The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 113

ne~ t.o kn_ow; a~<l tot.hem it becomes p;loriouely trne that the Spirit of the Lord ha.1 '\nomted hun, their Saviour, for "the recovering of sight to the blind."-0. Ver. 18.-Th~ bruised. "To 1101 llt liberty them that llre bruised." And who may the~- ,be "ho Rre thus characterized ? and in what way does Jesus Christ meet their espocud need? . I. BRUISE~ BOU.LB. ~e find thei,e in: 1. Those who are c'liafed with the w/Jrriu of life; who~e d1spo111t10n 1s s11ch, ~r whose circu~stances are such, that they are harassed nud fretted by "multitude of minor confhcte with men and thincrs • who are in dancrer of !01ing or have lost their mental equilibrium as the result J the perpetual strife. 2. lnose who are ~ e d with the problem, of life; who want to be mentally satisfied an_d to. see that their theories agree with the existing facts, and who, finding these two ~lungs_ m frequ~nt antagonism, are troubled thereby in soul ;-such men are never fixed m their con~•1ct1ons, but always thinking that these require readjustment. 3. Those w~o are Bmu~ by the pers~utions of life; who are continually coming into collision with men. 1 hey may have a comhative habit, or they may be placed in human surr~undmgs unfavourable to peace; but, from whatever cause, they are always in conflict, and are pe'118tually finding themsel Ve$ the object of attack, of the ribaldry and the scorn of men ; they bear a bruised feeling about them. 4. Those that are worn with excessive toil. 6. Those that are wounded by the heavier sorrows of life; from whom health, or reputation, or position, or fortune, or the object of strong and deep affection bas been suddenly taken away. II. 'l'HE REFUGE TREY RA VE IN CHRIST. Jesus Christ does not " set at liberty " brui.sed souls as a deliverer releases bruised prisoners; but he does emancipate them by taking from them their suffering, and giving to them a large measure of spiritual free- dom. He blesses these bruised souls, a.nd proves to them a Divine Refuge. 1. By his •ympathy. In each one of their distresses they can feel sure of the tender sympathy of their High Priest, "touched with the feeling of their infirmities." 2. By his example. In all points he has been tempted, or tried, even as we are. We bear no cross which he hRII not carried ht,fore us, and his was heavier than ours. 3. By his aid. He is ready, at our appeal, to stren~then us by his indwelling Spirit, and to grant us such strong sustaining grace that, instead of groaning under our blows, we may even glory in them (2 Cor. xii. 9). 4. By his promises; those "exceeding great and precious promises,n which not ouly cover the whole path of life, however long that may prove, but reach on beyond the horizon-line of death into the blessed and eternal future.-0. Ver. 22.-The graciousMSs of the word, of Christ. "The gracious words [words of grace] which proceeded out of his mouth." The "words of the Lord Jesus" were " words of grace" indeed. They were so whether we consider- !. TREIB SUBSTANCE. They were not, indeed, without seriousness, and at times not without severity. Christ did say, when the occasion required it, things which startled his hearers, things which are well fitted to make us pause and even tremble ir we are obnoxious to their severity. He is, as a Divine Teacher and Revealer of God, as far as possible removed from the easy good-naturedn~ss which would repres,ent_ it as a ~atter of indifference what men hold and how they hve,-the "good God' will make 1t all right in the end. No ma.n can listen attentively and reverently to Christ and settle down into comfortable unbelief or self-<JOmplacent sin. Yet were his words predomi- nantly and pre-eminently "words. of gr~." By the truths he preached he ma~e known to mankind that: 1. God lS accessible to all; the Approachable One, who 11 1.lways willing to recei re his chil~en! and who welcomes back th?se who have wand~r~d 1arthest away. 2. 'l'hat a noble life 1s open to all; we may be m character and spmt, as well 81! in name and in position, the children of God (Matt. v. 4.5-48); we are to be "the light of the world." "the salt of the earth." 3. That a glorious future is within the reach of all· "i~ the Father's hous<J are many mansions." 4. '!'hat salva- tion is very near to all;' the Scripture is fulfilled; the Redeemer is come; the blind may see; the captives ruay be deli_ver~d; this is "the accept~ble year," "the accepted time;" "to-day is the day of sa.lvatiun.' Or whet~er we consider- . IL THEIR FORM. There is about the gracious words of Christ : 1. An accent of per- ruasivenua. He does not angrily threaten, he cordially invites us; he says, winningly, ou. tv. 1-44.] TUE OO8PEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 1oi;