afterwards, in true Pharisaic fashion, proceeded to re-arrange the guests according to their supposed dignity. And even the Rabbis had given advice to the same effect as Christ's --and of this His words may have reminded them.1 But further-addressing him who had so treacherously bidden Him to this feast, Christ showed how the principle of Pharisaism consisted in self-seeking, to the necessary exclusion of all true love. Referring, for the fuller explanation of His meaning, to a previous chapter, we content ourselves here with the remark, that this selfseeking and self-righteousness appeared even in what, perhaps, they most boasted of their hospitality. For, if in an earlier Jewish record we read the beautiful words: Let thy house be open towards the street, and let the poor be the sons of thy house,'d we have, also, this later comment on them,e that Job had thus had his house opened to the four quarters of the globe for the poor, and that, when his calamities befell him, he remonstrated with God on the ground of his merits in this respect, to which answer was made, that he had in this matter come very far short of the merits of Abraham. So entirely self-introspective and self-seeking did Rabbinism become, and so contrary was its outcome to the spirit of Christ, the inmost meaning of Whose Work, as well as Words, was entire self-forgetfulness and self-surrender in love. 4. In the fourth Discourse recorded by St. Luke, we pass from the parenthetic account of that Sabbath-meal in the house of the Ruler of the Pharisees,' back to where the narrative of the Pharisees' threat about Herod and the reply of Jesus had left us. And, if proof were required of the great influence exercised by Jesus, and which, as we have suggested, led to the attempt of the Pharisees to induce Christ to leave Peræa, it would be found in the opening notice, as well as in the Discourse itself which He spoke. Christ did depart from that place, though not yet from Peræa; but with Him went great multitudes.' And, in view of their professed adhesion, it was needful, and now more emphatically than ever, to set before them all that discipleship really involved, alike of cost and of strength-the two latter points being illustrated by brief Parables' (in the wider sense of that term). Substantially, it was only what Christ had told the Twelve, when He sent them on their first Mission. Only it was now cast in a far stronger mould, as befitted the altered circumstances, in the near prospect of Christ's condemnation, with all that this would involve to His followers. 1 Almost precisely the same sayings occur in Ab. de Rabbi Nathan 25, and Vajjikra R. 1. THE FOURTH OF THE PEREAN DISCOURSES. 305 CHAP. XX xiv. 26 It was vv. 28-30 At the outset we mark, that we are not here told what constituted the true disciple, but what would prevent a man from becoming such. Again, it was now no longer (as in the earlier address to the Twelve), that he who loved the nearest and dearest of earthly kin more than Christ and hence clave to such rather than to Him- -was not worthy of Him; nor that he who did not take his cross and follow after Him was not worthy of the Christ. Since then the enmity had ripened, and discipleship become impossible without actual renunciation of the nearest relationship, and, more than that, of life itself. The term 'hate,' of course, does not imply hatred of parents St. Luke or relatives, or of life, in the ordinary sense. But it points to this, that, as outward separation, consequent upon men's antagonism to Christ, was before them in the near future, so, in the present, inward separation, a renunciation in mind and heart, preparatory to that outwardly, was absolutely necessary. And this immediate call was illustrated in twofold manner. A man who was about to begin building a tower, must count the cost of the whole. not sufficient that he was prepared to defray the expense of the foundations; he must look to the cost of the whole. So must they, in becoming disciples, look not on what was involved in the present following of Christ, but remember the cost of the final acknowledgment of Jesus. Again, if a king went to war, common prudence. would bid him consider whether his forces were equal to the great contest before him; else it were far better to withdraw in time, even though discreditably, from what, in view of his weakness, would lead to miserable defeat.c So, and much more, must the intending v. 31, 32 disciple make complete inward surrender of all, deliberately counting the cost, and, in view of the coming trial, ask himself whether he had, indeed, sufficient inward strength-the force of love to Christ-to conquer. And thus discipleship, then, and, in measure, to all time, involves the necessity of complete inward surrender of everything for the love of Christ, so that if, and when, the time of outward trial comes, we may be prepared to conquer in the fight.d He fights well, who has first fought and conquered within. d ver. 33 Or else, and here Christ breaks once more into that pithy Jewish proverb-only, oh! how aptly, applying it to His disciples-Salt is good; salt, if it have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?' e We have preferred to quote the proverb in its Jewish form,fl to show Bechor. 86, e vv. 31, 35 מילחא כי סרי' [has an evil odour, is spoiled] במאי מלחי לה : In the Talmud י lines 14, 13 from bottom BOOK • St. Luke xvii. 1-10 b xvii. 1 • vv. 1-4, comp. St. its popular origin. Salt in such condition was neither fit to improve the land, nor, on the other hand, to be mixed with the manure. The disciple who had lost his distinctiveness would neither benefit the land, nor was he even fit, as it were, for the dunghill, and could only be cast out. And So, let him that hath ears to hear, hear the warning! 5. We have still to consider the last Discourses of Christ before the raising of Lazarus. These, as addressed to the disciples, we have to connect with the Discourse just commented upon. In point of fact, part of these admonitions had already been spoken on a previous occasion, and that more fully, to the disciples in Galilee. Matt xviii. Only we must again bear in mind the difference of circumstances. Here, they immediately precede the raising of Lazarus, and they form the close of Christ's public Ministry in Peraa. Hence they come to us as Christ's parting admonitions to His Peræan followers. 6-35; ver. 6, comp. St. Matt. xvii. 20 a St. John xi. • St. Luke xvii. 1, 2 f VV. 3, 4 5 ver, 6 vv. 7-10. i St. Matt. xviii. 1-6, &c., 21, 22 * St. Luke xvii. 6 m vv. 7-10 d Thus viewed, they are intended to impress on the new disciples these four things: to be careful to give no offence; to be careful to take no offence; to be simple and earnest in their faith, and absolutely to trust its all-prevailing power; and yet, when they had made experience of it, not to be elated, but to remember their relation to their Master, that all was in His service, and that, after all, when everything had been done, they were but unprofitable servants.b In other words, they urged upon the disciples holiness, love, faith, and service of self-surrender and humility. k Most of these points have been already considered, when explaining the similar admonitions of Christ in Galilee. The four parts of this Discourse are broken by the prayer of the Apostles, who had formerly expressed their difficulty in regard to these very requirements: Add unto us faith.' It was upon this that the Lord spake to them, for their comfort, of the absolute power of even the smallest faith, and of the service and humility of faith." The latter was couched in a Parabolic form, well calculated to impress on them those feelings which would keep them lowly. They were but servants; and, even though they had done their work, the Master expected them to serve Him, before they sat down to their own meal and rest. Yet meal and rest there would be in the end. Only, let there not be self-elation, nor weariness, nor impatience; but let the Master and His service be all in all. Surely, if ever there was em See Book IV. chap. iii. XX 307 CLOSING ADMONITION OF THE PER.EAN DISCOURSES. phatic protest against the fundamental idea of Pharisaism, as claim- СНАР. ing merit and reward, it was in the closing admonition of Christ's public Ministry in Peræa: When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.' And with these parting words did He most effectually and for ever separate, in heart and spirit, the Church from the Synagogue. BOOK IV CHAPTER XXI. THE DEATH AND THE RAISING OF LAZARUS THE QUESTION OF MIRACLES (St. John xi. 1–54.) FROM listening to the teaching of Christ, we turn once more to follow His working. It will be remembered, that the visit to Bethany divides the period from the Feast of the Dedication to the last Paschal week into two parts. It also forms the prelude and preparation for the awful events of the End. For, it was on that occasion that the members of the Sanhedrin formally resolved on His Death. It now only remained to settle and carry out the plans for giving effect to their purpose. This is one aspect of it. There is yet another and more solemn one. The raising of Lazarus marks the highest point (not in the Manifestation, but) in the Ministry of our Lord; it is the climax in a history where all is miraculous-the Person, the Life, the Words, the Work. As regards Himself, we have here the fullest evidence alike of His Divinity and Humanity; as regards those who witnessed it, the highest manifestation of faith and of unbelief. Here, on this height, the two ways finally meet and part. And from this high point-not only from the resolution of the Sanhedrists, but from the raising of Lazarus-we have our first clear outlook on the Death and Resurrection of Christ, of which the raising of Lazarus was the typical prelude. From this height, also, have we an outlook upon the gathering of the Church at His empty Tomb, where the precious words spoken at the grave of Lazarus received their full meaning-till Death shall be no more. But chiefly do we now think of it as the Miracle of Miracles in the history of the Christ. He had, indeed, before this raised the dead; but it had been in far-off Galilee, and in circumstances essentially different. But now it would be one so well known as Lazarus, at the very gates of Jerusalem, in the sight of all men, and amidst surroundings which admitted |