21
T h e
K ijstg ’ s
B u s i n e s s
January 1930
many” ; (4) that the exact phrase should be noted—He did not come to “lose” His life, nor to “yield” it, but to "give" it; the redemptive act was not the result of force, either on the part of the Father or o f man; though absolutely in accordance with the purpose of the Father, it was entirely voluntary on His part. 46— COMING OUT OF JERICHO—Much has been made o f the differences in the accounts—St. Luke says “as he went into Jericho," and St. Matthew speaks of two blind men—but the apparent discrepancies can be easily reconciled. Bartimaeus no doubt heard of Jesus o f Nazareth as He entered the city; he then went and found a blind friend and together they waylaid bur Lord as He came out. St. Mark only mentions the well- known beggar, Bartimaeus, just as he only mentions the notorious Gardarene lunatic, while St. Matthew tells us that there were two. A SUFFICIENT CROWD—i.e., a moderately large one, not the usual “great multitude.” BARTIMAEUS, A BLIND BEG GAR, SAT , . . BEGGING (such is the best reading)—How true a type of the man whose real habitation and citizenship is in the evil world: blind to the beauty o f all high desire, and sitting by the wayside begging for the world’s cold charity and unsatisfying alms! 47— HEARING IT WAS JESUS OF NAZARETH—He had probably been waiting for this in company with the blind companion whom he had sought when Christ entered the city (see above). BEGAN TO CRY OUT—The word means to scream or cry aloud vehemently: Bartimaeus was in deadly earnest. THOU SON OF DAVID, JESUS—This cry includes the personal name of our Lord (which meant “the salvation of JAH” ) and the official title of the Messiah: he believed Him to be the promised Redeemer, the Anointed One, the salvation of JEHOVAH. 48— MANY REPROVED HIM THAT HE SHOULD HOLD HIS PEACE—The noise was unseemly; nay, it inter fered with their comfort, perhaps with their hearing what the great Rabbi was saying. The descendants o f these people still exist. HE CRIED MUCH THE MORE—This is real earnest ness; a refusal to be suppressed, an indifference to the rebuke or the opinion of men. 49— JESUS STANDING STILL— “Jesus o f Nazareth passeth by” ; it is true everywhere and always, but never will He fail to stay His progress at the cry o f the penitent soul or of the broken heart. SAID HE WAS TO BE CALLED—The best reading is, “Jesus said, Call him at once." It was a definite and imperative bidding that admitted of no question and o f no delay. TAKE COURAGE. RISE, HE CALLETH THEE— What a flood of joy must have surged through the blind man’s heart at the news o f that invitation. 50— CASTING AWAY HIS GARMENT—A proof of his eager desire, he flings aside that which would fetter his ap proach. 51— WHAT WILT THOU, etc.?—He knew, of course, but this is the justifieation for prayer: He desires to be told, though He knows already (cf. Ezek. 36:37; Luke 18:1). MY MAS TER ( Rabbouni )—Y es! Only when we are willing to say that, and mean it, can we hope for salvation or blessing. THAT I MAY RECEIVE MY SIGHT—Note the prompt definiteness of the request. 52— GO . . . THY FAITH, etc.—Yet the faith was the connecting, not the efficient, cause. Saving faith must be in the power of the living Christ, the Son o f God, and while it is this faith that links us to that power, it is the power alone that heals, saves, blesses. IMMEDIATELY—There was no intervening pro cess ; the man’s keen faith obtained immediate result. (Note the graduation in this respect in the three cures of blind men.) FOLLOWED JESUS—This is the real purpose, and should always be the result of blessing bestowed on us in answer to prayer.
in His case, o f course, the Jewish rejection and the experiences of the judgment hall and o f the cross.' 39_W E ARE ABLE—Truly “ fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” How little they realized what they said or what the declaration involved! THE CUP . . YE SHALL DRINK, etc.—He would take them at their word: not that they were then able, but that they should be made so. Note, they did drink of the cup, etc.; James was slain by the sword and John was ban ished into Patmos, with other persecutions of which we have no reliable record. 40— NOT MINK TO GIVE—Literally the passage reads, "not mine to give, but to whom it has been prepared.’’ St. Matthew adds "o f my Father.’’ There are two possible inter pretations o f this somewhat difficult passage: (1) The Greek word alia, usually meaning “but,” may here mean “except,” as it apparently does (though grammatical authorities differ) in Matt. 17:8 and Mark 9 : 8 , in which case it signifies that He can only give it to those for whom it has been prepared, and that is certainly the most likely interpretation; or ( 2 ) it may mean “but,” i.e., that He has no power to give it at all. If this be so, He is either speaking of Himself as a man, or is referring to that subordination which appears to exist even in the Divinity itself (cf. 1 Cor. 15:28; John 14:26; note that the Holy Ghost is “sent” ). 41— BEGAN TO BE DISPLEASED—Not (as is evident by what follows) because o f the evil nature o f the ambition of the sons o f Zebedee, but because they had tried to forestall them selves. 42— ^CALLED THEM TO HIM—Evidently they were mur muring apart as usual, and again we see the proof o f His super natural knowledge of what was taking place. THOSE AP PEARING TO RULE—i.e., accounted by men to rule; being after all but deputies of the real Ruler, who is God Himself (cf. Psa. 103:19; Dan. 4:17). LORD IT OVER THEM—The word used means to exercise tyrannical rule for the purpose of personal exaltation. THEIR GREAT ONES—i.e., the sub ordinate rulers. EXERCISE AUTHORITY—Delegated author ity, that is, but even so, with a certain amount o f tyranny and also for their own aggrandisement. 43— SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU—The desire for place, preeminence and power, was to be eschewed as foreign to the spirit of the religion which they represented. The direct ing influence o f the shepherd there was to be, o f course, but the domineering dominion o f the lordship was forbidden (cf. 1 Pet. 5:3; 2 Tim. 2:24.) SHALL BE YOUR MINISTER—Lit erally, “your deacon," i.e., he who runs through the dust (cf. 2 Sam. 15:1; 1 Kings 18:46), and so a servant generally. The teaching here is a repetition of that in chapter 9:35. WHOSO EVER WILL BE FIRST SHALL BE BONDSLAVE OF ALL —That is, the person who attains to what is the real preeminence shall occupy the position of a bondslave. This is even a lower station than the last; the “servant” has his rights, and may leave the service; the bondslave has none and is compelled to.remain for life. (O f course the real honor and glory o f the position comes from the divine estimation o f our sacrifice and service.) 45—EVEN THE SON OF MAN—Note His, calm assump tion o f superiority over all other men! CAME NOT TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE—Came! Whence? The phrase is unintelligible in the mouth of a mere man, but cf. John 16:28. The statement that Christ never claimed to be divine is utterly without foundation. TO GIVE HIS LIFE 'A RANSOM—i.e., a redemption price. We note (1) that this again is empty folly in the mouth o f a mere man; (2) that this is His own account of His Mission upon earth; if we reject the redemptive nature of His death we must consider Him as either self-deceived or a deceiver, in either of which characters it is impossible to accept Him as a reliable ethic teacher or as in any sense the Saviour of the world; (3) that He suffered, not for a select few, but “ for
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