The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 82

wildcmcse." But the rosulte decforcd-tbe 6lling of every nlley, the bringing low •>f every mountain and bill, etc.-seem too va.~t as a representation of the effect of Jobn's cry. lteB<lini Ie11iab'e sentences we im11gine a work with inspiring circumstances, with grnnd, striking evidences of its e.cco111pli.ehment; turning to the Gospel pages we arc introduced only to a rough preacher 01 tbe desert, uttering eharp sentences, and oimiug at a spiritual repentance for the remission of sins. Yet in this preacher and in hie work the prediction was fulfilled-in Got:fs way. Let no one despise the poverty of the iustrument. "The excellency of the power is of God." The chapter reminds us of a wornlerful blaze of popularity. On thP, effete religiousness of Ju&:ea ii cnme as a new sensation to bear that a man, recalling the i1nage of Elijah, was spcnking in sentences wbich fell like tbnndcrbolts; and forth from ,,ricstly Ilebron, frum Pharisee-worshipping Jerusalem, from city and village, there poured a mighty rhrong, all hastening to the desert-sanctuary of John. Agaiu the long-silent Spint of God was speaking; the chain of prophecy, which seemed to have ended with Malachi, lrn,l again been formed. '!'hey gather trembling and awe-struck around that strange, uncouth-looking saint; be bid; them submit to his baptism; they do so; and sancti- monious religionist and haughty soldier and corrupt publican demand, " What shall we do?" It was a great religious revival, raising the question, "Can this be the dawn of Messiah's day? Is this indeed the Messiah IJromised to our fathers?" II. Regard THE PREACHER AND HIS MESSAGE. What is the force of the man? What is the relation of his word to Christ? 1. The preacher. (1) There is the force of earnestness. He has looked through all the appearances and shams of his age, and has seen how hollow they are. He has been communing with the unseen realities; and to him heaven and hell are no distant futures, but are state8 actually encompassing men. He is possessed by the word which has come to him, arnl therefore he is beyond the region of fear, What are either smiles or frowns to him? Therefore, too, his is the eloquence of action. A man in earnest will not trifle among the flowers of rhetoric; he has no time to bunt for metaphors and tropes. Is not life very short? He must get by the mo,t direct road possible to the human co1Jecience. Ah ! that is the power of the God-sent preacher. When men feel that there is no second-hand repeating, that there is no mere playing at dialectics, that there is no part-acting, that the utterance proceeds from conviction, that it is the expression of truth which is swaying the soul, they cannot but listen; so far they will yield. Earnestness is not noisy rant; but, calm and quiet as it is, like the kingdom of heaven, it breaks in with violence. It must work, fight, win. (2) There is the force, too, of plain, downright, practical teaching. To the anxious inquirers he returns answers which prove his tact in dealing with human nature. See how he hits each class at the point of its special temptation and besetting sin, and how at once he insists on the application of Isaiah's rule (i. 16): "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well." It was a solemn peremptory summons to yield to the Eternal Righteousness. There were no honeyed phrases. The preacher laid the axe at the root of the tree; for it was no time for cli•ppings and loppings here and there. No mercy was shown for the piety of outside appearances. Privilege! what mattered that if it was only a bed on which to sleep? He who conferred the privilege can take it away; nay, he is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Was it wonderful that the crowd listened with bated breath ; that souls cowered beneath tbe eagle eye and the searching incisive teaching of the mighty prophet of the wilder- ness? (3) Add to this the thorough honesty and humility of the teacher. Every person knows that the ordinary ambitions of men have no charm for him; even tbe extra- ordinary ambitions-to be a leader of thought, to guide and direct spiritual movement, to stamp the impression of his own mind on others-have no power over him. He claims to be only the voice, "Art thou the Christ?" so deputations of the Pharisees ask; to this effect the people muse. "No" is the answer; "there is One behind me. I am only the witness, only the herald. Mine is only the poor baptism with water. His i~ the baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Thoroughly honest, unsel6sh, noble, is this prophet of the desert. 2. Now consider his message as that is stated by St. Luke. (1) Its great word, "Repent! "-the word which in every time, aud never more than in this nineteenth century, is apt to be softened. People applaud discourses about faith lllld love, and the search for truth, and so forth; but proclaim the need of repentance,  TIIE GOSPEL A.COORDING TO ST. LUKE. [ea, m. 1--38,