E. W. Bullinger

Philologos Religious Online Books
Philologos.org

August, 1897 | Vol. IV July 1897 - June 1898 | Main Index

Things to Come

A. 19-21 No laying up of riches against the future.

B. 22-24 Service of two masters impossible.

C. 25 No solicitude regarding eating, drinking, or clothing.

D. 26 Food provided by God. No agricultural operations on the part of birds.

E. 27 Impossibility on the part of man to prolong the span of life.

D. 28-30 Raiment provided by God. No industrial operations on the part of flowers.

C. 31. No solicitude regarding eating, drinking, or clothing.

B. 32,33 Service of two masters needless.

A. 34 No solicitude regarding the future.

There is a great moral lesson discernible through the structure.

Those who know not God regard accumulation of treasure not only as their hope, but as a protection against want—the only protection they know of. They are afraid both for to-day and to-morrow. Their joy is of to-day and to-morrow. One function of a god is to deliver from evil—another is to give joy. The service of Mammon is thus shown by the structure to refer to both functions, and not as is commonly supposed only to accumulation of wealth. Here we are shown then, the untrustworthiness of this god, and that if with a single eye we serve God, and turn our attention to the heavenly hope, God will Himself provide not only the heavenly treasures in their time, but add all the earthly things really needed. This greatly increases the force of the teaching to have no solicitude about our needs for food and covering either for to-day or to-morrow. Evil there may be, but God will always deliver those who seek Him. We cannot attend to both services with thoroughness. The eye must be directed on one only, and not see double. If we select the heavenly service and lay up treasures in heaven, having our heart there, then our Father (rather than Master) there will feed us and clothe us Himself. The promise is absolute; there is no other condition. The seeking, moreover, is sufficient; we are not to be troubled as to whether or not we have succeeded. We know if we seek or not. Thus, the broadest ground is covered. With this before us, we can very well leave the principles of political economy (Mammon) to those who have invoked the aid of that generation from which the Lord was teaching the remnant to deliver themselves.

August, 1897 | Vol. IV July 1897 - June 1898 | Main Index  

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