Chapter 7
#120. The Year of Obscurity.#--Before examining this at all, it will be well to consider the state of national life into which the life of the Master was projected. It was not like that which we have seen prevailed so constantly before the captivity, for there was now among Jews no idolatry of any kind to be found. This was a great gain. Moreover, it was a national life under subjection to a foreign and Gentile power. With this power the Lord had to reckon, of course. Once more there was great reverence for the written Word, which was now more full than it ever had been, for the Old Testament, as we have it, was all in existence. There was to be found in every Jewish town the synagogue, where the law was read and expounded. This institution was an outgrowth of the captivity experience, and was most valuable. But, alas! there was also much of formality, especially among the religious leaders. They had so added to or explained the written law that it had become void through the traditions of men. Much religiosity, but little true religion, was to be found. Yet among the lowly there was still true religion, as shown by such persons as Zacharias and Elisabeth, Joseph and Mary, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Into a national life such as is here very briefly indicated, Jesus came forth.
#121. The Baptism.#--He is introduced to us in this year, first at his baptism (Matt. 3:13). Here we have our first foreshadowing of the Trinity, for here the Son stands, praying, while at the same time the Father's approving voice is heard, and the Holy Spirit descends and rests on the Son.
#122. The Temptation.#--This is at once followed by the forty days of temptation in the wilderness. Of this experience we are given but three specific instances. These seem to be typical of all the rest, and relate to: 1. Unlawful use of his miraculous power for himself. 2. Dramatic display of his power as Messiah. 3. Absolute turning from his life-purpose for the sake of self-aggrandizement. All these, it is worthy of note, are resisted, by the use of the written Word, which in Jesus' hands is a mighty sword. The fundamental reason for this assault on the part of Satan may be found in the undoubted fact that the Adversary knew that Jesus had come to this world to destroy his works. Demons knew who Jesus was long before men did. On that account the great assault was made, for if Jesus could be stumbled into sin, then he could not be Saviour, since he himself would need to be saved. Had Jesus yielded in the wilderness, Calvary would not have been of any avail.
#123. The First Disciples.#--During this first year Jesus gained many disciples, though he himself did not, like John the Baptist, baptize them. This he left to his chosen disciples. This shows that the popularity of the Baptist had at this time already begun to wane, as he himself predicted that it would. Not many miracles are recorded during this period, though we know that the one in Cana of Galilee was the first of a series. The gathering of disciples, who later became apostles, begins in this year. In one day the record indicates that he gained six of these (John 1:35-51).
#124. The Cleansing of the Temple.#--A most dramatic event in this year is his first cleansing of the Temple. The extortion practised in the court of the Temple filled him with indignation and he drove out the money changers, and dealers in cattle and doves, declaring that his Father's house was a house of prayer, while they had made it a den of thieves. This drew on him the antagonism of the rulers under whose fostering care, or at least through whose negligence, these abuses had grown up. This antagonism never ceased until they had worked on him their will on Calvary.
#125. Interview with Nicodemus.#--It was during this first year that we have two most remarkable dialogues of our Lord. The first is that with the ruler Nicodemus. At this interview either John the evangelist must have been present, or else Jesus or Nicodemus must have told John what was said. In this dialogue occurs the most significant sentence that the world has ever heard, having within twenty-four words more of Divine truth than any other similar number of words ever uttered,--John 3:16. In this verse, as Dr. Arthur T. Pierson puts it, we have five couplets:
1. God the Father and the Son, as the originators of salvation.
2. The Divine action, "loved," and "gave."
3. Those toward whom this action was directed. "The world," and to make it personal, "whosoever."
4. The condition on which the Divine gift may be had. "Believe," and therefore "have."
5. That for which all this action is taken, "not perish," but have "everlasting life."
#126. The Woman of Samaria.#--In this year too, at its close, comes the interview with the woman at Jacob's well, in Samaria. It is well worth noticing that to a woman, and she a Samaritan woman, Jesus poured out truth as prodigally as he did to Nicodemus, a ruler of his own nation. The result of this interview was the adherence of a large number of Samaritans to the Master. All the above story of this first year of our Lord's public ministry we learn only from the Gospel of John, each of the other evangelists beginning his story with the Galilean ministry.
#127.# Note that our Lord's whole public life is condensed into three and a half short years. Yet what a wonderful work he accomplished in that period! The active life of Alexander the Great was thirteen years, and that of Napoleon twenty-three years. In those years these two men wrought wonders. But their empire has long since passed away. The empire of the Master is to-day wider than ever, and the work of those three years and a half will never cease to be felt. This is because he was more than mere man, and brought to his task super-human power and knowledge.
Test Questions
State the condition of Palestine religiously at the time of our Lord's entry into public life.
What was the value of the synagogue?
Give the first event of the year in question.
Of what doctrine do we see the foreshadowing at Christ's baptism?
Give the threefold nature of the temptations of which we have record.
What reason may we assign for the attempt of Satan to draw Christ to sin?
With whom did Jesus have a most significant interview in Jerusalem?
Give the five couplets in John 3:16.
With whom did Jesus have another interview at Jacob's well?
What was the result of that interview?
What is there significant in the brevity of our Lord's public life as compared with that of Alexander or Napoleon?
Lesson 4
The Year of Popularity
New Testament Division--Second Period (Continued)
+-----------+----------+----------+-------- EVENTS | MATTHEW | MARK | LUKE | JOHN ------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+-------- Public Teaching in | 4:17 | 1:14, 15 | 4:14, 15 | 4:43-45 Galilee. | | | | | | | | Cana. Healing of the | ... | ... | ... | 4:46-54 Nobleman's Son (1). | | | | | | | | Rejection at | 4:13-16 | ... | 4:16-31 | Nazareth (2). | | | | | | | | Sea of Galilee. Call of | 4:18-22 | 1:16-20 | 5:1-11 | the Fishermen, etc. (3).| | | | | | | | Healing of Peter's | 8:14-17 | 1:21-34 | 4:31-41 | Wife's Mother, of a | | | | Demoniac, etc. | | | | | | | | Preaching Tour through | 4:23-25 | 1:35-39 | 4:42-44 | Galilee (4). | | | | | | | | Healing of a Leper. | 8:2-4 | 1:40-45 | 5:12-16 | | | | | Healing of a Paralytic, | 9:2-9 | 2:1-14 | 5:17-28 | etc. | | | | | | | | Jerusalem. Healing of | ... | ... | ... | 5:1-47 Infirm Man, etc. (5, 6).| | | | | | | | Sabbath Controversies, | 12:1-14 | 2:23 to | 6:1-11 | etc. | | 3:6 | | | | | | Multitudes Gather by | 12:15-21 | 3:7-12 | 6:17-19 | the Sea. | | | | | | | | Galilee. Choice of the | 10:2-4 | 3:13-19 | 6:12-16 | Twelve (7). | | | | | | | | Sermon on the Mount. |5:1 to 8:1 | ... | 6:20-49 | | | | | Capernaum. Healing of | 8:5-13 | ... | 7:1-10 | Centurion's Servant (8).| | | | | | | | Nain. Raising of the | ... | ... | 7:11-17 | Widow's Son (9). | | | | | | | | John the Baptist Sends | 11:2-19 | ... | 7:18-35 | Messengers to Jesus. | | | | | | | | Discourse of Jesus | 11:20-30 | | | about his Mighty Works. | | | | | | | | Our Lord Anointed by a | ... | ... | 7:36-50 | Woman. | | | | | | | | Second Circuit in | ... | ... | 8:1-3 | Galilee (10). | | | | | | | | Healing of a Demoniac, | 12:22-50 | 3:20-35 | 11:14-36;| etc. | | | 8:19-21 | | | | | Woes against the | ... | ... | 11:37 to | Pharisees, etc. | | | 13:9 | | | | | Parable of the Sower, | 13:1-53 | 4:1-34 | 8:4-18 | etc. | | | | | | | | Voyage across the Lake. | 8:18-27 | 4:35-41 | 8:22-25; | Tempest Stilled (11). | | | 9:57-62 | | | | | Demoniacs near Gadara. | 8:28 to | 5:1-21 | 8:26-40 | Recrossing the Lake | 9:1 | | | (12). | | | | | | | | Feast of Matthew, etc. | 9:10-34 | 2:15-22; | 5:29-39; | | | 5:22-43 | 8:41-56 | | | | | Second Rejection at | 13:54-58 | 6:1-6 | | Nazareth (13). | | | | | | | | Another Circuit in | 9:35-38; | 6:6-13 | 9:1-6 | Galilee; the Twelve | 10:1, 5, | | | Sent Forth (14). | to 11:1 | | | | | | | Herod's Dread of Jesus. | 14:1, 2, | 6:14-16, | 9:7-9 | | 6-12 | 21-29 | | ------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+--------
#TIME.#--A. D. 28 to A. D. 29.
#PLACES.#--Capernaum, Galilee, Jerusalem, Nain, Gadara, Nazareth.
The Incomparable Life (Continued)
#128. The Year of Popularity.#--This was spent in Galilee. The Galileans had heard of his fame from those of their number who had seen him in Jerusalem, so it required but a few deeds of might to arouse them to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. His activity during this year may be studied with relation, first, to his miracles, and second, to his teaching.
#129. His Miracles Multiplied.#--These were multiplied beyond any previous precedent. They sprang from him as sparks spring from the red-hot iron of the blacksmith under the hammer. There must have been single days when he wrought hundreds of miracles. Take that Sabbath day in Capernaum as an example. In the morning in the synagogue he healed a demoniac. In the later part of the day he healed Peter's mother-in-law. Then, as the sun was setting, there came to him all in that city that had maladies of any kind, and he healed them all. A wonderful day that, for Capernaum. No wonder that later on he referred to that city as exalted to heaven. His miraculous power manifested itself over disease of every kind. No malady was unreachable by him. The three characteristics of his healing ministry were, first, it was instantaneous--there was no period of convalescence. Deathly sick one moment--perfectly well the next; this was the history of each patient. (One exception there is to this, and that is of the man who needed two touches to cure his blindness (Mark 8:24.) Was the man's faith at fault?) Second, it was perfect--there were no signs of weakness left and no relapses. How unlike the frequent experience under even the best of modern physicians! In the third place, it was all _without money or price_.
#130. His Power# was equally great over death. He called, and Lazarus came forth; he took the dead maiden by the hand and she arose. He spoke to the young man on his bier and he responded. His power extended to the spirit world, for he commanded evil spirits to come out of men, and they obeyed. Nature obeyed his voice, as when he spoke to the winds and the waves and they were hushed. Man, nature, and the spirit world all recognized his power and yielded swift obedience. No wonder that his popularity was immense under these circumstances. It would not be possible to exaggerate the exciting scenes through which he passed during this year. Men thronged around him so violently, and crushed together to see and hear him so vehemently, that many were thrown down and trampled on. Wild cries must have come from the masses of people who so excitedly pressed near to him. They actually broke up the roof of one house so as to get into his presence the patient for whom they craved his services. He had not time so much as to eat in peace, as they gave him no respite (Mark 6:31).
#131. His Miracles as Lessons.#--All these miracles of his were in reality also object-lessons to lead men to an apprehension of things invisible and spiritual. If he healed a man born blind, it was to make men see that they needed spiritual sight. If he touched the deaf man's ears and made him hear, what was this but an object-lesson showing that they woefully needed spiritual hearing? And if he raised the dead, this, too, was to teach a great spiritual truth, namely, that he was the resurrection and the life.
#132.# In all this wonderful life we are glad to note how much of happiness must have come to the Master as he saw the sick made instantly well. At the same time his gift of healing sometimes brought to him exquisite sorrow, as in the case of the ten lepers, nine of whom did not think it worth their while to go back to say, "Thank you." It was at this time in his ministry that the Master began to bid men whom he helped hold their peace, for there was really danger that the excited throngs would develop into uncontrollable mobs, and that the Roman government would find it necessary to interfere.
#133. His Teaching# was apparently less important than were his miracles, though it was really more important. If we could have only the miracles, or the teaching, we would at once take the teaching. The miracles were chiefly temporary in their effect, while the influence of the teaching is eternal. In view of the fact that, as noted in Lesson 2, we have so few of his words recorded, we may well wonder at their power. As he said, "the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life" (John 6:63).
#134.# His teaching was characterized by its #boldness#. He taught them as one who had authority, for he knew by inward experience the truth of all that he uttered. The Scribes were more like parrots, for they repeated the opinions of those who had gone before them, and had no true vision of things spiritual. Jesus, on the other hand, did not hesitate to quote passages from Moses, and set them aside, on his own authority. He had larger vision than had the great lawgiver, and he was well aware of that fact. "Ye have heard that it hath been said--but I say unto you," such was his confident manner of teaching. And the results of his teaching have fully substantiated his claim.
#135.# In his teaching he was #infinitely tender# with confessed sin, but at the same time he was equally stern against professed holiness. No more terrible words have ever been spoken than those of the Master against the Scribes and Pharisees, on account of their hypocrisy. To read them with any adequate conception of the occasion is to feel almost terrified at their vehemence. On the other hand, no zephyr was ever more gentle than were his words to those who felt their sin and wished to abandon it.
#136.# In his teaching he #made much use of parable#, for this was in reality a picture, and he knew that pictures convey truth and are remembered longer than any other form of speech. What an array of pictures his parables have hung in the galleries of our memories! Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan, Ten Virgins, Lost Sheep, Unjust Judge--what are these but pictures that we cherish, and from which we gain eternal truths of the most precious nature?
#137.# His teaching for the most part revolved around the idea of #the Kingdom of God on Earth, and Himself as its Center#. Let the student look up all the parables of the Kingdom and he will realize the truth of this statement. The reason why even his nearest disciples misunderstood him so, and thought that this kingdom was to be like that of David, was that they did not put the emphasis in the right place. They thought of "The _kingdom_ of God," while he thought of "The Kingdom of _God_." There is a great difference between these two forms of emphasis. The one led them to ask for places on his right and left in his kingdom; the other emphasized the truth that the Kingdom of God is within you. Thus in the midst of great excitement, this year of popularity was spent. Tours through Galilee were like triumphal processions, and the throngs were never weary of crowding on him and the disciples. Alas! that the people should not have better appreciated the inwardness of his mission, but should have taken in only that which was temporal and not eternal!
Test Questions
What is the second year of our Lord's life called?
Where was it for the most part spent?
What two chief characteristics marked this year?
Over what did the Master show his power?
Name the peculiarities of his healings.
Of what may the miracles be said to be object-lessons?
Which was more truly important--his miracles or his teaching? Why?
What two characteristics did his teaching possess?
Why did he make so much use of the parable?
Around what thought did most of the Lord's teaching revolve?
Why did the disciples so misunderstand him?
Lesson 5
The Year of Opposition
New Testament Division--Second Period (Continued)