22. — [The dead are raised.] The question has often been asked, To whom does our Lord refer, in saying this ? We only know of one dead person restored to life by Christ up to the present time. Tiiat person was the widow's son at Nain.
The answer is simply this. It is mere assumption to say that no dead person was raised to life beside those whose cases are described, during the period of our Lord's earthly ministry. It is unreasonable to suppose that all our Lord's miracles are recorded in the 6ospel& He doubtless did many mighty works, beside those which are there described. See John i[xi. 25. Augustine in his sermon on this miracle, s^s : *' Who knows how many dead the Lord raised visibly? For all the things that He did are not written. John tells us this. So then there were without doubt many others raised."
iTo the poor the Gospel is preached.] That this was a sign of Messiah's times appears plain from the words of Isaiah : " In that day the poor among men shall rejoice in the holy one of Israel." (Isa. xxix. 19.) Contempt for tlie poor, as ignorant and despic- able, appears to have been very common in the times of the Gospel. (John vii. 49. ix. 34. and James ii. 24.) Concern and tender interest about the souls of tb^ poor, as souls which would live as long as the souls of rich men, was a distinguishing feature of our Lord's ministry, and of that of His aposties. It is always an evil sign of the state of a Church when the spiritual wants of the lower orders are neglected, and the rich man's way to heaven is made smoother than the way of the poor.
LUKE Vn. 24—30,
24 And when the mesaengere of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into* the wilderness- for to see? A reed diaken with tiie wind?
25 But what went ye out for to see ? A man clothed in soft raiment .' Be- hold, they which are gorgeously ap- parelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
26 But what went ye out for to see ? A prophet ? Tea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27 This is he, of whom it is written,
Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, whieh shall prepare thy way before thee.
28 For I say unto you. Among those that are bom of woman there is not a greater prophet than John the Bap - tist : but he utat is least in the king- dom of God is greater than he.
29 And all the people that heard him, and the Publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism or John.
30 But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against tliemselves, being not baptized of him.
The first point that demands our notice in this passage, is the tender care which Jems takes of the characters of His faithful servants. He defends the reputation of John the