04.020. The Worldly Choice
The Worldly Choice They all … began to make excuse-- Luke 14:18-20. As F.S. Arnot, of Garenganze fame, thoughtfully remarks, the lesson, here suggested, of the awful danger of a rejection of God’s grace for the sake of worldly gain, occupation, and companionship, is enforced in the four or five chapters that follow:
Luke 15:1-32. The prodigal son is reduced by such rejection to utter beggary, but happily repents in season.
Luke 16:1-31. The rich man enjoys his worldly choice and is prosperous in this world, but in the life to come is a hopeless beggar.
Luke 17:1-37. The Lord foretells how such trifling treatment of grace will go on to the end of the age and issue in eternal disaster.
Luke 18:1-43. The Pharisee and Publican suggest how, on one hand, under outward propriety of religion, such rejection may hide; and how, on the other hand, under outward sin and the life of an outcast, may be found a heart penitent and justified.
Perhaps the rich young ruler in Luke 18:1-43 is an example of the Pharisee; and Zacchaeus, in Luke 19:1-48, of the publican. This outline may profitably be expanded: the theme being--The Unanimous Trifling.
Comp. Matthew 22:2, “made light of it.” Three leading excuses: Purchase of land, preoccupation, association. The special lesson is the power of worldly greed, worldly toil, and worldly ties, to lead men to make light of God’s salvation, the chapters following illustrating the folly of such a course:
Luke 15:13-16. A human soul brought down by such choice to the lowest beggary and want in this life. The “great supper” is here set forth as full provision in the Father’s House. From this wretched destitution, however, there is a repentance and return.
Luke 16:19-26. A prosperous sinner, who goes to his farm and merchandise, and, perhaps, to his wedded wife, grows rich and prosperous, but in this life receives his good things, and in the next is poor indeed. Per contra a beggar in this world, who belongs to God, has his place, after death, at the heavenly banquet. This parable thus lifts the veil, and shows us things beyond this life.
Luke 17:26-33. Prophecy of Christ that thus it will be even to the coming of the Son of Man. Note the emphasis on buying and selling, planting and building, and marrying, until the flood came, and again, until the Son of Man comes.
Luke 18:9-14. In the case of the Pharisee there is not an open and apparent refusal of God’s invitation, but an outward acceptance, with a real forfeiture; while the publican, who was despised and considered an outcast, was the real partaker.
Luke 18:27. The rich young ruler, not a sinner outwardly, but held fast by love of money and going away sorrowful--a proud Pharisee.
Luke 19:1-10. Finally we have a publican and prosperous sinner, like Dives, but who, before too late, renounced worldly wealth and dependence for discipleship.
Taking these altogether:
Sinners Rejecting God’s Grace for the World
Then--
Example of Being Reduced to Beggary, and Repenting and Returning
Example of Worldly Prosperity, and Hopeless Beggary Beyond
Example of Unconscious Beggary and Outward Propriety, etc.
Example of Riches and Morality, and yet Rejection of Grace
Example of Riches and Wrongdoing, and yet Acceptance of Grace
This is an example of the effect of studying divine truth in its connection. Many additional beauties appear when we look at each lesson only as a link in a chain, each link diverse from the others, yet connected with the rest. Matthew’s gospel is the gospel of Salvation, and from beginning to end presents the phases of that great theme.