de Ji'siis-Cluisf ; T. II. Wn-li Lehn-Jis,,, i;ii-. tr. (T. \- T. r the XT; V.nvv, Thi lliualUali
.Inly liiui); Faiiu Vol. of DB; R. Davidson, 'Angel in vol. i., and *Sai Tlie rc'idi-r is al
• §§ ■■.-«, by barles. The 1 are useful
ACCUSATIONS.— See Trial (of Je.sus).
ACHIM ('Axfi».— An ancestor of Joseph, accord- ing to the genealogy of our Lord in St. Matthew's (ujsi.el (l"j. The name may bo a shortened form of Jvhoi.uhim, or it may be for Ahktni (cf. 1 Ch n^) or Jachin (i:l. Gn 40%
ACTIVITY 1. The period of our Lord's activity
is, in other words, that of His ministry, in the ful- filment of which His activity was exhibited. Its duration is a matter of dispute, relevant only so far as it compresses into one year the recorded details, or extends them to the traditional three. In any case the records are in no sense exhaustive. Manifold ministries are expressed in few words (Mt 4-3"^ 15«', Lk 4" 8', Jn 4' etc.); a complete account is beyond an E\angeli3t's scope (.Tn 20*- *'),
ACTIVITY
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
and would Ijc voluminous (21-=). This is said of things done 'in the presence of the disciples' (Jn 202<'), and we cannot suppose they saw or knew all that Jesus did. See art. Ministry.
In fact, we possess no himiv tliari s|ici'imoiis of Christ's lalx)urs ; but llirr, no .Imilil, .ur so selected as to give us a -i-ihi:il iilrn .if I In- wlmli-. In this connexion the II1.-.1 S:ilili,-il h ul ( '.■i|i.'ni:niin (of which a detailr.l nc.ouni is ^iven in Mk !-'•»', Lk 4''-^^) has well licrn |i.iiiitiil to as a specimen day. Some detuils ..I iIk' Sou of Man's toilsome life — wearying jouiiirys (.In 4"), rising 'a great while before day' (Mk'l '')— may be in themselves not much more than features of Oriental life : others — 'nowhere to lay his head' (Mt 8=")— cannot be so explained. Day to Him meant work. Tlie Father's work was both a daily necessity (Jn 9^) and His very ' meat ' (4**). Its substance was twofold : (1) the general work of evangelizing and healing ; (2) the' special work of training others, the Twelve (Mk 3" 6' etc.) and the Scv<'nty (Lk 10'), and superintending their cH'oits. Siiail.uly we may regard as twofold the coiidilioiis under which it was carried on : (1) the nomad conditions, ever varying, of the day (Sabbath or week-day), tlie place (synagogue, Temple or open-au') and the hearers (uuiltitudes or individuals); (2) the abnwmal conditions, cicatcd by the presence of opponents (Mt 12'"" =^-J- etc.), or of crowds who clung to Him sometimes for days together (Mt 15-'-, Mk 8-). Under such pressure there was often no leisure to eat (Mk 3-» &"). Night did not mean sleep, but was given largely to prayer (Mt 14'-^, Lk 6'= ^ 2233-"), till His exhausted nature, finding opportunity for repose, could sleep undisturbed even by a storm (Mk i^, Lk S"^). More than once His disciples (accustomed by their trade to night- watches, Lk 5') proved unequal to the strain of wakefulness (Lk 93^, Mk 14^"-*). His friends, fearing a mental breakdown, ciiiie to n-straiu Him by force (Mk 3-'). It would ]«■ lia/,inl..us to e.stimate degrees of spiritual activity liy llie pre- carious test of numerical results (Jn 12'' '"), but it is noticeable that at one time He nuide more dis- ciples than John the Baptist (Jn 4').
Cei'tain limitations of Christ's activity are clear and significant. (1) In scope it waseonlincd to 'the house of Israel,' more es|HMi,illv its 'lost sheep' (Jn pi, Mt IS^). A few o\il.M,i..|s (Centiles and pro.selytes) came within its raiiue ; Imt these were exceptional (Mt 8"^-" 15--, Lk 17'", Jn 4" 122"- 2'). (2) In development it was regulated By the unfold- ing of a Divine plan, frequently referred to by such expressions as 'my hour' (Jn 2* 7™ 8™ 13' etc.), ' my time ' (Mt 26"*, Jn 7"). (3) In operation it was morally conditioned by the existence (or otherwise) of a certain measure of receptiveness (Mk 6^).
In reference to the source of His activity, it must be noted: (1) that it was always and essentially associated with times of retirement and prayer (Mk 1== 3'3 6*" 92 etc.); (2) that its manifestation is directly ascribed to the power of the Spirit (Mt 12^, Lk 4''' etc.); and (3) that, in its miraculous exercise, tliere is indicated (at least once) a percep- tion that ' power had gone out ' (Mk S^", Lk 8''*).
2. In the Christian course, energy is constantly commanded (Mt 11'-, Mk 13"^ Lk 13=^). Yet it is worthy of remark that in Christ's estimate of human character the active qualities .seem some- times to be depreciated in comparison with the passive, contemplative, and devotional. The latter attain to 'the good part' (Lk lO'*"), and find their place in the Beatitudes (Mt S^'-). See, further. Character (Christian).
3. Finally, the believer's view of Christ is not, in the Gospels, primarily directed to His acti\e labours. Such things are the record of an Apostle (2 Cor 6'-s etc.) rather than a Saviour: accord
ingly, if with the account of our Lord's active labours we measure that of His Passion, both as to general proportion and minutia; of detail, there can be no doubt that in the Gospel picture the Passion, and not the activity, occupies the fore- ground. F. S. Ranken.