The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 169

sc>e~, in fact, hRd h1hn the Fabb11th unner their control and spoiled it &ltoget.her, Honce the sov1•rcignty of the sabhath must he lt•ft in the hands of him who is cl\lled the Son of ml\n. Christ is the Lord who can so order the sabhath that it ~hall be truly·sancti- fied. It is, cun8equPntly, from Christ's Mhbath-keepin_g that we learn wbnt it ought to he. A,,d we see from his life that he ma.,le the sabbatba his special opportunilies for philanthropic pffort. Most of bis miracles were ea.bbaih-day performl\nces. He seems t.o bl\ve been busier on the sabbath than on any day of the week, We are safe in fol- lowing along the lines of his most intelligent philanthropy. The sabbath ia made for man. II Christ would have the ht1nj?ry fed and the helpless healed, he would also hRve the 11ouls fed with the bread of life and all spiritual helplessness removed. This is the purpose, therefore, of those means of grace which are presented with special earnestness on the Lord's day I 111. CHRIST DEMONSTRATED THE TRUTH OF RIB PRINCIPLE BY THE MIRACLE, (Ver.10.) Now, this miracle, like the healing of the paralytic, was the test of a principle. In the former case Christ claimed the prerogative of absolution, and he demonstr.a.ted that he possessed the prerogative by telling the paralytic to rise and walk, and hraling him. In the pre.~ent case he has tnkeu issue with the Pharisees RB to the sahbath being a clay for philanthropy. He~ling is to be performed on it, if it is required. And now he singles out the patient with the withered hand, and by a word cures him. Thus he put their ideas on sahbath-observance to confusion. Instead, however, of rejoicing in the poor man's cure, they are filled with madness at their own discomfiture. Misan- thropy in them is the contrast to the philanthropy of Jesus. But is not the mire o e a sign of those miracles which are performed from sabbath to sabbath? Man comes in his weakness, his hand is withPred, he can do nothing; but through the power of God he is enabled to stretch forth his hand, and enter into the sphere of spiritual power. IV. THE BELEOTI0N OF THE TWELVE WAS MADE BY CHRIST A MATTER OF VERY SPECIAL PRAYER. (Vere. 12-16.) We are told that he spent a whole night in prayer to God. This showed bow important in his view the selection of the disciples was, and the establishment of his kingdom among m<Jn. He chose them in the morning after the prayerful view of the whole ce.se before the Father. If Jesus realized the need of long-continued prayer before selectir,g them, how prayerfully should we go ahout our work for him I It is no easy matter to act wisely in our dealings with men and in our use of them. The persons selected were such as only Divine wisdom, as distinguished from worldly prudence, would have chosen. There we.a not an" influen- tial " person among them; and it was not till after the Pentecost that any of them became what we should now call reliable. Into the analysis of the persons selected we do not enter. They have been divided into three groups: the fir,;t, containing the names of Peter and Andrew, James and John, gives us the chiefs of the apostolio· band, the men of insight; the second, containing the names of Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew, are reflective, and, at first, sceptic11l, men; and the third and l&t contains the names of James the son of Alphreus, Jude, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, all practical men.1 Our Lord has thus use in his Church for all grades of men, and can even make use of traitors to serve his purpose. V. THE HEALER IN THE MIDST OF THE MULTITUDE. (Vere. 17-19.) From the mountaiu-top of prayer he descends to the valley of opportunity, and there finds a vast multitude from the heathen parts of Tyre and Bidon, as well as from the ~ew~sh dis- tricts of Ju<lrea and Jerusalem, who have come to hear and to be healed of their diseases. Here were the two spheres-the sphere of mind, to which the ~r is !he great entr~n~e; and the sphere of body, where disease may be checked and h<'ahng give?-· The m1es1on of Jesus wa.; to save men. Miracles were part of his message to ma11k1nd. The heal• ing of the diseases of men was to tell how he can _heal _their souls and sav~ the~ ever- lastingly. Moreover, they connected the cure with his Person. From him virtue or healing power radiated. His Person is the centre of healing influence. And !or salva- tion this also holds good. It is to the Person of the Saviour we mus~ come if we_ a~e u., get really healed. It is Gurely well to have the source of all healing defined-it II the Pcr110n of our Saviollr. 'fo him, therefore, let ue all come 1-R. M. E. • er. Ea:poaitm, vol. i. pp. 29 -43. OH, VI, 1-49,] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 167