The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 115

. Ver. 4'0.-The hea.lfng Savi.our. Th_le \nteresting picture had evidently been 1mpr<'s~ed upon the mmds of the apostolic witnesses, for all the evangelists record th• fact tha_t the occurrence took place as the sun was setting, or in the evening of the day. ~t wa.s,_mdeed, a sight to be Jong remembered.. Who can imagine the gratitude and Joy which filled the hearts of husbands and wives, parents and children as they left that gracious presence and return<>d to their homes in health and strencrth? I. THE SUPREME MALADY. The me.lady of me.ladies from which ~e suffer le sin. For sin is to the soul just what sickness is to the body. 1. Its essential nature. It is the radical disorder of the human spirit. The faculties of the soul, instead of doing that for which they were created, are helpless or are perverted, eo that the man himself no longer walks with G,od, no longer speaks his praise, no longer works in his cause. The soul that was meant to find its life and its heritage in reverincr honourincr rejoicing in, serving, glorifying God, is out of all happy relation with hi~, cannot d~ his will, may not evl"n know who be is. Everything is in a state of disorder and helplessness. 2. Its various forms. As there e.re "divers diseases" of the flesh, as the sickness of the body takes a variety of forms-blindness, paralysis, fever, etc.-so does sin in the soul and in the Ue of man. It may appear as doubt, or disbelief, or even impious denial of God; or as the deliberate and determined rejection of his claims; or as a flagrant violation of bis laws; or as a guilty inattention to bis voice as he speaks to us in conscience, or in his \Vord, or in bis Son ; or as a prolonged and presumptuous procrastination, ever delaying to do what is recognized as the right and the wise thing. II. THE ONLY CURE. As many of these sick ones knew not what else to do, to wbom else they could apply; as they felt that the ordinary remedies and .the human skill accessible to them must prove unavailing, and that, if this new and wonderful Healer did not help them, they must bear their burden of pa.in and helplessness through their future days; so may we feel respecting the supreme malady. Nothing merely human will prove to be a cure. Only a Divine band can heal these deep wounds, these fatal ills. And how does Jesus Christ prove himself the one Healer of the heart? 1. Dy showing us our sin in its true light, as a grievous wrong done to our heavenly Father, and thus filling our souls with sorrow and shame concerning it. 2. By offering himself as that Divine One through whom it may be forgiven, and we be restored to the favour and friendship of God. 3. By leading us in every path of holiness and purity, and forming in us a righteous character and an obedient spirit. Ill. AN EFFICACIOUS METHOD. " Be laid bis bands on every one of them." The touch of that Divine hand communicated health to the body, and at the same time hope and joy to the heart. It was not absolutely necessary that be should touch them; he could "speak the word only," and the patient would be healed. But be preferred to do so ; it brought him, the Healer, into close and loving contact with those whom he was healing. We, too, in our way, are healers after Christ. We aspire to move through our life, dispensing health and happiness to them that are sick and sad of soul. If we fail in part to do this, may it not be because we do not get into close enough contact with those whom we are endeavouring to bless? We must learn to be like our Lord, and lay our hand6 on every one ef them, aud then shall we be most likely to heal them,-C. Vcrs. I-13.-17ie temptation of Christ. From the baptism of Jesus we now pass to bis temptation. In the baptism be received, as we have seen, three gifts from the Father-the guarantee of a perfect revelation of the Father's will, of a perfect inspira- tion to do that revealed will, and of an assurance of Sonship during the trying ordeal, \\re are now to notice three temptations, corresponding very accurately to these three g-ift,, and so presenting in most artistic fashion the great drama of . Messiah's life. JJut Lefore taking them up as they are here presented by Luke, let us direct our atten- tion to one or two preliminary matters. And first we must notice that Jesus was "led," or, as Mark puts it still more gr~phic~lly, was "driven" ?f the Spirit into the wilJ.erness (Mark L 12). This clearly IIDJ!hcs that our Lord u1u not "court iemptir CR. 1v. 1-44.) TllE GOSPEL ACCOilDING TO ST. LUKE. 107