the phrases here
Anion" the crowds who flocked to Jesus Mere many who came, or who were brought by their friends, because of some special need. Blind and deaf and dumb caine to have their lost senses restored (Mt Q^-"'- 202»-, Mk 7"="-, Jn d^"- ct al.). Lepers cried to Him for cleansing (Mt 8-"- || Lk 17'-"'). The lame and the palsied came, or were brought, to Him for renewal of their powers (Mt 9™- II .Jn .')-"■•). More than once the friends of the dying or the dead came beseeching Him to give them back their loved ones from the grasp of death (Mt 9'8f- || Jn ll'"-). Obviously this ' com- in'4 ' was in most cases much more than a mere physical fact. The whole motive does not in all cases lie open to us, but in many we know, anil in others there is no room foi- doubt, that there was behind the coming an attraction of His person, a perception of and faith in His power to bless, a confidence in His mercy and grace, apart from which even the most needy would not have been moved to come to Him. This is in some instances conspicuously clear, and is recognized by Jesus with joy. Thus the ' faith ' of the centurion (Mt S^"-) is declared to be greater than any He liad found in Israel. For her ' great faith ' the prayer of the Syro-Phrenician woman is granted (Mt 15J2fr.) fi^g latter is one of many cases in which the faith of those who came to Him was tested by Jesus before He complied with their request (cf. Mt 9-8, Jn i*', and many others). This testing of faith shows the spiritual significance of the inci- dents, even where the blessing craved and granted, looked at merely froiu the outside, is purely physical. This is still iimio the case where the need which brought nun to Christ was not physical, but moral or spiritu.il, r.,f. Nicodemus to some extent. (Jn 3), Zacch:i'iis the chief publican (Lk
344
COMING TO CHRIST
COMING TO CHRIST
19-^-), the woman who was a sinner (Lk T*"^-). and many otliers.
From these cases we pass by an easy transi- tion to the higlier level of meaning of the phrase 'coming. to cSirist.' The passages in which this occurs are entirely words of Jesus. He calls men to come to Him. For the most part His call is that of gracious, loving invitation. But the con- demnation of the Jews because they would not come to Him (Jn 5" ; cf. Mt 22', Jn W) shows that under the graciousness of the invitation tliere lies the assertion of a paramount claim. These :iii' two aspect- tif Christ's call which it may be w.'ll to ((.nsiiliT to some extent apart. Experi- iii.-ntally th.y imi-t always go togetlier.
In -Mt 11-^"- we have the great call of Jesus to tliose who ' labour and are heavy laden,' with its promise of 'rest.' These verses bear a likeness to several passages of the OT, especially to Jer 6'^ ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old i)aths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' But the Heb. word I'i™ 'rest,' is rendered in tlie LXX not by oi'dTroi'irii', the word used in Mt 11* (cf. drairauo-m, v.'-*), but by ayvia iiini (or ayiaa ii6v). Some lia\e thought that there is here an echo of the words of Jesus ben Sua (Sir g-.Mi. ;8f. 5i23--'T)^ ,vit,i, which our Lord was probably familiar (see Expositor's Greek Testament, in loco). But the words of Christ, in the greatness of tlie call and of the promise, and in the connexion of both with His own person, go far beyond those of Ben Sira or anything which we find in the canoni- cal books of tlie OT. The call is probably ad- dressed in the first instance to those who, groaning under 'the yoke of the law,' which generations of Rabbinic teaching and Pharisaic formalism had made intolerable, had no hope of rest for their souls. But it goes beyond that, as the whole ministi-y of Christ shows, to all those on whom the burdens of life press liea\ ily. and especially to those who are being borm- ilo«ii l.y the weight of sin. To all Christ offers • rest, a c e.ising from the crushing weight and from the hopeless toil, an inward, satisfying peace.
The words of Jesus in Jn 7" (cf. 6^*^) are even greater than those just considered. Un^er the natural figure of ' thirst ' and the companion figure of 'hunger,' He speaks of the deepest needs and longings of the soul of man— not those which are passing and accidental, but those which are essen- tial and permanent, above all, the need of God — and promises to all who come to Him a perfect and abiding satisfaction. They should not only themselves oe satisfied, but by the 'recei\4ng' of the Holy Spirit should become sources of blessing to others.
To these two great promises we may add the words of Jesus in Jn 5^°, xvhich imply, under the condemnation of those who would not come to Him, a promise of 'life' to those who do come. This evidently means a life other than that which they already had, a life in union with God as con- trasted with their life apart from Him, a life in whose abundance man finds perfect satisfaction and the purpose of God is realized, a life which is eternal. Into the enjoyment of this life he who ' cometh to Christ ' enters at once, but its full realization belongs to the future.