These are the words of one who was very God of very God, and no mere man. We read of no patriarch, or prophet, or apostle, or saint, of any age, who ever used words like these. They reveal to our wondering eyes a little of the mighty mystery of our Lord's nature and person. They show Him to us, as the Head over all things, and King of kings': "All things are delivered to me of my Father." — ^They show Him as one distinct from the Father, and yet entirely one with Him, and knowing Him in an unspeakable manner. . " No man knoweth who the Son is but the Father : and who the Father is but the Son.'' — They show Him, not least, as the Mighty Revealer of the Father to the sons of men, as the God who pardons iniquity, and loves sinners for His Son's sake : " No man knoweth who the Father is but he to whom the Son will reveal him."
Let us repose our souls confidently on our Lord Jesus Christ. He is one who is "mighty to save." Many and weighty as our sins are, Christ can bear them all. Difficult as is the work of our salvation, Christ is able to accomplish it. If Christ was not God as well as man we might indeed despair. But with such a Saviour as this we may begin boldly, and press on hopefully, and await death and judgment without fear. Our help is laid on one that is mighty. (Psalm Ixxxix. 19.) Christ over all, God blessed for ever, will not fail any one that trusts in Him.
Let us observe, finally, the peculiar privileges of those who hear the Gospel of Christ. We read that our Lord said to His disciples, "Blessed are' the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell you that many prophets
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and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."
The full significance of these words will probably never be understood by Christians until the last day. We have probably a most faint idea of the enormous advan- tages enjoyed by believers who have lived since Christ came into the world, compared to those of believers who died before Christ was bom. The difference between the knowledge of an Old Testament saint and a saint in the apostle's days is far greater than we conceive. It is the difference of twilight and noon day, of winter and sum- mer, of the mind of a child and the mind of a full grown man. No doubt the Old Testament saints looked to a coming Savioxir by faith, and believed in a resurrection and a life to come. But the coming and death of Christ unlocked a hundred Scriptures which before were closed, and cleared up scores of doubtful points which before had never been solved. In short, "the way into the holiest was not made manifest, while the first tabernacle was standing." (Heb. ix. 8.) The humblest Christian believer understands tilings which David and Isaiah could never explain.
Let us leave the passage with a deep sense of our own debt to God and of our great responsibility for the full light of the Gospel. Let us see that we make a good use of our many privileges. Having a full Gospel, let us beware that we do not neglect it. It is a weighty saying, " To whomsoever much is given, of them will much be required." (Luke xii. 48.)