Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 1.djvu/793

 CHRISTIAN SOCIOLOGY 777

sort of material that Matthew has omitted shov/s that the original sources whence both derived their gospels abounded with such teachings. Whatever difficulty there may be in understanding this teaching of Jesus arises not from its scarcity but from its abundance. The distorted applications which have been made of these words of Jesus have been due to an incomplete collection of the data to be found in the gospels. His view of wealth is not to be found in this or that particular saying, but in the entire scope and course of his life and teach- ings. We do for Jesus simply what we do for every teacher whose method was like his, if we attempt the discovery of a principle which underlies and a philosophy that binds together all special teachings. In the light of this principle and philosophy the hierarchy of special teachings may be properly established, and the significance of scattered sayings more correctly appre- hended.

In the teaching of Jesus we discover above all his recognition of the relativity of goods. " No servant can serve two masters." His effort is to induce men to accept not that which is good, but that which is best. Whenever the good comes in conflict with the better and the best, even if it be a hand or an eye or a foot, it must immediately be abandoned.' Now so far as the individual is concerned, his highest good consists in making his life a part of other lives. For both manward and Godward a man is essentially a social being, and his life is imperfect in the same proportion as it is not in union with the life of others. Thus, even on the purely physical side, Jesus viewed the unmarried man as so far an incomplete man. But the hermit is likewise an abnormal man. Jesus' ideal for humanity is that of a divine family, and in so far as any thing or custom renders a realization of that ideal more difficult, in the same proportion is that some- thing to be sacrificed. In the light of this general principle does

noted that the thought of the passage in Matthew is undoubtedly the reason of the statement in Luke. The poor in money are very likely to be poor in spirit. And it should be also noticed that the words of Luke were addressed directly to the disciples.

■Matt l8:8, 9.