relationship - "Son", he says (v. 25). But he repudiates the

Instead of completing the Reformation in respect to such

Pharisee's title to any spiritual favor on that account. He does not

heathen traditions, they are still clinging to them to-day; and so

use the word "Son" again. Abraham is represented as repudiating

tenaciously, that they are giving Romanists and Spiritists all they

the Pharisee's claim to anything beyond natural relationship. He

want as the foundation for their false teachings; while they

may be related to him according to the flesh, but there is no

reserve their wrath for those who, like ourselves, prefer to

closer relationship, though the Pharisee continues to claim it. So

believe God's truth in opposition to the first great lie of the Old

the Lord does not make Abraham repeat the word "Son" again;

Serpent. But once see the truth of God's word, that "death"

though the rich man twice more calls Abraham "Father". This

means death; and cease to read the word as meaning life ­ and

understanding of the passage is, therefore, in strictest harmony

away goes the only ground for the worship of the Virgin Mary,

with the whole of the immediate context, and with all other

the invocation of saints, prayers to or for the dead; and all the

Scriptures which bear upon this subject. It was quite unnecessary

vapourings and falsehoods of "lying spirits" and "teachings of

for the Lord to stop to explain for us the sense in which He used

demons" (I Tim. 4:1, 2), who would deceive, by personating

this tradition, because it was so contrary to all the other direct

deceased persons of whom God declares their thoughts have

statements of Scripture, that no one ought for a moment to be in

doubt as to what is the scope of the Lord's teaching here. No

But there is one further argument which we may draw from

previous knowledge of Pharisaic traditions is necessary for the

the internal evidence of the passage itself, taken with other

gathering of this scope. But as this is the conflict between

statements in the Gospel narrative. The Jews laid great stress on

Tradition and Scripture, the evidence from the Talmud comes in,

the fact that they were "Abraham's seed" (John 8:33). They said,

and may well be used to strengthen our interpretation.

"Abraham is our Father", whereupon the Lord answers that,

No! the Lord was at the crisis of His condemnation of the

though they might be Abraham's seed according to the flesh, yet

Pharisees for their false traditions which made the Word of God

they were not Abraham's true seed, inasmuch as they did not the

of none effect, and He makes use of those very teachings,

works of Abraham (vv. 39, 40).

adapting them to the great end of condemning them out of their

Early in the Gospels this fallacy was dealt with judicially,

own mouth.

when John said by the Holy Spirit: "Think not to say within

May we all prayerfully consider the testimony of God's Word

yourselves, We have Abraham to our father" (Matt. 3:9). This

in regard to death and when the dead will live again. Thanks be

was when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to

to God in that we have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord

His baptism; and called them "a generation of vipers", and not

and that victory is in Him for truly He is the Resurrection and

the sons of Abraham. They thought and believed that inasmuch

The Life.

as they were the sons of Abraham by natural generation, they

were entitled to all the blessings and privileges which were given

to Abraham and his seed. So here, one of them is represented as

saying, "Father Abraham". Three times he calls him "father", as

though to lay claim to these blessings and privileges (vv. 24, 27,

30). And the point of the Lord's teaching is this, that the first

time Abraham speaks, he is made to acknowledge the natural