The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 284

hea.rt. It le describe<l in the Acripiurcs as the gift of God. It is "a. heart of super- natural texture "-part of that new ordering of the life which is realized when the wayward will is offered to the consuming fire of God, and the inner man is born from above. See, then, what this pure self-love, which is the measure of love to the neigb- bour, represents. It representH a power of sacrifice. "Hereby perceive we the love ol God, beca.UBe he la.id down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren," ~ot only so; the principle which illustrates the direction of the love of our neighbour exhibits that which is to be sought for in it. He who prays that his eelf ehall be in harmony with God's thoughts and ways, lovin 6 his brother with the same love, will discriminate between that which only serves the flesh, and that which tends to promote the righteousness which God reckons the permanent well-being; he will strive age.inst the things in internal life and external condition which hinder this well-being; he will study the ways through which the greatest good may be realized for the neighbour. Thue, given the love of God poured ont in the heart, the love of self, instead of separating, unites the man to his world. It is the dynamic of a. holy and enlightened philanthropy. Let the two commandments, then, be kept In the order which our Lord has marke<l -the first, as the first and greatest; and the second, as the second which is like to the first. Let them, in this order, a.bide in us; and, though the keeping of them may be to the flesh a cross, possible only through the slaying of that in the flesh which objectH, the external nature of the commandments will gradually disappear; from laws outside us they will be changed into states of life, each finding its congenial nourishment in the other. The love of God will be fed by the love of the neighbour; the love of the neighbour will be fed by the love of God. So thought, so wrote St. John, in his own profound yet simple manner, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is horn of God, and knoweth God." "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a. liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he bath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love hi.i! brother also." Vers. 38-42.-C'hrist's serrrwn in the house of Martha. .A very short sermon, its substance being given us in the two last verses. But it is a sermon whose teaching goes far down into the truth of our hope and faith. Let us trace it, first, in the reve- lation made in Christ's word of the differences which the heavenly life comprehends; and, secondly, in the counsel with regard to this life which Christ's word conveys. I. How INTERESTING 1B THE SKETCH OF THE TWO SISTERS A.T BETHANY I They are so lifelike that we feel as if we had seen and known them. And, indeed, we have, because they portray familiar types of character and temper. No person of candour will regard the elder sister as only the embodiment of worldly mindedness in contrast with the younger as the embodiment of spiritual-mindedness. When we look more closely into the narrative, we see the injustice of this view. It is Martha who receives Jesus; it is she who provides for his comfort. If she is hustling and busy, this is only the sign of her devotion. Nor d,ies Jesus say that, in her anxiety about many things, she had lost tho one thing needful, and that she had no shar(l in the good part which could not be taken away. He is defending Mary against the temporary petu- lance of Martha, and, in so doing, he cautious her against the temptations incident to her activity. "Jesus," says St. John," loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." Assume, then, that each of the two has a place in the communion of saints, and see what this place is and wherein each is fulfilled in the other. 1. The usefulness of the Martha character is at once suggested. It bears the impression of the liberal soul who doviseth liberal things, who will take any a.mount of pains to oblige, who is eager to serv(l. Honour tu those who have the readiness to do, and the knack of business! fn such persons there i, generally a vast amount of self-denial. You will find them tuiliug when there might he many ('Xcuses for resting. Prompt, energetic, shrewd, they go stmight on, their activity being in a high state of development. .All honour to the huusekeepers ! They enable the quiet and thoughtful to think and write. Erasmtis and Melancthon can study when Luther and Farel are up and doing ; the Leigh _tunH can preach for eternity because the Melvilles and Hende1sons preach to the time. Your Marya couhl not sit at Jesus' feet uuless the Marthas were going about the hou:ie.  286 THE GOSrEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [on. L 1-49,