the widow.--Isa. 1:11-17.

Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the
high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with
calves a year old? will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams,
or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born
for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to
walk humbly with thy God?--Micah 6:6-8.

These two passages are classical expressions of a note which runs through
all the prophetic teaching of the Old Testament. There was a fundamental
antagonism between those who saw the service of God in the inherited
ritual and sacrificial action, and those who felt that the essential
service of God is righteousness of life. The prophets wanted a religion
that would change social conduct, and repudiated religious doings that had
no ethical value. They held that worship alone is not enough. God wants
life and conduct.

Suggest parallels from the history of the Christian or the non-Christian
religions.

Second Day: The Test of Social Value

And it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath day through
the grainfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck
the ears. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on
the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them,
Did ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was
hungry, he, and they that were with him? How he entered into the
house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the showbread,
which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests, and gave also
to them that were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was
made for man; and not man for the sabbath: so that the Son of man
is lord even of the sabbath.

And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there
who had his hand withered. And they watched him, whether he would
heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he
saith unto the man that had his hand withered, Stand forth. And he
saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good, or to
do harm? to save a life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being
grieved at the hardening of thei