The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 293

For we find in Old Test.e.ment Sciipture pass11.ges 11.ffirming the kindnesa, the pity, the patience, the mercy, of God, well worthy to be placed by the side of any we find in the New (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7; Pe. ciii. 8-14; cxlv. 8, 9; Micah vii. 18, etc.). It was surely possible for him to let reverence ascend to love. III. To SOME EXTENT THE JEw DID LOVE GoD. Abraham wa.s II hie friend." David could exclaim, "Oh, love the Lord, all ye hie saints I" 11 I love the Lord because " eto, Y_et_ it was_ not lov~ but fear that w_as the central, commanding, regulatlng elem~nt of his mner life. Thie need not surprise us when we consider- IV. THE JEW DID NOT KNOW GoD u REVEALED IN JESUS OHBIST, 1. He had not heard Jesus speaking of the Divine Father hating sin but pitying e.nd yearning over the sinner, determining at his own great cost to redeem him, as we have done, 2. He had not witnessed the Saviour's life as we have followed it; had not seen the Father's character and spirit roftected in that of the Son, with bis tender affection, his inex- haustible patience, his matchless condescension, his generous forgiveness. 3. He did not know the sl?ry and the meaning of his death; had not had, like us, a vision of the love of God paymg that great pt'ice for our redemption, bearing that burden on our behalf, pouring itself out in pain and shame and sorrow for our sake, It is at Calvary, far more than elsewhere, that we learn the blessed secret of the love of God-his love for us, our love for him. We learn: (1) That to love God is the highest heritage of our m.anhood. "AJ3 a man tbinkoth in his heart, so is he ; " as we think, we are ; a man is great or small, noble or ignoble, according as he thinks and feels; the height of our love is the stature of our soul, is the measure of ourselves. God invitee us to love him, the Highest One, and by so doing he immeasurably enriches and ennobles us. If he filled our house with gold he would only give us something pleasant to have; but in inviting us to love him he confers on us that which is blessed and noble to be. (2) '1.'hat mit to have loved God ill the most condemning fa.et of our lives. Do we say," All these fprohibitions] have we kept from our youth up: what commandment have we broken?" \Ve reply, "The first and great commandment. Have you loved God with all your heart?" We may well bow our head in shame as we realize the poor and pitiful response we have made to the Fatherly love of God. (3) That the fact that we can at once return to God, in filial devotion, is the best of all gtad tidings. Our return to him begins in humility, goes on in faith, is completed and perfected in love. (4) That the fact that we r:iliall continue to love God is the 'brightest of all good prospects. Other thi1Jge will fail us sooner or later, but "the love of God which is in Jesus Christ" in our hearts will take us everywhere, will be our refuge and defence in all emergencies, will sanctify our joy and our prosperity, will be with us at the last scenes, will cross the river with us and will be with us and in us on the other side, will be our pass- port to and our qualification for the brightest and broadest sphe1·es in tho heavenly kingdom.-C. Ver. 29.-Who is O'lllf' neighbour, This was a very pertinent question, by whatso- ever motive prompted. None better could possibly have been asked, for it drew forth Christ's own interpretation of his own Law. And, like the Jews of hie time, we are in no little danger of limiting the Divine thought, "Who is our neighbour? "-in our thought, in our feeling and practice? Who a.re those we feel bound to love and help? Our kindred, those of our fellow-citizens from whom we want the interchange of civilities, our countrymen,--do we draw the line there? If so, we "have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ" in this matter; we are falling out of rank as hie disciples. There is nothing especially Christian about the affection we feel or the kindness wo show to these. Going thus far, we go no further than pagans have gone before us. We must tranecend this if we are to be worthy of the name we bear. In order to be that, we must find our neighbour everywhere and in every one, but more especially in the man who has need of us. The Christian conception of" our neighbour"- I. OVERSTEPS THE LIMIT OF RACE. It is painful to think that men have been taught to look upon those who inhabit other lands with positive enmity, so much so that even Cicero could say that the natural relation of neighbouring nationu was that of enmity; that whole peoples (like the Greeks and the Chinese) should treat the outer world as " barbarians" to be despised and avoided. It is foolish and illogical enough, Lut it Las been all too common. Nothing Lut the prevalence of Christian principle and on. x. 1-42.] TllE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S'I'. LUKE. 2:J5