The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 139

Vere. 29-32.-Christian association. On what principle shall we regulate our intercourse with men? How shall we follow Christ in the matter of associating with our fellow-men? Our answer, suggested by this incident, is- L THAT ASS00U.TION WITII BAD MEN ON THE GROUND OF FllIENDBHIP IB AN UNCHRISTIAN TIJING. 'l'he Pharisees would have been right enough if Jesus Christ bad \uiuglcd with the rnercenar_,. and the "icious only to eujoy their company. His time on. v. 1-30.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. rn, might certl!.inly havo been much better spent than in parta.king or so doubtful e. sonrcc or satisfaction, and he would have left an example that would have been better shunned than followed. For to mingle with the irreverent and the covetous, and, still more, to associate with the positively vicious, simply for the sake of passing gratification, is: 1. To spend time and strength where they are very ill applied. 2. To lend e. sanction to those who need rather to be discouraged than sustained in their course of life. 3, To inour the serious danger of being lowered to their level. Some intercourse with the frivolous and the guilty we must have, and there is every reason why our conduct toward them should be as courteous and gracious as possible. But no wise man will establish an intimate friendship with another who8e spirit is the spirit of worldliness, whose conduct is that from which purity and sobriety must shrink. Let the youn" especially remember that lifelong association with the unholy and the unworthy, i~ ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, means gradual moral degeneracy, continual spiritual decline. !I. THAT ABSOOIATION WITH THE GOOD IN THE SPIRIT OJ.I' CHRISTIAN l.l'El,LOWSHIP IS A WISE AND WORTHY THING, "The assembling of ourselves together," as those who are agreed on the same fundamental articles of faith, and who are animated by the same spirit and are promoting the same objects, is admirable for three reasons. 1. We gain spiritual strength ourselves. 2. We impart it to those with whom we unite. 3. We commend the common principles we hold to those who are without by the manifestation of our unity. Those who try to live a life of spiritual isolation not only make a great mistake by robbing themselves of a source of hallowed influence, but they neglect a plain duty, for they leave unemployed a weapon of usefulness by which truth and worth are materially advanced. But the main lesson of the passage is- III. THAT ASSOCIATION WITH ,THE BAD FOR THEIR ELEVATION IB A DISTINCTLY CHRISTIAN THING, Those critics of Jesus Christ failed to see that the presence of a noble, unselfish motive made all the difference in the character of the act. It com- pletely transformed it. It changed it from the unwise and the condemnable into the wise and meritorious. Our Lord mingled with publicans and sinners, not as a Com- panion to share their revelries, but 89 a Guide to lead them into other and better ways, 89 a Helper whose strong hand should raii!e them from the mire and place them upon the rock. And as he was here to seek and to save, where should he be found but among those who were lost? Where would you have the teacher? In the company of the matme and the literate, or in the schoolroom among the young and the ignorant? Where would you have the physician ? In the homes of the healthy, or in the hospital and in the homes of the sick? .And where should they be found who have truth to teach and restoration to impart such as no teacher of any human science can ruake known, no healer of bodily diseases can confer ? We are nevec quite so Christian, we never reach e height so near the level on which our Lord was daily walking, as when we voluntarily and cheerfully forego the pleasanter security to which our character entitles us, and mingle freely and frequently with those whose spirit and whose tone is offensive to our taste and our judgment, in order that we may lift them up to a nobler life. And this is the one and only way in which to work out this great and beneficent reform. What legislation will not do, what literature will not effect, what art and science will leave unaccomplished if not untouched, that a holy and loving association on the ground of Christian kindness will secure. The actual and near presence of the pure and kind, the touch and the pressure of the hand of human love, the voice of invitation and of entreaty proceeding from those whose eyes are dim with the tears of a sorrowful sympathy,-this is the power which, coming, as it does, from Jesus Christ, and emanating from his Holy Spirit, will lead sinful souls, covetous ruen and erring women, into paths of penitence, and raise them to heights of holi- ness.-0. Vars. 33-38.-C'hrislian naturalness. We have here- I. AN HONEST DU,'FICUl,TY J.l'AIRLY AND EFFECTUALLY MET, It was in IIO carpinc, spirit that the disciples of John came to Jesus. We do not detect a trace of ill wili in their quostion. H was a spirit of surprise and perplexity that dictateJ it. They had always thou~ht that fasting was nu essential feature of true piety. Their master John had encouraged them iu this idea; but they looked in vain for this feature iu  132 TTIE GOSPEL A~CORIHNG TO ST. LUKE. (en. v. 1--3!),