is a dedicntion, an net of eelf-consecration. Jeane bad no sins of the past to wa~b out; but there was a great future to which he would dedicate himself in baptism. Then be wns a M11n, and he was humbling himself to the whole round of human duties. It was not in accordanr,e with hie mission that he should abandon the religious dutieR of his day. Un the contrary, it was in cum bent on him to "fulfil all righteousness" in con- nection with them. 'l'hue the method of his eelf-consccration wa.~ an act of lowly obedience in connection with the deepest religious movement of the time. II. LET us LOOK AT THE RESULT& OF THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. There were a vision and a voice. I. The vision. (1) The heavens opened. Self-surrender brings us near to God. The heavens open over the head of the utterly unselfish and truly consecrated man. (2) The descending Spirit. The Spirit comes to Christ, and is in him without measure (John iii. 34). The form was symbolical, but the fact was real. After this Christ displayed powers in miracle-working and teaching which he had never shown before. If Jesus needed this endowment of the Spirit, much more do we need it. (3) The form of the dove. This is very significant. The Spirit takes many forms. On Jesus it appears in love and gentleness. "A bruised reed shall he not break." 'l'his form of the manifestation is peculiarly true to the nature of the Spirit. God is most of all present in "the still, small voice." By his gentleness he makes us great (Ps. xviii. 35). 2. The voice. The vision was especially for Christ's benefit. The evangelist says that" he saw the Spirit of God," etc., as though the people did not see the dove descending. John also saw the vision (John i. 32), and probably no one else. But the voice is not thus restricted. The spiritual grace is personal, for Christ himself; the revelation of the Son of God is for all who have ears to hear. -W.F.A. Ver. 17 .-Christ the beloved Son of God. This declaration at the baptism of Christ was repeated later on in his ministry at the Transfiguration (eh. xvii .. 5). Thus God owns his Son and bears witness to him. Let us consider what the heavenly voice teaches us about him. I. THE NATURE OF CHRIST AS THE SoN OF GoD. It will not profit ns much to plunge into the fourth-century speculations concerning the Di vine Sonship of Christ in order that we may know him in so far as he has been revealed to us. fo meta- phy~ical considerations about the mystery of the being of the Son of God we may lose all living perception of what he is really in bis life among us. The broad fact is what is most important to us. Christ is the Son of God. He is not one of God's sons as we may be through him, as in a natural sense we all are because "we are also his offspring" (Acts xvii. 28). He is the Son of God in a supreme and unique sense. Now, this is not merely a sublime truth of theology. It has important bearings on religion. 1. To know the Son is eo know the Father, of whom he is the Image (John xiv. 7). 2. If the Son is our Friend, the Father cannot be 011r Enemy ; for they are "One" (John x. 30). 'l'herefore our fellowship with Christ carries with it our recon- ciliation to God. 3. Christ is able to save the world. The Divinity of Christ implies his unlimitod power. So great a Saviour is equal to the tremendous task of redeeming a whole fallen world. II. THE HAPPY RELATIO:SB BETWEEN CIIBIBT AND ms FATHER. 1. He is God's beloved Son. '!'his truth seems to belong to the very nature of Christ. It throws light on hiij permanont relations with God. God is love, and Christ is good and worthy of love. Through all eternity the love of Lbe Father is directed to the Son. But now we see Christ on earth, incarnate, a Man, and in lowly estate. Y~t God does not fail to own or cease to love him. He is known to his Father, though he may be despise,! by men. Surely this must have been a cheering and sustaining influence for Christ in the midst of his hard and toilsome life. In a lower way may not the same be true of us? God recognizes his human family; he owns 1111 his earthly children. The shame of outward conditions does not blind his aye. Rejected by men, bis children are still owned and loved by God; and it is better to be loved by God than to be praise,1 by the world. 2. God is well pleased with him. This further truth seems to refer to the immedinte condition, to the recent action, of Christ. Jesus ha•i just been baptizcd; hs hnd per~evered in spite of the flattering resistance of the Baptist; he had felt that ha mUBt fulfil all ri;i;hteousness; he had consecrated himself to his great work. God iii 86 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTIIEW. [cH. m.1-17.
well pleased with Christ for this. (1) The obedience of the Son pleases the Father. lf, like Christ, we delight to do God's will, he will delight in us. (2) 'l'he good pleasure of God signifies his approval of Christ's work. This mission of saving the world that Christ has just consecrated himself t.o is well-pleasing to God. Thus God accepts the redeeming work from the first. Now the sacrifice of Christ, being acceptable to God, must be d'licacious for man.-W. F. A.