Cf., on the same point, Holtzmann (i. p. 196) :—
' This remarkable parable annuls the idea of reward in apply- ing it, completely destroys the relation of merit and right, of performance and reward in general.'
We note, finally, to the same effect, the gracious abundajice of the reward in Mk lO^", Mt 24«-« 25^1-23, Lk 6^8.
{c) Anotlier criticism which Jesus passes on the legal idea of merit is that it is too external- God, tlie Father, looks at the heart. The better right- eousness, which admits to the Kingdom, is an inward righteousness (cf. Mt S^^-e"). But this affects the wliole conception of merit and reward.
' The reward belongs to the personality which reveals itself in the work, not to the performance as such. . . . Thus, what appears as reward is at bottom the recognition of the worth of the personality. ... It is the conduct of life, the vpaii;, w-hich appears in the single acts, and is rewarded (Mt 16^7) ... as it is the love shown to the brothers of Christ which is recognized in the judgment (Mt 2534ff.)' (Schultz, p. 14).
To sum up, then, we do not in the teaching of Jesus get a completely unified doctrine of merit, but we get clear indications of the lines wliich such a doctrine must follow. It must be ethical rather than legal ; must connect itself with the conception of God's Fatherhood, and with the idea of His free grace, rather than with that of His strict retribution according to law ; and must have regard not to external actions only, but to the inward motive. The conditions are fulfilled if we recognize human merit as the worth to the Heavenly Father of the conduct of His sons wlien judged by the inward motive of filial obedience, and its reward as the recognition of this worth by His Fatherly love, which gives to His children who seek His Kingdom both this chief good and all things else that they need (Lk 6^^- ^-). As regards the individual actions of God's children, the idea of merit is not to be connected Avith them apart from the general context of filial conduct in Avhi.-h they stand ; nor is the idea of reAvard to be con- nected Avith particular Divine gifts apart from the gift of the Kingdom. Only on the background of the general conception of the rcAvard of filial con- duct by the gift of the Kingdom can particular gifts appear as the reAvard of particular actions.
2. The merit of Christ.— The definite theological doctrine, in Avhich the term ' merit ' is employed
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as a terminHs (crhnicu.t of tlie subject, lies beyond tlie NT. But it is anticipated in tlie latter, in so far as we there have a doctrine of Christ's work as man, in which ethical standards are applied to the subject. ('I) In this doctrine it is above all ui>on His (Icftth that attention is concentrated, as the point in which the ciiaracter of His saving work special!}' appears. We have first the idea of Chri.-its death as an act of obedience to God (Ko5'^ Ph 2*, He 10^"'"). Further approximation to the idea of a merit of Christ is contained in the refer- ences to the worth of His deatli in procuring the salvation of men. It is a ransom (Mk lU"*^), a price (1 Co 6^). In the idea of sorriffc once more we have Iwth tlie idea of tlie worth to (Jod of Clirist's death as self-surrender, and of its worth for men in procuring .salvation (Eph 5-, He lO'"'*) . [The important series of pa-s-sages furtiier detining the sacriHce of Christ as an expiatory sacrifice is not brought in here ; since these }mssages, so far as tiiey contain tiiis additional idea, belong properly to the Scripture proof of the doctrine of Christ's work, not as direetbj meriting salvation, but as making satisfaction for sin, and so making salva- tion possible. In virtue of the general idea of sacrifice contained in them, apart from the specifi- cation of it as expiatorj-, they may, however, be added to the proof of the doctrine of merit]. We have, furtiier, references in the NT to the rcfogni- fion of Christ's death by God. On account of it the Father loves Him (.In 10'') ; because of His oliedience in it Gotl exalts Him to universal lord- ship (Pli 2^'"). [Compare the Divine recognition of the worth of the work of tiie Suffering Servant in Is 53'*"'-]. (b) The conception of the work of Christ is not, however, confined to His death. His life is a ministiy to men (Mk 10^). His work (.In 17^) includes the manifestation of the Divine name to the disciples (v.*), the giving to tiiem of the words received from the Father (v.*), the keeping of them from the evil in the world (v.'-), as well as His final sacrifice (v.'^). Moreover, it is not only the death of Christ, but His work throughout H'\> life, tiiat God recognizes in glorifying in turn the Son who has glorified Him (vv.' ■•). And, finally, both Mk 10^ and .In 17 imply that the work of Christ in His life and death is all of a piece ; since in both passages, but especially in .In 17, there is no break in the way in which the culminating work of the death is added on to the work of the life.