^ To as many of us as by His grace to us are true believers on Him and in His blood, our Lord's own faith in His Father and in His Father's word to Him is a subject of the intensest interest, the most edifying meditation, and the most transporting reflection. To as many of us as believe there is no subject in heaven or on earth like our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the true learning. This is the true knowledge. This is the true science and philosophy ; and not falsely so called. This is the wisdom that Cometh from above. This is the wisdom of God in a mystery. This, 0 Father, is life eternal, to know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.^
^ It was in Gethsemane and on Calvary that the faith of our Substitute came to its absolute perfection. Loaded down to death and hell with the sin of the world, our Saviour's faith in His Father's sure word of promise was such that His burdened heart rose victorious above all the tremendous load that was laid
* Alexander Maclaren. ^ Luther, Commentary on Galatians, 204.
* A. Why to, The Walk, Conversation, and Character of Jesics Christ our Lord, 181,
ST. LUKE III. 21, 22 i6i
upon Him. Our Saviour had the fullest assurance of faith, the fullest assurance that His Father who had begun such a good work in Him and by Him would not leave it till He had perfected it in the day of Christ. And thus it was that, as Bengel says, " the most fragrant part of Christ's sin-atoning sacrifice was His un- shaken trust in His Father's faithfulness and love." ^
^ Mr. Erskine had a strong conviction that in Eomans iii. 22 " the faith of Christ " meant " the faith of Christ in His Father." I mentioned that this was identically the view entertained by Mr. Dunbar Heath, who was deprived of his benefice for holding this amongst other doctrines. Mr. Erskine had never heard of him.2
(2) Of Obedience. — Jesus received the Holy Spirit at a time of uttermost obedience. Do not imagine that it is such a simple thing to receive the Spirit in His fulness. It is simple when the conditions are fulfilled, but not otherwise. And the first condi- tion is obedience. See Acts v. 32 — " the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given " (not to every one) " to them that obey him." So in Matt. iii. 15, " Suffer it to be so now : for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." It was quite unnecessary, from the human standpoint, for Christ to be baptized by John, but the Lord yielded to it.
^ Christ is not a teacher of the law, like Moses, but a disciple who would be obedient to the law, that through such subjection and obedience He might redeem those who were under the law.^
^ " Compassed with infirmity," appointed to suffering, our Lord entered into the deepest experience of humanity, and attained the secret of perfect obedience to the will of God. We may see in our suffering Lord how through sanctified suffering we attain harmony with the eternal will. One of the greatest of modern artists reminds his young brethren that artistic perfection is reached, not through easy and pleasant exercises, but through battles and agonies. How much more the immortal perfection of the spirit ! Let me not resent the discipline of trial. A famous traveller tells us that it is a principle thoroughly believed in by all Asiatics, that the bitterer the remedy the more efficacious it is. This may not be true in physic, but it is certainly true in morals, when our sorrows are ordained by God and accompanied by His
1 A. Whyte.
2 Dean Stanley, in Letters of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen, ii. 291, ^ Luther, Table-talk (ed. by Fbrstemann), i. 352.
ST. LUKE — I J
i62 THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
grace. Let me not, then, wear the fool's cap in the school of suffering, but fully learn the great lessons of submission, patience, trust.^
(3) Of Prayer. — It was at a time of prayer that Christ received the Spirit. Prayer is the condition of receiving the Spirit. " Yet for all this will I be inquired of by them, to do it for them" (Ezek. xxxvi. 37). We shall never know what this baptism means unless we obey, believe, and pray.
^ I rejoice to know of your interest in the great theme — the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I am now more and more persuaded that the greatest things are possible if only we have His power resting upon us. I have seen such a demonstration in my church last year as I never witnessed before. We met morning after morning in the early year simply to pray for the power of the Holy Ghost. We were looking for a revival. When I made my plea for foreign missions, I astonished my conservative brethren by asking ten thousand dollars this year for our contribution. Only a few wealthy men among us, and they not likely to do largely. But when the collection was gathered twenty thousand dollars came, nobody asked, no solicitation made. It was simply a great impulse of the Spirit, and the astonishment of all still continues. Now is coming a gracious ingathering of souls.^