the desire of ages-第103节

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To　the　heart　of　Christ　it　was　a　bitter　task　to　press　His　way　against　the　fears；　disappointment；　and　unbelief　of　His　beloved　disciples。　It　was　hard　to　lead　them　forward　to　the　anguish　and　despair　that　awaited　them　at　Jerusalem。　And　Satan　was　at　hand　to　press　his　temptations　upon　the　Son　of　man。　Why　should　He　now　go　to　Jerusalem；　to　certain　death？　All　around　Him　were　souls　hungering　for　the　bread　of　life。　On　every　hand　were　suffering　ones　waiting　for　His　word　of　healing。　The　work　to　be　wrought　by　the　gospel　of　His　grace　was　but　just　begun。　And　He　was　full　of　the　vigor　of　manhood's　prime。　Why　not　go　forward　to　the　vast　fields　of　the　world　with　the　words　of　His　grace；　the　touch　of　His　healing　power？　Why　not　take　to　Himself　the　joy　of　giving　light　and　gladness　to　those　darkened　and　sorrowing　millions？　Why　leave　the　harvest　gathering　to　His　disciples；　so　weak　in　faith；　so　dull　of　understanding；　so　slow　to　act？　Why　face　death　now；　and　leave　the　work　in　its　infancy？　The　foe　who　in　the　wilderness　had　confronted　Christ　assailed　Him　now　with　fierce　and　subtle　temptations。　Had　Jesus　yielded　for　a　moment；　had　He　changed　His　course　in　the　least　particular　to　save　Himself；　Satan's　agencies　would　have　triumphed；　and　the　world　would　have　been　lost。

But　Jesus　had　〃steadfastly　set　His　face　to　go　to　Jerusalem。〃　The　one　law　of　His　life　was　the　Father's　will。　In　the　visit　to　the　temple　in　His　boyhood；　He　had　said　to　Mary；　〃Wist　ye　not　that　I　must　be　about　My　Father's　business？〃　Luke　2：49。　At　Cana；　when　Mary　desired　Him　to　reveal　His　miraculous　power；　His　answer　was；　〃Mine　hour　is　not　yet　come。〃　John　2：4。　With　the　same　words　He　replied　to　His　brothers　when　they　urged　Him　to　go　to　the　feast。　But　in　God's　great　plan　the　hour　had　been　appointed　for　the　offering　of　Himself　for　the　sins　of　men；　and　that　hour　was　soon　to　strike。　He　would　not　fail　nor　falter。　His　steps　are　turned　toward　Jerusalem；　where　His　foes　have　long　plotted　to　take　His　life；　now　He　will　lay　it　down。　He　set　His　face　steadfastly　to　go　to　persecution；　denial；　rejection；　condemnation；　and　death。

And　He　〃sent　messengers　before　His　face：　and　they　went；　and　entered　into　a　village　of　the　Samaritans；　to　make　ready　for　Him。〃　But

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the　people　refused　to　receive　Him；　because　He　was　on　His　way　to　Jerusalem。　This　they　interpreted　as　meaning　that　Christ　showed　a　preference　for　the　Jews；　whom　they　hated　with　intense　bitterness。　Had　He　come　to　restore　the　temple　and　worship　upon　Mount　Gerizim；　they　would　gladly　have　received　Him；　but　He　was　going　to　Jerusalem；　and　they　would　show　Him　no　hospitality。　Little　did　they　realize　that　they　were　turning　from　their　doors　the　best　gift　of　heaven。　Jesus　invited　men　to　receive　Him；　He　asked　favors　at　their　hands；　that　He　might　come　near　to　them；　to　bestow　the　richest　blessings。　For　every　favor　manifested　toward　Him；　He　requited　a　more　precious　grace。　But　all　was　lost　to　the　Samaritans　because　of　their　prejudice　and　bigotry。

James　and　John；　Christ's　messengers；　were　greatly　annoyed　at　the　insult　shown　to　their　Lord。　They　were　filled　with　indignation　because　He　had　been　so　rudely　treated　by　the　Samaritans　whom　He　was　honoring　by　His　presence。　They　had　recently　been　with　Him　on　the　mount　of　transfiguration；　and　had　seen　Him　glorified　by　God；　and　honored　by　Moses　and　Elijah。　This　manifest　dishonor　on　the　part　of　the　Samaritans；　should　not；　they　thought；　be　passed　over　without　marked　punishment。

Coming　to　Christ；　they　reported　to　Him　the　words　of　the　people；　telling　Him　that　they　had　even　refused　to　give　Him　a　night's　lodging。　They　thought　that　a　grievous　wrong　had　been　done　Him；　and　seeing　Mount　Carmel　in　the　distance；　where　Elijah　had　slain　the　false　prophets；　they　said；　〃Wilt　Thou　that　we　command　fire　to　come　down　from　heaven；　and　consume　them；　even　as　Elias　did？〃　They　were　surprised　to　see　that　Jesus　was　pained　by　their　words；　and　still　more　surprised　as　His　rebuke　fell　upon　their　ears；　〃Ye　know　not　what　manner　of　spirit　ye　are　of。　For　the　Son　of　man　is　not　come　to　destroy　men's　lives；　but　to　save　them。〃　And　He　went　to　another　village。

It　is　no　part　of　Christ's　mission　to　compel　men　to　receive　Him。　It　is　Satan；　and　men　actuated　by　his　spirit；　that　seek　to　compel　the　conscience。　Under　a　pretense　of　zeal　for　righteousness；　men　who　are　confederate　with　evil　angels　bring　suffering　upon　their　fellow　men；　in　order　to　convert　them　to　their　ideas　of　religion；　but　Christ　is　ever　showing　mercy；　ever　seeking　to　win　by　the　revealing　of　His　love。　He　can　admit　no　rival　in　the　soul；　nor　accept　of　partial　service；　but　He　desires　only　voluntary　service；　the　willing　surrender　of　the　heart　under　the　constraint　of　love。　There　can　be　no　more　conclusive　evidence　that　we　possess　the　spirit　of　Satan　than　the　disposition　to　hurt　and　destroy　those　who　do　not　appreciate　our　work；　or　who　act　contrary　to　our　ideas。

488


Every　human　being；　in　body；　soul；　and　spirit；　is　the　property　of　God。　Christ　died　to　redeem　all。　Nothing　can　be　more　offensive　to　God　than　for　men；　through　religious　bigotry；　to　bring　suffering　upon　those　who　are　the　purchase　of　the　Saviour's　blood。

〃And　He　arose　from　thence；　and　cometh　into　the　coasts　of　Judea　by　the　farther　side　of　Jordan：　and　the　people　resort　unto　Him　again；　and；　as　He　was　wont；　He　taught　them　again。〃　Mark　10：1。

A　considerable　part　of　the　closing　months　of　Christ's　ministry　was　spent　in　Perea；　the　province　on　〃the　farther　side　of　Jordan〃　from　Judea。　Here　the　multitude　thronged　His　steps；　as　in　His　early　ministry　in　Galilee；　and　much　of　His　former　teaching　was　repeated。

As　He　had　sent　out　the　twelve；　so　He　〃appointed　seventy　others；　and　sent　them　two　and　two　before　His　face　into　every　city　and　place；　whither　He　Himself　was　about　to　come。〃　Luke　10：1；　R。　V。　These　disciples　had　been　for　some　time　with　Him；　in　training　for　their　work。　When　the　twelve　were　sent　out　on　their　first　separate　mission；　other　disciples　accompanied　Jesus　in　His　journey　through　Galilee。　Thus　they　had　the　privilege　of　intimate　association　with　Him；　and　direct　personal　instruction。　Now　this　larger　number　also　were　to　go　forth　on　a　separate　mission。

The　directions　to　the　seventy　were　similar　to　those　that　had　been　given　to　the　twelve；　but　the　command　to　the　twelve；　not　to　enter　into　any　city　of　the　Gentiles　or　of　the　Samaritans；　was　not　given　to　the　seventy。　Though　Christ　had　just　been　repulsed　by　the　Samaritans；　His　love　toward　them　was　unchanged。　When　the　seventy　went　forth　in　His　name；　they　visited；　first　of　all；　the　cities　of　Samaria。

The　Saviour's　own　visit　to　Samaria；　and　later；　the　commendation　of　the　good　Samaritan；　and　the　grateful　joy　of　that　leper；　a　Samaritan；　who　alone　of　the　ten　returned　to　give　thanks　to　Christ；　were　full　of　significance　to　the　disciples。　The　lesson　sank　deep　into　their　hearts。　In　His　commission　to　them；　just　before　His　ascension；　Jesus　mentioned　Samaria　with　Jerusalem　and　Judea　as　the　places　where　they　were　first　to　preach　the　gospel。　This　commission　His　teaching　had　prepared　them　to　fulfill。　When　in　their　Master's　name　they　went　to　Samaria；　they　found　the　people　ready　to　receive　them。　The　Samaritans　had　heard　of　Christ's　words　of　commendation　and　His　works　of　mercy　for　men　of　their　nation。　They　saw　that；　notwithstanding　their　rude　treatment　of　Him；　He　had　only　thoughts　of　love　toward　them；　and　their　hearts　were　won。　After　His　ascension　they　welcomed　the　Saviour's　messengers；　and　the　disciples　gathered　a　precious　harvest　from　among　those　who　had　once　been　their　bitterest　enemies。

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〃A　bruised　reed　shall　He　not　break；　and　the　dimly　burning　flax　shall　He　not　quench：　He　shall　bring　forth　judgment　unto　truth。〃　〃And　in　His　name　shall　the　Gentiles　trust。〃　Isa。　42：3；　margin；　Matt。　12：21。

In　sending　out　the　seventy；　Jesus　bade　them；　as　He　had　bidden　the　twelve；　not　to　urge　their　presence　where　they　were　unwelcome。　〃Into　whatsoever　city　ye　enter；　and　they　receive　you　not；〃　He　said；　〃go　your　ways　out　into　the　streets　of　the　same；　and　say；　Even　the　very　dust　of　your　city；　which　cleaveth　on　us；　we　do　wipe　off　against　you：　notwithstanding　be　ye　sure　of　this；　that　the　kingdom　of　God　is　come　nigh　unto　you。〃　They　were　not　to　do　this　from　motives　of　resentment　or　through　wounded　dignity；　but　to　show　how　grievous　a　thing　it　is　to　refuse　the　Lord's　message　or　His　messengers。　To　reject　the　Lord's　servants　is　to　reject　Christ　Himself。

〃I　say　unto　you；〃　Jesus　added；　〃that　it　shall　be　more　tolerable　in　that　day　for　Sodom；　than　for　that　city。〃　Then　His　mind　reverted　to　the　Galilean　towns　where　so　much　of　His　ministry　had　been　spent。　In　deeply　sorrowful　accents　He　exclaimed；　〃Woe　unto　thee；　Chorazin！　woe　unto　thee；　Bethsaida！　for　if　the　mighty　works　had　been　done　in　Tyre　and　Sidon；　which　have　been　done　in　you；　they　had　a　great　while　ago　repented；　sitting　in　sackcloth　and　ashes。　But　it　shall　be　more　tolerable　for　Tyre　and　Sidon　at　the　judgment；　than　for　you。　And　thou；　Capernaum；　which　art　exalted　to　heaven；　shalt　be　thrust　down　to　hell。〃

To　those　busy　towns　about　the　Sea　of　Galilee；　heaven's　richest　blessings　had　been　freely　offered。　Day　after　day　the　Prince　of　life　had　gone　in　and　out　among　t