The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 457

tme prophets. They proved that Jesus WM the Christ; they were signs, evidences of his Divine origin, of his sacred office. John's disciples had now seen some of these great works with their own eyes; they were to report to their master the things which they had seen and heard. There is no evidence like that of an eye-witness. Such is the evidence of the apostles: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you." It is the best evidence which we can give to others of the power of the Christ now: "We know it, we have felt it;" but only those whose live.~ are pure and holy can give that most convincing proof. (2) 'l'hey were works of mercy; they were wonders, such as might be expected from the Son of God. The presence of God in the world could not be without some attestation; it must bring with it accompanying miracles. The Incarnation, the most mysterious of miracles, seems to necessitate a. train of lesser miracles; it could not stand alone; an event of such overwhelming magnitude must imply momentous issues, and must be surrounded by stupendous circumstances. (3) But among these miracles of power there ia one miracle of grace. "The poor have the gospel preached to them." It was a strange thing then-a thing unheard of. 'l'he Gentile teachers despised the poor and ignorant; so did the Jewish rabbis (John vii. 49). It was Christianity that first taught men to care for the poor, Christ who first set the holy example. It was a change, a miracuions change wrought among the nations by the power of Christ's religion. Isaiah had mentioned it as one of the works of the Christ (bu. 1). And still to care really for the poor, to teach them. to preach Christ to them, is one of the marks of genuine piety and love of Christ. These were the appointed works of the Christ. They bad been wrought by the Lord Jesus. He was the Christ; there was no room for doubt. 3. The blessedness of simple faith. Some were offended. They found stumbling-blocks in our Lord's humility, in the lowliness of his earthly surroundings, in his tenderness to outcasts and sinners, in his long-suffering patience, in his delay to execute judgment. Perhaps John the Baptist himself found for a time a stumbling-block in some of theae things. Blessed is he who is not offended in Christ; who recognizes Christ's spiritual greatness, Christ's infinite goodness, Christ's deep and holy love. Blessed is he who sees nothing in Christ to repel, but everything to attract and to convince. He is blessed, for he will find in Christ all that he needs-peace, comfort, hope, rest for his soul Such bleased- ness, we may be sure, the holy Baptist found, even if he wavered for a moment through that human frailty which belonged even to his exalted character. LESSONS. 1. God's saints a.re not perfect; follow them, but as they followed Christ. 2. Trials of faith will come; be steadfast, looking unto Jesus. 3. Go straight to him in all your difficulties. 4. Meditate much on his holy life; it ia one of the greatest helps to faith. Vers. 7-19.-The J.,ord's testimony to John the Baptial. I. IIIs CHARACTER. 1. He was no reed shaken by the w;nd. 'l'he multitudes who had now heard John's message and the Lord's answer had once gone into the wilderness to see the Baptist, drawn thither by the powerful attraction of his preaching and character. What had they found there? Were they disappointed? Was he unlike the report which they had heard of him? Was he weak, vacillating, wavering hither and thither like the reeds that grew on the banks of Jordan? No; he wns one of the strongest of men. They must not misunderstaud him; they must not judge him harshly. He had shown eome disappointment, it may be, some impatience. The Christ, whom he bad so gladly welcomed, had not in all respects fulfilled his expectations ; some doubts had perplexed his soul Ilut who was there born of women who was always steadfast, absolutely independent of outward circumstances and mental depression? John was a great and holy man, an example of firm and constant courage. We must honour good men; we must not magnify the occasional weaknesses which must appear even in the noblest lives. Envious men exaggerate these little blemishes; the world loves to dwell upon the faults of God's people. Christ teaches us to admire the beauty of holiness, and not to talk about the imperfections which must be found even in real saints. 2. He was no self-indulgent man. He was not clothed in soft raiment, lika those courtiers of Herod Antipa.s who were persecuting him. They lived in kings' houses; he chose the wilderness for his aliode. He was wholly unworldly, a. very hero uf self-denial. 3. He was a prophet. He was commissioned by God, he spoke for God.  4M THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [011. :11.r l-30.