We can never be too much on our guard against unbelief. It is the oldest sin in the world. It began in the garden of Eden, when Eve listened to the devil's promises, instead of beheving God's words, "ye shall die." — It is the most ruinous of all sins in its consequences. It brought death into the world. It kept Israel for forty years out of Canaan. It is the sin that specially fills hell. "He that believeth not shall be damned." — It is the most foolish and inconsistent of all sins. It makes a man refuse the plainest evidence, shut his eyes against the clearest testimony, and yet believe Kes. — "Worst of all, it is the commonest sin in the world. Thousands are guilty of it on every side. In profession they are Christians. They know nothing of Paine and Voltaire. But in practice they are really unbeKevers. They do not implicitly believe the Bible, and receive Christ as their Savioiir.
Let us watch our own hearts carefully in the matter of unbelief. The heart, and not the head, is the seat of its mysterious power. It is neither the want of evidence, nor the difficulties of Christian doctrine, that make men unbehevers. — It is want of will to beheve. They love sin. They are wedded to the world. In this state of mind they never lack specious reasons to confirm their will. The humble, child-Hke heart is the heart that beheves.
Let us go on watching our hearts, even after we have believed. The root of unbelief is never entirely destroyed. We have only to leave ofi" watching and prajdng, and a rank crop of unbelief will soon spring up. No prayer is so important as that of the disciples, "Lord, increase our faith." *
7 And he called wn <o Ai»i the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them. In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide tul ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive
you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha iu the day of judgment, than for that city.
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
These verses describe the first sending forth of the apostles to preach. The great Head of the church made proof of His ministers, before He left them alone in the world. He taught them to try their own powers of teaching, and to find out their own weaknesses, while He was yet with them. Thus, on the one hand. He was enabled
♦ There is a peculiar expression in this passage, which deserves notice. I refer to the words which say, that our Lord " could do no mighty work there, because of their unbelief."
Tliis expression of course cannot mean, that it was "impossible" for our Lord to do a mighty work there, and that although He had the will to do mighty works, He was stopped and prevented by a power greater than His own. Such a view would be dishonouring to our Lord, and in fact would be a practical denial of His divinity. With Jesus nothing is impossible. If He had willed to do works, He had the power.
The meaning evidently must be, that our Lord "would" not do any mighty work there, because of the unbelief that He saw. He was prevented by what He perceived was the state of the people's hearts. He would not waste signs and wonders on an unbelieving and hardened generation. He "could not" do a mighty work, to correct their mistakes. Thus, on the other, they were trained for the work they were one day to do, and were not novices, when finally left to themselves. — ^Well would it be for the church, if all ministers of the Gospel were prepared for their duty in like manner, and did not so often take up their office untried, unproved, and inexperienced. Let us observe in these verses, hmo our Lord Jesus without departing from His rule, " according to your faith be it unto you." He had the power in His hands, but He did not will to use it.
The distinction I have attempted to draw is doubly useful, because of the light it throws on another Scriptural expression, which is often grievously misunderstood. I refer to the expression, "no man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." (John vi. 44.) The words, "no man can come," are often much misapprehended.
The text is a plain declaration of man's natural conniption and helpless impotence. M^n is dead in sin. He cannot come to Christ, except the Father draws him. In a word, he is unable to come. But what is the precise nature of his inability? Tliis is the veiy point on which misapprehension exists.
Once for all, let us clearly understand that man's inabihty to come to Christ is not physical. It is utterly untrue to say that a man can have a strong decided will to come to Christ, and yet be stopped by some mysterious physical obstacle, — that he can really and honestly have a will to come, and yet have no power. Such a doctrine entirely overthrows man's responsibility, and leads, in many cases, to wicked continuance in sin. Thousands of ignorant people will tell you that "they wish to believe, and wish to come to Christ, and wish to be saved," — and yet say that "though they have the will, they have not the power." It is a fatal delusion, and iTiinous to many souls.
The truth is that man's inabihty to come to Christ, and impotence to that which is good, is moral, and not physical. It is not true that he has the will to come to Christ, but is unable. He is unable, doubtless, and has no power; but it is simply because he has no will. His will is the principal cause of his unconverted state, and until his will is changed by the Holy Ghost, he will never alter. He may not like this. But it is true. The fault of his condition is his own will. Say what he pleases, the blame lies there. He may pretend to have many good wishes, but in reality he has no honest, sincere will to be better. He "will not come to Christ that he may have life."
Christ sent forth His apostles " two and two." — St. Mark is the only evangelist who mentions this fact. It is one that deserves special notice.
There can be no doubt that this fact is meant to teach us the advantages of Christian company to aU who work for Christ. The wise man had good reason for saying, ** Two are better than one." (Eccles. iv. 9.) Two men together will do more work than two men singly. They will help one another in judgment, and commit fewer mistakes. They will aid one another in difficulties, and less often fail of success. They will stir one another up when tempted to idleness, and less often relapse into indolence and indiflference. They wlU comfort one another in times of trial, and be less often cast down, "Woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." (Eccles. iv. 11.)
It is probable that this principle is not sufficiently remembered m the church of Christ in these latter days. The harvest is undoubtedly great all over the world, both at home and abroad. The labourers are unquestionably few, and the supply of faithful men far less than the demand. The arguments for sending out men " one by one," under existing circumstances, are undeniably strong and weighty. But still the conduct of our Lord in this place is a striking fact. The fact that there is hardly a single case in the Acts, where we find Paul or any other apostle working entirely alone, is another remarkable circumstance. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion, that if the rule of going forth " two and two " had been more strictly observed, the missionary field would have yielded larger results than it has.
One thing at all events is clear, and that is the duty of all workers for Christ to work together and help one another whenever they can. " As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend." Ministers and missionaries, and district visitors, and Sunday school teachers, should make opportunities for meeting, and taking sweet counsel together. The words of St. Paul contain a truth which is too much forgotten: " consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together." (Heb. X. 24, 25.)
Let us observe, in the second place, what solemn words our Lord uses about those who will not receive nor hear His ministers. He says, " it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city."
This is a truth which we find very frequently laid down in the Gospels. It is painful to think how entirely it is overlooked by many. Thousands appear to suppose, that so long as they go to church, and do not murder, or steal, or cheat, or openly break any of God's commandments, they are in no great danger. They forget that it needs something more than mere abstinence from outward irregularities to save a man's soul. They do not see that one of the greatest sins a man can commit in the sight of God, is to hear the Gospel of Christ and not believe it, — to be invited to repent and beheve, and yet remain careless and unbelieving. In short, to reject the Gospel will sink a man to the lowest place in hell.
Let us never turn away from a passage like this without asking ourselves, "What are we doing with the Gospel? We Hve in a Christian land. We have the Bible in our houses. We hear of the salvation of the Gospel frequently every year. But have we received it into our hearts? Have we reaUy obeyed it in our hves? Have we, in short, laid hold on the hope set before us, taken up the cross, and followed Christ? — If not, we are far worse than the heathen, who bow down to stocks and stones. We are far more guilt}^ than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They never heard the Gospel, and therefore never rejected it. But as for us, we hear the Gospel, and yet will not believe. May we search our own hearts, and take heed that we do not ruin our own souls!
Let us observe, in the last place, what was tlie doctrine which our Lor<F s apostles preached. We read that "they went out and preached that men should repent."
The necessity of repentance may seem at first sight a very simple and elementary truth. And yet volumes might be written to show the fulness of the doctrine, and the suitableness of it to every age and time, and to every rank and class of mankind. It is inseparably connected with right views of God, of human nature, of sin, of Christ, of holiness, and of heaven. All have cinned and come short of the glory of God. All need to be brought to a sense of their sins, — to a sorrow for them, — to a willingness to give them up, — and to a hunger and thirst after pardon. All, in a word, need to be bom again and to flee to Christ. This is repentance unto life. Nothing less than this is required for the salvation of any man. Nothing less than this ought to be pressed on men, by every one who professes to teach Bible reHgion. We must bid men repent, if we would walk in the steps of the apostles, and when they have repented, we must bid them repent more and more to their last day.
Have we ourselves repented? This, after aU, is the question that concerns us most. It is well to know what the apostles taught. It is well to be familiar with the whole system of Christian doctrine. But it is far better to know repentance by experience and to feel it inwardly in our own hearts. May we never rest till we know and feel that we have repented! There are no impenitent people in the kingdom of heaven. All who enter in there have felt, mourned over, forsaken, and sought pardon for sin. This must be our experience, if we hope to be saved.*
14 And king Herod heard of Alwi," 15 Others said, That it is Elias. (for his name was spread abroad:) And others said, That it is a prophet, and he said. That John the Baptist ] or as one of the prophets, was risen from the dead, and there- 16 But when Herod heard thereof, fore niightj^ works do shew. forth: he said. It is John, whom I beheaded: themselves m him.! he is risen from the dead.
* The concluding verse in this passage, together with one in the Epistle of James. (James v. 14.) is generally quoted by Eoman Catholics, in supjwrt of their pretended sacrament of extreme unction. A moment's reflection wUl show that neither this text nor the other refeired to, is any proof at all.
In both cases, the anointing with oil is expressly connected with the healing of those anointed. Extreme unction on the contraiy is an anointing administered to a dying person, when there i» no hope of his recovery.
This discrepancy between the anointing of the apostolic times and the anointing practised by the Church of Eome, is so glaring, that some of the ablest Romish conti'ovei'sialists have been obliged to acknowledge, that " extreme unction " is founded on church authority, and not on the authority of Scripture. — Lombardus, Bonaventura, Bellarmine, Jansenius, and Tirinus, are all mentioned by Calovius as being of this opinion.
17 For Herod himselfhad sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
23 And he aware unto her, What-
I soever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
24 And she went forth, and eaid I unto her mother, WTiat shall I ask?
And she said, The head of John the ' Baptist.
25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by
! and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.! 26 And the king was exceeding
sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel. and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29 And when his disciples hedrd of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
These verses describe tlie death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as St. Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls.
We see, in the first place, the amazing potver of truth over the conscience. Herod " fears " John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about bim after he dies. A friendless, soHtary preacher, with no other weapon than God's truth, disturbs and terrifies a king.
Every body has a conscience. Here lies the secret of a faithful minister's power. This is the reason why Felix "trembled," and Agrippa was "almost persuaded," when Paul the prisoner spoke before them. God has not left Himself without witness in the hearts of unconverted people. Fallen and corrupt as man is, there are thoughts within him accusing or excusing, according as he lives, — thoughts that will not be shut out, — thoughts that can make even kings, like Herod, restless and afraid.
None ought to remember this so much as ministers and teachers. If they preach and teach Christ's truth, they may rest assured that their work is not in vain. Children may seem inattentive in schools. Hearers may seem careless in congregations. But in both cases there is often far more going on in the conscience than our eyes see. Seeds often spring up and bear fruit, when the sower, like John the Baptist, is dead or gone.
We see, in the second place, how far people may go in religion, and yet miss salvation by yielding to one master-sin.
King Herod went further than many. He "feared John." He " knew that he was a just man and a holy." He "observed " him. He " heard him, and did many things" in consequence. He even "heard him gladly." But there was one thing Herod would not do. He would not cease from adultery. He would not give up Herodias. And so he ruined his soul for evermore.
Let us take warning from Herod's case. Let us keep back nothing, — cleave to no favourite vice, — spare nothing that stands between us and salvation. Let us often look within, and make sure that there is no darling lust or pet transgression, which, Herodias-Hke, is murdering our souls. Let us rather cut off the right hand, and pluck out the right eye, than go into hell-fire. Let us not be content with admiring favourite preachers, and gladly hearing evangelical sermons. Let us not rest till we can say with David, " I esteem all Thy commandments concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way." (Psalm, cxix. 128.)
We see, in the third place, how holdly a faithful minister of God ought to rebuke sin. John the Baptist spoke plainly to Herod about the wickedness of his life. He did not excuse himself under the plea that it was imprudent, or impolitic, or untimely, or useless to speak out. He did not say smooth things, and palliate the king's ungodhness by using soft words to describe his offence. He told his royal hearer the plain truth, regardless of all consequences, — " It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife."
Here is a pattern that aU ministers ought to follow. Publicly and privately, from the pulpit and in private visits, they ought to rebuke all open sin, and deliver a faithful warning to aU who are living in it. It may give offence. It may entail immense unpopularity. With all this they have nothing to do. Duties are theirs. Results are God's.
No doubt it requires great grace and courage to do this. No doubt a reprover, like John the Baptist, must go to work wisely and lovingly in carrying out his master's commission, and rebuking the wicked. But it is a matter in which his character for faithfulness and charity are manifestly at stake. If he believes a man is injuring his soul, he ought surely to tell him so. If he loves him truly and tenderly, he ought not to let him ruin himself unwarned. Great as the present offence may be, in the long run the faithful reprover will generally be respected. "He that rebuketh a man, afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth him with his tongue." (Prov. xxviii. 23.)
We see, in the fourth place, how bitterly people hate a reprover, when they are determined to keep their sins. Herodias, the king's unhappy partner in iniquity, seems to have sunk even deeper in sin than Herod. Hardened and seared in conscience by her wickedness, she hated John the Baptist for his faithfid testimony, and never rested till she had procured his death.
We need not wonder at this. When men and women have chosen their line, and resolved to have their own wicked way, they dislike any one who tries to turn them. They would fain be let alone. They are irritated by opposition. They are angry when they are told the truth. The prophet Elijah was called a "man that troubled Israel." The prophet Micaiah was hated by Ahab, "because he never prophesied good of him, but evil." The prophets and faithful preachers of every age have been treated in like manner. They have been hated by some, as well as not believed.
Let it never surprise us when we hear of faithful ministers of the Gospel being spoken against, hated, and reviled. Let us rather remember that they are ordained to bear witness against sin, the world, and the devil, and that if they are faithful they cannot help giving offence. It is no disgrace to a minister's character to be disliked by the wicked and ungodly. It is no real honour' to a minister to be thought well of by everybody. Those words of our Lord are not enough considered, — " Woe unto you when all men speak well of you."
We see, in the fifth place, how much sin may sometimes follow from feasting and revelling. Herod keeps his birthday with a splendid banquet. Company, drinking, dancing, fill up the day. In a moment of excitement, he grants a wicked girl's request to have the head of John the Baptist cut ofi". Next day, in all probability, he repented bitterly of his conduct. But the deed was done. It was too late.
This is a faithful picture of what often results from feasting and merry-making. People do things at such seasons from heated feelings, which they afterwards deeply jepent. Happy are they who keep clear of temptations, and avoid giving occasion to the devil! Men never know what they may do, when they once venture off safe ground. Late hours, and crowded rooms, and splendid entertainments, and mixed company, and music, and dancing, may seem harmless to many people. But the Christian should never forget, that to take part in these things is to open a wide door to temptation.
We see, finally, in these verses, how little re/war^ some of God's best servants receive in this world. An unjust imprisonment and a violent death, were the last fruit that John the Baptist reaped, in return for his labour. Like Stephen and James and others, of whom the world was not worthy, he was called to seal his testimony with his blood.
Histories Kke these are meant to remind us, that the true Christian's best things are yet to come. His rest, his crown, his wages, his reward, are all on the other side of the grave. Here, in this world, he must walk by faith and not by sight; and if he looks for the praise of man, he will be disappointed. Here, in this life, he must sow, and labour, and fight, and endure persecution; and if he expects a great earthly reward, he expects what he will not find. — But this life is not all. There is to be a day of retribution. There is a glorious harvest yet to come. Heaven will make amends for all. Eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard the glorious things that God has laid up for all that love Him. The value of real reHgion is not to be measured by the things seen, but the things unseen. "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed." "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (Rom. viii. 18; 2 Cor. iv. 17.)
30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told hini all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto
34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Let us mark in this passage, tJie conduct of the apostles when they returned from their first mission as preachers. We read that they " gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done» and what they had taught."
These words are deeply instructive. They are a bright example to all ministers of the Gospel, and to all labourers in the great work of doing good to souls. All such should daily do as the apostles did on this occasion. They should tell all their proceedings to the great Head of the Church. They should spread all their work before Christ, and ask of Him counsel, guidance, strength, and help.
Prayer is the main secret of success in spiritual business. It moves Him who can move heaven and earth. It brings down the promised aid of the Holy Ghost, without whom the finest sermons, the clearest teaching, and the most diligent working, are all alike in vain. It is not always those who have the most eminent gifts who are most successful labourers for God. It is generally those who keep up closest communion with Christ and are most instant in prayer. It is those who cry with the prophet Ezekiel, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live." (Ezek. XXX vii. 9.) It is those who follow most exactly the apostolic model, and "give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." (Acts vi. 4.) Happy is that church which has a praying as well as a preaching ministry! The question we should ask about a new minister, is not merely " Can he preach well? " but " Does he pray much for his people and his work? "
Let us mark, in the second place, the words of our Lord to the apostles, when tJiey returned from their first public miyiistry, "He said unto them, come ye apart yourselves into a desert place, and rest a while."
Lord knows well that His servants are flesh as well as spirit, and have bodies as well as souls. He knows that at best they have a treasure in earthen vessels, and are themselves compassed with many infirmities. He shows them that He does not expect from them more than their bodily strength can do. He asks for what we can do, and not for what we cannot do. "Come ye apart," He says, " and rest awhile."
These words are full of deep wisdom. Our Lord knows well that His servants must attend to their own souls as well as the souls of others. He knows that a constant attention to public work is apt to make us forget our own private soul-business, and that while we are keeping the vineyards of others, we are in danger of neglecting our own. (Cant. i. 6.) He reminds us that it is good for ministers to withdraw occasionally from public work, and look within. "Come ye apart," He says, " into a desert place."
There are few unhappily in the Church of Christ, who need these admonitions. There are but few in danger of overworking themselves, and injuring their own bodies and souls by excessive attention to others. The vast majority of professing Christians are indolent and slothful, and do nothing for the world around them. There are few comparatively who need the bridle nearly so much as the spur. — ^Yet these few ought to lay to heart the lessons of this passage. They should economize their health as a talent, and not squander it away like gamblers. They should be content with spending their daily income of strength, and should not draw recklessly on their principal. They shoidd remember that to do a little, and do it well, is often the way to do most in the long run. Above all they should never forget to watch their own hearts jealously, and to make time for regular self-examination, and calm meditation. The prosperity of a man's ministry and public work is intimately bound up with the prosperity of his own soul. Occasional retirement is one of the most useful ordinances.
Finally, let us mark the feelings of our Lord Jesus Christ towards the people who came together to Sim. We read that He " was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep without a shepherd." They were destitute of teachers. They had no guides but the blind Scribes and Pharisees. They had no spiritual food but man-made traditions. Thousands of immortal souls stood before our Lord, ignorant, helpless, and on the highroad to ruin. It touched the gracious heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was " moved with compassion toward them. He began to teach them many things."
Let us never forget that our Lord is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. He never changes. High in heaven, at God's right hand. He still looks with compassion on the children of men. He still pities the ignorant, and them that are out of the way.. He is stiU willing to " teach them many things." Special as His love is towards His own sheep who hear His voice. He still has a might}' general love towards all mankind, — a love of real pity, a love of compassion. TVe must not overlook this. It is a poor theolog)^ which teaches that Christ cares for none except believers. There is warrant in Scripture for telling the chief of sinners, that Jesus pities them, and cares for their souls, that Jesus is willing to save them, and invites them to believe and be saved.
Let us ask ourselves, as we leave the passage, whether we know anything of the mind of Christ? Are we like Him, tenderly concerned about the souls of the unconverted? Do we, like Him, feel deep compassion for all who are yet as sheep without a shepherd? Do we care about the impenitent and ungodly near our own doors? Do we care about the Heathen, the Jew, the Mahometan, and the Roman Catholic in foreign lands? Do we use every means, and give our money willingly, to spread the Gospel in the world? These are serious questions and demand a serious reply. The man who cares nothing for the souls of other people is not like Jesus Christ. It may well be doubted whether he is converted himself, and knows the value of his own soul.
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said. This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36 Send them away that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
37 He answered and said unto them. Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him. Shall we go and buy two hundred penny worth of bread, and give them to eat?
38 He saith unto them. How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say. Five, and two fishes.
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Of all our Lord Jesus Christ's miracles, none is so frequently described in the Gospels, as that which we have now read. Each of the four Evangelists was inspired to record it. It is evident that it demands a more than ordinary attention from every reader of God's word.
Let us observe, for one thing, in this passage, tchat an example this miracle affords of our Lord Jesus Christ's almighty power. We are told that He fed five thousand men, with five loaves and two fishes. "We are distinctly told that this multitude had nothing to eat. "We are no less distinctly told that the whole provision for their sustenance consisted of only five loaves and two fishes. And yet we read that our Lord took these loaves and fishes, blessed, brake, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And the conclusion of the narrative tells us, that "they did all eat, and were filled," and that " twelve baskets full of fragments " were taken up.
Here was creative power, beyond all question. Something real, soUd, substantial, must manifestly have been caUed into being, which did not before exist. There is no room left for the theory, that the people were under the influence of an optical delusion, or a heated imagination. Five thousand hungry people would never have been satisfied, if they had not received into their mouths material bread. Twelve baskets full of fragments would never have been taken up, if the five loaves had not been miraculously multipHed. In short, it is plain that the hand of Him who made the world out of nothing was present on this occasion. None but He who at the first created aU things, and sent down manna in the desert, could thus have "spread a table in the wilderness." It becomes all true Christians to store up facts like these in their minds, and to remember them in time of need. "We live in the midst of an evil world, and see few with us, and many against us. We carry within us a weak heart, too ready at any moment to turn aside from the right way. We have near us, at every moment, a busy devil, watching continually for our halting, and seeking to lead us into temptation. Where shall we turn for comfort? What shall keep faith ahve, and preserve us from sinking in despair? — There is only one answer. We must look to Jesus. We must think on His almighty power, and His wonders of old time. We must call to mind how He can create food for His people out of nothing, and supply the wants of those who follow Him, even ia the wilderness. — And as we think these thoughts, we must remember that this Jesus still lives, never changes, and is on our side.
Let us observe, for another thing, in this passage, our Lord Jesus Christ's conduct, when tJie miracle of feeding the multitude Jiad been performed. We read, that "when He had sent them away. He departed into a mountain to pray."
■ There is something deeply instructive in this circumstance. Our Lord sought not the praise of man. After one of His gt-eatest miracles, we find Him immediately seeking soHtude, and spending Bjs time in prayer. He practised what He had taught elsewhere, when He said, "enter into thy closet, and shut thy door, and pray to thy Father which is in secret." None ever did such mighty works as He did. None ever spake such words. None ever was so instant in prayer.
"We cannot work miracles as He did; in this He stands. alone. But we can walk in His steps, in the matter of private devotion. If we have the Spirit of adoption, we can pray. Let us resolve to pray more than we have done hitherto. Let us strive to make time, and place, and opportunity for being alone with God. Above aU, let us not only pray, before we attempt to work for God, but pray also after our work is done.
It would be well for us all, if we examined ourselves more frequently as to our habits about private prayer. What time do we give to it in the twenty-four hours of the day? What progress can we mark, one year with another, in the fervency, fulness, and earnestness of our prayers? What do we know by experience, of "labouring fervently in prayer?" (Col. iv. 12.) These are humbling inquiries, but they are useful for our souls. There are few things, it may be feared, in which Christians come so far short of Christ's example, as they do in the matter of prayer. Our Master's strong crying and tears, — His continuing all night in prayer to God, — His frequent withdrawal to private places, to hold close communion with the Father, are things more talked of and admired than imitated. We live in an age of hurry, bustle, and so-called activity. Men are tempted continually to cut short their private devotions, and abridge their prayers. When this is the case, we need not wonder that the Church of Christ does little in proportion to its machinery. The Church must learn to copy its Head more closely. Its members must be more in their closets. "We have little," because little is asked. (James iv. 2.)
47 And when even was come, tlie 52 For they considered not the ship was in the midst of the sea, and miracle of the loaves: for their heart he alone on the land. was hardened.
48 And he saw them toiling in row- 53 And when they had passed over, ing; for the wind was contrary unto ' they came into the land of Gennesaret,
them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them. Be
54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew
65 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
56 And whithersoever he entered,
into villages, or cities, or country, of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid, j they laid the sick in the streets, and
51 And he went up unto them into \ besought him that thej- might touch the ship; and the wind ceased: and i if it were but the border of his garthey were sore amazed in themselves: ment: and as many as touched him beyond measure, and wondered. ' were made whole.
The event first recorded in these verses, is a beautiful emblem of the position of all believers, between the first and second advents of Jesus Christ. Like the disciples, we are now tossed to and fro by storms, and do not enjoy the visible presence of our Lord. Like the disciples, we shall see our Lord face to face again, though it may be a time of great extremity, when He returns. Like the disciples, we shall see all things changed for the better, when our Master comes to us. We shall no longer be buifeted by storms. There will be a great calm.
There is nothing fanciful in such an application of the passage. We need not doubt that there is a deep meaning in every step of His life, who was "God manifest in the flesh." For the present, however, let us confine ourselves to the plain, practical lessons which these verses contain.
Let us notice, in the first place, how our Lord sees the troubles of His believing people, and in due time will help them. We read that when " the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land," He "saw His disciples toiling in rowing," — came to them walking on the sea, — cheered them with the gracious words, "It is I, be not afraid," — and changed the storm into a calm.
There are thoughts of comfort here for all true believers. Wherever they may be, or whatsoever their circumstances, the Lord Jesus sees them. Alone, or in company, — in sickness or in health, — by sea or by land, — in perils in the city, — in perils in the wilderness, — the same eye which saw the disciples tossed on the lake, is ever looking at us. We are never beyond the reach of His care. Our way is never hid from Him. He knows the path that we take, and is still able to help. He may not come to our aid at the time we like best, but He will never allow us utterly to fail. He that walked upon the water never changes. He will always come at the right time to uphold His people. Though He tarry, let us wait patiently. Jesus sees us, and will not forsake us.
Let us notice, in the second place, (he fears of the dis- <npl<ts, when they first saw our Lord icalking upon the sea. We are told that "they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out. For they aU saw Him, and were afraid."
What a faithful picture of human nature we have in these words! How many thousands in the present day, if they had seen what the disciples saw, would have behaved in the same manner! How few, if they were ou board a ship, in a storm at midnight, and suddenly saw one walking on the water, and drawing near to the ship, — ^how few would preserve their composure, and be altogether free from fears! Let men laugh, if they please, at the superstitious fears of these unlearned disciples. Let them boast, if they like, of the march of intellect, and the spread of knowledge, in these latter times. There are few, we may confidently assert, who, placed in the same position as the apostles, would have shown more courage than they. The boldest sceptics have sometimes proved the greatest cowards, when appearances have been seen at night, which they could not explain.
The truth is, there is an instinctive feeling in all men, which makes them shrink from anything which seems to belong to another world. There is a consciousness which many try in vain to conceal by affected carelessness, that there are beings unseen, as well as seen, and that the life which we now live in the flesh, is not the only life in which man has a portion. The common stories about ghosts and apparitions, are undoubtedly foolish and superstitious. They are almost always traceable to the fears and imaginations of weak-minded people. Yet the universal currency which such stories obtain, all over the world, is a fact that deserves notice. It is an indirect evidence of latent behef in unseen things, just as counterfeit coin is an evidence that there is true money. It forms a peculiar testimony which the infidel would find it hard to explain away. It proves that there is something within men, which testifies of a world beyond the grave, and that when men feel it, they are afraid.
The plain duty of the true Christian is, to live provided with an antidote against all fears of the great unseen world. That antidote is faith in an unseen Saviour, and constant communion with Him. Armed with that antidote, and seeing Him who is invisible, nothing need make us afraid. "We travel on towards a world of spirits. We are surrounded even now by many dangers. But with Jesus for our Shepherd, we have no cause for alarm. With Him for our Shield, we are safe.
Let us notice, in the conclusion of the chapter, what a bright example we have of our duty to one another. We are told that when our Lord came into the land of Gennesaret, the people "ran through that whole region," and brought to Him in beds " those that were sick." We read that "whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him, that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment."
Let us see here a pattern for ourselves. Let us go and do Hkewise. Let us strive to bring all aroimd us who are in need of spiritual medicine, to Jesus the great Physician, that they may be healed. Souls are dying every day. Time is short. Opportunities are rapidly passing away. The night cometh when no man can work. Let us spare no pains in labouring to bring men and women to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, that they may be saved. It is a comfortable thought, that "as many as touch him will be made whole."
1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the Scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen hands, they found fault.
3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be,
■which they have received to hold, aa and many other such like thin«:9 ye do. the washing of cups, and pots, brasen 9 And he said unto them, Full well vessels, and of tables. ye reject the commandment of God,
5 Then the Pharisees and Scribes that ye may keep your own traditions, asked him. Why walk not thy disci- 10 For Moses said, Honour thy faples according to the tradition of the ther and thy mother; and. Whoso elders, but eat bread with unwashen curseth father or mother, let him die hands r i the death:
6 He answered and said unto them, • 11 But ye say. If a man shall say Well hath Esaias prophesied of you, to his father or mother, It is Corban, hj^pocrites, as it is -ttTitten, This people that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever honoureth me with their lips, but thou mightest be profited by me; A» their heart is far from me. \ shall be free.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship j 12 And ye sufifer him no more to do me, teaching for doctrines the com- ought for his father or his mother; mandments of men. 13 Making the word of God of none
8 For laying aside the command- effect through your tradition, which ment of God, ye hold the tradition of | ye have delivered: and many such men, as the washing of pots and cups: ' like things do ye.
This passage contains a humbling picture of what human nature is capable of doing in rehgion. It is one of those Scriptures which ought to be frequently and diligently studied by all who desire the prosperity of the Church of Christ.
The first thing, which demands our attention in these verses, is the loio and degraded condition of Jewish religion, when our Lord was upon earth. "What can be more deplorable than the statement now before us? We find the principal teachers of the Jewish nation finding fault, " because our Lord's disciples ate bread with unwashen hands! " We are told that they attached great importance to the " washing of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and tables! " In short, the man who paid most rigid attention to mere external observances of htmian invention was reckoned the holiest man!
The nation, be it remembered, in which this state of things existed, was the most highly favoured in the world. To it was given the law on Mount Sinai, the service of God, the priest-hood, the covenants, and the promises. Moses, and Samuel, and David, and the prophets, lived and died among its people. No nation upon earth ever had so many spiritual privileges. No nation ever misused its privileges so fearfully, and so thoroughly forsook its own mercies. Never did fine gold become so dim! From the religion of the books of Deuteronomy and Psalms, to the religion of washing hands, and pots, and cups, how great was the fall! No wonder that in the time of our Lord's earthly ministry. He found the people like sheep without a shepherd. External observances alone feed no consciences and sanctify no hearts.
Let the history of the Jewish church be a warning to us never to trifle with false doctrine. If we once tolerate it we never know how far it may go, or into what degraded state of reHgion we may at last fall. Once leave the King's highway of truth, and we may end with washing pots and cups, like Pharisees and Scribes. There is nothing too mean, trifling, or irrational for a man, if he once turns his back on Grod's word. There are branches of the Church of Christ at this day in which the Scriptures are never read, and the Gospel never preached, — branches in which the only religion now remaining consists in using a few unmeaning forms and keeping certain man-made fasts and feasts, — branches which began well, like the Jewish church, and like the Jewish church, have now fallen into utter barrenness and decay. We can never be too jealous about false doctrine. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Let us earnestly contend for the whole faith once delivered to the saints.*
The second tiling, that demands our attention, is the uselessness of mere lip-service in the worship of God. Our Lord enforces this lesson by a quotation from the Old Testament: " Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, This people honoureth me with their hps, but their heart is far from me."
The heart is the part of man which God chiefly notices in religion. The bowed head, and the bended knee, — the grave face and the rigid posture, — the regular response, and the formal amen, — all these together do not make up a spiritual worshipper. The eyes of God look further and deeper. He requires the worship of the heart. " My son," He says to every one of us, " Give me thy heart."
Let us remember this in the public congregation. It must not content us to take our bodies to Church, if we leave our hearts at home. The eye of man may detect no flaw in our service. Our minister may look at us with approbation. Our neighbours may think us patterns of
Pharisees appear at first sight, it is a humbling fact that the Pharisees have never wanted imitators and successors. Zeal about washing pots, and cups, and tables, may seem almost ludicrous, and worthy of none but children; but we need not look far to find an exact parallel near home. What can we say to the gravity and sei-iousness with which men argue on behalf of chasubles, albs, tunicles, piscinas, sedilia, credence-tables, rood-screens, and the like, in the present day? — What can we say to the exaggerated attention paid by many to ceremonies, ornaments, gestures, and postures, in the worship of God. about which it is enough to say that Scripture is totally silent? — What is it all but Pharisaism over again? What is it but a melancholy repetition of disproportioned zeal about men's traditional usages? What single argument can be used in defence of these things that the Pharisees might not have used with equal force? Eighteen hundred years have passed away, and yet the generation that made so much ado about washing pots, cups, and tables, is stiil amongst us. The succession of the Phai'isees has never ceased.
what a Christian ought to he. Our voice may he heard foremost in the praise and prayer. But it is all worse than nothing in God's sight, if our hearts are far away. It is only wood, hay, and stubhle before Him who discerns thoughts, and reads the secrets of the inward man.
Let us remember this in our private devotions. It must not satisfy us to say good words, if our heart and our lips do not go together. What does it profit us to be fluent and lengthy, if our imaginations are roving far away, while we are upon our knees? — It profits us nothing at all. God sees what we are about, and rejects our ofiering. Heart-prayers are the prayers He loves to hear. Heart-prayers are the only prayers that He will answer. Oui' petitions may be weak, and stammering, and mean in our eyes. They may be presented with no fine words, or well- chosen language, and might seem almost imintelligible, if they were written down. But if they come from a right heart, God understands them. Such prayers are His delight.
The last thing that demands our attention in these verses, is the tendency of man's inventions in religion to supplant God's word. Three times we find this charge brought forward by our Lord against the Pharisees. " Laying aside the commandments of God, ye hold the traditions of men." — " Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own traditions." — " Making the Word of God of none efiect through your traditions." — The first step of the Pharisees, was to add their traditions to the Scriptures, as useful supplements. The second was to place them on a level with the Word of God, and give them equal authority. The last was to honour them above the Scripture, and to degrade Scripture from its lawful position. This was the state of things which our Lord found when He was upon earth. Practically, the traditions of man were everything, and the Word of God was nothing at all. Obedience to the traditions constituted true religion. Obedience to the Scriptures was lost sight of altogether.
It is a mournful fact, that Christians have far too often walked in the steps of Pharisees in this matter. The very same process has taken place over and over again. The very same consequences have resulted. Religious observances of man's invention, have been pressed on the acceptance of Christians, — observances to all appearance useful, and at all events well-meant, but observances nowhere commanded in the word of God. These very observances have by and bye been enjoined with more vigour than God's own commandments, and defended with more zeal than the authority of God's own word. We need not look far for examples. The history of our own church will supply them.*
Let us beware of attempting to add any thing to the word of God, as necessary to salvation. It provokes
* The persecution of the Puritans in the time of the Stewarts, on account of canons and rubrics was, in too many cases, neither more nor less than zeal for traditions. An enormous amount of zeal was expended in enforcing conformity to the Church of England, while drunkenness, swearing, and open sin were comparatively let alone. Obedience to man-made ecclesiastical rules was required, on pain of fine or imprisonment, while open disobedience to God's ten commandments was overlooked. Experience supplies painful proof, that traditions once called into being are first called useful. Then they become necessary. At last they are too often made idols, and all must bow down to them, or be punished.
God to give us over to judicial blindness. It is as good as saying that His Bible is not perfect, and that we know better than He does what is necessary for man's salvation. It is just as easy to destroy the authority of God's word by addition as by subtraction, by burying it under man's inventions as by denying its truth. The whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, must be our rule of faith, — nothing added and nothing taken away. Finally, let us draw a broad Hne of distinction between those things in religion which have been devised by man, and those which are plainly commanded in God's word. What God commands is necessary to salvation. What man commands is not. What man devises may be useful and expedient for the times; but salvation does not hinge on obedience to it. What God requires is essential to life eternal. He that wilfully disobeys it ruins his own soul.*
* The subtle way in which the Pharisees evaded the requirements of the fifth commandment, to which oiur Lord refers in this j)assage, calls for a few words of explanation.
We must remember that the Pharisees did not openly deny the obligation of the fifth commandment. In all probability they professed to attach as much importance to it as any men. And yet they coutrived to make it void! How did they effect this?
They taught that a man might dedicate to God's service, as sacred, any part of his property wliich might be applied to the relief of his parents, and so discharge himself from any furtlier expense about them. He had only to say that all his money was "corban," — that is. given over to holy piu7)oses, — and no further claim could be made upon him for his father's or mother's support. Under pretence of giving God a prior claim, he set himself free from the burden of maintaining them for ever. He did not flatly deny his duty to minister of his worldly substance to his parents' necessities. But he evaded it by setting up a human tradition, and asserting a higher call of duty, even duty to God.
The likeness between the traditions and sophistries of the Pharisees, making void God's word under a pretended zeal for God's glory, and those of the Jesuits, and other advocates of the Roman
14 And when he had called all the I from without entereth into the man, people unto him, he said unto them, it cannot defile him;
Hearken unto me every one of you, ' 19 Because it entereth not into his and understand:! heart, but into the belly, and goeth
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
23 AU these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
16 If any man have ears to hear, let him bear.
17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
18 And he saith unto them, Are ye 80 without understanding also } Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing
We see in the beginning of this passage, how slow of understanding men are in spiritual things. "Hearken," says our Lord to the people, " hearken unto me everyone of you and understand." — " Are ye so without understanding?" He says to His disciples, — "Do ye not perceive? "
Catholic Church, is painfully striking. The following passage from an old commentator is worth reading:
" The Scriptures teach that there is no difference to he put between meats, in regard of holiness, hut that every creatui-e of God is good. This the Papists make void by teaching that it is matter of religion and conscience to abstain from flesh meats at ceilain seasons. — The Scripture teacheth that we should pray to God alone. This they make void by their manifold prayers to saints departed. — The Scripture teacheth Christ alone to be our mediator, both of redemption and intercession. This they make void by making saints intercessors. — The Scripture teacheth Christ to be the only head of the chm'ch. This they abrogate by their doctiine of the Pope's supremacy. — The Scripture teacheth that every soul should be subject to the higher power. This they abrogate by exempting the Pope and popish clergy from subjection to the civil power of princes and magistrates. — Lastly, to instance in the same kind as our Saviour here against the Pharisees, whereas the word of God commands children to honour their parents, the Papists teach that if the child have vowed a monastical life, he is exempted from duty to parents." — Fetter on St. Mark.
The corruption of human nature is an universal disease. It affects not only a man's heart, will, and conscience, hut his mind, memory, and understanding. The very same person who is quick and clever in worldly things, will often utterly fail to comprehend the simplest truths of Christianit}'. He will often be unable to take in the plainest reasonings of the Gospel. He will see no meaning in the clearest statements of evangelical doctrine. They will sound to him either foolish or mysterious. He will listen to them like one listening to a foreign language, catching a word here and there, but not seeing the drift of the whole. " The world by wisdom knows not God." (1 Cor. i. 21.) It hears, but does not understand.
"We must pray daily for the teaching of the Holy Ghost, if we would make progress in the knowledge of divine things. "Without Him, the mightiest intellect and the strongest reasoning powers wiU carry us but a little way. In reading the Bible and hearing sermons, everything depends on the spirit in which we read and hear. A humble, teachable, child-like frame of mind is the grand secret of success. Happy is he who often says with David, "Teach me thy statutes." (Psalm cxix. 64.) Such an one will imderstand as well as hear.
We see, in the second place, from this passage, that the heart is the chief source of defilement and impurity in God's sight. Moral purity does not depend on washing or not washing, — touching things or not touching them, — eating things or not eating them, as the Scribes and Pharisees taught. "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, these are they that defile the man."
There is a deep truth in these "w^ords which is frequently overlooked. Our original sinfulness and natural inclination to evil are seldom sufficiently considered. The wickedness of men is often attributed to bad examples, bad company, peculiar temptations, or the snares of the devil. It seems forgotten that every man carries within him a fountain of wickedness. We need no bad company to teach us, and no devil to tempt us, in order to run into sin. We have within us the beginning of every sin under heaven.
We ought to remember this in the training and education of children. In all our management we must never forget, that the seeds of all mischief and wickedness are in their hearts. It is not enough to keep boys and girls at home, and shut out every outward temptation. They carry within them a heart ready for any sin, and until that heart is changed they are not safe, whatever we do. When children do wrong, it is a common practice to lay all the blame on bad companions. But it is mere ignorance, blindness, and foolishness to do so. Bad companions are a great evil no doubt, and an evil to be avoided as much as possible. But no bad companion teaches a boy or girl half as much sin as their own hearts will suggest to them, unless they are renewed by the Spirit. The beginning of all wickedness is within. If parents were half as diligent in praying for their children's conversion, as they are in keeping them from bad company, their children would turn out far better than they do.*
*The common arguments against" public school " education, appear to me based on ibrgetfulness of our Lord's teaching about the
We see, in the last place, from this passage, what a black catalogue of evils the human heart contains. " Out of the heart of men," says our Lord, "proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within."
Let us distinctly understand, when we read these words, that our Lord is speaking of the human heart generally. He is not speaking only of the notorious profligate, or the prisoner in the jail. He is speaking of all mankind. All of us, whether high or low, rich or poor, masters or servants, old. or young, learned or unlearned,— all of us have by nature such a heart as Jesus here describes. The seeds of all the evils here mentioned lie hid within us all. They may lie dormant all our hves. They may be kept down by the fear of consequences, — the restraint of public opinion, — the dread of discovery, — the desire to be thought respectable, — and, above all, by the almighty grace of Grod. But every man has within him the root of every sin.
How humble we ought to be, when we read these verses! " We are all as an unclean thing " in God's heart. Unquestionably there are many evils in " public schools," however carefully conducted. It must needs be so. We must expect it. But it is no less true that there are great dangers in private education, and dangers in their kind quite as formidable as any which beset a boy at jiublic school. Of course no universal rule can be laid down. Regard must be had to individual character and temperament. But to suppose, as some seem to do, that boys educated at public schools must turn out ill, and boys educated at home must turn out well, is surely not wise. It is forgetting oiu: I>ord's doctrine, that the heart is the principal source of evil. Without a change of heart a boy may be kept at home, and yet learn all manner of sin.
sight. (Isai. Ixiv. 6.) He sees in each one of us countless evils, which the world never sees at all, for He reads our hearts. Surely of all sins to which we are liable, self-righteousness is the most unreasonable and unbecoming.
How thankful we ought to be for the Gospel, when we read these verses! That Gospel contains a complete provision for all the wants of our poor defiled natures. The blood of Christ can "cleanse us from all sin." The Holy Ghost can change even our sinful hearts, and keep them clean, when changed. The man that does not glory in the Gospel, can surely know little of the plague that is within him.
How watchful we ought to be, when we remember these verses! What a careful guard we ought to keep over our imaginations, our tongues, and our daily behaviour! At the head of the black list of our heart's contents, stand "evil thoughts." Let us never forget that. Thoughts are the parents of words and deeds. Let us pray daily for grace to keep our thoughts in order, and let us cry earnestly and fervently, " lead us not into temptation."
24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
25 For a certain woman, whose Toung daughter had an unclean spirit, lieard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thv daughter.
30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
We know nothing of the woman, who is here mentioned, beyond the facts that we here read. Her name, her former history, the way in which she was led to seek our Lord, though a Gentile, and dwelling in the borders of Tyre and Sidon, — all these things are hidden from us. But the few facts that are related about this woman are full of precious instruction. Let us observe them, and learn wisdom.
In the first place, this passage is meant to encourage us to pray for otJiers. The woman who came to our Lord, in the history now before us, must doubtless have been in deep affliction. She saw a beloved child possessed by an unclean spirit. She saw her in a condition in which no teaching could reach the mind, and no medicine could heal the body, — a condition only one degree better than death itself. She hears of Jesus, and beseeches Him to " cast forth the devil out of her daughter." She prays for one who could not pray for herself, and never rests till her prayer is granted. By prayer she obtains the cure which no human means could obtain. Through the prayer of the mother, the daughter is healed. On her own behalf that daughter did not speak a word; but her mother spoke for her to the Lord, and did not speak in vain. Hopeless and desperate as her case appeared, she had a praying mother, and where there is a praying mother there is always hope.
The truth here taught is one of deep importance. The case here recorded is one that does not stand alone. Few duties are so strongly recommended by Scriptural example, as the duty of intercessory prayer. There is a long catalogue of instances in Scripture, which show the benefits that may be conferred on others by praying for them. The nobleman's son at Capernaum, — the centurion's servant, — ^the daughter of Jairus, are all striking examples. "Wonderful as it may seem, God is pleased to do great things for souls, when friends and relations are moved to pray for them. " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James v. 16.)
Fathers and mothers are especially bound to remember the case of this woman. They cannot give their children new hearts. They can give them Christian education, and show them the way of life; but they cannot give them a will to choose Christ's service, and a mind to love God. Yet there is one thing they can always do; — they can pray for them. They can pray for the conversion of profligate sons, who will have their own way, and run greedily into sin. They can pray for the conversion of worldly daughters, who set their affections on things below, and love pleasure more than God. Such prayers are heard on high. Such prayers will often bring down blessings. Never, never let us forget that the children for whom many prayers have been offered, seldom finally perish. Let us pray more for our sons and daughters. Even when they will not let us speak to them about religion, they cannot prevent us speaking for them to God.
In the second place, this passage is meant to teach tis to persevere in praying for others. The woman whose history we are now reading, appeared at first to obtain nothing by her application to our Lord. On the contrary, our Lord's reply was discouraging. Yet she did not give up in despair. She prayed on, and did not faint
She pressed her suit with ingenious arguments. She would take no refusal. She pleaded for a few "crumbs" of mercy, rather than none at all. And through this holy importunity she succeeded. She heard at last these joyful words: "For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter."
Perseverance in prayer is a point of great moment. Our hearts are apt to become cool and indifferent, and to think that it is no use to draw near to God. Our hands soon hang down, and our knees wax faint. Satan is ever labouring to draw us off from our prayers, and filling our minds with reasons why we may give them up. — These things are true with respect to all prayers, but they are especially true with respect to intercessory prayer. It is always far more meagre than it ought to be. It is often attempted for a little season, and then left off. "We see no immediate answer to our prayers. "We see the persons for whose souls we pray, going on still in sin. "We draw the conclusion that it is useless to pray for them, and allow our intercession to come to an end.
In order to arm our minds with arguments for perseverance in intercessory prayer, let us oftea study the case of this woman. Let us remember how she prayed on and did not faint, in the face of great discouragement. Let us mark how at last she went home rejoicing, and let us resolve, by God's grace, to follow her example.
Do we know what it is to pray for ourselves? This, after all, is the first question for self-inquiry. The man who never speaks to God about his own soul, can know nothing of praying for others. He is as yet
Godless, Cliristless, and hopeless, and has to learn the very rudiments of religion. Let him awake, and call upon God.
But do we pray for ourselves? Then let us take heed that we pray for others also. Let us beware of selfish prayers, — ^prayers which are wholly taken up with our own affairs, and in which there is no place for other souls beside our own. Let us name all whom we love before God continually. Let us pray for all, — the worst, the hardest, and the most unbelieving. Let us continue praying for them year after year, in spite of their continued unbelief. God's time of mercy may be a distant one. Our eyes may not see an answer to our intercessions. The answer may not come for ten, fifteen, or twenty years. It may not come tiU we have exchanged prayer for praise, and are far away from this world. But while we Hve, let us pray for others. It is the greatest kindness we can do to any one, to speak for him to our Lord Jesus Christ. The day of judgment will show that one of the greatest links in drawing some souls to God, has been the intercessory prayer of friends.
31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into
sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is. Be opened.
35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
37 And were bevond measure aston-
his ears, and he spit, and touched his ished, sapng, He hath done all things tongue; well: he matketh both the deaf to hear,
34 And looking up to heaven, he and the dumb to speak.
The first tliiiig tliat demands our notice in these verses, is the mighty miracle which is here recorded. We read that they brought unto our Lord "one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech," and besought h^m that He would "put His hand upon Him." At once the petition is granted, and the cure is wrought. Speech and hearing are instantaneously given to the man by a word and a touch. "Straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain."
We see but half the instruction of this passage, if we only regard it as an example of our Lord's divine power. It is such an example, beyond doubt, but it is something more than that. We must look further, deeper, and lower than the surface, and we shall fijid in the passage precious spiritual truths.
Here we are meant to see our Lord's power to heal the spiritually deaf. He can give the chief of sinners a hearing ear. He can make him delight in listening to the very Gospel which he once ridiciiled and despised.
Here also we are meant to see our Lord's power to heal the spiritually dumb. He can teach the hardest of transgressors to call upon God. He can put a new song in the mouth of him whose talk was once only of this world. He can make the vilest of men speak of spiritual things, and testify the Gospel of the grace of God.
When Jesus pours forth His Spirit, nothing is impossible. We must never despair of others. We must never regard our own hearts as too bad to be changed. He that healed the deaf and dumb still lives. The cases which moral philosophy pronounces hopeless, are not incurable if they are brought to Christ.
The second thing which demands our notice in these verses, is the peculiar manner in which our Lord thought good to work the miracle here recorded. We are told that when the deaf and dumb person was brought to Jesus, **He took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed," — and then, and not till then, came the words of commanding power, " Ephphatha, that is, be opened."
There is undoubtedly much that is mysterious in these actions. We know not why they were used. It would have been as easy to our Lord to speak the word, and command health to return at once, as to do what He here did. His reasons for the course He adopted are not recorded. We only know that the result was the same as on other occasions; — the man was cured.
But there is one simple lesson to be learned from our Lord's conduct on this occasion. That lesson is, that Christ was not tied to the use of any one means in doing His works among men. Sometimes He thought fit to work in one way, sometimes in another. His enemies were never able to say, that unless He employed certain invariable agency He could not work at aU.
We see the same thing going on still in the Church of Christ. We see continual proof that the Lord is not tied to the use of any one means exclusively in conveying grace to the soul. Sometimes He is pleased to work by the word preached publicly, sometimes by the word read privately. Sometimes He awakens people by sickness and affliction, sometimes by the rebukes or counsel of friends. Sometimes He employs means of race to turn people out of the way of sin. Sometimes He arrests their attention by some providence, without any means of grace at all. He will not have any means of grace made an idol and exalted, to the disparagement of other means. He will not have any means despised as useless, and neglected as of no value. All are good and valuable. AU are in their turn employed for the same great end, the conversion of souls. All are in the hands of Him who "giveth not account of His matters," and knows best which to use, in each separate case that He heals.
The last thing which demands our notice in these verses, is the remarkable testimony which was borne hy those who saw the miracle here recorded. They said of our Lord, " He hath done all things well! "
It is more than probable that those who said these words were little sensible of their full meaning, when applied to Christ. Like Caiaphas, they " spoke not of themselves." (John xi. 51.) But the truth to which they gave utterance is full of deep and unspeakable comfort, and ought to be daily remembered by all true Christians.
Let us remember it as we look back over the days past of our lives, from the hour of our conversion. "Our Lord hath done all things well." In first bringing us out of darkness into marvellous light, — in humbling us and teaching us our weakness, guUt, and folly, — ^in stripping us of our idols, and choosing aU our portions, — in placing us where we are, and giving us what we have, — how well everything has been done! How great the mercy that we have not had our own way!
Let US remember it as we look forward to the days yet to come. We know not what they may be, bright or dark, many or few. But we know that we are in the hands of Him who "doeth aJl things well." He will not err in any of his dealings with us. He will take away and give, — He wiU afflict and bereave, — He will move and He will settle, with perfect wisdom, at the right time, in the right way. The great Shepherd of the sheep makes no mistakes. He leads every lamb of His flock by the right way to the city of habitation.
"We shall never see the full beauty of these words till the resurrection morning. We shall then look back over our lives, and know the meaning of everything that happened from first to last. We shall remember all the way by which we were led, and confess that all was "well done." The why and the wherefore, the causes and the reasons of every thing which now perplexes, wiU be clear and plaia as the sun at noon-day. We shall wonder at our own past blindness, and marvel that we could ever have doubted our Lord's love. " Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then shall we know even as we are known." * (1 Cor. xiii. 13.)
* The reason why our I^ord made use of the previous actions recorded in this miracle, — spitting, looking up to heaven, and sighing, — is a question that has often perjjlexed commentators. Some observations of Luther, quoted by Stier, are worth reading:
" This sigh was not drawn from Christ on account of the single tongue and ear of this poor man; but it is a common sigh over all tongues and ears, yea over all hearts, bodies, and souls, and over all men from Adam to his last descendant."
" Our beloved Lord saw well what an amount of suffering and sorrow woxild be occasioned by tongues and ears. For the greatest
1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
3 And if I send them away fasting, to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness }
5 And he asked them. How many loaves have ye } And they said. Seven.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them,.
8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to (question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you. There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
Once more we see our Lord feeding a great irmltitude with a few loaves and fishes. He knew the heart of man. He foresaw the rise of cavillers and sceptics, who would question the reaHty of the wonderful works He performed. By repeating the mighty miracle here recorded. He stops the mouth of all who are not wilfully blind to evidence. PubHcly, and before four thousand witnesses, He shows His almighty power a second time.
Let us observe in this passage how great is the kindness and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. He saw around Him a " very great multitude," who had nothing to eat. He knew that the great majority were following
mischief which has been inflicted on Christianity, has not arisen from tyrants, (with persecution, murder, and pride against the word,) but from that little bit of flesh which abides between the jaws. Tliis it is that inflicts the greatest injury upon the kingdom of God."
Him from no other motive than idle curiosity, and had no claim whatever to be regarded as His disciples. Yet when He saw them hungry and destitute, He pitied them: — " I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat."
The feeling heart of our Lord Jesus Christ appears in these words. He has compassion even on those who are not His people, — the faithless, the graceless, the followers of this world. He feels tenderly for them, though they know it not. He died for them, though they care little for what He did on the cross. He would receive them graciously, and pardon them freely, if they would only repent and believe on Him. Let us ever beware of measuring the love of Christ by any human measure. He has a special love, beyond doubt, for His own believing people. But He has also a general love of compassion, even for the unthankful and the evil. His love " passeth knowledge." (Ephes. iii. 19.)
Let us strive to make Jesus our pattern in this, as well as in everything else. Let us be kind, and compassionate, and pitiful, and courteous to all men. Let us be ready to do good to all men, and not only to friends and the household of faith. Let us carry into practice our Lord's injunction, " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you." (Matt. v. 44.) This is to show the mind of Christ. This is the right way to heap coals of fire on an enemy's head, and •to melt foes into friends. (Rom. xii. 20.)
Let us observe, in the second place, from this passage, that with Christ nothing is impossible. The disciples said,
" from whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? " They might well say so. Without the hand of Him who first made the world out of nothing, the thing could not be. But in the almighty hands of Jesus seven loaves and a few fishes were made sufficient to satisfy four thousand men. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.
We must never allow ourselves to doubt Christ's power to supply the spiritual wants of all His people. He has " bread enough and to spare" for every soul that trusts in Him. Weak, infirm, corrupt, empty as believers feel themselves, let them never despair, while Jesus lives. In Him there is a boundless store of mercy and grace, laid up for the use of all His beheving members, and ready to be bestowed on all who ask in prayer. "It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell." (Coloss.i. 19.)
Let us never doubt Christ's providential care for the temporal wants of all His people. He knows their circumstances. He is acquainted with all their necessities. He will never allow them to lack anything that is really for their good. His heart is not changed since He ascended up on high, and sat down on the right hand of God. He still lives who had compassion on the hungry crowd in the wilderness, and supplied their need. How much more, may we suppose, will He supply the need of those who trust Him? He will supply them without fail. Their faith may occasionally be tried. They may sometimes be kept waiting, and be brought very low. But the believer shall never be left entirely destitute. ** Bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure.'* (Isaiah xxxiii. 16.)
Let US observe, in the last place, hoio much sorrow unbelief occasions to our Lord Jesus Christ. We are told that when " the Pharisees began to question with Him, seeking of Him a sign from heaven, tempting Him, He sighed deeply in His spirit." There was a deep meaning in that sigh! It came from a heart which mourned over the ruin that these wicked men were bringing on their own souls. Enemies as they were, Jesus could not behold them hardening themselves in unbehef without sorrow.
The feeling which our Lord Jesus Christ here expressed,- will always be the feeling of all true Christians. Grief over the sins of others is one leading evidence of true grace. The man. who is really converted, will always regard the unconverted with pity and concern. This was the mind of David: " I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved." (Psahn cxix. 158.) This was the mind of the godly in the days of Ezekiel: " They sighed and cried for the abominations done in the land." (Ezek. ix. 4.) This was the mind of Lot: " He vexed his righteous soul with the unlawful deeds" of those around him. (2 Peter ii. 8.) This was the mind of Paul: "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow for my brethren." (Rom. be. 2.) In all these cases we see something of the mind of Christ. As the great Head feels, so feel the members. They all grieve when they see sin.
Let us leave the passage with solemn self-inquiry. Do we know anything of likeness to Christ, and fellow-feeling with Him? Do we feel hurt, and pained, and sorrowful, when we see men continuing in sin and unbelief? Do we feel grieved and concerned about the state of the unconverted? These are heart-searching questions, and demand serious consideration. There are few surer marks of an unconverted heart, than carelessness and indifference about the souls of others.
Finally, let us never forget that unbelief and sin are just as great a cause of grief to our Lord now, as they were eighteen hundred years ago. Let us strive and pray that we may not add to that grief by any act or deed of ours. The sin of grieving Christ is one which many commit continually without thought or reflection. He that sighed over the unbelief of the Pharisees is still imchanged. Can we doubt that when He sees some persisting in unbelief at the present day. He is grieved? From such sin may we be delivered!
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the Bhip with them more than one loaf.
15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.
17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye
18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him. Twelve.
20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
21 And he said unto them. How is it that ye do not understand }
Let us notice the solemn teaming which our Lord gives to His disciples at the beginning of this passage. He says, "take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod."
We are not left to conjecture the meaning of this warning. This is made clear by the parallel passage in St. Matthew's Gospel. We there read that Jesus did not mean the leaven of " bread," but the leaven of "doctrine." The self- righteousness and formalism of the Pharisees, — the worldliness and scepticism of the courtiers of Herod, were the objects of our Lord's caution. Against both He bids His disciples be on their guard.
Such warnings are of deep importance. It would be well for the Church of Christ, if they had been more remembered. The assaults of persecution from without have never done half so much harm to the Church, as the rise of false doctrines within. False prophets and false teachers within the camp have done far more mischief in Christendom than all the bloody persecutions of the emperors of E-ome. — The sword of the foe has never done such damage to the cause of truth as the tongue and the pen.
The doctrines which our Lord specify, are precisely those which have always been found to inflict most injury on the cause of Christianity. Formalism on the one hand, and scepticism on the other, have been chronic diseases in the professing Church of Christ. In every age multitudes of Christians have been infected by them. In every age men need to watch against them, and be on their guard.
The expression used by our Lord in speaking of false doctrine is singularly forcible and appropriate. He calls it "leaven." No word more suitable could have been employed. It exactly describes the small beginnings of false doctrine, — the subtle quiet way in which it insensibly pervades a man's religion, — the deadly power witli whicli it changes the whole character of his Christianity. Here, in fact, lies the great danger of false doctrine. If it approached us under its true colours, it would do little harm. The great secret of its success is its subtlety and likeness to truth. Every error in religion has been said to be a truth abused.
Let us often "examine ourselves whether we be in the faith," and beware of " leaven." Let us no more trifle with a little false doctrine, than we would trifle with a little immorality or a Httle lie. Once admit it into our hearts, and we never know how far it may lead us astray. The beginning of departure from the pure truth is like the letting out of waters, — first a drop, and at last a torrent. A Httle leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (Gal. V. 9.)
Let us notice the dull understanding of the disciples, when our Lord gave the warning of this passage. They thought that the "leaven" of which He spoke must be the leaven of bread. It never struck them that He was speaking of doctrine. They drew from Him the sharp reproof: "Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? How is it that ye do not understand? " Believers, converted, renewed, as the disciples were, they were still dull of apprehension in spiritual things. Their eyes were still dim, and their perception slow in the matters of the kingdom of God.
"We shall find it useful to ourselves to remember what is here recorded of the disciples. It may help to correct the high thoughts which we are apt to entertain of our own wisdom, and to keep us humble and lowly-minded.
"We must not fancy that we know everything as soon as we are converted. Our knowledge, like aU. our graces, is always imperfect, and never so far from perfection as at our first beginning in the service of Christ. There is more ignorance in our hearts than we are at all aware of. " If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." (1 Cor. vui. 2.) Above all, we shall find it useful to remember what is here recorded, in dealing with young Christians. We must not expect perfection in a new convert. We must not set him down as graceless and godless and a false professor, because at first he sees but half the truth and commits many mistakes. His heart may be right in the sight of God, and yet, like the disciples, he may be very slow of understanding in the things of the Spirit. We must bear with him patiently, and not cast him aside. We must give him time to grow in grace and knowledge, and his latter end may find him ripe in wisdom, like Peter and John. It is a blessed thought that Jesus, our Master in heaven, despises none of His people. Marvellous and blameworthy as their slowness to learn undoubtedly is, His patience never gives way. He goes on teaching them, "line upon Une, precept upon precept." Let us do likewise. Let it be a rule with us never to despise the weakness and dulness of young Christians. Wherever we see a spark of true grace, however dim and mixed with infirmity, let us be helpful and kind. Let us do as we would be done by.
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; I and besought him to touch him. and they bring a blind man unto him, I 23 And he took the blind man by
the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
25 After that he put Aw hands again
upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, sajdng. Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
We do not know the reason of the peculiar means employed by our Lord Jesus Christ, in working the miracle recorded in these verses. "We see a blind man miraculously healed. We know that a word from our Lord's mouth, or a touch of His hand would have been sufficient to effect a cure. But we see Jesus taking this blind man by the hand, — ^leading him out of the town, — spitting on his eyes, — ^putting His hands on him, and then, and not till then, restoring his sight. And the meaning of aU these actions, the passage before us leaves entirely unexplained.
But it is well to remember, in reading passages of this kind, that the Lord is not tied to the use of any one means, Li the conversion of men's souls there are diversities of operation, but it is the same Spirit which converts. So also in the heaHng of men's bodies there were varieties of agency employed by our Lord, but it was the same divine power that effected the core. In all His works God is a sovereign. He giveth not account of any of His matters.
One thing in the passage demands our special observation. That thing is the gradual nature of the cure, which our Lord performed on this blind man. He did not deliver him from his blindness at once, but by degrees. He might have done it in a moment, but He chose to do it step by step. First the blind man said that he only saw " men as trees -walking." Afterwards his eyesight was restored completely, and he " saw every man clearly." In this respect the miracle stands entirely alone.
"We need hardly doubt that this gradual cure was meant to be an emblem of spiritual things. "We may be sure that there was a deep meaning in every word and work of our Lord's earthly ministry, and here, as in other places, we shall find a useful lesson.
Let us see then in this gradual restoration to sight, a vivid illustration of the manner in which the Spirit frequently works in the conversion of souk. We are all naturally blind and ignorant in the matters which concern our souls. Conversion is an illumination, a change from darkness to light, from blindness to seeing the kingdom of God. Yet few converted people see things distinctly at first. The nature and proportion of doctrines, practices, and ordinances of the Gospel are dimly seen by them, and imperfectly understood. They are like the man before us, who at first saw men as trees walking. Their vision is dazzled and unaccustomed to the new world into which they have been introduced. It is not tUl the work of the Spirit has become deeper and their experience been somewhat matured, that they see all things clearly, and give to each part of religion its proper place. This is the history of thousands of God's children. They begin with seeing men as trees walking, — they end with seeing all clearly. Happy is he who has learned this lesson well, and is himible and distrustful of his own judgment.
man, a striking picture of the present position of Christ's believing people in the world, compared with that which is to come. We see in part and know in part in the present dispensation. We are like those that travel by night. We know not the meaning of much that is passing around us. In the providential dealings of God with His children, and in the conduct of many of God's saints, we see much that we cannot understand, — and cannot alter. In short, we are like him that saw "men as trees walking."
But let us look forward and take comfort. The time comes when we shall see all "clearly." The night is far spent. The day is at hand. Let us be content to wait, and watch, and work, and pray. When the day of the Lord comes, our spiritual eye-sight will be perfected. We shall see as we have been seen, and know as we have been known.
27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Csesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others. One of the prophets.
29 And he saith unto them. But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
30 And he charged them that they flhould tell no man of him.
31 And he began to teach them,
that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and o/'the Chief Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, and ».fter three days rise again.
32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and oegan to rebuke him.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saving. Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
The circumstances here recorded are of great importance. They took place during a journey, and arose out of a conversation " by the way." Happy are those journeys, in which time is not wasted on trill es, but redeemed as far as possible for the consideration of serious things.
Let us observe the variety of opinions about Christ, which prevailed among the Jews. Some said that he was John the Baptist, — some Elias, — and others one of the prophets. In short every kind of opinion appears to have been current, excepting that one which was true.
We may see the same thing on every side at the present day. Christ and his Gospel are just as little imderstood in reality, and are the subject of just as many different opinions as they were eighteen hundred years ago. Many know the name of Christ, acknowledge Him as one who came into the world to save sinners, and regularly worship in buildings set apart for His service. Few thoroughly realize that He is very God, — the one Mediator, — the one High Priest, — the only soijrce of life and peace, — their own Shepherd and their own Friend. Vague ideas about Christ are still very common. Intelligent experimental acquaintance with Christ is still very rare. May we never rest till we can say of Christ, " My beloved is mine and I am His." (Cant. ii. 16.) This is saving knowledge. This is life eternal.
Let us observe the good confession of faith which the apostle Peter witnessed. He replied to our Lord's question, " Whom say ye that I am? " " Thou art the Christ."
This was a noble answer, when the circumstances under which it was made are duly considered. It was made when Jesus was poor in condition, without honour, majesty, wealth, or power. It was made when the heads of tlie Jewish, nation, both in church and state, refused to receive Jesus as the Messiah. Yet even then Simon Peter says, " Thou art the Christ." His strong faith was not stumbled by our Lord's poverty and low estate. His confidence was not shaken by the opposition of Scribes and Pharisees, and the contempt of rulers and priests. None of these things moved Simon Peter. He believed that He whom he followed, Jesus of Nazareth, was the promised Saviour, the true Prophet greater than Moses, the long-predicted Messiah. He declared it boldly and unhesitatingly, as the creed of himself and his few companions: " Thou art the Christ."
There is much that we may profitably learn from Peter's conduct on this occasion. Erring and unstable as he sometimes was, — the faith he exhibited in the passage now before us is well worthy of imitation. Such bold confessions as his, are the truest evidence of living faith, and are required in every age, if men will prove themselves to be Christ's disciples. We too must be ready to confess Christ, even as Peter did. We shall never find our Master and His doctrine popular. We must be prepared to confess Him, with few on our side, and many against xis. But let us take courage and walk in Peter's steps, and we shall not fail of receiving Peter's reward. Jesus takes notice of those who confess Him before men, and will one day confess them as His servants before an assembled world.
Let us observe the full declaration which our Lord makes of His own coming death and resurrection. We read that " He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."
The events here announced must have sounded strange to the disciples. To be told that their beloved Master, after all His mighty works, would soon be put to death, must have been heavy tidings and past their understanding. But the words which convey the announcement are scarcely less remarkable than the event; — " He miist suffer, — He must be killed, — He must rise again."
Why did our Lord say " must? " Did He mean that He was unable to escape suffering, — that He must die by compulsion of a stronger power than His own? Impossible. This could not have been His meaning. — Did He mean that He must needs die to give a great example to the world of self-sacrifice and self-denial, and that this, and this alone, made His death necessary? Once more it may be replied, " Impossible." — There is a far deeper meaning in the word " must " suffer and be killed. He meant that His death and passion were necessary in order to make atonement for man's sin. "Without shedding His blood, there could be no remission. Without the sacrifice of His body on the cross, there could be no satisfaction to God's holy law. He " must " suffer to make reconciliation for iniquity. He "must" die, because without His death as a propitiatory offering, sinners could never have life. He "must" suffer, becaiise without His vicarious sufferings, our sins could never be taken away. In a word. He "must" be delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.