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in the church that evening, hut the writer said, “I f there is a person here who will decide to receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour and live for Him, let him step out o f flis seat and come down here and kneel.” To the astonishment o f all, Jed came out o f his seat, calm, deliberate and decisive; he walked down the aisle and kneeled at the altar rail. He surrendered to Christ and was none the less noble for becoming a Christian, but more so.
said to someone at the close o f the ser vice, “Who is that young man?” They replied, “ That is Jed; he has the finest mind o f any young man in this community ; he seldom goes to church: his views are atheistic and his influence over the young people is bad. He has said he will never go forward in meetings, that if he is con verted, it will be by himself, alone some where.” He did not appear again until one stormy night later. There- were few G OOD MASTER ( v . 17). The word “good” betrayed the defect. He had but shallow notions o f what was good, as indi cated by careless ascription o f goodness to one o f whom he knew so little, and by his conception that it was merely a matter of deeds—self-achieved goodness.—Maclaren. What shall I DO ?—He expects to reach life by some transcendent act. He waits direction upon the road where heathenism is still toiling, trying to purchase the gift o f God with money, toil, merit or tears.— Expos. Bible. Doing is ever the question o f the natural man, from Gen. 4:3 onward. —Compan. Bible. v. 18. Why call me good? By “good” the man meant no more than that he sought instruction from a teacher o f great repu tation.—Plummer. Jesus did not imply that He was not good, John 8:46; 14:30; 8:29.—Torrey. Jesus is either repudiating the notion o f His own sinlessness or claim ing to be filled with God. Either He is God manifest in the flesh or He is is not good.—Maclaren. Did our Lord mean to teach that God only ought to be called good? No, that would contradict Scrip ture. He had but one object—to raise the youth’s idea o f Himself, as not to be classed merely with'other “good teachers” , and declining to recognize this title apart from the One who is essentially and only good.—J. F. & B. Jesus does not remon strate absolutely against being called good,
COMMENTS FROM SUNDRY SOURCES
By K. L. Brooks.
but against thus being addressed by one who regarded Him as a mere human teacher and thought to earn the same title for himself.—Expos. Bible. It was the death knell o f false hopes—of getting life by good deeds. I f only God is good, how can a mortal inherit life by good deeds?— Chadwick. When one calls Christ good, He would have him mean thereby that he looked upon Him to be God, for if not what He claimed, He could not be good. —Henry. v. 19. The commandments. T o show him that he was a sinner, He sent him to the law. But the platform o f the law cannot be raised high enough to reach heaven.—Sel. v. 20. Observed all. He thinks o f exter nal deeds; an utter stranger to the depths o f his own heart, He betrays shallowness in conception o f duty and self knowledge. —Maclaren. There are men exact enough to preside over a theological perdition, but who are not Christians.—Parker. The goodness which thinks itself upon the sum mit will never toil much farther.—Chad wick. He called Jesus good and now puts himself in the same class.-—Sel. Ignorance o f the extent and spiritual nature o f the divine law makes people think themselves in a better condition than they are.—Henry. v. 21. Go and sell. The purpose in bid ding him sell all he had was to bring him to see that money was his idol.—Torrey.
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