((•) He inaugurated the day of specifically Chris- tian charity. Charity had been exercised before, but it was largely a matter of expediency, or the outflow of a mere pitifulness for misery and want. Jesus gave it a new heart and a new will, a new sight and a new insight. It was not to be left henceforth to a few munificent gentlemen like Pliny to dispense. Its exercise became the duty of all alike, according to their ability and opportunity. The organization of charity has been justly charac- terized as the finest achievement of the Early Christians (v. Dobschiltz). Jesus erected charity into a supreme Christian virtue. He regarded its absence as a convicting proof of the absence of that spirit which qualified for entrance into the Kingdom of God. That was a sure indication of a soul out of fellowship with God (Mt 25«ff-, Lk 122o«- jg20ff.) Jesus enjoined as a primary duty the prompt and ungrudging use of one's means in the relief of necessity of whatever kind. The priest and the Levite who jiassed by on the other side were transgressing the first and last law of love. Jesus Avould allow of no limit to the sacrifices one must be prejiared to make in obedience to its legitimate demands (Lk 12^^). Charity must not be of the nature of unwilling acquiescence in a begging request. It must be tlie fruit of that spirit which is ready to give more than is asked, and will err on the side of generosity rather than of meanness (Lk 6^"). Yet the exercise of charity must not be indiscriminate or unregulated. It must always tend to promote the ends of the law of Christian love. It must be regulated by regard to the Golden Rule, interjireted in the light of the Heavenly Father's example. It must be well considered, ever keeping in view the highest welfare of those who invite its aid. Each case must be taken on its own merits. Charity is legitimate, only Avhen it subserves tlie spiritual interests of tlie individual assisted, — when it makes him not only better off, but a better man. It is forbidden to give after such wise as will only encourage or confirm evil habits. To do so were to keep the lower law while breaking the higher, — the law of Christian love, which forbids the inflic- tion of the ultimate moral injury that inevitably eventuates from indiscriminate and heedless giving. We must always do the studiously loving thing. True charity finds its exemplar in the Heavenly Father, who will not give what is harmful or useless, but only good things (Mt 7", Lk IV^) ; and it seeks with wise concern to foster the virtues of self-reliance, self-help, manly independence, and
industry, whose exercise reduces the occasions of charity.
(3) Jesus preached life as a stewardship), and its powers, means, opportunities as a trust from God for the proper use of which each man was ans\\erable. Talents must be regarded as gifts, to be used, not for the possessor's selfish purposes, but for the ends of an altruistic love. The teaching of Jesus un- comjjromisingly condemns the life whicji is spent hi the pursuit of wealth for what it may yield of selfish pleasure, and the expenditure of means on purely personal gratification (Lk 121'''''-). We are given that we may give. ' A man does not own his wealth ; he owes it.' From the highest point of view, there is no such thing as private means. All possessions are a public trust. Jesus was urgent in His demand for the generous open- handedness of a large-hearted benevolence whose instinct was always to consent or comply rather than to refuse or withhold (Mt 5*-). To those M'ho exercised it He made the most lavish promises (Lk 6'"* IS^**"'-). The only saying preserved in the Canon outside the Gospels is an incitement to unselfish liberality on the ground of the blessedness it procures (Ac 20^®). Jesus bestows as strong con- demnation upon the indifl'erent spirit whicli fails to use its means for the right ends, as upon those who wantonly abuse them for the wrong ones (Mt 25^^"^-, Lk IG^'**''-). Means must always be regarded as a means. Their exploitation for selfish or sinister purposes invites and incurs penalties of the direst kind (Mt 24^^). The same duties and responsi- bilities are laid upon small means as upon large, — upon the man of one talent as upon the man of ten (Lk 16" 19'»-2^).
Literature. — Brace, Gesta Christi ; Dill, Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius ; v. Dobschiitz, Prim.itive Life in the Primitive Church ; Leckj', History of European Morals ; Pea- body, Jesus Christ and the Social Question ; Sanday, art. ' Jesus Christ ' in Hastings' DB ; Wendt, Teaching of Jesus ; Westcott, Social Aspects of Christianity ; Seeley, Ecce Homo ; Harnack, What is Christianity i Forrest, Authority of Christ.
A. M. Hunter.
SODOM.— The overthrow of the 'cities of the plain ' was, according to Hebrew traditions, a Divinely - sent catastrophe, second only to that of the Deluge. The sinfulness of Sodom (often with the addition of 'Gomon-ah') is frequently referred to as typical of terrible wickedness (e.g. Dt 3232, Ij^ 110 3a^ jf.j. 2314^ La 46, Ezk W^-*^, Wis 10«-«) ; and even more frequently is the devastation of the guilty cities typical of Divine punishment. And similarly in the NT :