ke guests at a
wedding; why should they act as if they were mournful? Fasting was alien
to the spirit which ruled in his company. It would be just as
inappropriate as to patch a piece of unshrunken stuff on an old garment,
or to put fermenting wine in old and brittle skin bottles. The religion of
Jesus, then, was distinguished from other earnest religion by its happy
and sunny character. See also the sharp distinction he makes between the
ascetic life of John and his own enjoyment of social life (Matt.
11:16-19). Yet Jesus was a homeless man, moving toward death.

There seems to be a difference between the self-denial of ascetic
religion, and the surrender of self to the Kingdom of God. What is it?

Sixth Day: The Poise of Expectancy

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who
took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five
of them were foolish, and five were wise. For the foolish, when
they took their lamps, took no oil with them: but the wise took
oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom
tarried, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there is a
cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. Then all
those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said
unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.
But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be
enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for
yourselves. And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came;
and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast:
and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins,
saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I
say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know not the
day nor the hour.--Matt. 25:1-13.

The Lord was to return soon and consummate the establishment of his
Kingdom. The first two generations of Christians took this hope very
seriously. Expectancy was the true pose of Christians. Under the
conditions of that time this was their way of declaring that the Kingdom
of God is the highest good and that all our life should be concentrated on
it. If Jesus lived today he could find even more effective exhortations to
look sharp and not get left. But is the constant expectation of a divine
catastrophe from heaven possible for modern minds? Must we tran