23 And when Jesus came into the 25 But when the people were put ruler's house, and saw the minstrels forth, he went in, and took her by and the people making a noise, the hand, and the maid arose.
24 lie said nnto them, Give place: ! 26 And the tame hereof went abroad for the maid is not. lead, butsleepeth. ' into all that land.
And they laughed him to scorn. I
Let Tis mark in this passage, the gracious name by which the Lord Jesus speaks of Himself. He calls Himself ^^ tJie bridegroom.'^
What the bridegroom is to the bride, the Lord Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in Him. He loves them with a deep and everlasting love. He takes them into union with Himself. They are " one with Christ and Christ in them.'' He pays all their debts to God. He supplies all their daily need. He sympathizes with them in all their troubles. He bears with all their infirmities, and does not reject them for a few weaknesses. He regards them as part of Himself. Those that persecute and injure them are persecuting Him. The glory that He has received from His Father they will one day share with Him, and where He is, there shall they be. Such are the privileges of all true Christians. They are the Lamb's wife. (Rev. xix. 7.) Such -is the portion to which faith admits us. By it God joins our poor sinful souls to one precious Husband ; and those whom God thus joins together, shall never be put asunder. Blessed indeed are they that believe !
Let us mark, in the next place, tvJiat a luise principle the Lord Jesus lays doivnfor the trecdraent of younrj disciples.
There were some who found fault with our Lord's fol- lowers, because they did not fast as John the Baptist's disciples did. Our Lord defends His disciples with an argument full of deep wisdom. He shows that there