The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 68

life. Evory life is vory prccious-thflt of the flower or that of the flniinal; but human life i3 moro precious still. Personally considered, every human life is e'l.ually precious; bnt relo.tivoly, some lives are moro precious than others. The life of the general is thus more precious th,m that of the common sol<lier. But of all the lives that have gmccd this world, the life of Christ was the most precious and val11able. (1) It was so in itself. What makes man's lifo more precious than that of the animal, but its bein:!; tho vehicle of o. higher intelligence, and immortal and rMponsible spirit which makes him at once to belong to o. higher order of being? The life of Christ was really human, but it wns perfect and sinless. This, together with its mysterious union with the Diville nature, made him to sto.nd alone-a new and a higher order of being. He was Divine nnd yet human, human and yet Divine, which made his life infinitely valuable in itself. (2) It was so in 'l'elation to this world. To this world how useful was such a life! What blessings of intelligence, revelation, holy example, spiritual communications, and of Divine benevolence it was calculated to bestow I The short time he was permitted to live proves this. (8) It was so to the whole universe. The value of such a Iife was not confined to this world, but extended to the utmost regions of the Divine empire. Heaven was in close and constant communication with him during his earthly life, and he with it. How dear was he to the Father and all his holy family! H01v precious was his life I What a tax upon Divine affections was his death I Nature's gloom on the occasion was but a faint shadow of heaven's mourning. What a sacrifice! 3. It was a sacrifice involving the rrreatest sufferings. (1) Think of the sinlessness of his nature. Sinfulness ·of nature habituates that nature to suffering. But Christ's character was not only spotless, but his nature was sinless. Thus the very idea of death must be to him extremely repulsive, and its actual pangs beyond description painful. (2) Think of the greatness of his nature. Little natures are capable of but very little pleasure or pain, but large natures are largely capable of both. The capacity of Christ for suffering is outside our experience and far beyond our comprehension. (8) Think of the cruelty of his death. He suffered the death of crucifixion, with all its attendant shame, ignominy, pains, and agonies. All that infernal hatred could devise he had to suffer. II. Hrs DEATH WAS PURELY SELF-SAORIFIOING. To prove and illustrate this, con- sider the following things. 1. His life was absolutely his own. "My life." No other man can absolutely call his life his own. With the exception of Christ's, every man's life is borrowed: he is a tenant at will, and not from year to year, but from breath to breath. But Christ's life was absolutely his own. 2. He had an absolute control over it. Not merely it was his own, but he could dispose of it as he wished. ·•No one taketh it from me." (1) This was true with regard to all men. There was no power in Jerusalem, nor in Rome, nor in the whole world combined, that could take it from him. (2) This was true with regard to the devil. It is said that the devil bad the power of death, and in a sense this was true. But it was not true with reganl to Jesus; he was sinless, nnd he was almighty. He could say, "The prince of this world cometh," elc. He had neither a right to nor the power over the life of Christ. (8) This was true with regard to the Father. In a true seuse he is the absolute Proprietor of lit'e ; but this Jesus, as the Eternal Son, shared with him, and his inca.rnn.te life did not deprive him of this Divine prerogative. Even in that state it was given him to have life in himself. Thus the Father could not nor would not take it from him. 3. His death was purely voluntary. (1) It was his own personal act. His life was absolutely his own, and he laid it down. (2) It WI\S the act of his free will and choice. There was no circumstantial and personal necessity, there was no coercion. \Vho on earth or in hell could coerce him? and who in heaven would? The self-sacrificing idea was purely voluntary and self-inspiring, and to carry it out cost him infinite condescension. Ho had to become a man before he could have the power to lay down his life. He could not die iu heaven; no one can die there, much less he who is the Life itself. But in human nature death to him was possible and right. It would be a smnll thing for a Being of infinite power and goodness to boast of his power and right to live; the great thing for him was to have the power to die. With becoming pride Jesus boasts of this. "I have power to h\y it down." But all this was from his free and independent choice. "I lay it down of myself." In this, and in this alone with regard to the Father, he claims absolute indopcndency of 11ction, involving his perfect voluntariness-tbo sweetest odour of the sacrifice. (8) It was ptllT'ely voluntary to the last. He could evade the 70 THE GOSPEL AOCORDTNG TO ST. JOHN. [orr. x. 1-42.