Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

[We have reason to rejoice that his power over men's bodies is now greatly contracted, if not wholly destroyedWhat a miserable world would this be, if the malice of that fiend were not restrained!-

But his power over the souls of men is as extensive as everk

He still takes advantage of our constitutional propensities1— And impels us to the commission of the most self-destructive

acts

Doubtless much of our wickedness must be ascribed to our depraved appetites

But our malicious adversary concurs with them, and actuates us by them”—

While we continue unregenerate, we are altogether his vassals

And the whole world, if viewed in a spiritual light, exhibits little else than such wretched spectacles as that before us] With such scenes, however, Jesus was continually con

versant

II. The application made to Jesus on his behalf

The father of the youth had in vain applied to the disciples for relief

[The disciples had been endued with power to cast out devils

But in this instance they were foiled in their attempt to exercise that power

This disappointment afforded to the unbelieving Scribes much occasion for malicious triumph

Our Lord being asked afterwards by his disciples in private, assigned the reasons of their failure

They had not made the attempt in the full exercise of faith

Had they truly believed, nothing should have been impossible to them

They had moreover neglected to use extraordinary means on this extraordinary occasion

They should have had recourse to God in fasting and prayert

From these circumstances we may gather much useful instruction

[blocks in formation]

Compare John xii. 6. with Luke xxii. 3-5.

[merged small][ocr errors]

Eph. ii. 2.

r Mark ix. 14.

P 2 Tim. ii. 26.

s Matt. xvii. 20.

m Acts xiii. 10.

q Matt. x. 8.

t Ib. ver. 21. It

seems from hence that some of the evil spirits have more power and malignity than others. See also Matt. xii. 45.

Our Lord has promised us the victory over all the darkness"

powers of But we must have our strength renewed by fasting and prayer

And must put it forth in a believing dependence on his wordy

Nor can we hope to succeed but in the use of these appointed means-]

He now applied to Jesus himself

[Kneeling with deepest humility, he implored the mercy which he needed

But manifested that the disappointment he had experienced had shaken his faith even in Jesus himselfa

Our Lord gently reproves him for his unbelief

And bids him be more concerned about the increase of his own faith than about the ability of the person to whom he was applyingb

The father instantly with tears confesses the justice of the reproofc

And intreats the Lord to increase and confirm his faithHow amiable was this concern for his child, and this contrition for his fault!

And should we be less earnest in interceding for our unconverted relatives?

Like him, when human powers have failed, we are ready to question the sufficiency of God himself

But we should be careful never to limit the almighty power of Jesus!

And should deeply bewail the sad remains of unbelief that are within us!—

Let us then labour more to imitate this afflicted parentAnd in every application to Jesus offer that suitable petition"-]

Like thousands of other suppliants he soon obtained his request

III. The miracle which Jesus wrought for him Our Lord immediately interposed for the relief of the youth

[ocr errors]

And Satan laboured to the utmost to obstruct his design

[Jesus ordered the young man to be brought unto him

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Satan enraged at the prospect of his own disgrace, assaulted him with greater fury than ever

Nor left him, till he had made one more effort to destroy his lifef

Satan exerted himself thus to defeat our Lord's

purposeOur Lord permitted him thus to act for the more abundant display of his own power

It is in this very manner that Satan still acts towards us— He cannot endure that any soul should come to Jesus for help

He usually makes his fiercest assaults upon us, when he is fearful of losing his dominion over us

Yea, not unfrequently does he reduce us almost to a despair of life, just before our perfect deliverances is about to be effected-]

But in vain were Satan's efforts against the sovereign power of Jesus

[Jesus raised up the youth, who lay, to all appearance, dead

And delivered him in perfect health to his astonished fathers

Thus shall also the grace of Jesus finally prevail in his people's hearts

In vain shall be the renewed attacks of their great adversary

However fiercely they be assaulted, they shall be more than conquerorsh

And the malice of Satan shall only render them more distinguished monuments of their Redeemer's power-]

e Luke ix. 42. f Mark ix. 26. 8 Luke ix. 42. h Rom. viii. 37.

CCCVI. CHRIST PAYING THE TRIBUTE MONEY.

Matt. xvii. 27. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take and give unto them for

me and thee.

THERE was nothing in the whole creation over which our Lord did not exert his sovereign authority-He not only overruled the spirits of men, but caused diseases and devils to flee at his command-The very beasts of the

a

forest, and the fishes of the sea were subject to his control, and yielded a ready obedience to his will-A most remarkable instance of his power over every living creature occurs in the passage before us-To elucidate it we shall consider

I. The circumstances under which he wrought the miracle

A certain tribute was about to be demanded of him

[This tribute was half a shekel-It was originally to be paid by every one above the age of twenty, whensoever the people should be numbered-It was called the ransom money, and an atonement for their souls, because it was an acknowledgment to God, that their lives had been justly forfeited, and were spared merely through his sovereign mercy-More was not to be paid by the rich, nor less by the poor, because the lives and the souls of all are of equal value in the sight of God, and there is but one ransom-price for all-It was to be applied to the service of the tabernacle and temple, in which all classes of men were alike interested, and to the due support of which all should contribute

From this, Jesus had a right to claim an exemption

[It is usual for kings to exact tribute, not of their own children, but of their subjects, and of the foreigners who trade with them-Now Jesus was the son of God, and the heir of all things-He therefore was not liable to pay the tax-And this right of exemption be stated to his servant Peter-]

But he waved his claim rather than give offence

[Just as his claim really was, it was not likely to be acknowledged by the tax-gatherers-If insisted on, it might have given them occasion to represent him as indifferent to the temple service-And it might perhaps have been drawn into a precedent by those who were God's adopted childrenHe therefore chose rather to wave his right than by insisting on it to produce contention-He would "not give occasion to those who sought occasion against him," "nor suffer his good to be evil spoken of"-He would not do even a lawful thing if it might prove an occasion of offenced-]

Under these circumstances he wrought the miracle which we are considering-We now procced to II. The miracle itself

So mean and abject was the condition of our Lord,

a Mark i. 13.

c Exod. xxx. 12-16. VOL. III.

b About fifteen pence of our money.

d1 Cor. viii. 13.

U u

that he had not money wherewith to pay his tax-Hence he was constrained to supply his necessities by a miracle -In this miracle he discovered

1. His omniscience

[His all-penetrating eye beheld what was passing in the very depths of the sea-He knew that there was a fish, with one particular piece of money in its mouth-That it should be in the precise place where Peter should let down his hookAnd that, coming to the hook, it should instantly be caughtWhat greater proof of omniscience could he give?-And what in heaven or earth can be concealed from him, who discovered these things with such infallible certainty?-]

2. His omnipotence

[It is not to be conceived that such improbable things should occur, if they had not been accomplished by the secret agency of his overruling Providence-Nor would HE have risqued the credit of his divine mission upon such trifling incidents, if he had not foreordained that they should exactly correspond with his predictions-Can any thing then be impossible to him, who could thus overrule the motions of a creature so distant from him, and apparently so independent of him? Surely no miracle whatever could more plainly evince his eternal power and godhead-]

From this miracle we may LEARN

1. Contentment with our lot

[The Lord's people are often most destitute and afflicted— But shall any repine at poverty when he reflects on the condition of our blessed Lord?-Though he was Lord of all things, yet had he not a place where to lay his head, or a piece of silver to pay his tax-Let all then be satisfied with their lot, however humble-Let us not judge of God's love to us by the outward dispensations of his providence-Let us remember that, if God be our God, we are rich indeed, however poor our outward circumstances may be-The state of Lazarus was infinitely better than that of his rich ungodly neighbour-The true believer, though visibly he should "have nothing, yet in fact, possesses all things"-]

2. Submission to our governors

[Our Lord submitted cheerfully to all the ordinances both of God and man-Nor would he needlessly give offence by rigorously insisting even on his just rights-Alas! how different is the conduct of many who profess themselves his followers! He paid a tax which was not really due, rather than contend about it; whereas they clamour about the taxes which are legally due, and use every mean artifice to evade them— He paid notwithstanding he was constrained to work a miracle

« AnteriorContinuar »