IL THE BEST MODE OF ANSWERING SUCH INQUIRY IS THAT WHICH PRESENTS THE SPIRIT AND SUBSTANCE OF DUTY, OR TRUE RELIGION IN ITS UNITY AND UNIVERSALITY. “ Deut. vi. 4, This is not given as a part of the Law of Moses, but as the principle of all service. Lev. xix. 18 contains a similar principle for all social duties” (Godwin). Passing over all matters of mere ceremonial, and questions of less or more, he lays hold of the spirit of the Law and presents it to his inquirer. It is out of the very heart of the book of ceremonies (Leviticus) that the duty to neighbours is extracted. He declares “the three unities of religion: (1) the one God; (2) the one faith ; (8) the one com- mandment ” (Lange); and compels the agreement and admiration of his questivner. “ Note also the real reverence shown in the form of address, ‘ Master,’ 4.e. ‘ Teacher, Rabbi.’ He recognized the speaker as one of his own order” (Plumptre), All religion is summed up by him in a “ great commandment,” viz. the love of God, and that is shown in its earthward aspect to involve loving our neighbour as ourselves. That true religion is not ceremonial but spiritual is thus demonstrated ; and in quoting the highest utterances of the prophets, the scribe but endorses and restates the same doctrine. Teacher and inquirer are therefore theoretically one. But more is needed; and towards the attainment of this the stimulus is given, “ Thou art not far from the kingdom of sd.” This meant that—
Ill. Sucw mwqus2¢ CAN ONLY BE SATISFIED AND CROWNED BY ACTING UPON ITS HIGHEST SPIRITUAL coxvictions. ‘ The words are significant as showing the unity of our Lord’s teaching. Now, as when he spoke the sermon on the mount, the righteousness which fulfils the Law is the condition of the entrance into the kingdom of God (Matt. v. 19, 20). Even the recognition of that righteousness as consisting in the fulfilment of the two commandments that were exceeding broad, brought a man as to the very threshold of the kingdom. It is instructive to compare our Lord’s different method of dealing, in Luke x. 25—387, with one who had the same theoretical knowledge, but who obviously, consciously or unconsciously, minimized the force of the commandments by his narrowing definitions ” (Plumptre). “The kingdom of heaven is, for the moment, pictorially represented as localizet, like the ordinary kingdoms of the world. The scribe, walking in the way of conscientious inquiry, and thus making religious pilgrimage, had nearly reached its borderland. He was bordering on the great reality of true religion, subsec- tion of spirit to the sovereign will of God” (Morison). This state can only be attained to by conversion, the identification of the sinner through faith with the righteousness of the Saviour, and the indwelling of the Spirit of God. 1t is thus scientific conviction becomes moral, and we are able to carry into effect what we know to be true and right.—M.
Ver. 34.—“ Not far from the kingdom of God.” 1. THE HIGHEST INTERPRETATION OF HUMAN DUTY APPROACHES THE GOSPEL, BUT FALLS SHORT OF IT.
Il. THE CONDITIONS OF ENTRANCE INTO CHRIST'S KINGDOM ARE MORAL, AND NOT MERELY INTELLECTUAL. Faith; obedience; love. The heart, or central being.
Ill. No wWaN OUGHT TO BE SATISFIED WITH MERELY BEING “NOT FAR” FROM THE winapoM. 1. Jo stop there is to stultify our highest spiritual tnstincts and tendencies. 2. To stop there ts to fail of salvation. 3. To stop there is to aggravate our misery and stn.—BL
Vers. 35—37.—Great Duvid’s greater Son. I. UNsPIrirUaL INTERPRETERS oF GoRIPTURE ARE INVOLVED IN INCONSISTENCY AND SELF-OONTRADICTION. 1. In the
174 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [on. xi, 1—44.
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{ instance they proved to be so with respect to the most important truths. It is ouly the spiritual mind that can harmonize the apparent discrepancies of revelation (1 Cor. ii. 14; cf. Heb. v.12, seg.). 2. This results in their own loss and injury (1 Pet. iii. 16). They failed to recognize the Messiah when he did come, because of their false conceptions of what he was.
Il. THe @Lony oF THE MEssIAH IS SEEN FROM PROPHETIO SCRIPTURE TO BE MORE THAN ROYAL—TO BE, IN FACT, Diving. The hundred and tenth psalm is rightly called “‘a psalm of David.” Merely to apply it to David is to destroy its Messianic character. ‘The psalm is not only quoted by our Lord as Messianic in the passages already referred to (viz. this and Matt. xxii. 41—46); {t is more frequently cited by the New Testa- ment writers than any other single portion of the ancient Scriptures. (Comp., besides these passages in the Gospels, Acts ii. 34, 835; 1 Cor. xv. 25; Heb. i.13; v.6; vii. 17, 21; x. 18.) In later Jewish writings, in the Talmud and the rabbis, nearly every verse of the psalm is quoted as referring to the Messiah ”(Perowne). “The majority of ancient Jewish interpreters apply the psalm to the Messiah ” (Strauss, ‘ Leben Jesu,’ ii. 6, 79). If, then, it is David’s own composition, and is Messianic, the language used with respect to the Royal One who is to come is only to be explained as involving divinity: “ Jehovah said to my Lord.”
Il. Ly appLyING THE PSALM TO HIMSELF, CHRIST SUGGESTED THE TRUE SOLUTION OF THE APPARENT CONTRADICTION. The psalm is deliberately and by implication adopted by Christ. He testifies to the Divine inspiration of its author. His own person and work are the key to its meaning. As he was Son of David on the human side, so was he David’s Lord by virtue of his Divine Sonship.—M.
Ver. 37.—“ The common people heard him gladly.” 1, THE PERSONS THUS AFFECTED. The reference of the words “ common people” misunderstood. Literally the expression is, “the great multitude.” It was in the temple, and must have comprehended all classes, especially the middle and upper; the very lowest being but sparsely repre- sented. It was also nationally homogeneous—Jewish,
II. Reasons FOR THEIR BEING 80. Not on account of eloquence, or so-called “ popu- larity ” of address. ‘That the highest qualities were exhibited “ goes without saying.” The full splendour and majesty of Messianic teaching were exhibited. The Man himself was more, and felt to be more, than his words. ‘T'wo circumstances lent a passing interest to his teaching: he exposed and defeated the religious pretenders of the day, Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers, whose true character the people’s instinct felt had been revealed; and he appealed to the national religious spirit, in setting forth the true doctrine of the Messiah.
IIL. THE MORAL VALUE OF THIS RECEPTION OF CunistT. 1, It showed that the deepest instincts of humanity are on the side of religion and Divine truth. 2. But it did not involve discipleship. Admiration, intellectual assent, even some wonder at what was truly Divine; but no moral conviction, There are many to whom the gospel is a thing gladly heard, but soon dismissed from the thoughts. It is in obedience and faith