iii. Pieachiny of the Kintjdom. — In the mean- time the crowds of Galilee, and especially the Twelv?, enjoyed the privilege which John did not. They were having expounded to them in full the new doctrine of the Kingdom of (Jiid (or of heaven). This doctrine is of .such far-reaching importance, ami is so Intimately bouiul up with the rest of our Lord's teaching, that It has seemed best to reserve the fuller account of It for separate and connected treatment at the end of this sectiim. lu .so doing we are following the example of the First Kvangelist, who has ma.s.sed togetlier a body of tearhlng at an early place in his Gospel (Mt T)-?), not that It was all spoken on the same occasion, liut as a specimen of the general tenor of the teaching of which it formed |ian. We have a similar example of groniied specnnens of teaching in .Ml i;>. It must sullice lo aihl here (a) that the main subject of the teaching at this )ieriod would .seem to have been the nature of the Kingdom and the character rei|uired In lis members: such say- luL's as Ml "--'' are more in keeping with the latter cycle of leaihiiig. and were |)robal)ly spoken later. ('<) It must be remrinliered that the vast majority <il ilio.se who lisleiied to this teaching heard it only by fr.ii;menls. It was like the seed-corn scattered In various klniis of ground (.Mk 4'-^ll) : it was not to be expected that even uiiiler the most favourable circumstances it shoulil germinaie and bear fruit all al once. Ch'arly. the Twilve Iheiilselves did not lake in ils full signllicanci'. lint it is much that they should have remembered so much of it as they did. and that when their eyes were more fully o|iened they should have been able tu set it down so coherently.
iv. Thf. Mensiiinir WuH-.i. — Another marked characteristic of this period Is the number of mir-
aculous works of healing, etc., which are attributed to it and evidenily belong to it. Once more we may follow the examiile of the First Kvangelist by treating these works, which are so much ihe subject of di.scu.ssioii in modern times, by themselves. We a.ssume here the result which we seem to reach in the .section devoted to them. We assume that the miracles are historical ; and we observe only that they bear the general character Indicated In the reply of Jesus to .John the Baptist. They are Iiredomlnaiitly works of mercy ; and they are a direct, and as we believe conscious, fulfilment of the most authentic of ancient projihecies, as con- trasted Willi the mere signs and wonders for which the contem))orary Jews were looking. Here, as in other things, we note at once (n) that Jesus conde- scends to put lllra.self at the level of tho.se to whom He was sent. Miracles were to them the natural credentials of any great prophet, and especially of the Messiah. Jesus therefore did not refuse to work miracles. That He should work them was part of the coudillons of the humanity whicli lie a.ssumed. Hut (';) though He condescended to wnrk miracles, it was only miracles of a certain kind. He steadily refused to perform the mere wonders which the critics of His claims repeatedly challenged Him to perform. In other words. He made ills miracles almo.st as much a vehicle of instruction as His teaching. Those which He did perform fell into their place as the natural accom- paniment of one who as in character so novel and unexpected a King w.as founding so novel a Kingdom.
V. Effect on the Populace. — It is a confirmation of the view taken above and based on the Fiiurth Gospel, — that the call of the Twelve was prece<led by a preliminary and more sporadic ministry — that from the first day on which the regular ministry began It aitr.acted gnat atiention and was ai- tendeil by great, if .superficial, success among ihe populace of Galilee (.Mk 1^'--"||). Nor did the suc- cess of this first day stand alone ; it was frequently repeated, and indeed gives tlie character to the whole of this period (Mk 2--'-|| 3"-"'|| ^-Ij 4'|l o-'ll, Lk ""''■). Both the miracles and the teaching of Jesus made a stmng impres-sion. The people were struck by the difference between the acts and words of Jesus an<l those of the teachers to whom they were accustomed. .Acts and words alike implied a claim to an authority different In kind from that of the most respected of the Babbis (Mk l-'il, .Mt 7*'). The Habbis interpreted the law as they found it; Jesus laid down a new law (Mt ^>-^ — etc.), and when He spoke, it was wiili an air of command. It must not, however, be suppo.sed that Jesus was at once recognized as the Messiah. 'Ihe testimony of the Baptist had reached but few, and was by this lime generally forgotten. The coiislruc- tion put upon the commanding attitude of Jesus was that described in Lk 7'" 'A great prophet is arisen among us ; and (Jod hath visited his people.' Still less can it be supposed that there was any .adequate recognition of the change which Jesus came to work In Ihe current conceplions of religion.
vi. Ejrcct iipiiii the J'huri.icen. — 'I'he populace came to Jesus with simple and creilulous minds, and they did not resist the impivssion maile upon them, though it lacked depth and permanence (Mk 4"-ll). Our documents are doubtless right in representing the first signs of opposition and hoslilliy as coining from the religious leaders, the .scribes and I'liarisecs. They are also clearly right in repnvsentiiig Ihe growth of this opi>osltioii as giailual. .\t first I'harisi'es joined fri'cly In social Intercourse with .lesns and His dl.sclples, and even invited Iheiii to their own tables (Lk 7' ". proliably beloinpi to this early )H-r|i>d). They could not deny the i)o.s,s|bllity of a, prophet arising, and they repeatedly sought to test after their