The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 262

11light.e8t inconsist.ency between th888 two declaration8 of our Lord. One states one truth, snrl the other a different one. They teach successively- I. THAT WE ARE IN DANGER OF OOUNTING AMONG oun OPPONENTS THOBB WHOM W1t SHOULD RECKON AS ALLIES, It did not seem to be a service of any particular account that a man should use the name of Jesus to exorcise <lemons, even though he may have had A measure of success in his attempts. But Christ said he was not to be " forbidden" 11.S an outsider, but rather hailed as a friend and as an ally. What, then, would he not i;ay now of those who go so far towards the fullest declaration of his truth u many tbou8ands do, but who remain outside the particular Church with which we may be connected? Would he have us blame and brand these because they "follow not with us"? '£he spirit of persecution is cruel, foolish, and emphatically unchristian, Rather let us rejoice that there are found so many who, while not feeling it right to connect themselves with our organizR.tion, are yet loving the same Lord and serving the aame cause. These are not our enemies ; they are our allies. • lL THAT WE CANNOT WITHHOLD OUB EARNEST THOUGHT AND DELIBERATE CROICB FROM CHRIST without being counted by him as his enemies. "He that is not with me is ag:ainst me," etc. There is no neutrality in the great campaign now being fought out between sin and righteousness. In great European wars it is customary for generals and correspondents from other countries, not involved in the strife, to attend the move- menil! and watch the operations of the armies; they, of course, are strictly neutral. But in this great spiritual campaign we cannot be mere spectators; we must be solawr• fighting on one aide or on the other. For we are all deeply involved; we are implicated in what is past; we are interested in the issue; we have great responsibilities resting on us ; we have great things at stake. God is addre88ing himself to every one of us, and it is not open to any of us to refuse to take up a decisive attitude in regard to the sub- jects of his address. L Be speaks to us of himself. He makes himself known to us aa our Creator, our Preserver, our generous Benefactor; he makes his appeal to us as our Divine Father, who earnestly desires our return to bis home that he may bless us with his parental lov11, Can we possibly remain unaffected by this? Is not our very silence a most grievous offence and injury i' Not to respond to him is to sin grievously against him. 2. He co= to us in the Person of hia Son Jesus Christ. And be offers himself t.o us as the Redeemer who at the greatest possible price has wrought out our redemp- tion, as the Divine Friend in the shelter of whose love and power we may spend our days, as the Source of our eternal life. Can we possibly take up a position toward him in which we are neither one thing nor another-neither enemy nor subject? Can we do other than either accept him or reject him? 3. He summons ua to hia service, and to the service of our kind. We are to be "living epistles," making known his truth, revealing to men the goodness of God, the grace of Christ, the excellency of his service, Vve are to bear witness unto him. Either our life is witnessing fur him and for his truth, or our influence is thrown into the other scale. 'l'hose who know us are either beincr attracted toward Christ throngh all they see and know about us, or they are being repelled. We cannot be cyphers, try how we may. Our lives are telling on one side or on the other. Either we gather with Christ or we scatter abroad. We musl make our choice.-C. Vers. 51-55.- Wiadom, duty, danger. Among the various difficulties in this passage that have been the subject of exegetical debate, we may clearly discern three important lessons. L Oua WISDOM IN FBONT OF APPARENT EVIL, At this tune our Lord bad before him the dark days which would bring his ministry to a close. The contemplation of them had evidently gone down deep into his own mind, but he found none to share the thought or to sympathize with him in the prospect. He asked his discipl~s to let these things "sink down into their ears" (ver. 44), but they understood him not. He was the sole possessor of the great secret of his coming sorrow, struggle, and deat1:'- How did he face it? With an immovable resoluteness of soul "He steadfastly set his face to go up to JerUBalem." What r~son have we to be thankful for that ~oly ~nd noble tenacity of spirit! Could anythrng less strong than that have camed him, unscathed, through all that followed i' And if there had been any, even the slightest failure, what would have been the consequences to our race? When we have to face en. ,x. 1-62.j TilB OOSI'~L ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 2G3