19
January 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Seed Thoughts From St. Mark B y R ev . W ilfred M. H opkins Chapter X.
and the parties are not at liberty to remarry (cf. verses 11 , 12 ; Matt. 19:9). 13— THEY WERE BEARING TO HIM YOUNG CHIL DREN—We learn from the Greek of St. Luke that some, if not all, of them were new-born babes, or children in arms. THAT HE MIGHT TOUCH THEM—St. Matthew adds “and pray.” An example for all parents. HIS DISCIPLES REBUKED, etc. •—No doubt they thought He was alike too great and too busy to be troubled with a lot of babes: are not they who deny the possibility of very early conversion taking up much the same attitude ? 14— SEEING IT, WAS SORE DISPLEASED—The verb expresses extreme grief arid indignation. He was angry with the wrong done, and grieved, both that the disciples should so fail and that the mothers should be discouraged. SUFFER . . . . TO COME AND DO NOT HINDER—This is the Chil dren’s Charter, and establishes their right and their claim to be brought to Christ and to be considered as beneath His care. Christ’s love for and care concerning the children stand out most distinctly in the Gospel narratives. OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD—Not o f children, as such, but o f the childlike. Man’s idea o f a kingdom is wisdom, wealth, power; the qualifications for God’s kingdom are innocence, poverty, helplessness. 15— -VERILY, VERILY—The double affirmation marks the importance and solemnity o f the subject. LIKE A LITTLE CHILD—Not as a little child, in the sense of during childhood. Self-abandonment and perfect trust; the lack of self-confidence and self-endeavor; these are the things that make it possible for a man to enter the kingdom. SHALL BY NO MEANS—There is no room for dispute or question left. 16— TAKING ,THEM IN HIS ARMS, etc.—He ever does more for us than we ask; they were brought that He might touch them, He receives them to Himself and blesses them. 17— AS HE WENT OUT THENCE IN THE WAY— Probably upon His last journey to Bethany. ONE RUNNING TO HIM AND KNEELING—Running after Him, that is. Note the young man’s earnestness and his reverential attitude. WHAT SHALL I DO THAT I MAY INHERIT, etc?|§The real an swer, of course, is : Nothing, either great or small; Nothing, sinner, n o ! Jesus did it, did it all, Long, long ago; but the time for that answer was not yet come, for the great sacrifice upon Calvary had not yet been offered. 18 — WHY CALLEST THOU ME GOOD?—The emphasis should be on the “why” ; our Lord was not refusing the title, nor denying its applicability. NO ONE IS GOOD, BUT GOD ONLY—Another testimony to the universal depravity of. man (cf. Rom. 3:9, 10). 19— THOU KNOWEST THE COMMANDMENTS, etc. —He would bring the young man to see that it was being, not doing, which was the way into eternal life ; He therefore reminds him of the negative commandments, with only one positive one. It is noteworthy that He repeats the Second Table, doubtless be cause a pious Jew, such as this suppliant was, would (at least
ag||y S IS HIS WONT—The use. of the verb here in the per- • JP jll feet as a present tense is striking; it suggests that pkjdJl which has been and still is : truly it was His custom to teach and still is (cf. Acts 1:1, “began . . to teach.” ). 2—THE PHARISEES COMING—Persistently these religious leaders seek to entrap, that they may destroy, H im ; His works o f mercy and the purity of His teach ing count for nothing in their eyes, blinded by jealousy and re ligious bigotry. IS IT LAWFUL [“ for every cause” ( Matt. 19:3)]—Some o f the Pharisees held it lawful for any cause and some, only for notorious unfaithfulness. TEMPTING HIM— They probably expected an adverse answer and hoped to get Him into trouble with the adulterous Herod. 3 — WHAT DID MOSES'COMMAND?—Note His constant appeal to the Law as it then stood. There was no need to ask, because the Law was plain. Can we at all suppose that any thing would have induced THE TRUTH to make these refer ences to Moses if Moses had not been the promulgator o f the Law? 4— MOSES PERMITTED TO WRITE, etc. (cf. Deut. 24: 1 , 2)—There was no command to divorce, nor any intimation of the divine approval of such a step. 5— FOR THE HARDNESS OF YOUR HEART [or stub bornness]—Man had not yet (nor has he in the majority of cases even yet) attained to a true conception of the sanctity of mar riage, and o f its divine signification. The Law of Moses in many cases regulated what it was at that time impossible to prevent. The race had to be trained, as children have to be, and meanwhile some things had to be permitted (cf. Isa. 28:10; Acts 17:30), This must always be remembered when men talk about “comparing the God of the Old Testament with the God o f the New.” 6 ^-FROM THE BEGINNING OF CREATION—Or rather a beginnings both the nouns are indefinite. It was at the re- creation, after the world had become without form and void, that the present race of man was made. MALE AND FEMALE MADE HE THEM—This disposes of our evolution, either from the ape or otherwise. We are told that God created Man in His own image (cf. Gen. 1 :27), and this is confirmed by Him who is The Truth Incarnate. 7— ON ACCOUNT OF THIS A MAN SHALL LEAVE, etc.—The verb is a strong one and means to forsake or abandon; the man is not simply to leave them, but henceforth the wife is to have the prior claim upon him at whatever necessary cost to the parents. CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE—Literally, “shall be glued to,” i.e., inseparably fastened and, note, by the agency of another; there is a third person concerned in the arrangement. 8 — THEY TWO SHALL BE ONE FLESH—As they orig inally were when Eve was taken out of Adam (cf. Gen. 2:21-24). Not one Person, but one entity (as the Father and the Son are one, yet not one Person). 9— WHAT THEREFORE GOD HATH YOKED TO GETHER (i.e., the man and woman as one team)—The words in Genesis are not Adam’s, but God’s. Here then is the third Person referred to above as being a Party to the transaction. LET NOT MAN DIVIDE—-Divorce therefore is unlawful and unreal. Even in the case o f separation on account o f fornication (i.e., prostitution, or adultery for hire) the bond is not dissolved,
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