gn hBnd-in-hand. Work done in a prayerlese spirit cannot succeed as it ought to do. 'l'be transfigured once alone can meet the emergencies of Christian work, and s11ccee,rl where otbore foil. Some cases are doubtless more difficult than others, and some domone make I\ hBrder fight of it than others; but there are none of them who can stand a prayerful Christian who faithfully follows Jesus in his line of attack. II. SuooES8FUL WORK MUST BE IN SPITE OF' MALIGNANT OPPOSITION. (Vere. 43- 46.) Our Lord, e.s the crowd a.re wondering e.t bis success, tells the disciples plainly that he ie destined to be delivered into the be.nds of men. This is a sufficient set-off to bis success. Men will take e.nd kill him, notwithstanding all his philanthropy and exorcising power. This crucifixion of Jesus is but the type of the world's reco~nilion of the beet work done by human he.nde. A long line of noble workers have followed Jesus a.long the path of martyrdom, Let no worker, then, be surprised at the world's malignity. ill. SuocESBFUL WORK MUST BE DIVESTED OJ' BA.SE AMBITIONS. (Vere. 46-48.) Notwithstanding recent failure through want of prayer, the disciples are soon selfishly contending about the first places, and who is to be greatest. It is wonderful how soon we forget our failures and betake ourselves to our ambitions. Now, one chara.c- teristio of base ambition is pride a.bout work. Certain lines of work are thought to be beneath our dignity and worth. To correct this in the disciples, our Lord sets a little child before them, and shows that such a child might be received in such a spirit as would be recognized by God himself. The nursing of a little child may be done for the sake of Jesus Christ, and in such a case it is such a work as he will regard, and the Father who sent him also. It is not a great work, therefore, that is needed, but a grea.(heart carried into the smallest wurk. We think of quantity ; Christ thinks of quality. We will not "take- our coats off," so to speak, unless it i11 some work eminently creditable; Christ could throw his great spi.rlt into the fondling of a little child, e.nd do the little one everlasting good. Hence we must do any work clearly laid to our hand with large-heartedness, and we shall find it successful in the best sense. It is the meek ones who are ready to put their hand to anything who are great in the kingdom of God. IV. SUCCESSFUL WORK DEMANDS, BESIDES, A TOLERANT SPIBIT. (Vers. 49-56.) John and James, after the Transfiguration privileges, seem to have got very excited and ardent in Christ's service. Two cases in particular show how heated and hasty they were. 'l'he first was a case of e:z;orcism through C!hrist's Name. Some Jew bad witnessed the exorcisms of Christ, and, abandoning the Jewish methods and traditions, had tried the new plan, and proved the power of "the Name which is above every name." But because he did not join the disciples, and so preserve their monopoly of delegated power, he is forbidden by them to do such work. This was intolerance mis- placed. 'l'he worker, though not uniting with the disciples, was promoting the Master's glory by showing the power of his Name. He was an ally, though not a disciple of the same se't;;· - Hence Jesus instrncts them always to act on the tolerant principle that "he that is not age.inst us is for us." 1 The second case in which the sons of Zebedee exhibited unholy zeal was in a certain Samaritan village, during Jesus' journeys to Jerusalem. The last journey has begun (ver. 51), and nothing will keep him from accomplishing it. The Samaritans would have liked him to linger with them, an,i avoid his enemies and theiis. But be would not listen to their syren voice, but insisted on going up to Jernsalem, Taking umbrage at this, one Samaritan village denied him the usual hospitalities when bis forerunners sought it. Incensed at this, John and James inquire if they should not call down fire from heaven to consume the inhospitable Samaritans, as Elijah he.d done. Samaria was the scene of that fiery ministry. But Elijah's spirit would not suit the Saviour's times. Had the prophet descended from the Mount of Transfignration, he would not have insisted on any such policy as this. He he.d doubtless got le.is fiery in the peaceful abodes above I As a destructive force, he had served his generation, but the discipl'3s were to remember that saving men, not destroying them, was to be their mission. From both these cases we learn that the true evangelical spirit must reject all intolerance if it is to secure the highest success. 1 Of. Vinot, on• La Tolemnce de l'tvangile,' in • Disoours sur quelques Sujets Religielll, p. i25. 270 TIIE GOSPl:L ACCORDING 'l'O 8T. LUKE. [en. X. 1--'12.
Y. SuccY.Nl!FUL WOllK REQUIRES FAITHFUi, !)EALING WITH INDIVIDUAL CASBS. (Ve1'1!. 57-62.) As Jesus was moving upward~ to the capital, the peoplo porcelvcd that s crisis WM st hsnd. Hence the desire of some on insufficient grounds to cast in their lot with him who is to be the conquering King. Here is a case in point, A ml\n comes sod profeBBes his willingness to be a follower of Jesus wheresoever he goeth. !'ut ~esus undeceives him by indicating t~at he is not going to be sure of any lodging rn this world. Perhaps the man we.s hopmg to reach a palace by following him; but ,l PSUs shows that the birds and beasts have more certain lodgings than ha. He thus laid bare the man's danger, and prevented A rash decision. The second case is an invitation to the individual by Jesus himself. It is a case of bereavement, and Jesus seizes on it t-0 secure a disciple. He knew that the best thing thin broken-heart could do would be to bec-ome a herald of his kingdom. The bereaved one naturally enough asks leave to go and bury his father, but Jesus assures him that there are sufficient dead hearts at home to pay due respect to his father's remains, and the formalities of the funeral may only change his promptitude into delay and neglect; and so he urges him to become a preacher at on°"- A third case is that of one who is ready to follow Christ, but wishes to hid those at home farewell Our Lord tells him the danger of looking back. The farewells at home might have resulted in a farewell for ever to Jesus. It is thus Jesus shows the importance of dealing faithfully with individual souls. We have the secret of successful work laid clearly before us.-R. M. E.
EXPOSITION.