THE KING ’S BUSINESS
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is no glory that is not intrinsic; there is no honor '■ that is not earned: III. 'T he R oyal R esponse . 1. Its Gentleness. When had the Lord more reason to lose His patience? Yet He uttered no reproof. He patiently reasoned with them. W e have a Great High Priest, a Royal Priest compassionate to them that are out of the Way" ( Heb. 5 :2). Get the sweetness and nourishment but of this drip ping bit of honey-comb. 2. Its Reasonableness. “ Ye know not what ye ask; are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink? or to be baptised with the baptism that I am baptized with?” The “ cup" and “ the baptism" of the overwhelm ing suffering and death He endured. First suffering, then sovereignty. Crowns that crown are won. 3. Its Answer. “ W e are able” (R. V i). They meant it. They thought it. The first essential of true royalty they had. It was loyalty to their liege. They loved Him at heart. But they were self-defceived as to their ability and they soon found that the flesh (strong, -courageous battlers with Galilean tempests as they were) was weak. While He agonized in bloody baptism over the “ cup" they slept (Matt. 26:39-41). “ Ye shall indeed drink," etc. In themselves they could not. They drank by proxy. “ Death and the pit were in the cup; Now blessings draught for me.” But they did fill up in their flesh that which was ¡behind of the afflictions o f Christ (Col. 1:24). "But to sit on my right hand and on my left,” etc. He was loath to refuse their request, He has soft answers to soothe the rejected. It is said of an Eng lish prime minister that men made impos sible requests of him for the courtesy and kindness in his refusal. Jesus drew them a contrast between the nature of kingship in this world and in His. Here men exer cise mastery, there ministry (1 Cor. 8:5; 1 Peter 5:2-4). James and John thought not of service, of being angels (Heb. 1: 14), who would as lief sweep a crossing as sway a scepter. Things are quite topsy
thought but not the depths of it. The Cross was no surprise to Christ, as some would have it (v. 45). This was the third time He predicted it to the Twelve, that when it came to pass they might believe. The Cross stood at the summit of the trail marking the way to the goal. But it was a surprise, a stumbling . block, an enigma with an incredible solution to His follow ers, now but few intelligently , receive it. . Note the seven sorrows and the single but sufficient compensation the Lord men tioned. II. M en W ho W anted K ingship . 1. Their Unkingly Qualities. (1) “Slow to believe’’ (Luke 24:25). ■The predictions of Jesus,, wrought no-deèper conviction than “Moses and all the prophets.” The way to the throne they were ignorant of. They would go the way of Saul not of David, the man after God’s heart. (2) Unsympa thetic^ It is almost incredible that with the story of His wrongs and sufferings echo-: ing in their ears they should have been thinking of themselves. King's should think of avenging wrongs and succoring the oppressed. (3) Subtlety. They said,' “ Do whatsoever." That is the weakness of kings of flesh too feeble to be true they resort to “ diplomacy.” Conscious of the unreasonableness of their particular petition they thought to trap the Lord into a gen eral pledge. (4) Selfish. They thought only of themselves and the realizing of their selfish ambitions; not o f their Lord, their brethren, or of service. None who seeks his own is worthy of a throne. ( 5 ) Envious. “When the ten heard it (v. 41). “ There was no difference” (Rom. 3:22). The ten were as the two, who only got in ahead. John and James were blood kin (cousins) of the Lord. They thought blood made kings in the kingdom of God as it does on earth (John 1:13). Saul envied David. David did not succeed by blood. To have included the ten with themselves would have depreciated the honors. The mind o f man will never consent to a level ing up or down of wealth or- place. ( 6 ) Blind. “In thy glory.” Impossible. There
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