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THE KING’S BUSINESS
himself would have phrased it in that way at that time. Not only did the man himself be lieve, “ his whole house believed.” This is the first of many cases recorded in the New Testament of whole families believing together with the head of the family (see e. g. Acts 16:31,32). The religion of our Lord Jesus is a house hold religion, not merely for individual members of the house, but for the whole house, though sadly enough in many a case the individual believer has to stand alone. V. 54. "This is again the (rather, a) second miracle (rather, sign ) that Jesus did, when he was come (rather, having come ) out of Judea into Gali lee.” ■ The meaning of this is not that this was the second miracle of all that Jesus wrought. He had wrought many mir acles in Jerusalern (v. 45) and else where. But it was the second miracle of a certain character, viz., performed immediately upon coming out of Judea into Galilee, as in the case of turning the water into wine (see ch. 2:11).
The use of the word “ again” in this verse is one of the marked character istics o f John’s style, just as the fre quent occurrence of the word “ imme diately” or “ straightway” is of Mark’s style. The word is found 47 times, in John’s Gospel, only twice in Luke’s, and only 17 times in Matthew’s. An attempt has been made by not a few critics to identify this miracle with that recorded by Matthew in the heal ing o f the centurion’s servant (Matt. 8 :5-13) but the points of difference are far more noticeable than the points of similarity. The two miracles were per formed at different places, at different times, upon different persons. There are the most striking and suggestive contrasts between the centurion with his extraordinary faith at the very be ginning (see Matt. 8:8-10) and this king’s officer with his very weak faith at the beginning. Only & determina tion to reduce the miracles of our Lord to as small a number as possible and to convict the evangelists of inaccuracies could ever have led any one to confuse these two miracles. Each has its own lessons.
Christ Our Helper Selection M AN in his weakness needs a stronger stay As if in them our spirits could find rest. Gently untwine our childish hands that cling To such inadequate supports as these, And shelter us beneath Thy heavenly wing, Speak Thou the word that gives the spirit ease. Help us, O Lord! with patient love to bear Each other’s faults to suffer with true meekness; Help us each, other’s joys and griefs to share, But let us turn to Thee alone in weakness. Than fellow-men, the strongest and the best, And yet we turn to them from day to day,
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