256
OBED
OBEDIENCE
occurs, did not refuse to answer when the high priest adjured Him by tlie living God (26*'^). And though Mark oniits the adjuration, so that we cannot Avith confidence appeal to the conduct of Christ Himself on this occasion, all the Gospels represent Him as frequently strengthening His declarations by the solemn dfi7)v, which in the Fourtii Gospel becomes a.iJ.7]v afiriv. In a word, while the prohibition of swearing is absolute, and is on no account to be modified in the manner we have referred to above, we must remember that what Christ is aiming at is not the mere outward oath, but the spirit of evil which inspired it, and regard as an infraction of His comman^^ only such conduct as cometh of the evil He seeks to destroy. When we regard the commandment in that light, there is no need to defer the fulfilment of it to an ideal state. It does not describe the conditions which should prevail between the members of the Kingdom of God only in their relations to one another, but lays down a principle which should guide the member of the Kingdom in his relation to all with Avhom lie comes in contact. And though, owing to the conditions of the society in which he lives, he may have to depart from the strict letter of the precept by taking a solemn oath on occasion, so long as he does not do so from the unworthy motive which inspires the oaths against which Christ contends, he may still claim to remain faithful to tlie command of Christ.
LiTERATDRB. — The various Commentaries ; Hastings' DB, art. 'Oath' and Extra Vol. p. 28; PRE-\ art. 'Eid'; Tholuck, Sermon on the Mount; Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii. 210-213; Gore, Sermon on the Mount; Rothe, Thcol. Ethik, § 1067; Dykes, Manifesto of the Kinq, p. 265 ; Martensen, Christ. Ethics, ii. 226. A full list of the relative literature will be found in Tholuck and Rothe. G. WAUCHOPE STEWART.
OBED. — Father of Jesse, mentioned in both genealogies of our Lord (Mt P, Lk 3^-).
OBEDIENCE.— i. The Obedience of Christ.—
1. Christ as a man (see HUMAXITV OF Christ) came under the oblirfitioyis of men, and principal among these was the obligation of obedience. This He Himself recognized explicitly. His parents had Him circumcised (Lk 2-^), and brought Him to Jeru- salem according to the custom, to observe the law of the Passover (possibly every year, Lk 2^ • *-), Avhich custom He subsequently continued personally ( Jn -2^ b\ cf . 7-- 10, Mt 26'"ff- etc. ). He felt Himself called upon to join in the great religious move- ments of His day, though not commanded by the Law (Mt 3'^), as Avell as to observe the political customs (Mt 17-^). It was therefore more than a mere expression as to a definite examj)le when He said : ' It becometh us [me] to fulfil all righteous- ness' (Mt3'5).
2. The fart of His obedienee. — If we test this by the Ten Commandments as substantially embracing the whole moral law, we find His obedience com- plete. They are mostly prohibitions, and we do not find Him infringing them. It cannot be said that this silence of the Scriptures as to transgres- sions does not prove His entire conformity to them, and leaves room for the doubt Avhether His obedi- ence was perfect ; since He was surrounded by watchful enemies who magnified variations that were not disobedience, and would have mentioned any real disobedience with eagerness. The honour which He paid to God Avas as perfect as His percep- tion of the spiritual nature of His worship was clear (Jn 42^). He observed the Sabbath, being found regularly in the synasogue on that day (Lk 41s ' as his custom was ' ). The fact that He did no \vo;l: that was contrary to the Sabbath command- ment, is shown clearly by the fact that He was repeatedly attacked ifor immaterial things and for exercising His healing power upon that day,
for Avhich He successfully defended Himself (Mt 12^- '• "• 1-). To those of another race and time He may seem to have been lacking on one occasion in respect for His mother, viz. at the marriage in Cana of Galilee (Jn 2^). But the appellation ' ^yoman ' was not disrespectful, for it was used in the tenderest waj- at the cross (Jn 19-^) ; nor Avas it disrespectful to reprove officious interference ; nor was Mary left unsatisfied (v.^), but expected His compliance with her hinted request. So much for the negative side of the moral law. On its positive .side, as comprehensively stated by Him in the words, ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself (Mt 22^^), none was ever so zealous of God's honour, or of preserving His own communion with Him ( Jn 10^** 171'- -'"-^•-^), as Jesus. And love of neighbour, as interpreted first fully by Himself (Lk W^-), He exemplified in all His contact with suffering and needy humanitj'. Nor did He fail in that harder sort of obedience which consists in quick response to the personal Avill of God manifested in provi- dence (Mt 4-', Lk 2^«, Jn 12-'- ^s). His care for the ceremonial law, besides the cases already cited, may be seen \>y His recommending the lepers whom He cleansed, on two occasions, to observe the law of Moses provided in their case (Lk 5^^ 17'^).