The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 549

The words of Christ 11rc true in a deeper sense than superficial readers discovor. Not only is the fighting man liable to be killed in battle. His behaviour endangers his better nature. The spirit, of hate and revenge is fatal to all that is good in him. Thus be perishes by the sword:-not alone by the sword of bis antagonist, which he provokes, but by the sword which he wields in his own hand. Ho is a suicide. In defending his body, too oft.en be kills his own soul.-W. F. A. Vers. 63-65.-0Anst and Oaiaphas. Jesus now stands f'e.ce to faoe with the head of the old Jewish religion. 'l'he official leader of the nation is for the first time con- fronted by the Man who claims to be its true King. Caiapbas could not but. look upon Christ with the jealousy a selfish man in power feels for his rival. But Jesus was more than a rival of the high priest. He laid claim to n rank which Caiaphas never dreamed of assuming. We do not wonder that the ecclesiastical judge examined hie Prisoner with bitter prejudice. I. THE ADJURATION. Caiapbas charged Jesus, on oath, to declare whother he was the Christ, the Son of God. 1. It iJ; most important to know what Jesus Christ claims to be. We have an interest in the high priest's question quite apart from the judicial process. Our religion is centred in Christ. It is more than an outgrowth of his life and teaching. It rests upon his Person; it lives in him; it is what he is. We cannot wholly disregard him without abandoning Christianity itself. An imperfect knowledge of Christ may be found with a true and saving faith in him. Still, the faith must be in him, and therefore we must know enough of him to trust him. 2. The greatest question about Christ is as to his Divinity and Messialu;hip. (1) Is he the Christ? If. he is, he is able to sa,e; if he is, he has a right to claim a loyal following. (2) Is he the Son of God? If he is, he comes to us clad with Divine power. Then we may trust that he cannot fail, and "·e have the best of all reasons for submitting to his kingly rule. Such questions as these about his nature and authority cannot be set a.side as of merely speculative interest. II. THE REPLY. Jesus did not usually assert his Messiahship; much less did he directly confess his Divine nature, except on certain rare occasions. But he was now at the end of his life, and therefore his revelation of his nature and office could not hinder his work. Moreover, the high priest had a legal right to test his claims, and Jesus never opposed the execution of the law. 1. Jesus accepted tluJ highesfnamu ascri"bed to him. Could he do this if he did not know they were his by right? He was calm and reasonable,simple and humble, generous and unselfish. Yet he consented to be called "the Christ, the Son of God." 2. Jesus foresaw and predicted his own second advent. It is wonderful that a peasant from Galilee should speak thus before. the greatest dignitary of his nation, amid all the pomp aud splendour of ·the high priest's p..'llace, and in view of his own rejection and death. III. Tim RESULT. Caiaphas took the words of Christ as if they were blasphemy and on this account pronounced him to be worthy of death. 1. His condu,ct was deter- mined lry an unjust prejud-ice. He assumed that the claims of Christ could not be true, and therefore he judged them to be blasphemous. Thus be approached Chyist with a closed mind. If we have already made up our minds adversely to the claims of Christ, it is useless for U.I! to examine them. But the only fair method is to approaeh him with an open mind, ready to weigh all he teaches, ready to accept all that he may give us good warrant for believing. 2. On his own asaumption he was right. If the high cl.aims of Christ were false, he was guilty of blasphemy. Caiaphas was more consistent than those people are who reject the Divine claims of Obrist, and yet honour l1im as the best ofmen.-W. F. A. Vera. 69-75.-Bt. Peter denying hi, Lord. It says much for the veracity of the Gospel narratives that th~ evangelists have not shrunk from recording an incident wh~ch is to the shame of the chief of the apostles. And yet we may be sure that the chanty which covers a multitude of sins would have buried this sad story in eternal oblivion if it had not been full of important lessons for all ages. These things are not written for Peter's shame, but for our instruction. No doubt the first record of the story was derived from the confession of the penitent apostle's own lips. l. IT 18 1'08SDILE FOB o:i.,i: wno LOVES CBBIBT TO DENY HIM, In the case of Judu en. XXVI. 1-76.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MAT'rIIEW. 65;j