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T HE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S was no t only to heal th e body bu t to effect a moral resto ration to God. In the case of th e deaf mute, He p u t his fingers in his ears. He anointed the eyes of a blind man w ith clay. In this way th e ir healing seemed to come from H is person and attach ed them to Him w ith an indissoluble tie. Their restored •life was felt to be dependent on Him. The sick one being th u s p u t into a state of physical dependence, would neces sarily in fer his m oral dependence. The G reat Physician varied these means at different tim es in such a way th a t his action was adapted to th e ch aracter or condition of each case. When our Lord made H is first ap pearance as a preacher in th e syna gogue a t Capernaum , He w rought a m ighty work a t th e close of His ser mon. Both th e sermon and th e m ir acle made a deep impression upon the people. The impression produced was one of au tho rity . Everywhere th e Scrip tu res set fo rth th e Saviour as an au tho ritativ e teacher. He had th e au th o r ity of ch aracter. The scribes had the au th o rity th a t comes from office and position. Jesu s came from th e car p en ter shop. Nevertheless th e re was an au tho rity abou t H is words th a t men never felt in the words of th e ir official teachers. In th e presence of Jesus, men instinctively felt themselves in the presence of a holy character. This is why th e trad e rs in th e Temple fled in disorder before His uplifted arm . He had also th e au th o rity of perfect knowl edge. The scribes never said anything original. Their teaching was nothing b u t quotation a t second hand. Jesus never said “perhaps.” There is no t a conjecture or an in terrog ation ¿ o in t.in His teaching on th e g rea t themes of God, duty and destiny. His form ula is simply, “ I say unto you.” He speaks as one who knows. He had also th e au tho rity of power. “He cast ou t the evil spirits w ith H is word.” His works make m anifest the A lm ighty Deliverer. He can b reak th e chains of evil. Man is not merely in the d ark needing light, he is bound and w ants freedom. Christ’s au tho rity exactly meets our hum an need. We w an t certitude in the realm of tru th and deliverance from th e power of evil; Christ brings both ligh t and liberty. WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15. Mark 1:21-28. The Authority of Jesus.
964 privilege is ours. John. 14:23. "We will make our abode w ith H im .” Matthew H enry quaintly says: “When ever Christ comes, He comes to do good and will be su re to pay richly for His en tertainm en t.” He never repays so richly as when a guest in th e house of grief. There was trouble in P ete r’s house th a t day. Jesus no sooner learns of it th a n he removes it. When we tell Him, the burden is always lifted. The p articu lar cause of anxiety may not be imm ediately removed in every case, but the pain and h u rt is tak en ,aw ay and a blessed peace fills th e soul. “ The fever left h er.” Under th e cooling healing touch of th e G reat Physician th e rest less, burning fever is assuaged. The first use th a t P e te r’s mother-in-law made of her newly acquired streng th w as to m inister to Jesu s and H is disci ples: This illu strates a universal rule. We are saved to serve. The serving here is proof of th e reality and com pleteness of th e healing. There was no long, slow convalescence. The Saviour once said th a t every one who le ft houses and lands, mother, breth ren , sisters or children for His sake, should- receive a hundred fold. P eter received some of the hund red fold when he wel comed Jesus to his home th a t day. TUESDAY, Oct. 14. Duke 4:38-44. Who Went About Doing Good. The n arrativ e of th is eventful evening is given by th e th ree Synoptic w riters. The expression “when th e sun was set tin g ” shows th a t th is tim e had been waited for. The sick came in crowds. Not because it was th e cool of the evening bu t because it was th e Sabbath day and carrying a sick person before th a t tim e was regarded as labor. John 5:10. Notw ithstanding th is explana tion of the phrase, it carries th e sug gestion th a t men have recourse to God as a la st reso rt and do not seek His help till all o ther resources have failed. “ Jesu s laid His hands on every one of them and healed th em .” He m ight have healed by a single word or a simple act of volition. There is something signifi cant and beau tifu l in th e act of laying th e hand upon th e head of any one whom one desires to benefit. I t is a gesture of tenderness and sympathy, a sign of beneficial communication such as th e h ea rt craves. When Jesus availed H imself of some m aterial means to work a cure, His aim seems to be to establish a personal tie between th e sick person and Himself. His desire
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