Here is the centre truth of the Bible. Let us never forget that. All other truths compared to this are of secondary importance. Whatever views we hold of religions truth, let us see that we have a firm grasp upon the atoning efficacy of Christ's death. Let the truth so often proclaimed by our Lord to His disciples, and so diligently taught by the disciples to the world, be the foundation truth in our Christianity. In life and in death, in health and in sickness, let us lean all our weight on this mighty fact, — that though we have sinned Christ hath died for sinners, — and that though we deserve nothing, Christ hath suffered on the cross for us, and by that suffering purchased heaven for all that believe in Him.
Finally, let us observe in this passage the strange mixture of grace and infirmity which may he found in the heart of a true Christian. "We see that very Peter who had just witnessed so noble a confession, presuming to rebuke his Master because He spoke of suffering and d)dng. We see Him drawing down on Himself the sharpest rebuke which ever fell from our Lord's lips during His earthly ministry: — " Get thee behind me, Satan: thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of man."
We have here a humbling proof that the best of saints is a poor fallible creature. — Here was ignorance in Simon Peter. He did not understand the necessity of our Lord's death, and would have actually prevented His sacrifice on the cross. — Here was self-conceit in Simon Peter. He thought he knew what was right and fitting for his Master better than his Master himself, and actually imdertook to show the Messiah a more excellent way. — And last, but not least, Simon Peter did it all with the best intentions! He meant well. His motives were pure. But zeal and earnestness are no excuse for error. A man may mean well and yet fall into tremendous mistakes.
Let us learn humility from the facts here recorded. Let us beware of being puifed up with our own spiritual attainments, or exalted by the praise of others. Let us never think that we know everything and are not likely to err. We see that it is but a Kttle step from making a good confession to being a "Satan" in Christ's way. Let us pray daily, "Hold thou me up, — ^keep me, — teach me, — ^let me not err."
Lastly, let us learn charity towards others from the facts here recorded. Let us not be in a hurry to cast off our brother as graceless because of errors and mistakes. Let us remember that his heart may be right in the sight of God, like Peter's, though Kke Peter he may for a time turn aside. Rather let us call to mind St. Paul's advice and act upon it. " If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Gal. vi. 1.)
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever wiU come after me, let him deny himself, and take up Ms cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul }
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
The words of our Lord Jesus Christ in this passage are peculiarly weighty and solemn. They were spoken to correct the mistaken views of His disciples, as to the nature of His kingdom. But they contain truths of the deepest importance to Christians ia every age of the Church. The whole passage is one which should often form the subject of private meditation.
We learn, for one thing, from these verses, the absolute necessity of self-denial, if we icould he Christ's disciples, and be saved. What saith our Lord? "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and foUow me."
Salvation is undoubtedly all of grace. It is offered freely in the Gospel to the chief of sinners, without money and without price. "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephes. ii. 8, 9.) But all who accept this great salvation, must prove the reality of their faith by carrying the cross after Christ. They must not think to enter heaven without trouble, pain, suffering, and conflict on earth. They must be content to take up the cross of doctrine, and the cross of practice, — the cross of holding a faith which the world despises, and the cross of living a life which the world ridicules as too strict and righteous overmuch. They must be willing to crucify the flesh, to mortify the deeds of the body, to fight daily with the devil, to come out from the world, and to lose their Hves, if needful, for Christ's sake and the Gospel's. — These are hard sayings, but they admit of no evasion. The words of our Lord are plain and unmistakeable. If we will not carry the cross, we shall never wear the crown.
Let us not be deterred froin Christ's service by fear of the cross. Heavy as that cross may seem, Jesus will give us grace to bear it. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. iv. 13.) Thousands and tens of thousands have borne it before us, and have found Christ's yoke easy, and Christ's burden light. No good thiag on earth was ever attained without trouble. We cannot surely expect that without trouble we can enter the kingdom of God. Let us go forward boldly, and allow no difficulty to keep us back. The cross by the way is but for a few years. The glory at the end is for evermore.
Let us often ask ourselves whether our Christianity costs us anything? Does it entail any sacrifice? Has it the true stamp of heaven? Does it carry with it any cross? — If not, we may well tremble and be afraid. We have everything to learn. A religion which costs nothing, is worth nothing. It will do us no good in the life that now is. It will lead to no salvation in the life to come.
We learn, for another thing, from these verses, the unspeakable value of the soul. What saith our Lord? "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? " These words were meant to stir us up to exertion and self-denial. They ought to ring in our ears like a trumpet, every morning when we rise from our beds, and every night when we lie down. May they be deeply graven in our memories, and never effaced by the devil and the world!
We have all souls that will live for evermore. Whether we know it or not, we all carry about with us something which will live on when our bodies are moul- dermg In the grave. We have all souls, for which we shall have to give account to God. It is an awful thought, when we consider how little attention most men give to anything except this world. But it is true.
Any man may lose his own soul. He cannot save it: Christ alone can do that. But he can lose it, and that in many different ways. He may murder it, hy loving sin and cleaving to the world. — He may poison it by choosing a rehgion of lies, and beheving man-made superstitions. — He may starve it, by neglecting all means of grace, and refusing to receive into his heart the Gospel. — Many are the ways that lead to the pit. Whatever way a man takes, he, and he alone, is accountable for it. Weak, corrupt, fallen, impotent as human nature is, man has a mighty power of destroying, ruining, and losing his own soul.
The whole world cannot make up to a man the loss of his soul. The possession of all the treasures that the world contains, would not compensate for eternal ruin. They would not satisfy us, and make us happy while we had them. They could only be enjoyed for a few years, at best, and must then be left for evermore. Of aU unprofitable and foolish bargains that man cart make, the worst is that of giving up his soul's salvation for the sake of this present world. It is a bargain of which thousands, like Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, have repented, — ^but many, unhappily, like Esau, have repented too late.
Let these sayings of our Lord sink deep into our hearts. Words are inadequate to express their importance. May we remember them in the hour of temptation, when the soul seems a small and unimportant thing, and the world seems very bright and great. May we remember them in the hour of persecution, when we are tried by the fear of man, and half inclined to forsake Christ. In hours like these, let us call to mind this mighty question of our Lord, and repeat it to ourselves, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? " We learn, in the last place, from these verses, the great danger of being ashamed of Christ. What saith our Lord? "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
When can it be said of any one, that he is ashamed of Christ? We are guilty of it, when we are ashamed of letting people see that we believe and love the doctrines of Christ, that we desire to live according to the commandment of Christ, and that we wish to be reckoned among the people of Christ. Christ's doctrine, laws, and people were never popular, and never will be. The man who boldly confesses that he loves them, is sure to bring on himself ridicule and persecution. Whosoever shrinks from this confession from fear of this ridicule and persecution, is ashamed of Christ, and comes under the sentence of the passage before us.
Perhaps there are few of our Lord's sayings which are more condemning than this. "The fear of man" does indeed " bring a snare." (Prov, xxix. 25.) There are thousands of men who would face a lion, or storm a breach, if duty called them, and fear nothing, — and yet would be ashamed of being thought "religious," — and would not dare to avow that they desired to please Christ rather than man. "Wonderful indeed is the power of ridicule! Marvellous is the bondage in which men live to the opinion of the world!
Let us all pray daUy for faith and courage to confess Christ before men. Of sin, or worldliness, or unbelief, we may well be ashamed. "We ought never to be ashamed of Him who died for us on the cross. In spite of laughter, mockery, and hard words, let us boldly avow that we serve Christ. Let us often look forward to the day of His second coming, and remember what He says in this place. Better a thousand times confess Christ now, and be despised by man, than be disowned by Christ before His Father in the day of judgment.
1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
2 And after six days Jesus taketh vsit/i him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
3 And liis raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore a&aid.
7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out »f thi cloud, saying, This is my be-
8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only ^vith themselves.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man was risen from the dead.
10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
11 And they asked him, saying. Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come?
12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must sufler many things, and be set at nought.
13 But I say unto you. That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
The connection of this passage witli the end of the last chapter ought never to be overlooked. Our Lord had been speaking of His own coming death and passion,— of the necessity of self-denial, if men would be His disciples, —of the need of losing our lives, if we would have them saved. — But in the same breath He goes on to speak of His futiire kingdom and glory. He takes off the edge of His "hard sayings," by promising a sight of that glory to some of those who heard Him. And in the history of the transfiguration, which is here recorded, we see that promise fulfilled.
The first thing which demands our notice in these verses, is the marvellous vision they contain of the glory which Christ and His people shall ham at His second coming.
There can be no doubt that this was one of the principal purposes of the transfiguration. It was meant to teach the disciples, that though their Lord was lowly and poor in appearance now. He would one day appear in such royal majesty as became the Son of God. It was meant to teach them, that when their Master came the second time, His saints, like Moses and Elias, would appear with Him. It was meant to remind them, that though reviled and persecuted now, because they belonged to Christ, they would one day be clothed with honour, and be partakers of their Master's glory.*
* The analogy between tlie glory assumed by our Lord at His transfiguration, and the glory which the saints shall receive at His resurrection, is well pointed out by Victor Antiochenus in a passage quoted by Du Veil. He says, "We must not suppose
that there is to be any change of the natural foi-ra of man in the kingdom of heaven. For as the appearance of Christ was not in
We have reason to thank God for this vision. "We are often tempted to give up Christ's service, because of the cross and affliction which it entails. We see few with us, and many against us. We find our names cast out as evil, and all manner of evil said of us, because we believe and love the Gospel. Year after year we see our companions in Christ's service removed by death, and we feel as if we knew little about them, except that they are gone to an unknown world, and that we are left alone. All these things are trying to flesh and blood. No wonder that the faith of believers sometimes languishes, and their eyes fail while they look for their hope.
Let us see in the story of the transfiguration, a remedy for such doubting thoughts as these. The vision of the holy mount is a gracious pledge that glorious things are in store for the people of God. Their crucified Saviour shall come again in power and great glory. His saints shall aR come with Him, and are in safe keeping until that happy day. We may wait patiently. "When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." (Colos. iii. 4.)
The second thing which demands our notice in this passage, is the strong expression of the apostle Peter, when he saw his Lord transfigured. "Master," he said, "it is good for us to be here."
No doubt there was much in this saying, which cannot be commended. It showed an ignorance of the purpose
itself changed, but only illumined, (or glorified) — so, also, the just who will be conformed tx) His glorious body, will not be changed as to their outward form. Their bodies will only receive a certain accession of splendour and light, which St. Paul calls a change, (1 Cor. XV. 52.) but the evangelists, a transfiguration."
for wHcli Jesus came into the world, to suffer and to die. It showed a forgetMness of his brethren, who were not with him, and of the dark world which so much needed his Master's presence. Above all, the proposal which he made at the same time to " build three tabernacles " for Moses, Elias, and Christ, shewed a low view of his Master's dignity, and implied that he did not know that a greater than Moses and Elias was there. In all these respects the apostle's exclamation is not to be praised, but to be blamed.
But having said this, let us not fail to remark what joy and happiness this glorioxis vision conferred on this warm-hearted disciple.* Let us see in his fervent cry, " It is good to be here," what comfort and consolation the sight of glory can give to a true believer. Let us look forward, and try to form some idea of the pleasure which the saints shall experience, when they shall at last meet the Lord Jesus at His second coming, and meet to part no more. A vision of a few minutes was sufficient to warm and stir Peter's heart. The sight of two saints in glory was so cheering and quickening, that he would fain have enjoyed more of it. What then shall we say, when we see our Lord appear at the last day with aU His saints? What shall we say, when we ourselves are
* The remark of Brentius on the glorious nature of the whole vision of the transfiguration is well worth quotuag. Like most of that admirable commentator's expositions, it contains much in few words.
"No Synod on earth was ever more gloriously attended than this. No assembly was ever more illustrious, here is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Here are Moses and Elias, the chief of the prophets. Here are Peter, James, and John, the chief of the apostles."
allowed to stare in His glory, and join the happy company, and feel that we shall go out no more from the joy of our Lord? — ^These are questions that no man can answer. The happiness of that great day of gathering together is one that we cannot now conceive. The feelings of which Peter had a little foretaste, wiU then he our's in full experience. We shall all say with one heart and one voice, when we see Christ and all His saints, "It is good to he here."
The last thing which demands our notice in this passage is the distinct testimony which it hears to Christ's offi>ce and dignity, as the promised Messiah. We see this testimony first in the appearance of Moses and Elias, the representatives of the law and the prophets. They appear as witnesses that Jesus is He of whom they spoke in old times, and of whom they wrote that He would come. They disappear after a few minutes, and leave Jesus alone, as though they would show that they were only witnesses, and that our Master having come, the servants resign to Him the chief place. — ^We see this testimony, secondly, in the miraculous voice from heaven, saying, "this is myheloved Son: hear Him." The same voice of God the Father, which was heard at our Lord's baptism, was heard once more at His transfiguration. On both occasions there was the same solemn declaration, "this is my beloved Son." On this last occasion, there was an addition of two most important words, "Hear Him."
The whole conclusion of the vision was calculated to leave a lasting impression on the minds of the three disciples. It taught them in the most striking manner, that their Lord was as far above them and the prophets, as the master of the house is above the servants, and that they must in all things beHeve, follow, obey, trust, and hear Him.
Finally, the last words of the voice from heaven, are words that should be ever before the minds of all true Christians. They should " Jiear Christ." He is the great Teacher; they that would be wise must learn of Him. He is the light of the world: they that would not err must follow Him. He is the Head of the Church: they that would be living members of His mystical body must ever look to Him. The grand question that concerns us all is not so much what man says, or ministers say, — what the Church says, or what councils say, — ^but What says Christ? — Him let us hear. In Him let us abide. On Him let us lean. To Him let us look. He and He only will never fail us, never disappoint us, and never lead us astray. Happy are they who know experimentally the meaning of the text, " my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give imto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." ( John x. 27, 28.) *
* The coming of Elias, or Elijah, which forms the topic of conversation between our Lord and His disciples in the latter part of the passage now expounded, is a deep and mysterious subject.
1. According to one class of interpreters, the ministry of John the Baptist was the coming of Elias. They consider that the prophecy of Malachi, (Mai. iv. 5, 6) thatElijah the prophet should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, was completely accomplished in John the Baptist, and that no other coming of Elias is to be expected. This is the view maintained by the great majority of Protestant Commentators, both English and Foreign, from the time of the Keformation to the present day.
14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted
16 And he asked the Scribes, What question ve with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered and said. Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he tcareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that thev should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith,
1 be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father. How long is it ago since this came unto him.* And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that belie veth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he reouked the foul spirit, saying unto him. Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said. He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately. Why could not we cast him out?
29 Aiad he said unto them. This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
The contrast between these verses and those which precede them in the chapter is very striking. We pass from the mount of transfiguration to a melancholy history of the work of the devil. We come down from the vision
Elias is yet to take place. They consider that John the Baptist only went hefore our Lord in the "spirit and power of Elias," (Luke i. 17.) and that the words of Malachi are yet to he fulfilled. This is the view maintained by nearly all the Fathers, by the gi-eat majority of the Roman Catholic Commentators, and by not a few modem Protestant divines both English and continental at the present time. If I must express an opinion, when great and learned divines differ so widely, I must honestly confess that I decidedly incline to the second of the two interpretations above given. I believe that a literal appearing of Elijah the prophet before the secord coming of Christ may be expected. Dark and incomprehensible as the subject is, the scriptural arguments in favour of this view appear to of glory, to a conflict with Satanic possession. We change the blessed company of Moses and Elias, for the rude intercourse of unbelieving Scribes. We leave the foretaste of millennial glory, and the solemn voice of God the Father testiiying to God the Son, and return once more to a scene of pain, weakness, and misery, — a boy in agony of body, a father in deep distress, and a little band of feeble disciples baffled by Satan's power, and imable to give relief. — The contrast, we must all feel, is very great. Yet it is but a faint emblem of the change of scene that Jesus voluntarily undertook to witness, when He first laid aside His glory and came into the world. And it is after all a vivid picture of the life of all true Christians. "With them, as with their Master, work, conflict, and scenes of weakness and sorrow will always be the rule. With them too, visions of glory, foretastes of heaven, seasons on the mount, will always be the exception.
Let us learji from these verses, how dependent Christ^ s disciples are on the company and help of their Master.
me unanswerable. Any other view seems to do violence to the plain meaning of the words of Malachi iv. 5, 6; Matt. xvii. 1 1; John i. 21. There seems no reason why there should not be a double "coming of Elias," — the first, "inspirit and power," when John the Baptist preached, — the second, "literal and in person," when He shall come at the end of the world, — immediately before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
The whole question is undoubtedly smrounded with difficulties, whatever view we adopt. I can only say that after patient and calm investigation, I see much fewer difficulties in the way of the interpretation to which I lean, than in the way of the other. I hold with Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Hilary, Jansenius, Brenius, Greswell, Alford, and Stier, that Malachi iv. 5, 6, is not yet completely fulfilled, and that Elijah the prophet will yet come Those who can read Greek wUl find an interesting note on this subject, in Cramers Catena on St. Mark.
"We see this truth brought out in a striking manner in the scene which meets our Lord's eyes, when He came down from the mount. Like Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai, he finds his Httle flock in confusion. He sees His nine apostles beset by a party of maHcious Scribes, and baffled in an attempt to heal one who had been brought to them possessed with* a devil. The very same disciples who a short time before had done many miracles and " cast out many devils," had now met with a case too hard for them. They were learning by humbHng experience the great lesson, " without me ye can do nothing." (John xv. 5.) — It was a useful lesson, no doubt, and over-ruled to their spiritual good. It would probably be remembered aU the days of their lives. The things that we learn by smarting experience, abide in our memories, while truths heard with the ear are often forgotten. But we may be sure it was a bitter lesson at the time. — We do not love to learn that we can do nothing without Christ.
We need not look far to see many illustrations of this truth in the history of Christ's people in every age. The very men who at one time have done great exploits in the cause of the Gospel, at another time have failed entirely, and proved weak and unstable as water. The temporary recantations of Cranmer and Jewell are striking examples. The holiest and best of Christians has nothing to glory of. His strength is not his own. He has nothing but what he has received. He has only to provoke the Lord to leave him for a season, and he will soon discover that his power is gone. Like Samson, when his hair was shorn, he is weak as any other man.
Let us learn a lesson of humility from the failure of the disciples. Let us strive to realize every day our need of the grace and presence of Christ. "With Him we may do all things. "Without Him we can do nothing at aU. "With Him we may overcome the greatest temptations. "Without Him the least may overcome us. Let our cry be every morning, " leave us not to ourselves, — We know not what a day may bring forth, — ^if thy preisence go not with us we cannot go up."
Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, hoic early in life we are liable to be injured by Satan. We Tead a fearful description of the miseries inflicted by Satan on the young man, whose case is here recorded. And we are told that he had been under this awful visitation from his very infancy. It came to him, "of a child.'*
There is a lesson of deep importance here which we must not overlook. "We must labour to do good to our children, even from their earliest years. If Satan begins so early to do them harm, we must not be behind him in diligence to lead them to God. How soon in Hfe a child becomes responsible and accountable, is a difficult question to solve. Perhaps far sooner than many of us suppose. One thing, at all events, is very clear: it is never too soon to strive and pray for the salvation of the souls of children, — never too soon to speak to them as moral beings, and tell them of God, and Christ, and right, and wrong. The devil, we may be quite sure, loses no time in endeavouring to influence the minds of young people. He begins with them even " of a child." Let us work hard to counteract him. If young hearts can be filled by Satan, they can also be filled with the Spirit of God.
Let us learn, in the third place, from these verses, how faith and unbelief can he mixed together in the same heart. The words of the child's father set this truth before us in a touching way. " Lord," he cried, " I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
We see in those words a vivid picture of the heart of many a true Christian. Few indeed are to be found among believers, in whom trust and doubt, hope and fear, do not exist side by side. Nothing is perfect in a child of God, so long as he is in the body. His knowledge, and love, and humility, are all more or less defective, and mingled with corruption. And as it is with his other graces, so it is with his faith. He believes, and yet has about him a remainder of unbelief.
What shall we do with our faith? We must ^lse it. Weak, trembling, doubting, feeble as it may be, we must use it. We must not wait till it is great, perfect, and mighty, but like the man before us, turn it to account, and hope that one day it will be more strong. " Lord," he said, " I believe."
What shall we do with our unbelief? We must resist it, and pray against it. We must not allow it to keep us back from Christ. We must take it to Christ, as we take all other sins and infirmities, and cry to Him for dehverance. Like the man before us, we must cry, " Lord, help mine unbelief."
These are experimental truths. Happy are they who know something of them. The world is ignorant of them. Faith and unbelief, doubts and fears, are all foolishness to the natural man. But let the true Christian study these things well, and thoroughly understand them. It is of the utmost importance to our comfort to know, that a true believer may be known by his inward warfare, as well as by his inward peace.
Let us mark, in the last place, the complete dominion which our Lord exercises over Satan and all his agents. The spirit who was too strong for the disciples, is at once cast out by the Master. He speaks with mighty authority, and Satan at once is obliged to obey, " I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him."
We may leave the passage with comfortable feelings. Greater is He that is for us than all they that are against us. Satan is strong, busy, active, malicious. But Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him, — ^from the devil, as well as from sin, — from the devil, as well as from the world. Let us possess our souls in patience. Jesus still lives, and will not let Satan pluck us out of His hand. Jesus still lives, and will soon come again to deliver us entirely from the fiery darts of the wicked one. The great chain is prepared. (Rev. XX. 1.) Satan shall one day be bound. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet shortly.* (Rohl xvi. 20.)
30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them. The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and
they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them,
* The expression, " greatly amazed," in the fifteenth verse of the passage now expounded, deserves some notice. The Greek word
What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, whosAow/rfJethe greatest.
35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any
36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me,
man desire to be first, the same shall j receiveth not me, but him that sent be last of all, and servant of all. | me.
Let us mark, in these verses, our Lord's renewed announcement of His own coming, death, and resurrection. " He taught his disciples, and said unto them. The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day."
The dullness of the disciples in spiritual things appears once more, as' soon as this announcement was made. There was good in the tidings as well as seeming evil, — sweet as well as hitter, — life as weU as death, — the resurrection as well as the cross. But it was all darkness to the hewildered twelve. " They understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask." Their minds were still full of their mistaken ideas of their Master's reign upon earth. They thought that His earthly kingdom was immediately to appear. Never are we so slow to understand, as when prejudice and pre-conceived opinions darken our eyes.
The immense importance of our Lord's death and resurrection comes out strongly in this fresh annotmce- is exceedingly strong, and implies a feeling much beyond that which the English word " amazed " conveys to our minds. It certainly seems as if some traces of visible glory, or, at any rate, some expression of extraordinary majesty appeared in our Lord's countenance, after the transfiguration. It reminds us of the face of Moses shining when he came down from the mount.
ment whicli He makes. It is not for nothing that He reminds us again that He must die. He would have us know that His death was the great end for which He came into the world. He would remind us that by that death the great problem was to be solved, how God could be just, and yet justify sinners. He did not come upon earth merely to teach, and preach, and work miracles. He came to make satisfaction for sin, by His own blood and suffering on the cross. Let us never forget this. The incarnation, and example, and words of Christ are all of deep importance. But the grand object which demands our notice in the history of His earthly ministry, is His death on Calvary.
Let us mark, in the second place, in these verses, the ambition and love of preeminence which the apostles exhibited. "By the way they disputed among themselves who should be greatest."
How strange this sounds! Who would have thought that a few fishermen and publicans could have been overcome by emulation, and the desire of supremacy? Who would have expected that poor men, who had given up all for Christ's sake, would have been troubled by strife and dissension, as to the place and precedence which each one deserved? Yet so it is. The fact is recorded for our learning. The Holy Grhost has caused it to be written down for the perpetual use of Christ's Church. Let us take care that it is not written in vain.
It is an awful fact, whether we like to allow it or not, that pride is one of the commonest sins which beset human nature. We are all bom Pharisees. We all naturally thicJi: fax better of ourselves than we ought.
We all naturally fancy that we deserve something hetter than we have. — It is an old sin. It began in the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve thought they had not got everything that their merits deserved. — It is a subtle sin. It rules and reigns in many a heart without being detected, and can even wear the garb of humility. — It is a most soulruining sin. It prevents repentance, — keeps men back from Christ, — checks brotherly love, and nips in the bud spiritual anxiety. — Let us watch against it, and be on our guard. Of all garments, none is so graceful, none wears so weU, and none is so rare, as true hunulity.
Let us mark, in the third place, ihe peculiar standard of true greatness which our Lord sets before His disciples. He says to them, "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."
These words are deeply instructive. They show us that the maxims of the world are directly contrary to the mind of Christ. The world's idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving. The world's ambition is to receive honour and attention, but the desire of the Christian should be to give rather than receive, and to attend on others rather than be attended on himself. In short, the man who lays him'self out most to serve his fellow men, and to be useful in his day and generation, is the greatest man in the eyes of Christ.*
Let us strive to make a practical use of this heartsearching maxim. Let us seek to do good to our fellow
* The words of Augustine on this point are worth reading. He says,
" A Bishop's office is a name of labour rather than of honour; so that he who coveteth preeminence rather than usefukiess may understand that he is not a bishop." — De Giiiit. Dei.
men, and to mortify that self-pleasing and self-indulgence, to which we are all so prone. Is there any service that we can render to our fellow Christians? Is there any kindness that we can do them, to help them and promote their happiness? If there is, let us do it without delay. Well would it be for Christendom, if empty boasts of Churchmanship and orthodoxy were less frequent, and practical attention to our Lord's words in this passage more common. The men who are willing to be last of aU, and servants of all, for Christ's sake, are always few. Yet these are the men who do good, break down prejudices, convince infidels that Christianity is a reality, and shake the world.
Let us mark, in the last place, what encouragement our Lord gives us to skew kindness to the least and lowest who believe in His name. He teaches this lesson in a very touching manner. He took a child in His arms, and said to His disciples, "whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth Him that sent me."
The principle here laid down is a continuation of that which we have just considered. It is one which is foolishness to the natural man. Flesh and blood can see no other way to greatness than crowns, and rank, and wealth, and high position in the world. The Son of God declares that the way lies in devoting ourselves to the care of the weakest and lowest of His flock. He enforces His declaration by marvellous words, which are often read and heard without thought. He teUs us that to "receive one child in His name, is to receive Christ, and to receive Christ is to receive God."
There is ricli encouragement here for all wlio devote themselves to the charitable work of doing good to neglected souls. There is encouragement for every one who labours to restore the outcast to a place in society, — to raise the fallen, — to gather together the ragged children, whom no man cares for, — to pluck the worst of characters from a life of sin, like brands from the burning, — and to bring the wanderers home. Let all such take comfort when they read these words. Their work may often be hard and discouraging. They may be mocked, ridiculed, and held up to scorn by the world. But let them know that the Son of God marks all they do, and is well pleased. Whatever the world may think, these are they whom Jesus will delight to honour at the last day.
38 And John answered him, saving, i shall be quenched: Master, we saw one casting out devils I 44 Where their worm dieth not, and
in thy name, and he foUoweth not us and we forbad him, because he foUoweth not us.
39 But Jesus said. Forbid him not:
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet
for there is no man which shall do a to be cast into hell, into the fire that miracle in my name, that can lightly ' never shall be quenched:
40 For he that is not against us is and the fire is not quenched.
41 For whosoever shall give you a ' pluck it out: it is better for thee to cup of water to drink in my name, I enter into the kingdom of God with because ye belong to Christ, verUv I ■ one eye, than having two eyes to be say unto you, he shall not lose his i cast into hell fire:
42 And whosoever shall offend one • and the fire is not quenched.
of these little ones that believe in me, 49 For every one shall be salted it is better for him that a mUlstone ■ with fire, and every sacrifice shall be were hanged about his neck, and he j salted with salt. were cast into the sea. ] 60 Salt is good: but if the salt have
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut, lost his saltness, wherewith will ye it off: it is better for thee to enter into | season it? Have salt in yourselves, life maimed, than having two hands | and have peace one with another.
to go into hell, into the fire that never j
subject of toleration in religion. The apostle John said to Him, "Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and he followeth not ns: and we forbad him, because he foUowetii not us." The man was doing a good work without doubt. He was warring on the same side as the apostles, beyond question. But this did not satisfy John. He did not work in the company of the apostles. He did not fight in line with them. And therefore John had forbidden him. — But let us hear now what the great Head of the Church decides! " Jesus said, forbid him not; for ^here is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can ligthly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us, is on our part."
Here is a golden rule indeed, and one that human nature sorely needs, and has too often forgotten. Men of all branches of Christ's Church are apt to think that no good can be done in the world, unless it is done by their own party and denomination. They are so narrowminded, that they cannot conceive the possibility of working on any other pattern but that which they follow. They make an idol of their own pecuKar ecclesiastical machinery, and can see no merit in any other. They are like him who cried when Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp, "My lord Moses forbid them." (Num. 3d. 28.)
To this intolerant spirit we owe some of the blackest pages of Church history. Christians have repeatedly persecuted Christians for no better reason than that which is here given by John. They have practically proclaimed to their brethren, "you shall either follow us, or not work for Christ at all."
Let us be on our guard against this feeling. It is only too near the surface of all our hearts. Let us study to realize that liberal, tolerant spirit which Jesus here recommends, and be thankful for good works wheresoever and by whomsoever done. Let us beware of the slightest inclination to stop and check others, merely because they do not choose to adopt our plans, or work by our side. We may think our fellow Christians mistaken in some points. "We may fancy that more would be done for Christ, if they would join us, and if all worked in the same way. We may see many evils arising from reHgious dissensions and divisions. — But all this must not prevent us rejoicing if the works of the devil are destroyed and souls are saved. Is our neighbour warring against Satan? Is he really trying to labour for Christ? This is the grand question. Better a thousand times that the work should be done by other hands than not done at all. Happy is he who knows something of the spirit of Moses, when he said, "Would God that aU the Lord's people were prophets; " — and of Paul, when he says, " If Christ is preached, I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." * (Num. xi. 29; Phil. i. 18.
* The remarks of Quesnel on this passage are interesting, — and doubly so when we remember that the writer was a Eoman
Catholic. He says, " That which John here does, is an example of an indiscreet zeal for the interests of Christ. The most holy persons have sometimes occasion to secure themselves from secret emulations. We very easily mingle our own interests with those of God; and our vanity uses the gloiy of His name only as a veil. A preacher sometimes imagines that his only desire is, that men should follow Christ, and adhere to His word; and it is himself whom he desires they should follow, and to whom he is veiy glad to find them adhere."
"Christ suffers many things in His Church, which are done without His mission; but He makes them contribute to the
"We see, for another thing, in these verses, the need of giving up anything that stands between m and the salvation of our souk. The "hand" and the "foot" are to be cut oflF, and the " eye " to be plucked out, if they offend, or are occasions of falling. The things that are dear to us as eye, foot, or hand, are to be cast off and given up, if they injure our souls, whatever pain the sacrifice may cost us.
This is a rule that sounds stern and harsh at first sight. But our loving Master did not give the rule without cause. Compliance with it is absolutely necessary, since neglect of it is the sure way to heU. Our bodily senses are the channels through which many of our most formidable temptations approach us. Our bodily members are ready instruments of evil, but slow to that which is good. The eye, the hand, and the foot are good servants, when under right direction. But they need daily watching, lest they lead us into sin.
Let us resolve by God's grace to make a practical use of our Lord's solemn injunction in this place. Let us regard it as the advice of a wise physician, the counsel of a tender father, the warning of a faithful friend. However men may ridicule us for our strictness and preciseness, let us habitually "crucify our flesh with its affections and lusts." Let us deny ourselves any enjoyment, rather than incur peril of sinning against God. Let us walk in Job's steps: He says, " I made a covenant with mine eyes." (Job xxxi. 1.) Let us remember Paul: He says, "I keep
establishment of His kingdom. Whatever reason we may liave to fear that some persons will not persevere in goodness, we must notwithstanding suffer them to continue their endeavours, when they appear to be any ways useful. God Himself authorizes such persons, since it is He who performs the good in them."
under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest tbat by any means, wben I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away." (1 Cor. ix. 27.)
We see, in the last place, in these verses, the reality, awfulness, and eternity of future punishment. Three times the Lord Jesus speaks of "hell." Three times He men tions the "worm that never dies." Three times He says that "the fire is not quenched."
These are awful expressions. They call for reflection rather then exposition. They should be pondered, considered, and remembered by all professing Christians. It matters little whether we regard them as figurative and emblematic. If they are so, one thing at least is very clear. The worm and the fire are emblems of real things. There is a real heU, and that heU is eternal.
There is no mercy in keeping back from men the subject of hell. Fearful and tremendous as it is, it ought to be pressed on all, as one of the great truths of Christianity. Our loving Saviour speaks frequently of it. The apostle John, in the book of Revelation, often describes it. The servants of God in these days must not be ashamed of confessing their belief in it. Were there no boundless mercy in Christ for all that believe in Him, we might well shrink from the awful topic. Were there no precious blood of Christ able to cleanse away all sin, we might well keep silence about the wrath to come. But there is mercy for all who ask in Christ's name. There is a fountain open for all sin. Let us then boldly and unhesitatingly maintain that there is a heU, and beseech men to flee from it, before it be too late. " Knowing the terrors of the Lord," the worm, and the fire, let us "persuade men." (1 Cor. v. 11.) It is not possible to say too much aboutChrist. But it is quite possible to say too little about hell.
Let the concluding words of our Lord ring in our ears, as we leave the passage: — "Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Let us make sure that we have in our hearts the saving grace of the Holy Ghost, sanctifying, purifying, preserving from corruption, our whole inward man. Let us watch the grace given to us with daily watchfulness, and pray to be kept from carelessness and sin, lest we be overtaken in faults, bring misery on our consciences, and discredit on our profession. Above all let us hve in peace one with another, not seeking great things, or striving for the preeminence, but clothed with humihty, and loving all who love Christ in sincerity. These seem simple things. But in attending to them is great reward.*
♦ The last verse but one in the passage now expounded, appears to baffle all the commentators. I allude of coui-se to the words, "Every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt." The true meaning of these words and their connexion with the context, are problems which seem not yet solved. At all events, not one of the many interpretations which have been hitherto proposed is entu'ely satisfactory. We must confess that it is one of those knots which are yet untied in the exposition, of Scrip tm-e.
1. Some think that our Lord is speaking only of the wicked and their future pimishment, and that He means, — " every lost soul shall be salted with the fire of hell, even as every sacrifice under the law of Moses is salted with salt." This appeai-s to be the view held by Whitby.
2. Some think that our Lord is speaking only of the righteous and their fiery trials in this life, by which they are purified and preserved from con-uption, and that He means, — " every true disciple of mine shall be as it were salted and passed through the fire of tribulation, even as every sacrifice is salted with salt." Of those who think that our Lord speaks only of the righteous, some think
1 And he arose from thence, and Cometh into the coasts of Judaea, by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
3 And he answered and said unto them, Wliat did Moses command you?
4 And thev said, Moses suiFered to \*Tite a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5 ^Vnd Jesus answered and said unto them. For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11 And he saith imto them. Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
The opening verse of tliis passage shows us the patient perseverance of our Lord Jesus Christ as a teacher. We that the "fire" means not ti-ibulation, and some the woi-k of the Holy Spii'it. Cartwright holds the last of these opinions, Junius the first.
3. Some think that in the first clause of the vei-se, our Lord is speaking of all membei-s of His church, both good and bad, and that His meaning is the same as that of St. Paul, where He says "The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." (1 Cor. iii. 13.) The second clause, they think, describes the preserving effect of grace on the hearts of true believers. According to this view, the meaning of the verse would be, — " every one shall be finally salted, tried, and tested by the fire of the last day; and every one who has offered himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be salted with grace, and so finally preserved from death and comiption."
4. Some think that in the first clause of the verse our Lord is speaking of the wicked, and in the second clause of the righteous. According to this view, the sense would be, — " every wicked man shall be salted with fire and punished for evermore; — and eveiy living sacrifice to God, or godly man, shall be salted with grace, kept from the power of death, and saved for evermore." — This is the view of Hammond and Mantou.
I offer no opinion and make no comment on any of the above views. The objections which might be made against every one of them are neither few nor small. Whether these objections are insuperable or not, is a point on which learned theologians differ widely, and a conclusion will perhaps never be attained until the Lord appears. My own conviction is, that we must wait for more light and regard the text at present as one of the "deep things" of God'
are told that He came "into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto Him again; and as He was wont, He taught them again."
Wherever our Lord went, He was always about His Father's business, preaching, teaching, and labouring to do good to souls. He threw away no opportunity. In the whole history of His earthly ministry, we never read of an idle day. Of Him it may be truly said, that He "sowed beside all waters," and that "in the morning He sowed His seed, and in the evening withheld not His hand." (Isaiah xxxii. 20. Eccles. xi. 6.)
And yet our Lord knew the hearts of aU men. He knew perfectly well that the great proportion of His hearers were hardened and unbelieving. He knew, as He spoke, that most of His words fell to the ground imcared for and unheeded, and that so far as concerned the salvation of souls, most of His labour was in vain. He knew all this, and yet He laboured on.
Let us see in this fact a standing pattern to all who try to do good to others, whatever their office may be. Let it be remembered by every minister and every missionary, — ^by every schoolmaster and every Sunday-school teacher, — ^by every district visitor and every lay agent, — by every head of a house who has family prayers, — and by every nurse who has the charge of children. Let all such remember Christ's example, and resolve to do likewise. "We are not to give up teaching, because we see no good done. We are not to relax our exertions, because we see no fruit of our toil. We are to work on steadily, keeping before us the great principle, that duty is our's and results are God's. There must be ploughmen and sowers.
as well as reapers and binders of sheaves. The honest master pays his labourers according to the work they do, and not according to the crops that grow on his land. Our Master in heaven will deal with all His servants at the last day in like manner. He knows that success is not in their hands. He knows that they cannot change hearts. He will reward them according to their labour, and not according to the fruits which have resulted from their labour. It is not " the good and successful servant," but the "good and faithful servant," to whom He will say, "enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."* (Matt* XXV. 21.)
The greater portion of this passage is meant to show us the dignity atid importance of the relation of marriage. It is plain that the prevailing opinions of the Jews upon this subject, when our Lord was upon earth, were lax and low in the extreme. The binding character of the marriage tie was not recognized. Divorce for slight and trivial
*Some remarks of Bishop Latimer on this point are well worth reading. They occur in a passage in one of his sermons on the parable of the wedding garment. He says, "the man who had not
the wedding garment was blamed because he professed one thing, and was indeed auotlier. Why did not the king blacie the preachers? There was no fault in them, they did their duties: they had no further commandment but to call men to the maiTiage. The garment he should have provided himself. Therefore he quarrelleth not with the preachers, ' What doth this fellow here? why suffered ye him to enter? ' For their commission extended no fuilher but only to call him. Many are gi'ieved that there is so little fruit of their preaching. And when they are asked, 'Why do you not preach, having so great gifts given you of God? ' 'I would preach, say they, but I see so little fruit, so little amendment of lite, that it maketh me weaiy:' a naughty answer: a very naughty answer. Thou art troubled with that which God gave "thee no charge of: and leavest undone that which thou art chai'ged with." — Latimer'a Works. Parker Society. Vol. I. p. 286.
causes was allowable and common.* The duties of husbands towards wives, and of wives towards husbands, as a natural consequence, were little understood. To correct this state of things, our Lord sets up a high and holy standard of principles. He refers to the original institution of marriage at the creation, as the union of one man and one woman. He quotes and endorses the solenm words used at the marriage of Adam and Eve, as words of perpetual significance, "a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh." He adds a solemn comment to these words, — "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." And finally, in reply to the inquiry of His disciples, he declares that divorce followed by re-marriage, except for the cause of unfaithfulness, is a breach of the seventh commandment, f
*The extent to which the Jews allowed divorce for ahsurd and frivolous causes, would be almost incredible, if we had not the evidence of their own Rabbinical writings on the subject. A full account of the matter will be found in Lightfoot's Horse Hebraicse on St. Matthew v. 31. One passage quoted by him will be sufficient to give the reader an idea of Jewish customs about divorce: " The school of Hillel saith, If the wife cooks her husband's food ill by over-salting it, or over-roasting it, she is to be put away."
f I am aware that the opinions I have expressed at the close of this paragraph are contrary to that of some learned divines. I can only say that I have arrived at them deliberately, after calm investigation of the parallel passage in Matt. xix. 9, and of the words of our Lord in Matt. v. 32. I decidedly believe that the remarriage forbidden by Christ, is re-marriage after a divorce for trivial and frivolous causes, and that His words do not apply to re-marriage after divorce on account of unfaithfulness. Re-marriage after divorce for frivolous causes is clearly adultery, for one simple reason; — the divorce never ought to have taken place, and the divorced party is still a married person in the sight of God. — Re-marriage after divorce for unfaithfulness, by the same process of reasoning, is not adultery. Unfaithfulness dissolves the mamage tie altogether, and place the husband and wife once more in the position of unmarried people, or of a widower or widow.
The importance of the whole subject, on which our Lord here pronounces judgment, can hardly be overrated. We ought to be very thankful that we have so clear and full an exposition of His mind upon it. The marriage relation lies at the very root of the social system of nations. The public morality of a people, and the private happiness of the families which compose a people, are deeply involved in the whole question of the law of marriage. The experience of all nations confirms the ^visdom of our Lord's decision in this passage in the most striking manner. It is a fact clearly ascertained, that polygamy, and permission to obtain divorce on slight grounds, have a direct tendency to promote immorality. In short, the nearer a nation's laws about marriage approach to the law of Christ, the higher has the moral tone of that nation always proved to be.
It becomes all those who are married, or purpose marriage, to ponder well the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ in this passage. Of all relations of life, none ought to be regarded with such reverence, and none taken in hand so cautiously as the relation of husband and wife. In no relation is so much earthly happiness to be found, if it be entered upon discreetly, ad\dsedly, and in the fear of God. In none is so much misery seen to follow, if it be taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, wantonly, and without thought. — ^From no step in life does so much benefit come to the soul, if people marry *' in the Lord." From none does the soul take so much harm, if fancy, passion, or any mere worldly motive is the only cause which produce the union. Solomon was the wisest of men. "Nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin." (Neh. xui. 26.)
There is, unliappily, only too much necessity for impressing these truths upon people. It is a mournful fact, that few steps in life are generally taken with so much levity, self-will, and forgetfulness of God as marriage. Few are the young couples who think of inviting Christ to their wedding! It is a mournful fact that unhappy marriages are one great cause of the misery and sorrow of which there is so much in the world. People find out too late, that they have made a mistake, and go in bitterness all their days. Happy are they, who in the matter of marriage observe three rules. The first is to marry only in the Lord, and after prayer for God's approval and blessing. The second is not to expect too much from their partners, and to remember that marriage is, after aU, the union of two sinners, and not of two angels. The third rule is to strive first and foremost for one another's sanctification. The more holy married people are, the happier they are. "Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify it." * (Eph. v. 25, 26.)
* There is an expression in this passage which claims special observation. The Pharisees told our Lord, that " Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away." The answer of our Lord is very remarkable. He says, ''For the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this precept." And He then goes on to show that this permission to divorce was a proof that their forefathers had fallen below the original standard of mamage, and were dealt with as being in a weak and diseased state of soul. For He says, " But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female."
The expression throws much light on some portions of the civil law of Moses. It shows us that it was an institution which in some of its requirements was specially adapted to the state of mind in which the Israelites were, on first leaving the land of Egypt. It was not intended in all its minute particulars to be a code of perpetual obligation. It was meant to lead on to something better and higher, when the people were able to bear it. The possession
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought I hem.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
The scene brought before us in these four verses is deeply interesting. — We see young children brought to Christ, " that He should touch them," and the disciples rebuking those that brought them. "We are told that when Jesus saw this He was " much displeased," and rebuked His disciples in words of a very remarkable tenor. And finally we are told, that " He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them and blessed them."
of it was undoubtedly a great privilege, and one of which the Jews might justly glory. Yet in glorying they were to remember also, that their law contained some grounds for humiliation. Its very pennission to obtain divorce on light grounds, was a standing witness of the hardness and cnielty of the people. It was thought better to tolerate such divorces^ than to have the nation filled with murder, adulteiy, cruelty, and desertion. In short, the very law of which the Jew boasted, was shown by our Lord to contain permissive statutes, which were in reality written to his shame.
The expression throws light on the position of God's people in this world of sin. It shows us thbt there may be things tolerated and permitted by God, both in churches and stated, not because they are the best things, but because they are the things best suited to the chirrch or state in which they are found. It is vain to expect perfection in any government, or in any church. If we have the essentials of justice in the one, and of tinxth in the other, we may be content. God tolerated many things in the government of Israel, until the time of reformation. Siu'ely we may tolerate many things too. To spend oiu- lives in searching after an imaginary state of perfection, either civil or ecclesiastical, is at best a waste of time. K God was pleased to suffer some tilings in Israel " for the hardness of their hearts," we may well endure some things in churches and states which we do not quite like. There is a balance of evil in every position in the world. There ai"e imperlections every where. The state of perfection is yet to come.
Let us learn, for one thing, firom this passage, how mu^h attention /the souls of children should receive from tJie Church of Christ. The Great Head of the Church found time to take special notice of children. Although His time on earth was precious, and grown up men and women were perishing on every side for lack of knowledge, He did not think little boys and girls of small importance. He had room in His mighty heart even for them. He declared by His outward gesture and deed. His good wiU toward them. And not least, He has left on record words concerning them, which His Church should never forget, " Of such is the kingdom of God."
"We must never allow ourselves to suppose that little children's souls may be safely let alone. Their characters for life depend exceedingly on what they see and hear during their first seven years. They are never too young to learn evil and sin. They are never too young to receive religious impressions. They think in their childish way about God, and their souls, and a world to come, far sooner and far more deeply than most people are aware. They are far more ready to respond to appeals to their feeling of right and wrong than many suppose. They have each a conscience. God has mercifully not left Himself without a witness in their hearts, fallen and corrupt as their natures are. They have each a soul which will live for ever in heaven or in heU. We cannot begin too soon to endeavour to bring them to Christ.
These truths ought to be diligently considered by every branch of the Church of Christ. It is the bounden duty of every Christian congregation to make provision for the spiritual training of its children. The boys and girls of every family should be taught as soon as they can learn, — should be brought to public worship as soon as they can behave with propriety, — should be regarded with affectionate interest as the future congregation, which will fill our places when we are dead. We may confidently expect Christ's blessing on all attempts to do good to children. No church can be regarded as being in a healthy state which neglects its younger members, and lazily excuses itself on the plea, that " young people will be young," and that it is useless to try to do them good. Such a church shows plainly that it has not the mind of Christ. A congregation which consists of none but grown up people, whose children are idling at home or running wild in the streets or fields, is a most deplorable and unsatisfactory sight. The members of such a congregation may pride themselves on their numbers, and on the soundness of their own views. They may content themselves with loud assertions that they cannot change their children's hearts, and that God will convert them some day if He thinks fit. But they have yet to learn that Christ regards them as neglecting a solemn duty, and that Christians who do not use every means to bring children to Christ are committing a great sin.
Let us learn, for another thing, from this passage, how much encouragement there is to bring young children to he baptized. Of course it is not pretended that there is any mention of baptism, or even any reference to it in the verses before us. All we mean to say is that the expressions and gestures of our Lord in this passage, are a strong indirect argument in favour of infant baptism. It is on this account that the passage occupies a prominent place in the baptismal service of the Church of England.
The subject of infant baptism is undoubtedly a delicate and difficult one. Holy and praying men are unable to see aKke upon it. Although they read the same Bible, and profess to be led by the same Spirit, they arrive at different conclusions about this sacrament. The great majority of Christians hold, that infant baptism is Scriptural and right. A comparatively small section of the Protestant Church, but one containing many eminent saints among its members, regards infant baptism as imscriptural and wrong. The difference is a melancholy proof of the bHndness and infirmity which remain even in the saints of God.
But the difference now referred to, must not make members of the Church of England shrink from holding decided opinions on the subject. That church has declared plainly in its Articles, that " The baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ." To this opinion we need not be afraid to adhere.
It is allowed on all sides that infants my be elect and chosen of God imto salvation, — may be washed ia Christ's blood, bom again of the Spirit, have grace, be justified, sanctified, and enter heaven. If these things be so, it is hard to see why they may not receive the outward sign of baptism.
It is allowed furthermore that infants are members of Christ's visible church, by virtue of their parent's Christianity. What else can we make of St. Paul's words, "now are they holy." (1 Cor. vii. 14.) If this be so, it is difficult to understand why an infant may not receive the outward sign of admission into the church, just as the Jewish child received the outward sign of circumcision.
The objection that baptism ought only to be given to those who are old enough to repent and believe, does not appear a convincing one. "We read ia the New Testament that the "houses " of Lydia and Stephanas were baptized, and that the jailer of Philippi and " all his " were baptized. It is very difficult to suppose that in no one of these three cases were there any children. (Acts xvi. 15, 33. 1 Cor. i. 16.)
The objection that our Lord Jesus Christ HimseK never directly commanded infants to be baptized is not a weighty one. The church of the Jews, to which He came, had always been accustomed to admit children into the church by the sign of circumcision. The very fact that Jesus says nothing about the age for baptizing, goes far to prove that He intended no change to be made.*
* In considering the arguments in favour of infant baptism, there are two facts which ought to be duly pondered. They are extrascriptural facts, and I have therefore purposely omitted them in the Expository Thoughts on this passage. But tbey are weighty facts, and may help some minds in coming to a conclusion.
1. One fact is the testimony of history to the almost universal practice of infant baptism in the eai'ly church. The proof of this is to be found in Wall's History of Infant Baptism. If infant baptism is so entirely opposed to the mind of Christ, as some say that it is, it is at least a curious circumstance, that the early church should have been so ignorant on the subject.
2. The other fact is the notorious practice of baptizing the infant children of proselytes in the Jewish Church. The proof of this is to be found in Lightfoot's Horse Hebraicae on St. Matthew iii. 6.
He says, for instance, "The Anabaptists object, 'it is not commanded to baptize infants, — therefore they are not to be baptized.' To whom I answer, 'it is not forbidden to baptize infants, — therefore they are to be baptized.' And the reason is plain. For when
The subject may be safely left here. Few controversies have done so much harm, and led to so little spiritual fruit as the controversy about baptism. On none has so much been said and written without producing conviction. On none does experience seem to show that Christians had better leave each other alone, and agree to differ.
The baptism that it concerns us all to know, is not so much the baptism of water as the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Thousands are washed in baptismal waters, who are never renewed by the Spirit. Have we been bom again? Have we received the Holy Spirit, and been made new creatures in Jesus Christ? If not, it matters little when, and where, and how we have been baptized; we are yet in our sins. "Without a new birth there can be no salvation. May we never rest till we know and feel that we have passed from death to life, and are indeed bom of God!
Paedobaptism in the Jewish Church was so known, usual and fi-equent in the admission of proselytes, there was no need to strengthen it with any precept, when baptism passed into an evangelical sacrament. For Christ took baptism into His own hands, and into evangelical use as He found it; this only added that He might promote it to a worthier end, and larger use. The whole nation knew well enough that little children used to be baptized: there was no need of a precept for that which had ever, by common use, prevailed."
" On the other hand, there was need of a plain and open proliibition, that infants and little children should not be baptized, if our Saviour would not have had them baptized. For since it was most common, in all ages foregoing that, little children should be baptized, if Christ had minded to abolish the custom He would have openly forbidden it. Therefore His silence and the silence of Scripture confiims Psedobaptism, and continues it unto all ages." — Lightfoot's Works. Vol. xi. p. 59. Pitman's edition.
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him. Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him. One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying,
and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith ujato his disciples. How hardljr shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved }
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
The story we have now read is recorded no less than three times in the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were all inspired by one Spirit to write it for our learning. There is no doubt a wise purpose in this three-fold repetition of the same simple facts. It is intended to show us that the lessons of the passage deserve particular notice from the Church of Christ.
We are told of one who " came running" to. our Lord, and kneeled to him and asked " the solemn question, " what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? " At first sight there was much that was promising in this man's case. He showed anxiety about spiritual things, while most around him were careless and indifferent. He showed a disposition to reverence our Lord, by kneeling to Him, while Scribes and Pharisees despised Him. Yet all this time this man was profoundly ignorant of his own heart. He hears our Lord recite those commandments which make up our dut}^ to our neighbour, and at once declares, "All these have I observed from my youth." The searching nature of the moral law, its application to our thoughts, and words, as well as actions, are matters with which he is utterly unacquainted.
The spiritual blindness here exhibited is unhappily most common. Myriads of professing Christians at the present day have not an idea of their own sinfulness and guilt in the sight of God. They flatter themselves that they have never done an}i;hing very wicked. — "They have never murdered, or stolen, or committed adultery, or borne false witness. They cannot surely be in much danger of missing heaven." — ^They forget the holy nature of that God with whom they have to do. They forget how often they break His law in temper, or imagination, even when their outward conduct is correct. They never study such portions of Scripture as the fifth chapter of St. Matthew, or at any rate they study it with a thick veil over their hearts, and do not apply it to themselves. The result is that they are wrapped up in self- righteousness. Like the church of Laodicea, they are " rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." (Rev. iii. 17.) Self-satisfied they live, and self-satisfied too often they die.
Let us beware of this state of mind. So long as we think that we can keep the law of God, Christ profits us nothing. Let us pray for self-knowledge. Let us ask for the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, to show us our own hearts, to show us God's holiness, and so to show us our need of Christ. Happy is he who has learned by experience the meaning of St. Paul's words, " I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." (Rom. vii. 9.) Ignorance of the law and ignorance of the Gospel will generally be found together. He whose eyes have really been opened to the spirituality of the commandments, will never rest till he has found Christ.
Let us learn, for another thing, from this passage, the love of Christ towards sinners.
This is a truth which is brought out in the expression used by St. Mark, when in his account of this man's story, he says, that " Jesus beholding him, loved him." That love beyond doubt, was a love of pity and compassion. Our Lord beheld with pity the strange mixture of earnestness and ignorance which the case before Him presented. He saw with compassion a soul struggling with all the weakness and infirmity entailed by the fall, — the conscience ill at ease, and sensible that it wanted relief, — the understanding sunk in darkness and blinded as to the first principles of spiritual religion. Just as we look with sorrow at some noble ruin, roofless, and shattered, and unfit for man's use, yet showing many a mark of the skill with which it was designed and reared at first, so may we suppose that Jesus looked with tender concern at this man's soul.
We must never forget that Jesus feels love and compassion for the souls of the ungodly. Without controversy He feels a peculiar love for those who hear His voice and follow Him. They are His sheep, given to
Him by the Father, and watched with a special care. They are His bride, joined to Him in an everlasting covenant, and dear to Him as part of Himself. But the heart of Jesus is a wide heart. He has abundance of pity, compassion, and tender concern even for those who are following sin and the world. He who wept over unbelieving Jerusalem is still the same. He would still gather into his bosom the ignorant and self-righteous, the faithless and impenitent, if they were only willing to be gathered. (Matt, xxiii. 37.) We may boldly tell the chief of sinners that Christ loves him. Salvation is ready for the worst of men, if they will only come to Christ. If men are lost, it is not because Jesus does not love them, and is not ready to save. His own solemn words unravel the mystery, "Men love darkness rather than light." " Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life." (John iii. 19; v. 40.)
Let us learn, in the last place, from this passage, the immeme danger of the love of money. This is a lesson which is twice enforced on our notice. Once it comes out in the conduct of the man whose history is here related. With all his professed desire after eternal Kfe, he loved his money better than his soul. "He went away grieved." — Once it comes out in the solemn words of our Lord to his disciples, " How hard is it for them that have riches to enter into the kingdom of God." " It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." The last day alone will fully prove how true those words are.
Let us watch against the love of money. It is a snare to the poor as well as to the rich. It is not so much the having money, as the trusting in it, which ruins the soul. Let us pray for contentment "with such things as we have. The highest wisdom is to be of one mind with St. Paul, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Phil. iv. 11.)
28 Then Peter began to say unto I 32 And they were in the way going him, Lo, we have left all, and have i up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went befollowed thee. I fore them: and they were amazed;
29 And Jesus answered and said, and as they followed, they were afraid. Verily I say unto you, There is no And he took again the twelve, and man that hath left house, or brethren, ' began to tell them what things should or sisters, or father, or mother, or happen unto him,
wife, or children, or lands, for my 33 Saying, Behold, we go up to sake, and the Gospel's, | Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall
30 But he shall receive an hundred- ' be delivered unto the Chief Priests, fold now in this time, houses, and ' and unto the Scribes; and they shall brethren, and sisters, and mothers, condemn him to death, and shall deand children, and lands, with perse- ] liver him to the Gentiles:
cations; and in the world to come 34 And they shall mock him, and eternal life. i shall scourge him, and shall spit ufMn
81 But many that are first shall be I him, and shall kill him: and the third last; and the last first.) day he shall rise again.
The first thing which demands our attention in these verses, is the glorious promise ichich they contain. The Lord Jesus says to His apostles, " Verily I say unto you. There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the Gospel's; but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal Hfe.
There are few wider promises than this in the word of God. There is none certainly in the New Testament which holds out such encouragement for the life that now is. Let every one that is feai-ful and faint-hearted in
Christ's service look at this promise. Let all who are enduring hardness and tribulation for Christ's sake, study this promise well, and drink out of it comfort.
To all who make sacrifices on account of the Gospel, Jesus promises " an hundred-fold now in this time." They shall have not only pardon and glory in the world to come. They shall have even here upon earth, hopes, and joys, and sensible comforts sufficient to make up for all that they lose. They shall find in the communion of saints, new friends, new relations, new companions, more loving, faithful, and valuable than any they had before their conversion. Their introduction into the family of God shall be an abundant recompense for exclusion from the society of this world. This may sound startling and incredible to many ears. But thousands have found by experience that it is true.
To all who make sacrifices on account of the Gospel, Jesus promises " eternal life in the world to come." As soon as they put off their earthly tabernacle, they shall enter upon a glorious existence, and in the morning of the resurrection shall receive such honour and joy as pass man's understanding. Their light affliction for a few years shall end in an everlasting reward. Their fights and sorrows while in the body, shall be exchanged for perfect rest and a conqueror's crown. They shall dwell in a world where there is no death, no sin, no devil, no cares, no weeping, no parting, for the former things will have passed away. God has said it, and it shall all be found true.
Where is the saint who will dare to say in the face of these glorious promises, that there is no encouragement to serve Christ? Where is the man or woman whose hands are heginning to hang down, and whose knees are beginning to faint in the Christian race? Let all such ponder this passage, and take fresh courage. The time is short. The end is sure. Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Let us wait patiently on the Lord,
The second thing, which demands our attention in these verses, is the solemn warning which they contain. The Lord Jesus saw the secret self-conceit of His apostles. He gives them a word in season to check their high thoughts. " Many that are first shall be last, and the last first."
How true were these words, when applied to the twelve apostles! There stood among those who heard our Lord speak, a man who at one time seemed likely to be one of the foremost of the twelve. He was one who appeared more careful and trustworthy than any. He had the charge of the bag, and kept what was put in it And yet that man fell away and came to a disgraceful end. His name was Judas Iscariot. — Again, there did not stand among our Lord's hearers that day one who at a later period did more for Christ than any of the twelve. At the time when our Lord spoke he was a young Pharisee, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and zealous for nothing so much as the law. And yet that young man in the end was converted to the faith of Christ, was not behind the chiefest apostles, and laboured more abundantly than all. His name was Saul. WeU might our Lord say, " the first shall be last; and the last first."
How true were these words, when we apply them to the history of Christian churches! Tliere was a time when Asia Minor, and Greece, and Northern Africa, were full of professing Christians, while England and America were heathen lands. Sixteen hundred years have made a mighty change. The churches of Africa and Asia have fallen into complete decay. The English and American churches are labouring to spread the Gospel over the world. "Well might our Lord say, "the first shall be last, and the last first."
How true these words appear to believers, when they look back over their own lives, and remember all they have seen from the time of their own conversion! How many began to serve Christ at the same time with themselves, and seemed to run well for a season. But where are they now? The world has got hold of one. False doctrine has beguiled another. A mistake in marriage has spoiled a third. Few indeed are the believers who cannot call to mind many such cases. Few have failed to discover, by sorrowful experience, that "the last are often first, and the first last."
Let us learn to pray for humility, when we read texts like this. It is not enough to begin well. We must persevere, and go on, and continue in well-doing. We must. not be content with the fair blossoms of a few religious convictions, and joys, and sorrows, and hopes, and fears. We must bear the good fruit of settled habits of repentance, faith, and holiness. Happy is he who counts the cost, and resolves, having once begun to walk in the narrow way, by God's grace never to turn aside.
The last thing that demands our attention in this passage, is our Lord's clear foreknowledge of JSis own sufferings and death. Calmly and deliberately He tells His disciples of His coming passion at Jerusalem. One after another He describes all the leading circumstances which would attend His death. Nothing is reserved. Nothing is kept back.
Let us mark this well. There was nothing involuntary and unforeseen in our Lord's death. It was the result of His own free, determinate, and deliberate choice. From the beginning of His earthly ministry He saw the cross before Him, and went to it a willing sufferer. He knew that His death was the needful payment that must be made to reconcile God and man. That payment He had covenanted and engaged to make at the price of His own blood. And so, when the appointed time came, like a faithful surety, He kept His word, and died for our sins on Calvary.
Let us ever bless God that the Gospel sets before us such a Saviour, so faithful to the terms of the covenant, — so ready to suffer, — so willing to be reckoned sin, and a curse in our stead. Let us not doubt that He who fulfilled His engagement to suffer, will also fulfil His engagement to save all who come to Him. Let us not only accept Him gladly as our Redeemer and Advocate, but gladly give ourselves, and all we have, to His service. Surely if Jesus cheerfully died for us, it is a small thing to require Christians to live for Him.
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Uaater, we would that thou shouldest
do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 36 And he said unto tliem, What would ye that I should do for you i
37 They said unto him, Grant unto us, that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38 But Jesus said imto them, Te know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and he baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Te shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Te know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercifle authority upon them.
43 But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Let us mark in this passage, the ignorance of our Lord's disciples. We find James and John petitioning for the first places in the kingdom of glory. We find them confidently declaring their ability to drink of their Master's cup, and be baptized with their Master's baptism. In spite of all the plain warnings of our Lord, they clung obstinately to the belief that Christ's kingdom on earth was immediately going to appear. Notwithstanding their many shortcomings in Christ's service, they had no misgivings as to their power to endure anything which might come upon them. With all their faith, and grace, and love to Jesus, they neither knew their own hearts, nor the nature of the path before them. They still dreamed of temporal crowns, and earthly rewards. They still knew not what manner of men they were.
There are few true Christians who do not resemble James and John, when they first begin the service of Christ. We are apt to expect far more present enjoyment from our rehgion, than the Gospel warrants us to expect. We are apt to forget the cross, and the tribulation, and to think only of the crown. We form an incorrect estimate of our own patience and power of endurance. We misjudge our own ability to stand temptation and trial. And the result of all is, that we often buy wisdom dearly, by bitter experience, after many disappointments, and not a few falls.
Let the case before us teach us the importance of a solid and calm judgment in our religion. Like James and John, we are right in coveting the best gifts, and in telling all our desires to Christ. Like them we are right in beheving that Jesus is King of kings, and will one day reign upon the earth. But let us not, Uke them, forget that there is a cross to be borne by every Christian, and that "through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts xiv. 22.) Let us not, like them, be over-confident in our own strength, and forward in professing that we can do any thing that Christ requires. Let us, in short, beware of a boastful spirit, when we first begin to run the Christian course. If we remember this, it may save us many a humbling fall.
Let us mark, secondly, in this passage, ichat praise our Lord bestows on lowliness, and devotion to the good of others. It seems that the ten were much displeased with James and John, because of the petition which they made to their Master. Their ambition and love of preeminence were once more excited at the idea of any one being placed above themselves. Our Lord saw their feelings, and, like a wise physician, proceeded at once to supply a corrective medicine. He tells them that their ideas of greatness were buUt on a mistaken foundation. He repeats with renewed emphasis, the lesson already laid down in the preceding chapter, "Whosoever of you mil be the chiefest shall be servant of all." And He backs up all by the overwhelming argument of His own example: "Even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister."*
Let all who desire to please Christ, watch and pray against self-esteem. It is a feeling which is deeply rooted in our hearts. Thousands have come out from the world, taken up the cross, professed to forsake their owi^ righteousness, and believe in Christ, who have felt irritated and annoyed, when a brother has been more honoured than themselves. These things ought not so to be. We ought often to ponder the words of St. Paul, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves." (Philipp. ii. 3.) Blessed is that man who
*The remarks of Quesnel on this passage are worth reading.
He says, " The ambition of clergymen is a gi'eat scandal in the church, and is frequently an occasion of emulations, enmities, divisions, schisms, and ware; of all which the displeasure ot the apostles gives us an imperfect shadow and resemblance. If apostles, trained up in the school of humility and charity, are not free from this vice, what effects will not ambition produce in souls wholly immersed in flesh and blood, which have no motion but from then- passions, no law but that of theii* own desii'es?"
"Men strangely forget themselves, when, as a ministiy appointed only for tbe sake of heaven, they are contending with the gi-eat ones of the earth in haughtiness and gi-andeur. It is very difficult to support equally the double character of a spiritual pastor and a temporal prince; and to join humility with grandeur, meekness with dominion, and the constant application of a pastor with the care of secular affairs."
"The greatest prelate in the church, is he who is most conformable to the example of Christ, by humility, chaiity, and continual attendance on his flock, and who looks on himself as a servant to the children of God."
can sincerely rejoice when others are exalted, though he himself is overlooked and passed hy!
Ahove all, let all who desire to walk in Christ's steps, labour to be useful to others. Let them lay themselves out to do good in their day and generation. There is always a vast field for doing it, if men have the will and inclination. Let them never forget, that true greatness does not consist in being an admiral, or a general, — a statesman, or an artist. It consists in devoting ourselves, body, and soul, and spirit to the blessed work of making our fellow men more holy and more happy. It is those who exert themselves by the use of Scripture means to lessen the sorrow, and increase the joy, of all around them, — the Howards, the Wilberforces, the Martyns, the Judsons of a country, — who are tnily great in the sight of God. While they live they are laughed at, mocked, ridiculed, and often persecuted. But their memorial is on high. Their names are written in heaven. Their praise endureth for ever. Let us remember these things, and while we have time do good unto all men, and be servants of all for Christ's sake. Let us strive to leave the world better, hoHer, happier than it was when we were bom. A life spent in this way is truly Christlike, and brings its own reward.
Let us mark, lastly, in this passage, the language which our Lord uses in speaking of His own death. He says, "The Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many."
This is one of those expressions which ought to be carefully treasured up in the minds of aU true Christians. It is one of the texts which prove incontrovertibly the atoning character of Christ's death. That death was no common death, like the death of a martyr, or of other holy men. It -was the public payment by an Almighty Representative of the debts of sinful man to a holy God. It was the ransom which a Divine Surety undertook to provide, in order to procure liberty for sinners, tied and bound by the chain of their sins. By that death Jesus made a full and complete satisfaction for man's countless transgressions. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us aU. When He died. He died for us. When He suffered. He suffered in our stead. When He hung on the cross. He hung there as our Substitute. When His blood flowed, it was the price of our souls.
Let all who trust in Christ take comfort in the thought, that they build on a sure foundation. It is true that we are sinners, but Christ has borne our sins. It is true that we are poor helpless debtors, but Christ has paid our debts. It is true that we deserve to be shut up for ever in the prison of heU. But, thanks be to God, Christ hath paid a full and complete ransom for us. The door is wide open. The prisoners may go free. May we aU know this privilege by heartfelt experience, and walk in the blessed liberty of the children of God.*
*The manner in which our Lord uses the word haptism in the passage now expounded, deserves careful notice. He says to two disciples, who were already baptized with water, " Can ye he baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" The expression is very remarkable. It is a clear proof that in the New Testament a sacramental dipping or sprinkling with water is not always necessarily implied by the word baptism. It establishes the fact that there is such a thing as being baptized, iti a certain sense, without the use of any outward ordinance at all.