The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 105

lead of joy is in the best sense natural. Let the face and manner reflect the inner mind; to reverse this is to act a part. 'l'he pure ancl lovely hypocrisy is that which tries to affect the mien of mirth, though the heart be heavy. To put on the mask of irloom for the sake of warning others is Pharisaic, not Christian. Jesus is the example of the perfect gentleman, lV. THE PLACE AND TIME OF ABOETI0IBM. It is the reaction of the mind against .certain sorrows. We must be true again to feeling and to fancy. It would be a violence to natural taste to put on wedding garments when a friend has passed away, however logical it might seem. There is a natural homreopathy of grief. Speaking of ,it and representing it outwardly tends to its relief; but to mimic a grief we feel not is to do a violence to ourselves. Be true to yourself: this is the only secret of moral 'beauty, from the lowest to the highest moods, and is the lesson of Jesus.-J. Vers. 23-28.-Love greater than law. I. HUMAN LIFE rs HORE IMPORTANT THAN 'l'HE MEANS OB' LIVIl!G. All laws, ceremonial or otherwise, may be regarded as means towards ends. What end do we know hi:rher than human weal and bliss? Christ ,points out that this is the real end of legislation-man, his education, his good, physical and spiritual. II. IT IS A GROSS FALLACY TO PUT THE MEANS BEFORE THE END. This the Pharisees did. They said, " Man for the sabbath." Christ said, "Tbe sabbath for man." Cere- monies are all means of spiritual culture. Not so with moral ideals. They are our end. III. LAW IS ROOTED IN LOVE. Christ is the representative of Divine love. If he by example or precept declares that a law is tu be suspended or abrogated, this is in the interests of love. How absurd would it be, on a desert island, for a shipwrecked crew, almost starving, to refuse to avail themselves of food cast in their way, e.g. by a chance tlight of birds, because it was a fast day I Analogous was the case mentioned by Christ (ver. 26). The sabbath had no meaning except as an expression of Divine love; and the rigid observance of it in defiance of love's dictates would be a mockery. Christ is Lord of love, and therefore Lord of law.-J. Vers, 1-12.-The sick of the palsy: the spiritual and physical healing. The excitement having subsided, Jesu.~ enters again into Capernaum. He, in the house, :was teaching, " Pharisees and doctors of the Law sitting by," from all parts. The mighty "power of the Lord was with him to heal," as was made evident before, or as was to be proved by this event. It being "noised that he was in the house, many were gathered together," crowding "about the door." But attention is arrested by the bold deed of four men, who, carrying one sick of the palsy, and finding it impossible to get into the presence of Jesus, ascend to the low fiat roof," and let down the bed whereon .the sick of the palsy lay," as men are wont to let down straw and other things to-day in similar houses. Instantly the whole event assumes a spiritual character, and Jesus, for all time, gives the spiritual its pre-eminence: "Jesus, seeing their faith." The spiritual must take precedeuce, the material must follow. I. IN ORDER TO SPIRITUAL HEALING A SUITABLE CONDITION IS NEEDFUL. Here and elsewhere that condition is expressed by the one word faith. Fait);t, though a simple act or condition of mind, is the result of many-consciousness of ne~d, desire of relief, -self-distrust, some knowledge of Christ, appreciative confidence leading to assured .persuasion. In faith the soul is already at one with the Saviour; it has come to him; it is united to him. The faith of others besides that of the sick is 11, favourable condition, Here it first arrests attention: "Jesus, seeing their faith." Ilow many are -dependent for their salvation upon the faith and effort of others I By their deed they declared their faith. It said," Thou canst;" if not also," Thou wilt." Through their faith must be seen, however, that of the sufferer shining. For who urged them on to do even this for him? Would he have undergone the pain of this treatment had he not had faith? It is saying, as said another, "If I do but touch his garment, I shall be made whole." With the desire of the sufferer for relief the charity of his helpers ,mingled. Their acts of faith were so interwoven that they became one faith. It was this that Jesus saw. II, \VHERE TIIE BUITADLE SPIRITUAL CONDITION 18 FOUND THE II.EALING INEVITATILY TAKES PLAOE. Yea, though the word declaring it be not uttered• and even when it ia  102 THE G-OSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK, [en. u. 1-23..