The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 299

want natural evidence for supernatural truths or facts, and wonder that no sign can be given them, and fancy themselves justified in refusing to believe. There is one very easy thing, that even a child can accomplish ; it is this-find ezcuses when we do not want to obey. II. SOME MEN ARE MASTl':RFUL. They like to have life in their own control, and cannot do with God's interfering by messages and commandments. Such men are sure to resist Gud's messengers and ministers. The response to pastors, who point out to such men the will of God concerning their daily life, is still what it has ever been- •• Talk on your abstract things, but ~eave my life alone.'.' God's messages always, in one form or another, humble the pnde of self: and this few men can bear, so they resist the messenger. III. SoME MEN ABE EASYFUL. God calls to some doing, some duty. It may be putting away sin; it may be rendering some witness; it may be going the long journey back to Jerusalem, and helping to build the old wastes and raise the former de,;olations. And men prefer the comforts of Babylon, even if they are in slavery and know the defiling contacts of idolatry. Only meek, open, willing, and obedient souls "believe that which they hear, and see the arm of the Lord made manifest to them." The best things are ever kept for meek souls.-R. T. Ver, 3.-Man's disposition to reject his best blessings. Philip the evangelist, from this, and the connected passage, preached unto the eunuch Jesus. This is sufficient reason for our associating it with Messiah. The chapter concerns the human life, the sorrowful experience, the shameful death, and the eternal triumph of the Son of God. The story of the Christ can be gathered up and expressed in a sentence," He is dc·spised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." The personification of heathen pride and fear, Herod sought to slay him as a babe. Representatives of the wt·alth and learning and religion of their age, scribes and Sadducees and Pharisees rejected him, that they might cleave to their traditions. The common people, moved sometiwes by the goodness of his words and the graciousness of his deeds, heard him gladly, cast their garments in his way, and waved palm branches with hosannahs; but at another time they hurried him away to cast him headlong from an overhanging cliff, and shouted,•• Crucify him I" Even the few who seemed to see his glory, on whom some beams of his Divine splendour rested, even they forsook him in the hour of his need, and fled, or sold him for mere silver, or denied him with oaths and curses. He passe<l on to Calvary amid rabble-shouts, "His blood be on us and on our children!" and there he bung, despised in the shame of the cross; despised as they passed him by, wagging their heads. Rejected as they cried, "We have no kiag but Cresarl" and chose instead of him a murderer and thief. Now, the world has never known anything so passing strange as that despising and rejecting of God's greatest and best gift to men. To realize the strangeness of this fact, consider- !. THE PERSON AND THE CREDENTIALS OF THE REJECTED ONE. The world has had many impostors, men with a genius for makiag claims which there were no facts to support. In the spheres of medicine, education, politics, and relig:ion, there have been many who were found out at last, and rejected of men as untrue and unworthy. No man ever claimed such a position and such rights as Jesus did; but no man ever gave such abundant and satisfactory proof of his claims. He was a Divine Messenger, the appointed Agent for secuiing the reconciliation of man with God ; he was even God himself, manifest in the flesh. But these claims were duly supported. Christ came at a time and in a manner which fitted precisely into the fore-given prophecies, which the people believed. There was perfect accordance between the claims he made and the life he lived, the spirit he manifested and the work he did. His character was so attractive as to win respect, yet so perfect as to excite wonder. Ho had the power over n11.ture in its 1·arious moods, over disease in its various forms, and over death in its various stages, which can be associated only with the Divine Being. Aod yet he is "despised and rejected of men." Divine, with Divine blessings to bestow; putting forth Divine power, doing a Divine work, and bringing down to men the Divine glory; yet, nevertheless, despised and rejected. Those times have passed away, but the credentials of Christ have only multiplied with the advancing ages. The moral miracles of conversion are far stronger proofs of Divine power than any physical miracles can  310 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [on. LIII, 1-12.