IL But, whatever purpose was answered in respect of Jesus himself, the revelation most assuredly was, in the highest degree, important to the disciples, and through them to the Church at large. 1. Here is beheld the harmony, the unity, of the Law and the prophets and the Christ. 2. Here, within the “bright cloud” which “ overshadowed them,” though “they feared as they entered into it,” they were made “ eye-witnesses of his majesty;” they witnessed the “honour and glory” which “ha received from God the Father.” 38, They heard the “voice,” and heard it “come out of heaven,” whieh bore testimony for all to receive: “This is my beloved Son.” In this lay the “honour and glory” which “he received.” So thought that one of the three who declared, “ It is good. to be here,” and who would fain have built tabernacles on this “holy mount.” This testimony had already been borne when, at the baptism, “a voice out of the” same “‘ heaven” declared to him, “ Thou art my beloved Son.” Here the witness is of him to others: “ This is my beloved Son;” and with the additional word of command, “‘ Hear ye him.” Once again afterwards, when the Father glorified his Name, there came “a voice out of heaven” directly speaking to him; though, as he declared, “this voice hath not come for my sake, but for your sakes.” How truly might he say of all that he received, “not for my sake, but for your sakes”! Now, not to Peter only, but also to James and John, is it revealed, “ Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Now they with him share this blessedness which “ flesh and blood” could not impart; now we, and with us all the Church, rejoice in the know- ledge of this primary truth. “Jow our hearts long to see his glory avd hear the
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heavenly voice, and dwell on “the holy mount” of vision! And yet, how “good” _ soever it might be, it is better for the cultivation of our hearts in righteousness, and far better for the suffering, sinful world, that we go down into the valley to struggle with the evil spirit, and by faith and love and obedience glorify our living Head, and seek a meetness for those “ tabernacles ” which are not made by human hands.—G,
Vers. 14—28.—The healing of the lunatic youth. Descending from “the holy mount,” where he had “received honour and glory from God the Father,” a scene presented itself in direct contrast to “the majesty” of which the favoured three had then been “ eye-witnesses.” Around the disciples “they saw a great multitude, and scribes questioning with them.” They had suffered a painful defeat. One of the multitude had brought to them his son, having “a dumb spirit ;” and he spake to the “disciples that they should cast him out; and they were not able”! A more pitiable object could scarcely be imagined. “From a child” he was “epileptic,” and suffered “ grievously ;” “the spirit ofttimes” casting “him both into the fire and into the waters” as if “to destroy him;” and so dire was its influence over him that, as the father said, “ wheresoever it taketh him, it dasheth him down: and he foameth, and rpmamdee his teeth, and pineth away ;” “it teareth him that he foameth, and it hardly
eparteth from him, bruising him sorely;” and when it “taketh him” he, in inarticulate tones, “suddenly crieth out.” To add to the sadness of the case, the spirit was “unclean,” compelling its victim to acts of filthiness. The poor boy, too, suffered the paren aggravation of being “‘dumb,” so that he could not tell out his sorrows; and
e was “deaf,” so that no word of strengthening consolation could be spoken to him, It was almost a misfortune to him not to be blind, for he could contrast his sad state with that of other youths around him. The father, wearied and disappointed with long and daily watching—for it seized him “ suddenly ”—and unable to find relief, brought him to the disciples, and met the sad rebuke of their inability. ‘They could not” cast him out. As a last resource, with timid, wearied heart, and with a hesitancy that surely found its justification in the failure of all efforts to obtain relief, he brought him to Jesus, uttering the word so descriptive of timid doubt, “If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” It is now that he who bears alike our sins and sorrows, who “ bears with” our weakness and our ignorance, who, even in his greatest works, strives so to work as to teach, corrects the imperfect view of the father, and makes his demand even upon his faulty faith, gently rebuking his pardonable insinuation. “Tt is not, ‘If I can,’ but,‘ If thou canst!’” And he adds for all ages the all-inclusive teaching, “All things are possible to him that believeth.” Christ’s words, even of correc- tion, rouse faith. The assurance that “all things” were “ possible ” to faith drew forth from the tremulous lips the profession of faith, “I believe;” while the tearful eyes (margin) bore witness to the genuineness of the confession hidden in the lowly prayer, “Help,” and therein forgive, “thou mine unbelief.” It is enough. With his word, in presence of a “ multitude ” that “came runung together,” he cast out the dumb and deaf spirit, and commanded him to “enter no more into him.” The scene is full of teaching:
I, ON THE SAD CAPACITY OF THE HUMAN LIFE FOR SUFFERING AND DEGBADATION.
I. ON THE GLORIOUS POWER OF CHRIST TO HEAL AND RESTORE THE UTMOST DI8- ORGANIZATION AND DEGENERATION OF THE HUMAN LIFE. It is an instance of his “power over all the power of the enemy.” With such a picture before their eyes, who need hesitate to come to Jesus, in any need whatsoever? But the greatest teaching lies in the words spoken to the disciples in reply to their demand as to the reason why they “could not cast it out,”—“ because of your little faith.”
Ii]. For us and for all, a third teaching, on THE POWER OF PRAYER AND FAITH, lies gpenly on the face of the Lord’s words to the distressed father. It is impossible to read the Gospels without learning that in Christ’s view the exercise of Divine power over the suffering human life is often suspended on the attainment of certain conditions on the part of the sufferers, There is a fitness of things. Suffering and need seem to come of departures from the Divine order. The voluntary return to that order is most aptly, perhaps most easily, expressed by “ faith.” It indicates the lowly submissiveness of the spirit. It is the plasticity of the clay which truly prepares it for the hand of the potter. Itis the least, and vet the best, self-fitting work that can be done by ary whe
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