude　of　their　actual　sins；　said　to　the　Pharisees；　〃Ye　blind　guides；　which　strain　at　a　gnat；　and　swallow　a　camel。〃

〃Woe　unto　you；　scribes　and　Pharisees；　hypocrites！　for　ye　are　like　unto　whited　sepulchers；　which　indeed　appear　beautiful　outward；　but　are　within　full　of　dead　men's　bones；　and　of　all　uncleanness。〃　As　the　whited　and　beautifully　decorated　tomb　concealed　the　putrefying　remains　within；　so　the　outward　holiness　of　the　priests　and　rulers　concealed　iniquity。　Jesus　continued：

〃Woe　unto　you；　scribes　and　Pharisees；　hypocrites！　because　ye　build　the　tombs　of　the　prophets；　and　garnish　the　sepulchers　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

618

killed　the　prophets。〃　To　show　their　esteem　for　the　dead　prophets；　the　Jews　were　very　zealous　in　beautifying　their　tombs；　but　they　did　not　profit　by　their　teachings；　nor　give　heed　to　their　reproofs。

In　the　days　of　Christ　a　superstitious　regard　was　cherished　for　the　resting　places　of　the　dead；　and　vast　sums　of　money　were　lavished　upon　their　decoration。　In　the　sight　of　God　this　was　idolatry。　In　their　undue　regard　for　the　dead；　men　showed　that　they　did　not　love　God　supremely；　nor　their　neighbor　as　themselves。　The　same　idolatry　is　carried　to　great　lengths　today。　Many　are　guilty　of　neglecting　the　widow　and　the　fatherless；　the　sick　and　the　poor；　in　order　to　build　expensive　monuments　for　the　dead。　Time；　money；　and　labor　are　freely