(Matt. xii. 47-50. Mark iii. 31—35.) 19. Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20. And it was told him by certain which said,Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God. and do it. It does not appear in this passage, for what purpose the mother and brethren of our Lord desired to see him. Perhaps to restrain his zealous exertions; for in St. Mark we are told, (iii. 21,) that when his friends heard of the multitudes which surrounded him, “they went out to lay hold of him; for they said, He is beside himself." At present, certainly, they neither understood his object, nor believed in his divinity; therefore he did not see fit to give way to them. As he answered them when they found him in the temple, "both hearing the doctors of the law, and asking them questions, Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" so now he restrains their interruption, and asks, Who are my mother and brethren? Who are they who would withdraw me from that work which my heavenly Father has given me to do? My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. Those who understand my design in coming into the world, and join in promoting it, are those whom I must acknowledge as my own. 1 John vii. 5. Afterwards we find them collected with the rest of his disciples, and engaged with them in prayer and supplication. Acts i. 14. The answer of Jesus on this occasion must not be supposed to countenance any neglect of natural affection. The Christian is commanded to "honour all men;" how much more his father and mother! As it is written, 66 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."2 The Christian cannot be exempted from love towards his own kindred, when love of all his fellow-creatures is required by the apostle as the proof of his faith. "For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" Jesus himself, we know, provided for the comfort of his mother's declining years. With his dying breath he recommended her to his beloved disciple; "and from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." Let no one, therefore, make use of this example to excuse his coldness towards any who have a first right to his affection and dutiful regard. 4 Two inferences, however, are properly deduced from this passage. First, that no outward circumstances or accidental privileges, that nothing but personal character, gives acceptance with God. With men it is different: birth has advantages; kindred has advantages; nations or districts have advantages, independently of character. And there is a natural inclination among mankind to suppose that it will be the same hereafter; to trust to circumstances of a like kind, and to dispense with personal holiness. The Jewish people prided themselves that 4 John xix. 27. Eph. vi. 1. 3 1 John iv. 20. L they were "Abraham's children." Christ represents those who shall plead before him at the last: "We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets :" and we read of a woman in his company who gave utterance to a like notion, saying, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked." Here, however, as there, we are plainly assured that no such circumstances can avail in the sight of God. If there were any whom such things could profit, they must be the mother that bare him, and his brethren, the children of that mother. But "rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it." The other inference is, that when a duty to God is to be performed, not even the tie of relationship should be suffered to interfere. Amiable as natural affection is, and indispensable as a test of a christian state of mind, it must not usurp the claim which God has, in the first place, to our service and our love. When the call is a call of religious duty, men must not make excuse and say, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." Christ has here shown us, by his example, that the service of God must have the preference; and he has illustrated his own words, "Whoever loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." And as it is sometimes a duty, on one side, to show this preference, as it may be a case of selfdenial, to which the Christian is called,-so it is a duty, on the other side, to allow this preference 5 Luke xiii. 26. 6 Luke xi. 27. without grudging or repining, and not to put a stumbling-block in the way of those we love. Friends and relations are sometimes placed in a dangerous alternative, when they must either of fend those dearest to them on earth, or act unfaithfully towards their Father who is in heaven. All our affections, however natural or laudable in themselves, must be regulated and controlled by our duty to Him, who hath the first claim to our obedience and love. LECTURE XXVIII. JESUS STILLS A TEMPEST, AND FREES A MAN FROM THE POWER OF DEVILS. LUKE Viii. 22-39. (Matt. viii. 18-34. Mark iv. 35-41; v. 1-20.) 22. Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. launched forth. And they 23. But as they sailed he fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this? for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. Our Lord took this opportunity of showing the disciples his power, that having seen it, their faith might be confirmed. Where is your faith? Have ye yet to learn that with me ye are secure? One thing must be observed. It is only when Christ is with us, and only because he is with us, that his disciples are secure. These were already with him in the ship, and he with them: they had not to seek him when the storm arose. But when faith has attained such union, and passing through the sea of this world, ye have Christ present with your heart, he will restrain every storm, and calm every vexation. "When thou shalt consider that his truth, and person, and honour, are embarked in the same vessel with thee, thou mayest resolve on one of these; either he will be my pilot in the ship, as he was to the disciples in the present danger; or, he will be my plank in the sea, to carry me to land. If I suffer in his company, and as his member, he suffers with me, and then I may triumph to be made any way conformable to Christ, my head. If I am weak in body, Christ, my head, was wounded too: if I am weak in mind, Christ, my head, was heavy unto death;' if I suffer in my state, Christ, my head, for my sake, became poor; if my name is reproached, Christ, my head, was esteemed vile, and despised of men." 1 1 Owen. 1 |