1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

of Jesus may flee from an adversary, or he may resist himR5005 : page 117to the extent of proper expostulation, but he is to be thoroughlyresponsive to all government; if the court decidesthat his coat and his cloak shall both be taken from him,he shall unmurmuringly submit, even though he realizethat such a procedure would be unjust and quite at variancewith the Divine regulation. Saint Paul as well asJesus used argument in his own defence, not only with themobs, but also before judges; but they resisted the law--never."THIS IS A HARD SAYING""Give to everyone that asketh of thee, and of him thattaketh away thy goods ask them not again." The broadestinterpretation we could consistently give to this wouldbe--Be generous, tender-hearted, err on the side of toogreat generosity rather than to be hard-hearted, selfish.The Lord could not have meant us to take His words withabsolute literalness; as for instance, Give a child a razorif it cries for it; or, Give money to the dissipated, thatthey may injure themselves still more. The spirit of asound mind forbids that we should understand the Masterto teach that we should do anything for another or assisthim in any manner that would be really to his injury. Thisis expressed in the next statement: "As ye would thatmen should do unto you, do ye also to them likewise."We would surely not wish men to grant a request of oursif they sincerely believed they would be injuring us. OurMaster's words inculcate love, beneficence, and must notbe construed to the contrary.Very evidently our Lord was setting up His teachingsin contrast with the maxims of the Pharisees, the holinesspeople of that day. He wished His disciples to see Histeachings in their ultra light. To love another becausehe loved us, or to give to another in the hope that he wouldequally befriend us, or to do any good act with a hope tohave as good or better return, would have nothing speciallycreditable in itself. It would be doing from aselfish motive.Jesus' disciples, on the contrary, are to do good forprinciple's sake and for goodness' sake--to be in full accordwith the Heavenly Father, to have His smile andapproval. They are to take Him as their Example andto remember that in proportion as they are godlike theyR5006 : page 117show forth the spirit of sonship. As, therefore, God iskind to the unthankful and to evil-doers, so we should bewho have His spirit and who are seeking to walk in Hisway, in the footsteps of Jesus. The Heavenly Father isthe Example, and although we cannot come up to that