It is further milable that commentators are able to refer tlie .siiuuc^tion of both these parables to contemporary liistory. The former corresponds with the struggle between Antipas and his father- in-law, Hareth, king of Arabia; the latter is illustrated by Herod, by Archelaus, and by Anti- pas, each of whom went to liome to obtain an enhancement of power. But details apply to the case of Archelaus, who put his friends in command of cities, and against whom the Jews sent to the emperor an embassy of fifty men (Jos. Ant. xvil. xi. 1). K. Scott.
AMBITION.— The word 'ambition' is not found in the AVor RV, but tlu; prnjirasity signified is, of course, repivscTiti-.l in (he N.w 'iVv^tament. Its derivation is L;iti)i [muhi, • al">ul ,' and ire, itum, 'to go'], nieanm- a ,i,„,i,i ahuul m all directions, especially with a view to rulk-ctiiig votes. It thus means to have such a di-sii-e as to inake one go out of one's way to satisfy it, and, in a secondary sense, denotes the object which arouses such desire and effort. As a psychological fact. Ambition may be defined as a natural .spring of action which makes for the increment of life. Ethically speak- ing, it takes its colour from the object towards which it is directed. In ordinary use it implies blame ; but in true Christianity, where the utmost is given for the highest, it is otiierwise.
In the Epistles the verbs 5(ii^-u>, ffTroi^Sdfu, fj/T^cj are used figuratively for this propensity (Ph 3'-, 2 P 3", Ro 10^) ; but perhaps a nearer synonym is '{ifKou) with its corresponding substantive ^tjXos (as in 1 Co 14'- 12- 39, cf. Weymouth's NT in Modern Speech), though f^Xos in a good sense is generally translated 'zeal,' and in a bad sense 'jealousyj' both words being of rather broader significance than 'ambition.'
It is in accordance with the literary character- istics of the Gospel narratives that such an abstract idea as ambition can be found only under some picturesque phrase, e.g. 'lamp of the body' (Mt ^^■■^), 'food'(Jn 4"). 'To cut oft' the right hand' or ' to pluck out the right eye ' is the expression used by our Lord for destroying one's dearest ambition, whether it is controlling one's energies or directing one's imagination (Jlk Q-*''-, cf., as Trench points out, the use of dd>0a\al)s irov-npis FMt 6=M\Ik 7=^1 for 'envy'). ^'^ ^
But although there is no explicit reference to Ambition in the NT, it is .so characteristic a fact of human nature that a large jiart of the teaching of Christ might be exbibitod in relation to iL And because it is capaMi' of lieini: '"ut tuw.ards lofty as well as sinister, cr al Ira^i -^ lli,li emls. Christian ethics seems Imm ,,iie ]».iiii ..I \ iew to be the exaltation of AniliUiun, fi..ni an.jther its deposition.
1. For Ambition.— C\msVi method was to use the fact of Ambition and purify it by exercising
VOL. I.— 4
it on the highest objective. The call to the first disciples was an appeal to their ambition for a higher life : ' Follow nie, and I will make you fishers of men' (Mt 4"). He gave primacy to an ambition for the ends of the Kingdom over all worldly ambitions in the words : ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousnes.s ' (RIt 6^). He compared the earnestness of true followers with the ambition of a pearl-merchant (Mt 13'^), and encouraged tbc religious ambition of the young ruler by trying to turn it into a new and ;1
deeper channel (Mt perfect, sell . . . give . . , treasure in heaven.' It « a- to set before His di-' ipli , 22-»-3», Mt 5"-", Jii 1-' ): .■- to go out of their Avay in lengths in fidelity (Lk 0''- 14- order to -win the truest pr success. ' The Christian ni indeed be summed from a restraint K. 2. A<i,<nisl A, I, I,. truth I.es.ii.l tliat of Clirist Mas lo (l,-|,o.~e Anib place. He va. alua.^s rel.u desires for any kiml ot seHi^li ^ they were a-.--iM iate.l wuli , that peri;,lielh'; Lk (i ', and' pride (Mt 6'""' ' glory of men, '- 'seen of men and called Ital hi.gh-placed desire if it was lie without counting the cost (L and the king who failed in t lO'^^-^" the sons of Zeliedee w they asked'). Moreover, C
If thou woulde.st be
Hill thou shalt have
larl ot His teaching
I'l i/e to aim at (Lk
I Ho expected them
liMition, and to all
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se and mo.st lasting
lal reformation may
this— humanity changed
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l!ut it may with equal
1 ot tlie life and teaching
\ni1iitiiin from its ruling
i-eliiikiie4- (ii inordinate
li-!i sali-lariH.ii. whether
I li <//■ • ./ (.1 11 Ii-' ' food
aiid'e-,,, I-J 'I or with
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I lioii^lii le>sly and 1 1-= "■' the builder ir ambition ; Mk ' knew not what st cut away the very tap-root of Ambition by turning self out of its place at the seat of the niotives of life, in favour of a living trust in the Father and an undivided allegiance to Hinrseif. The virtues whi<li are iiio-t pioniiiieut in tlie Christian ideal lea\e no room al- all for Ambition in the gener- ally arre|,ie,| n-e ot tlic wonl. For ( "liristianity demanils Innuil.h, (Mt 5= etc., Lk 14"-" etc., Jn 13'--'-'), generosity (Mk 12''^- *\ Lk 6™-"' 12=^ etc.), and .self - renouncement (Mt 10=«' '^ Mk 10=»- » Jn I2--''--«).