(b) ' No single social type monopolized the sym- pathy or acceptance of Jesus ' (Peabody, op. cit. p. 204). The zealot and the publican met in the inner circle of His disciples : Mary of Magdala, out of Avhom Avent seven devils, and Joanna, the Avife of Herod's steAvard, united to minister to Him of their substance. He A\'as equally at home in Simon the Pharisee's house and at the table of Levi or Zacchsus, Avith their different clientele ; in private talk Avith Nicodemus, a master in Israel, and at the Avayside Avell Avith the Avoman of Samaria. His help in sickness AA'as for rich and poor, in all circumstances and conditions — the solitary leper, and the mourning AvidoAv in the streets of Nain ; the paralytic of thirty-eight years, friendless and helpless, and the bond-servant of the household of the Roman centui'ion, Avhose name Avas held in honour throughout all Capernaum ; the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and the daughter of a nameless Gentile Avoman of Syro-Phcenicia. And His brotherhood Avent beyond the bounds of nations. He made the Samaritan the hero of His story of neighbourliness ; He praised the faith of the Roman centurion ; He pointed to God's care of Naaman the Syrian captain, and the widoAv of Zarejihath. Jesus might not formulate in express terms the doctrine of the brotherhood of man. That Avas not His Avay. He dealt not in notions or abstractions. He rather inspired a spirit Avhich sooner or later Avould burst all the SAvaddling-bands that confined humanity, and Avhich exjn-essed itself in the Avords of him Avho under- stood best tlie spirit of the Master, ' Where there is neither Greek nor JeAv, circumcision nor un- circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free ' (Col 3"). Illumination rises from the heart.
(<■) In Him love Avon also its ultimate triumph, viz. over Avrong and hate. ' I say unto you. Love your enemies,' etc. (Mt 5'*''). That is an ideal Avliich tliought may Avin ; but it has been fully realized only in Him Avho suHered the contradiction of sin- ners Avitli unfailing patience and serenity of heart, and Avho prayed on the cross for those Avho placed Him there, and Avho reviled Him in His agony, ' Father, forgive them : for they knoAV not Avhat they do' (Lk 23^^).
Jesus' filial relation of love and obedience to the
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Fatlier and His brotherhood to man reach their absolute expression on Calvary. That death was no accident, provoked by the invectives against the Pharisees ; it was seen afar off" as the end of His mission. It looks through the sad irony of His answer to the Pharisees when they complained of the religious light-heartedness of His followers and He said, ' The days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days' (Mk 2-"). And as soon as the disciples had come to clear faith in Him as the Messiah, He began to j^reijare them for disappoint- ment and tribulation and His death. This was the inevitable end of the method He had chosen in the wilderness, when He renounced all powers of per- suasion but that of an appeal to the heart. The Kingdom of loving and obedient souls could be established only on the perfect sacrifice of love and obedience, and Jesus gave Himself absolutely in response to that vision of faith. In this sacrifice the law of His life, ultimate law for man, declares its victory.
i. As a result of His perfect love and obedience the character of Jesus shows certain notes of per- fection, qualities in which He is unique and un- approachable among men. (1) There was in Him the union of the loftiest self-consciousness and the utmost sobriety of mind and lowliness of heart. ' I am the light of the world ' ( Jn 8^") ; ' No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son willeth to reveal him' (Mt 11-''). A self- consciousness more than human is in these words. And this self-consciousness dominates all His work. He brushes aside the teachings of the scribes and the traditions of their schools ; He speaks to the people as one having authority, who is greater than Jonah or Solomon (Mt r2^^-''-), who stands above all the Law and the Prophets (Mt S'^- ^^ 2P^-3'). He made also the most tremendous claims on men. He bade the rich man sell all and follow Him ; His disciples were to hate wife and family for His sake. The experience of failure and the ap2)ro<ach of the Cross availed nothing to abate these claims. At the visit of the Greeks He said that, were He lifted up. He would draw all men to Him (Jn 123''*) ; He told the high priest that He was the Son of God, and tliat he would see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven (Mk W^). And yet Jesus ever showed the utmost sobriety and lowly-mindedness. He always prayed humbly and submissively to God the Father. The Son did nothing but what He learned from the Father (Jn 5'^). And in the ^yilderness He recognized that He was to tread life's common way. Savonarola and St. Francis might oiler to pass through the fire, but Jesus expected no guarding or attesting miracle. He must not cast Himself from the Temple. He must accept all the ordinary conditions of life in His work. And He accepted them. Meekly He went down the darkening ways, accepting failure and disappointment and hatred and shame as the por- tion appointed by the Father ; and there is no sign of any inward rebellion or amazement. He walked humbly before God.