THE KING’S . BUSINESS
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religious leaders. The multitudes followed Him because they believed on Him and de sired His blessing, and He healed them. The Pharisees followed Him even more per sistently that they might entangle Him in His speech (v. 3 cf. ch. 16:1; 22:15, 18, 35; Luke 11:53, 54). It was not any devotion to fidelity in the marriage relation that led them to put the question that they here put to Jesus. Their whole object was to get Him to say something for which they might accuse Him (cf. John 8:6). But it is well they asked the question; for our Lord Jesus gave an unequivocal reply that settles for ever the indissoluble sacredness of the mar riage relation. It is so sacred that even one so dear as father or mother should not be allowed to come between a man and his wife. As sacfed as is the obligation of a child to parents (solemnly established by God’s law—Exod. 20:12), even father or mother must not come between a son and his wife. And the son, on his part, must stand ready to leave even father and mother and cleave to his wife. There was no day in which these stupendous words of our Lord more needed emphasis than the day in which we live. The man who dares to put asunder what God has joined together, that is, man and wife, is a defiant rebel against God. Thursday, March 18. Matt. 19:13-15. The mothers longed to have their children share in the blessing that grown-up people were receiving from the Lord. The disci ples, on their part, like many modern dis ciples, thought the children were beneath the notice of Jesus and rebuked the mothers as they brought them. But while the disci ples were displeased with the mothers, Jesus was displeased with the disciples. In deed, He was not only displeased, He was “much, displeased” (Mark 10:14), or as the Revised Version puts it, “moved with indig nation.” The Greek word so translated is a very strong one. Are there not those today who are trying to keep the children from being brought to Jesus, who are saying, “Oh,
these children are not old enough to come to the Lord; they do not understand what they are doing.” If there is such an one among the readers of these notes, let him know well that Jesus is “much displeased” with him. There are not who are dearer to our Lord than the children and He wishes even the little children (“babes” Luke 18: 15 R. V.) brought to Him. A child in its teachableness and humility is exactly fitted to hear and receive the truth of the king dom, and we grown-ups must become in this respect as little children if we are to enter into the kingdom of heaven (ch. 18:3). Mark tells us that Jesus took the children up in His arms (Mark 10:16) and adds that He “put His hands upon them and blessed them.” Can we doubt that a real blessing came even to their infant hearts in response to the touch of Jesus? How God can work in the heart of a child, we do not know; that He does thus work, this passage proves and the experience of many a child proves it, too. Let us get all the children that we can and bring them to Him. Let us not be content merely with bringing our own chil dren to Him, let us bring the children of others, too, for their own fathers and moth ers may not be wise enough to do it. Friday, March 19. Matt. \9: 16-22. The young man who came to Jesus had great possessions (v. 22), exalted position (Luke 18:18); culture, exemplary morality (v. 20), a noteworthy amiability (Mark 10: 21), intense earnestness (Mark 10:17), un doubted sincerity (Mark 10:17), great moral courage (Mk. 10:17), recognized piety (Luke 18:18), noble aspirations (v. 16), large benevolences. Yet all these things to gether did not save him and they will not save anyone. His question implied that enternal life was to be obtained by some thing we “do." No man ever obtained eter nal life by doing (Gal. 2:16). Life must be received as a free gift (Rom. 6:23). Jesus, by His reply, “Why callest thou me good?” (see Mark 10:18 R. V.) did not for a mo ment mean to imply that He was not good
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