The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Timothy — Section 79

t~e truth of hie claims. And not !eRs <li<l his opening of the mind of God, and applic"- tion of the tru~h to human need, witness to the singleness and loftiness of his spirit. There was a reiterated attestation from heaven to bis Divine nature and mission at bi~ transHguration. But especially was he justified in the manner in which he died. Be resisted unto blood, striving against sin. As we with some degree of resignation may bear a light trial, BO he with perfect resignation bore the unmitigated weight of the Divine vengeance. As we with some degree of self-forgetfulnees may Jabour for those who are near to us, BO he with perfect self-forgetfulness and magnanimity B&Crifice<l himself for sinner& '!'hat death in all its terribleness, reaching far beyond our conecr>- tion, was what pre-eminently made proof of him, and it showed his spirit to be in perfect accord with the will of God in salvation. Last of all, he was justified by his resurrection. It is said, in Rom. i. 4, that by this he was declared with power to be the Son of Gnd. It was God setting hie seal upon his whole career. Because he was pleased with the manner in which he had acted all along, saw the ends of justice and mercy carried oul successfully in human salvation, therefore it was that he raised him from the dead. " Seen of angels." He was an object of interest to the heavenly world. We find angels jubilantly ushering him into this world, within sight and hearing of men. They appear at the commencement of his ministry, strengthening him after his temptation. And again they appear at the close, strengthening him after his agony, and also watching over hie tomb. But were they not always there behind the veil? Unseen by us, they go about our world ministering to the heirs of salvation. Would they not m;nister, more than was seen, to the Author of salvation? They came forward upon the scene at critical times. It was enough; we can imagine the rest. But the language seems also to point to the fact that, in becoming incarnate, Christ made himself to be seen by angels. In the human form assumed by him he held them in rapt gaze. They could not turn away from beholding and wondering. They saw the Son of God in a form that was level to them, that was even below them; for he was made a little lower than thP angels. What cause for wonder in the change from that ineffable, unapproachable glory to this frail flesh; from that God most high, to this infant lying in a manger! And as the mystery wa, developed, how would their wonder increase ! He was degraded until he could to no lower depth be degraded. Well might they be overwhelmed with wonder as they looked on at Calvary. Having a desire to look into these things, as we are told, they would be lost in trying to account for them. Even when knowing the object con- templated, they would be amazed to think that, for the accomplishment of it, the Divine Son should de,cend into such a condition of mortal woe. "Preached among the nations." This is quite a new interest. Angels merely saw, admired from a distance. They were spectators contemplating that in which they were not directly involved. It was different with men. He was the subject of an evangel to them. Be was proclaimed as their personal Saviour, without whom they were lost, in whom alone they had standing before God and everlasting blessedness. But stress is laid upon the universal reference ~f the preaching. He was preached, not to one nation, but among the nations (Jews included), without distinction. This was being realized as historical fact. He was being proclaimed without respect to national distinction, without respect to social condition, without respect to culture, with respect simply to the fact that all were sinners and in need of salvation. Following upon his having taken the common nature, and his having wrought out the common salvation, the message of salvation was being conveyed with the utmost impartiality. This was part of the mystery which was then being disclosed, and which the unprejudiced agreed in calling great. It was impressive to the early Church to witness the proclamation of a world-wide salvation. "Believe,\ ,m in the world." God dues not force us to believe. There must be a sufficient cause for ow· faith, sufficient to move our hearts and gain us over. Our faith must be caused in a rationo.l way, in a way consistent with the nature of God and our own nature. 'l'he cause must be homogeneous with respect to tlie effect, spiritual as faith i.,; a spiritual effect. How, then, is Christ to be believed on in the world, i.e. in that which is naturally unbelieving, which contains no germ of faith which can be cultivated? How can light be brouo-ht out of darkness, how can faith be brought out of unbelief? And yet what ho.ve w; here'! There is such a potency in the fact of God incarnate as to work a woral miracle, to evoke faith from that which is naturally incapable of faith. And wherein does the potency lie? It i!! in the love which the fact manifests. "The Son of God,  118 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'flMOTHY. [oa. IV. 1-lll