The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 505

wisdom in hie wickedness to weaken himself when his power was beginnina to wane before the majesty of the Son c,f God. Union is strength, division is weak°ness. Oh that the children of light could learn a lesson from the enemy, and be reunitecl in one faith and love in the face of the impending struggle with scepticism and unbelief! 3. His argumlfl'ltum ad hominem. The disciples of the Pharisees practised certain forms of exorcism; they professed to cast out evil spirits (comp. Mark ix. 38 and Acts xi.x. 14). Did they do it by the aid of Beelzebub? They were not punished; on the contrary, they were held in esteem. Why should Christ's miracles bll attributed to the agency of Ba.tan, when others, not holy a.s he was, professed to have the power of casting out devils, and yet were not supposed to be in confederation with the prince of darkness? To say the least, it would be only fair that the actions of Jesus should be judged by the same rule as those of these Jewish exorcists. How unfair people are! How constantly they judge themselves and their friends by one rule, those from whom they differ by another l 'fhe Christian must aim at absolute honesty and impartiality. 4. The true ea;planation of his power. He used none of the strange forms practised by the exorcists, none of the appliances and manipul:\Lions which were employed either to impress the patient or to collect the energy of the operator. He simply spoke the word of power. He cast out devils by an energy contrary, antagonistic to theirs-the energy of the Holy Spirit of Ged which abode upon him. He was full of the Holy Ghost (Luke iv. 1) when he met Satan face to face in the wilderness of the temptation. He cast out devils with the fin~er of God (Luke xi. l!0). The three blessed Persons are One God ; the work of Christ was the work of the Three in One. And if so, the kingdom of God was come. It had come una.wares, not with observation; but it was already in the world, active and energetic in the immediate neighbourhood of these unbelieving Pharisees. How else could the kingdom of Satan be invaded? Satan was strong ; he had seized upon many of the creatuces of God, and made them the vessels of his accursed wickedness. The Lord was despoiling him; he was driving him from the unhappy men over whom he had tyrannized. Then the Lord Jesus was stronger than Satan. He had bound the strong man. By the mystery of his incarnation, by his own victory over the tempter, he had overcome the wicked one. The power of Satan is not now what once it was. The Lord triumphed over him on the cross; by his atoning sacrifice of himself he broke the devil's power over man. He will spoil his house. The Lord has not yet gathered in all the fruits of his victory ; he will go on, conquering and to conquer, till all things are put under his feet. 6. The warning. (1) The kingdom of God was come. The two kingdoms, the kingdom of light and the kingdom of dark- ness, are in intense, energetic antagonism to one another. There is no middle point, no possible neutrality: "He that is not with me is against me." For Christ the Lord was perfect in holiness, hating evil with a Divine hatred. He came down from heaven to fight, against it; he gave himself to die in the awful conflict, and by his death he triumphed. His disciples mr.st imitate the Lord; indifference canno~ coexist with the service of him who was so earnest, so full of holy energy. There must be no inde- cision, no halting between two opinions. The trutl disciple must give his heart to Christ; he must range himself with Christ under the banner of the cro~s; he must fight the good fight of faith, and quit himself like a man, steadfast. unto death. Por the struggle is real; its issues are momentous. Christ calls the soldiers of the cross; each has his place in the ranks of the great army; every one, however weak, must do bis part and take his share in the lifelong battle. "He that is not with me is against me." In that sharp opposition indifference puts a man on the side of Satan against the Lord, against, him who leved us and died to save us, against him who will one day judge us. It is an awful word, hut it is the word of Christ, and he is the Truth. (2) The Lord dird " that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." And he saith, "He that gathereth not with me scattcreth abroad." He who is with Christ, distinctly, actively on his side, gathereth souls. Christ is with him, and he with Christ; and Christ's power working in him draws souls out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of liiht. Every true Christian life is a powerful instrument for spreading the knowledge of Christ. But he who is not with Christ doth not only not g'lther; he ecattereth. Indifferent, lukewarm Christians not only do uo good, they do real harm to souls; their example, especially if they are persons of infl.Ltence aud of respectable life, leads others to acquiesce in the same spiritual indolence. Thus  502 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [cu. xIL 1-50.