against the Son of Man, not against the Holy Spirit. They knew not what they were about to do, but He knew (Mk 14"), and broke their hearts with His free forgiveness (v.'-).
Third, the sin of Judas. Of all the crimes of which guilty man is capable, treachery is, in the judgment of all men, the most dreadful ; and therefore Dante (Inferno, xxxi. 134) has placed Judas in the jaws of Lucifer. Did Judas, then, commit the sin against the Holy Spirit? It is profitless to discuss the question. No absolute verdict is possible. It is certain that Jesus dealt with Judas, in clear light of truth, with the utmost consideration, and with far-reaching for- bearance. Appeal after appeal He made to him, .seeking to reveal him to himself, while scrupu- lously shielding hini from the su.spicions of his fellows, and retaining him to the last possible moment within the sphere of loving influence. Finally, He gave him that permission to do wrong which human freedom wrings from Divine omni- potence, and which is, at the same time, God's severest judgment upon the sinner (Jn 13", Mt 26=0 KV). Who can tell if it lie not also God's last offer of mercy ? In the end (perhaps not too late), the goodness of Jesus smote with overwhelming force upon the cnnscicnce of .T\idas. He 'repented hims.df (Mt27-l. Wh.-ilrvor v:ilu.' may be attached to sui-h I'i'i ciihiurc, w li:iti'\ IT (Irstiny may have .awaited .ludas beyond (lie\cil of llesh, which he so violently tore aside, there can at least be no more impressive testimony to the forbearance, the love, and the wisdom of Jesus, than this over- whelming remorse.
V. The Virtuks of His vocation.— The end for which Jesus lived determined all His actions, and called into exercise all the virtues of His character, as well the more general characteristics of spiritual-mindedness, love to God, and love to men, as the specific virtues of His social relations. The vocation of Jesus, however, as Servant of the Lord was definite ; and with respect to it He had a definite work to do. Questions as to the concep- tions which it imidies with respect to the constitu- tion of Clirist's person do not now concern us. But we are concerned to observe that, in His discharge of His dnty, cei'tain as|.ei-ls of His cliaracter shine
1. Faithfulness.— Tli'Tf is an unmistakable note of compulsion in Ilis life. He has received a pre- cise charge, and He will carry it out with absolute precision and unswerving fidelity. This is the mind of the boy, when as yet the nature of His mission cannot have been fully before Him (Lk 2'"). This is the conviction of the man, who has come to know what office He holds, and what is the thing He has to do or endure (Mt 16=', Mk 8^'). Many specific expressions {e.q. Jn 4'* 9*-^ IP-'") and the whole tenor of His life convey the same impression of a man looking forwaril to a goal, in itself most terrible, yet pressing toward it with unwavering determination. The imperative of duty, and the burden of inexorable necessity, are laid upon His conscience ; and He responds with complete obedience.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, who displays a singular insight into the ethical condi- tions 'of Christ's work, mentions the virtue of fidelity as being conspicuous in ' the Apostle and High Priest of our confession ' (He 3-- «), and draws a far-reaching parallel and contrast between Him and Moses, as between a son and a servant. In filial fnit|>fnlTip- thove are three aspects: {a) per-
fe.-t ' I . ' ■• •' :Mi I'm. Father's will, (i) entire
abs..,| I I 1 ii. . roncerns, (c) free access
to (l.r I ,h|,, I ^ 1. -.1,1,,. ,; and these are plainly seen m L linsi s disihaigu of His duty. There is not the slightest trace of servility. The will to
294 CHAEACTER OF CHRIST
CHARACTER OF CHRIST
which He yielded absolute devotion is tliat of One ■whom He perfectly loved and trusted, to whom He could freely come for everything He required. The absolute control of the Divine resources, which is attributed to Him in the Fourth Gospel (Ju 13-'), is borne out by every trait of the Synoptic por- trait. He was not toiling with inadequate resources at an uncomprehended task. Even Avhen the strain upon His will is heaviest, and His whole soul shrinks from what lies before Him, there is one word which delivers His faithfulness from any suspicion of bondage : ' Fattier, if it be possible ' . . . {Mt 26''-« MkUS's, Lk22«).
2. Courage.— The courage of Jesus Christ is the crown of His faithfulness. It was not tested by such occasions as the sinking sliip or the stricken field, but by conditions yet more severe. Out- raged prejuclice, wounded pride of caste, tlireatened privilege, were banded together to destroy Him. They disguised themselves in zeal for the honour of God. They, no doubt, attracted to their side sincere, though unenlightened, loyalty to His cause ; and Jesus must have known the reformer's keenest pain, the sense of wounding good and true men. They sought alliances with powers most alien to their professed aims. They found support in the ignorant enthusiasm of the multitude, who mistook the aims of Jesus, and in the more culpable mis- understanding of His disciples and friends. The Fourth Gospel is surely historic in representing the breach between Jesus and the leaders of the religious world of His day as having talven place in the opening weeks of His ministry. It is in- conceivable that the wide divergence of His views from those of the Pharisees and Sadducees should not have been manifest in the very first announce- ment of them. He certainly was not, and His adversaries could not have been, blind to the issues of the controversy. It had not j'roceeded far, when it became apparent to them that it could be terminated only by their defeat or by His destruction. With unscrupulous plans and bitter hate they laboured to compass His ruin. ^Vith sublime "courage He persevered in His vocation, though He was well aware tliat every step He took only made the end more certain. When the end comes, it finds Him spiritually prepared. He moves with firm and equal tread. From the lo^-ing fellowship of the Supper He passes, without bewilderment, to the conflict of Gethsemane. From the shadow of the trees and the darker shade of His unknown agony. He goes to face the traitor, witli no other tremor than that of amazement at such consummate wickedness (Lk 22^) ; and sur- renders Himself to the instruments of injustice, less their captive than their conqueror. Amid the worst tortures men can inflict, we hear no murmur. We do not merely observe, with what of admiration it might have deserved, a stoical fortitude, which proudly repels every assault on the self-sufficiency of the human 'spirit. We observe a more moHng spectacle, the Servant of the Lord accepting unfathomed pain as the crown of His vocation, thus rendering to the Father a perfect obedience, and finishing the work given Him to do.