(6) Not the influence of popularity. — In the next place, Jesus did not seek influence through flatter- ing people or rulers. Satan recognized in Christ extraordinary attractive powers. His love and manners were such that He could, had He chosen, have won over the whole world to His side. Never in anyone had there been such rich human gifts, such wide sympathies, such intimate knowledge of men's ways and hearts. Satan's attempt to persuade Christ to do hinx homage (Mt 4" || Lk 4') was more subtle than is often supposed. It was the tempta- tion to win, through flattery of the world-power, — a path that has again and again been pursued by great men. It is needless to point out that Christ never sought influence that way. The Pharisees and Herodians only expressed the general feeling in saying, ' Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for anyone : for thou regardest not the person of men' (Mt 221").
(c) The inflnenec of personality. — Christ influ- enced men not by the majesty of His position nor by His marvellous works, but by His personality. It was what He wa,i more than what He said or did. Men felt about Him that He was always infinitely greater than anything He said. And it was because of the tremendous force that sprang forth from His persoiiiiliiy tlua Ho could say the most amazing thinj;s «i(iinui .-inKizing. It must be remembered that Ibr .li-ri|,|, ., «cre, during His lifetime, feeling their way tnwui.ls the mystery of His Person. They did not know at first what they knew afterwards. And yet they could feel thankful for teaching which placed Him before wife and child, before brother or sister (Mt 10^"). They welcomed Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He did not point it out, for He was it. He did not give it as something apart from Him- self. All this, which would have been intolerable from anyone else, was a relief from Him, as it expressed in words their own feelings (7-"). So, too, the weight of His authority was not that of the scribes, dependent on others, but that derived from His own personality. It was this that astonished the people, who were, accustomed in their teachers to quotations from others and to second-hand information. With Him it was always personal : ' We speak that we do know, and testify that we have .seen' (Jn 3"). Now and again it flashed forth in a way that dazzled and over- powered, as when the men of Nazareth wished to fling Him over the clift', as when those of Jerusalem would have stoned Him, as when those sent to
arrest Him fell back when He dei'lared who He was (Lk 4=», Jn 8™ 18«).
(d) Poiver of the Holy G/io.*)-.— Beyond all this there is something far more difiicult to explain, viz. the effect of the descent of the Holy Ghost at His Baptism. When the Baptist was asked to account for the influence of Christ, he replied, ' A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven,' and went on to say that not only was the Christ above all as coming from above, but that He was endowed with the Spirit beyond all measure (Jn 3"- **). It would seem, though the passage is not clear, that part of His influence was due to the co-operation of the Holy Ghost with His own spirit. The Holy Ghost given to man in such measure as man's limitations allow, was given to the infinite heart and mind of Christ fully, infinitely, without bound. And in the power of that Divine Spirit He began His ministry (Lk 4'*"-'), not only teaching men's minds, but by the 'finger of God' (11-") — an expression interpreted by some of the Holy Ghost — casting out devils. But whatever may be the mystery of the union of the Holy Spirit with Christ, it is certain that He laid stress on this Power as being that wliich would be the source of the influence His disciples should exercise.
3. Influence of the disciples.— All Christ's disciples, without exception, were to be influential. The words, ' \'i' shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is (.■HUM- u|i..ii ydu' (Ac 1'*), were probably spoken to tln' Il'ii ilisc'ijiles, numbering some women amongst tliriii. Tiny were to rely upon Him. He had told them previously that in the difficult situa- tions which persecutions would create, they were not to be anxious as to how best to answer the accusations of their adversaries : He Himself would give them ' a mouth and wisdom,' and then further explained by saying, ' for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit' (Lk 21i-«). Tliey were then to influence the world not primarily by intellectual power or by wonderful signs, but'by that which is deeper than thought or gifts, namely, their own personality. It would be what they were, not what they had, the power of their own inner spirit, not that of cleverness ; and this through the power of the Eternal Spirit. Spirit can be touched only by spirit, personality can be developed only by personality. When, then, the Holy Spirit came down upon them on the Day of Pentecost, it was the depths, not the surface of their lives, that were stirred. It was not the development of mere intel- lectual gifts which enabled them to communicate with others, but such an enlargement of their own spirits that they felt in touch with the whole world, and in their struggle to express this rush of sym- pathy, found a language suitable for each person with whom they came in contact. So afterwards we do not find the gift of tongues a new language, but rather an endeavour to express the new en- largement of their own spirit. They felt more than they could express, more sometimes than their minds could recognize (1 Co 14'^). And this growth of personality is what we see even in the brief records of the NT : Simon becomes Peter ; Levi, Matthew ; Bartholomew, Natlianael ; Joseph, Bar- nabas ; and Saul, Paul. Their characters are not only stronc'er, but fuller and larger, and through them they built up churches, and changed the face of the world in which they lived. Our Lord never supposes they will be ettective through education or culture or the presence of gifts. ' Apart from me ye can do nothing' (Jn 15''). But the co-opera- tion which He promises as the secret of their success is not that of a master who gets over his pupils difficulty by solving it for him, but that of one who by liis sympathy, power, and skill enables him to nieet it for himself. Christ dwelt in them through