lifetime of the Lord. We may say the same of Matt. xvi. 17-19, in which the JudæoChristian evangelist makes the Judeo-Christian Peter the foundation of the Church, and represents him as invested with the keys of the kingdom of heaven. We find ourselves here in direct contradiction with Jesus (Mark viii. 33, ix. 35), and with the well-known relations of Peter and of Paul. It is clear that the disciples of Jesus, beset on the one hand by Jews, and on the other hand by Pagans, were bound to adopt forms of self-government, but these were not fixed by Jesus, who refused to be a judge and divider over men (Luke xii. 13, 14). 5. It now remains for us to examine what the synoptic Gospels have to say of the consummation of the kingdom of God. Here the difficulties are numerous. Jesus declares that some of His disciples then present with Him should not taste of death till they had seen the kingdom of God come with power (Mark ix. 1). Are we to accept this as an authentic saying, and to explain it by the over-sanguine anticipations of approaching success which we often observe in persons of energetic character, or to ascribe it to a holy enthusiasm for the cause of God, which, with prophetic glance, concentrates in a moment results for the elaboration of which long ages are required? It is difficult to say. What are we to think of His promising His apostles that they should sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, when once He has taken possession of the throne of His glory? (Matt. xix. 28). Can it be that here, as M. Issel suggests, we have an echo of the Catholicism which succeeded Paulinism, when the twelve apostles became indeed princes of the Church? Many critical questions are raised by the eschatological parables. They bear the marks of a period later than that of the lifetime of Jesus. Thus, the parable of the Marriage Feast contains an undoubted allusion to the fall of Jerusalem (Matt. xxii. 7): in that of the Great Supper reference is made to the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles in what is said of the guests summoned from the highways and hedges (Luke xvi. 23). The parable of the Ten Virgins introduces us to the Church, peopled by good and evil, by those who are watchful and those who are careless: the long delay of the heavenly Bridegroom points to disappointed hopes of the second coming of Christ. Like references to His protracted absence are found in the parables of the Talents and of the Pounds. The eschatological discourses in Mark xiii. 1-37, Matt. xxiv. 1-51, Luke xxi. 5-38, as we at present have them, would lead us to believe that Jesus foretold His resurrection, and that He anticipated coming again a second time. But there are very definite reasons for doubting this. As for the first point, it can scarcely seem admissible when we remember that the disciples did not anticipate it, and so far from expecting His resurrection, wished to embalm His dead body. And as for the belief of Jesus in His immediate and glorious return, it seems to me to be absolutely irreconcilable with the progress of the kingdom of God; such as Jesus Himself has traced it in the parable of the Leaven, and in that of the growth of the Seed. The work of Jesus is limited to that of planting new principles of life in humanity; that work once accomplished, His personal action ceases, and the principles develop spontaneously. The seed, entrusted to the ground, grows and bears fruit of itself, night and day, whether the labourer watches or sleeps. No intervention is necessary. Why, then, should Jesus return? Why, above all, should He return so speedily and so abruptly? Let us add that He Himself has said that the kingdom of God is not a material phenomenon, which arrests the sight; one cannot say of it, "Lo here!" or "Lo there!" We conclude, therefore, that the writers of the synoptic Gospels, guided by the tradition of the first generation of Christians, have put these apocalyptic utterances in the mouth of the Master. Their intention was not so much to give us history as to record the consolation and hope which that tradition of the life and words of their Master contained. In any case, these eschatological discourses express the firm conviction that the kingdom of God will be consummated by Christ, and will result in the rehabilitation of a world that had been deluded and troubled by the Evil One. SUNDAY IN SCHOOL. THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON. WORK AMONG THE GENTILES. ACTS xiv. 8-22. THE Apostles were on their final missionary tour. Called and separated to the work of proclaiming the Gospel message to the Gentile world, they had gone forth on their great errand of evangelization. They have come now to Lystra, a city of Lycaonia, the exact site of which is unknown. Here, as they enter upon their ministry, they encounter one of those cases of physical need which always appear to the true Christian worker. So much for the narrative. Let us notice several things. 1. The Gospel, whenever and wherever preached, is a ministry of helpfulness. The weak and helpless are confined to no single locality. Alike under the shadow of Jupiter's statue at Lystra and the Temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem, suffering humanity appeals for help. Fettered limbs, sightless eyes, and deaf ears invite sympathy and power. To all such the Gospel is a message of hope. But what are fettered limbs compared with souls that are bound and cramped with evil appetites? The greater help is needed by those who are spiritually lame and helpless. The proof that Christ is come is seen in the men and women who are placed upon their feet. The Lystrians were right in their inference. The lame man leaping and walking before their very eyes was an indisputable proof of a Divine power operating among them. So are men and women restored to spiritual soundness to-day. 2. The sincerity and loyalty of the Apostles. The healing of the lame man fixed the attention of the people upon Paul and Barnabas. They became at once the most popular men in the city. How easy at such a time for selfish motives and the lack of a true devotion, if such existed, to be revealed! More than one messenger of truth has proved himself unequal to resist the influence of popular favour. The Apostles, however, were true ministers. Called to be servants, they were only satisfied when their Master was honoured. All undue attention given to them would only detract from the homage due their Divine Lord. 3. The proper adaptation of the truth. Different people demand different presentation of the truth. The readiness of the Lystrians to see in the Apostles Divine impersonations proclaimed their desire, and as well the profound desire of all heathendom, for an incarnation of Deity. There is much in heathen mythology that points toward the truth. The speech of the Apostles was suited to the occa sion. 4. The worthlessness of religious feeling unless supported by intelligent convictions of the truth. Stoned in the same city where but a few hours before they were hailed as a god! Such changes are encountered by every religious teacher in the prosecution of his work. The certainty of their occurrence and the proper way to meet them constitute part of a true preparation for religious service. 5. The impotency of all opposition to the truth of Christ. The triumph of the Gospel was not to be an immediate or an easy one. Persecution followed and follows the true heralds of the Cross.-(R. F. Holway.) THE APOSTOLIC COUNCIL. THE title of this study, "The Apostolic Council," brings to mind the long series of councils of the Church. I. A crisis in the life of the Church. Two elements were opposing each other, not by deliberation, but because of antecedents. Jews and Gentiles were in the Church. Each had their own education, from which they saw no reason to depart in favour of that of the other side. II. The method of confronting the crisis. Helpless as the Church seemed in view of this serious difficulty, it showed wonderful ability in dealing with it. 66 1. There was deliberation in coming to a result. They came together for to consider of this matter." Every man in the body doubtless had his own idea on the subject, but a conclusion was not to be constructed out of such material. Rather must they try to look at the matter from others' points of view, while defending their own conception of it. The Pharisaic party lowered the deliberation to a mere dispute, but it was brought back again to the proper level. God has given us minds to think, and to think together is the only way of meeting a religious crisis. Thinking together does not mean making others think my way, nor yielding wholly to them, nor splitting the difference. It is using diverse minds for one end, though just what the end is to be is unknown. To think is not to bully, not to flee, not to divide up; it isto think. 2. As the basis of their consultation they had certain facts. Peter told what God had done for the un-Judaized Gentiles through him. Then Barnabas and Paul declared "what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them" (ver. 12). Notice the point: they did not defend their theory argumentatively, they did not say how many Gentiles had become Christians without first having become Jews. The last point might have been met by the remark, "Yes, they have professed Christianity, but they are not true Christians." The Christianity of the Gentiles must be authenticated by something outside itself. solid and unmistakable. Barnabas and Paul offered just such an authentication in the miracles and wonders. These were the seal of God upon what they had done. 3. The Scripture furnished some additional data for the conclusion. James remembered the prophecy of Amos about the building again of the tabernacle of David. Amos says that not only Jews, but "the residue of men," the non-Jews, shall "seek after the Lord," "and all the Gentiles" (ver. 17). This shows certainly that the Gentiles must not be excluded from the Church. 4. Above all other means used in reaching the decision we see the dependence upon the Holy Spirit. This is not brought forward in the record of the deliberations, but it is mentioned conspicuously in the letter giving the result: "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us (ver. 28). III. The result of the meeting needs to be analyzed. 1. The details of the letter seem odd at first sight, odd considering that they are called " 'necessary" to becoming Christians (ver. 28). (1) The Gentiles were to abstain from meats offered to idols (ver. 29). (2) The Gentiles were to abstain from blood. (3) The Gentiles were to abstain from things strangled. (4) The Gentiles were to abstain from fornication. 2. The principle under discussion is yielded wholly to the Gentiles. Circumcision was the test of the Jew. Not a word is said about it in the letter. "No greater burden than these necessary things" was laid upon the Church; and "these necessary things" do not include circumcision. There is no splitting of the difference in this decision, no compromise of principle. The contention of the Jewish Christians is wholly denied ; the contention of the Gentile Christians is wholly granted. 3. But why these several injunctions laid upon the Gentle-Christians? The fourth had its reason in the special dangers of the time. It forbids a sin per se and is for ever binding. The other three all concern Jewish prejudices. The reason for them is not given. They are injunctions of charity. The Gentile-Christian was to abstain from blood, not because in itself it was sinful, but because it was offensive to Jewish-Christians. It was for the peace of the Church. 4. The result is, therefore, seen to be a compromise in effect, though not in principle. Even in standing by our principles we should be considerate for others. And if yielding to them in things that do not matter conciliates them, who will be so narrow as to refuse? IV. The inferences from this study are such as these: · - 1. We see how matters of great importance in Church life may be settled. The principle of conference for the adjustment of difficulties is one that is justly followed by all Protestant Churches. 3. The fear of the shepherds was not to be wondered at, nor was it wholly unreasonable. It was probably not so much a feeling of terror as a sense of the uncanny, the unusual, the inexplicable. It was the awe that must be felt in the presence of the supernatural revealed. II. The angel (vers. 10-12). 1. In answer to their fear, the angel first reassures them. The tenderness of this "fear not," its testimony to the solicitude of God for weak human souls. 2. The angel announced that he came with good news from God. His mission was one of beneficence. 3. The good news of the angel was universal for all men. There is no partiality, restriction, recognition of moral aristocracy, in the freeness of the Gospel of grace. 4. The news was good, because it told of a Saviour. 5. The announcement of His arrival was definite and particular. III. The heavenly host (vers. 13, 14). The song of the angel has two parts: 1. It begins with an ascription of praise to God: "Let glory be given to God in the highest heavens." The song of salvation begins with the praise of God. Does our song of salvation so begin? 2. The second part of the song embodies a prayer for men: "Let there be peace on earth among men of good will," i.e., among the human race upon whom God's good-will rests. And rests how? In the giving of this little child as a Saviour for all the world. 3. In all their singing, in all their summons to heaven, and their proclamation to earth, it is said that the angels were praising God (ver. 13). That is the end of all things in heaven and earth. IV. The child. His character is not touched upon here. The theological subtleties that swarm about the person of that infant are unnoticed by Luke. 1. He says that the shepherds came and found all things true concerning the babe which the angels had told (ver. 16). The message was verified. 2. At once, after this verification, the shepherds "made known abroad" what they had learned (ver. 17). At Christ's mangercradle the great missionary work of Christianity began. 3. "All they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds" (ver. 18). Well they might wonder! And more would they have wondered if they had known how this child was to be a Saviour. The cross is still the wonder of wonders of all history. V. Certain final impressions must be briefly made. 1. The child Jesus was the Saviour-the Saviour from sin. 2. He is a bringer of joy to men. Life does not know what joy means until it is free from sin. 3. Heaven, as well as earth, was moved by the birth of Christ. His redemption has its effects in the farthest realms of heaven as well as over all the earth.-J. Burrell, D.D.) |