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With these come the great philosophic schools, with their professors and pupils, and they, in philosophical research for the most part, take off their hats and adore and crown Jesus Lord of all. He is to every one a unique character, whose life and teaching, by words and actions, place him high over all.

Yes, that Jesus is the greatest and most influencing character the world has ever known, goes without question, and can not be contradicted. Men in all races, regardless of religion, will frankly confess that Jesus of Nazareth is the most wonderful character; that he stands peerless for wholesome examples and righteous influences in all the many walks of life; that no character has ever equaled him, among the learned in wisdom, among the charitable in kindness, among the sympathetic in joys or sorrows.

We truly speak when we say in the history of the human race "there is none like Jesus."

But we pause to consider why he is such a wonderful character, and why so influential. We note, first, that he is naturally great, since he is Divine. John tells us that he is the incarnate Word, and the Word is God. He was in the beginning, and all things were made by him, and he made all things good, because he was good and holy. Since, therefore, Jesus is the Christ, and, hence, the Son of God, he is far above all creatures celestial or terrestrial. He is superior in existence, in character, in wisdom, and in power. He is above all by force of creation, and over all by exaltation. His station is at the right hand of God, far beyond all principalities and powers. He is in possession of the eternal throne, having all powers in heaven and earth and under the earth given him. His years are eternal, and, in his real, Divine character, death has always been and always will be strange to him. His dominion is universal, and he has the promise of the Father that to him "every knee shall bow and every tongue con

fess." This promise, promulgated, says there may arise opposition in acts, in infidelities, in false doctrines, and in every possible skeptical way; yet Christ's kingdom shall eventually come, and his will shall be done in earth as it is in the heavens. This promise to-day is actuated by the faith of Christendom; it has been influencing the races and nations of the earth for eighteen hundred years. And this promise is as thoroughly believed in and preached as it was in the early days of Christian influence, when men went into prisons and into all kinds of death for its sake.

Christendom believes that the Christian side is the side which will inevitably win, and this faith is founded upon Jesus, his life, doctrine, and works. No man ever lived as he did, nor thus taught and worked. This peculiar life and character from the first had its bearing and attractions. From the first Jesus won admirers and received believers and made disciples. There never was a time when there was none to follow and adore; never a time when there were not the many thousands of knees ready to bow to his royalty and magnify him with praise.

But he is great because he is the world's Redeemer and only Savior. Salvation is through Jesus, and none other. "There is none other name under heaven given whereby we must be saved." Then it is to Jesus all men do and must look for salvation. He is God's Son and only Representative of the heavenly government to whom men may come and on whom God depends for man's salvation. He is the "Life, the Truth, and the Way." He is the Life, since, aside from him, all is spiritual and material death. He is the Truth, since he alone comes to us from the Father, bringing the fully revealed will of him to men. He is the Way, since he leads and only can lead, men to God. Through him we go in and out, and find pastures of living verdure and waters.

But Jesus is not only a nominal Savior. He is a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice and oblation. In him God is well pleased. To him God gave command, on the Mountain of Transfiguration, to listen, yes, listen to him, for he speaks of God and heaven, and, aside from him, none, no, not angels, can speak. Listen to him, for he alone has the words of eternal life.

"Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,

Your loosened tongues employ;

Ye blind, behold your Savior come;
And leap, ye lame, for joy."

CHAPTER III.

ACTS AND WORDS OF JESUS FROM HIS BAPTISM TO THE FIRST PASSOVER FEAST.

A

SECTION 1.-THE TEMPTATION.

Matt. iv, 1-11; Mark i, 12, 13; Luke iv, 1-13.

FTER the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John,

which act was performed, most probably, in the month of January, A. D. 27, Jesus entered into the most. trying experience of his whole life. It was the notable fast and temptation.

This experience of Jesus has a twofold design: First, it was preparatory. Jesus came into the world for the great work of redemption, and, as man, he needed strength to begin and go through with such a task. He also needed familiarity, through experience, with the weaknesses of man under physical, lustful, and ambitious trial. This he received in the temptation. Second, it was exemplary. Jesus here lays down a means of grace, fasting, which is recommended in his Word, and, according to his own utterance, the most powerful agency of the Christian religion. When he wrought what the disciples could not, he stated to them, upon being asked why they could not perform the miracle, "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Hence, we gather, from the nature of the temptation, a need of spiritual strength to work for the Lord Jesus, and this we can always get through prayer and fasting. But we find more light upon its beneficence by reference to

the Antechristian characters. Take Moses and Elijah, who both fasted the same length of time Jesus did, that they might gather strength to perform the grave duties resting upon them, and became fully sanctified for all required of their lives.

But now we turn to look at the practical part of the temptation. It was in the desert of Judea, doubtless in the month of January or February, for Mark says immediately after his baptism he was driven or forcefully led into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan.

"In the wilderness" is a very indefinite phrase. We have no clue to the precise spot where any of the temptations occurred. We need, however, to content ourselves with knowing it was in the wilderness of the Jordan, where John was baptizing; for Jesus soon returned to the baptismal grounds, where John testified of him, and there gathered his first disciples.

We note that after the baptism, when Jesus had fasted forty days and nights, the tempter came to him. The tempter came when he had fasted forty days and nights, and had become hungry. Notice, the tempter came to him. when he was physically weak, and in the trial of his weakness offered the temptation, as Jesus was more liable in this state to yield. Satan said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." The trial here is twofold: First, "If thou be the Son of God," is a proposition to prove that thou art. Second, Prove that thou art by making, as Luke has it, "this stone bread," and satisfy your distressing hunger. Here we infer that Satan tries men when they are least prepared to meet him, and in their weakest spot. But Jesus, the Christ, was ready for him, and replied thus, "It it written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Thus ends the first trial, with a great lesson to us; namely, God has said what we shall

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