the desire of ages-第101节

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that　they　which　see　might　be　made　blind。〃　Christ　had　come　to　open　the　blind　eyes；　to　give　light　to　them　that　sit　in　darkness。　He　had　declared　Himself　to　be　the　light　of　the　world；　and　the　miracle　just　performed　was　in　attestation　of　His　mission。　The　people　who　beheld　the　Saviour　at　His　advent　were　favored　with　a　fuller　manifestation　of　the　divine　presence　than　the　world　had　ever　enjoyed　before。　The　knowledge　of　God　was　revealed　more　perfectly。　But　in　this　very　revelation；　judgment　was　passing　upon　men。　Their　character　was　tested；　their　destiny　determined。

The　manifestation　of　divine　power　that　had　given　to　the　blind　man　both　natural　and　spiritual　sight　had　left　the　Pharisees　in　yet　deeper　darkness。　Some　of　His　hearers；　feeling　that　Christ's　words　applied　to　them；　inquired；　〃Are　we　blind　also？〃　Jesus　answered；　〃If　ye　were　blind；　ye　should　have　no　sin。〃　If　God　had　made　it　impossible　for　you　to　see　the　truth；　your　ignorance　would　involve　no　guilt。　〃But　now　ye　say；　We　see。〃　You　believe　yourselves　able　to　see；　and　reject　the　means　through　which　alone　you　could　receive　sight。　To　all　who　realized　their　need；　Christ　came　with　infinite　help。　But　the　Pharisees　would　confess　no　need；　they　refused　to　come　to　Christ；　and　hence　they　were　left　in　blindness；a　blindness　for　which　they　were　themselves　guilty。　Jesus　said；　〃Your　sin　remaineth。〃




（476）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　52

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Divine　Shepherd


〃I　am　the　Good　Shepherd：　the　good　shepherd　giveth　his　life　for　the　sheep。〃　〃I　am　the　Good　Shepherd；　and　know　My　sheep；　and　am　known　of　Mine。　As　the　Father　knoweth　Me；　even　so　know　I　the　Father：　and　I　lay　down　My　life　for　the　sheep。〃

Again　Jesus　found　access　to　the　minds　of　His　hearers　by　the　pathway　of　their　familiar　associations。　He　had　likened　the　Spirit's　influence　to　the　cool；　refreshing　water。　He　had　represented　Himself　as　the　light；　the　source　of　life　and　gladness　to　nature　and　to　man。　Now　in　a　beautiful　pastoral　picture　He　represents　His　relation　to　those　that　believe　on　Him。　No　picture　was　more　familiar　to　His　hearers　than　this；　and　Christ's　words　linked　it　forever　with　Himself。　Never　could　the　disciples　look　on　the　shepherds　tending　their　flocks　without　recalling　the　Saviour's　lesson。　They　would　see　Christ　in　each　faithful　shepherd。　They　would　see　themselves　in　each　helpless　and　dependent　flock。

This　figure　the　prophet　Isaiah　had　applied　to　the　Messiah's　mission；　in　the　comforting　words；　〃O　Zion；　that　bringest　good　tidings；　get　thee　up　into　the　high　mountain；　O　Jerusalem；　that　bringest　good　tidings；　lift　up　thy　voice　with　strength；　lift　it　up；　be　not　afraid；　say　unto　the　cities　of　Judah；　Behold　your　God！　。　。　。　He　shall　feed　His　flock　like　a　shepherd：　He　shall　gather　the　lambs　with　His　arm；　and　carry　them　in　His　bosom。〃　Isa。　40：9…11。　David　had　sung；　〃The　Lord　is　my　shepherd；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　477

I　shall　not　want。〃　Ps。　23：1。　And　the　Holy　Spirit　through　Ezekiel　had　declared：　〃I　will　set　up　one　Shepherd　over　them；　and　He　shall　feed　them。〃　〃I　will　seek　that　which　was　lost；　and　bring　again　that　which　was　driven　away；　and　will　bind　up　that　which　was　broken；　and　will　strengthen　that　which　was　sick。〃　〃And　I　will　make　with　them　a　covenant　of　peace。〃　〃And　they　shall　no　more　be　a　prey　to　the　heathen；　。　。　。　but　they　shall　dwell　safely；　and　none　shall　make　them　afraid。〃　Ezek。　34：23；　16；　25；　28。

Christ　applied　these　prophecies　to　Himself；　and　He　showed　the　contrast　between　His　own　character　and　that　of　the　leaders　in　Israel。　The　Pharisees　had　just　driven　one　from　the　fold；　because　he　dared　to　bear　witness　to　the　power　of　Christ。　They　had　cut　off　a　soul　whom　the　True　Shepherd　was　drawing　to　Himself。　In　this　they　had　shown　themselves　ignorant　of　the　work　committed　to　them；　and　unworthy　of　their　trust　as　shepherds　of　the　flock。　Jesus　now　set　before　them　the　contrast　between　them　and　the　Good　Shepherd；　and　He　pointed　to　Himself　as　the　real　keeper　of　the　Lord's　flock。　Before　doing　this；　however；　He　speaks　of　Himself　under　another　figure。

He　said；　〃He　that　entereth　not　by　the　door　into　the　sheepfold；　but　climbeth　up　some　other　way；　the　same　is　a　thief　and　a　robber。　But　he　that　entereth　in　by　the　door　is　the　shepherd　of　the　sheep。〃　The　Pharisees　did　not　discern　that　these　words　were　spoken　against　them。　When　they　reasoned　in　their　hearts　as　to　the　meaning；　Jesus　told　them　plainly；　〃I　am　the　door：　by　Me　if　any　man　enter　in；　he　shall　be　saved；　and　shall　go　in　and　out；　and　find　pasture。　The　thief　cometh　not；　but　for　to　steal；　and　to　kill；　and　to　destroy：　I　am　come　that　they　might　have　life；　and　that　they　might　have　it　more　abundantly。〃

Christ　is　the　door　to　the　fold　of　God。　Through　this　door　all　His　children；　from　the　earliest　times；　have　found　entrance。　In　Jesus；　as　shown　in　types；　as　shadowed　in　symbols；　as　manifested　in　the　revelation　of　the　prophets；　as　unveiled　in　the　lessons　given　to　His　disciples；　and　in　the　miracles　wrought　for　the　sons　of　men；　they　have　beheld　〃the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world〃　（John　1：29）；　and　through　Him　they　are　brought　within　the　fold　of　His　grace。　Many　have　come　presenting　other　objects　for　the　faith　of　the　world；　ceremonies　and　systems　have　been　devised　by　which　men　hope　to　receive　justification　and　peace　with　God；　and　thus　find　entrance　to　His　fold。　But　the　only　door　is　Christ；　and　all　who　have　interposed　something　to　take　the　place

478

of　Christ；　all　who　have　tried　to　enter　the　fold　in　some　other　way；　are　thieves　and　robbers。

The　Pharisees　had　not　entered　by　the　door。　They　had　climbed　into　the　fold　by　another　way　than　Christ；　and　they　were　not　fulfilling　the　work　of　the　true　shepherd。　The　priests　and　rulers；　the　scribes　and　Pharisees；　destroyed　the　living　pastures；　and　defiled　the　wellsprings　of　the　water　of　life。　Faithfully　do　the　words　of　inspiration　describe　those　false　shepherds：　〃The　diseased　have　ye　not　strengthened；　neither　have　ye　healed　that　which　was　sick；　neither　have　ye　bound　up　that　which　was　broken；　neither　have　ye　brought　again　that　which　was　driven　away；　。　。　。　but　with　force　and　with　cruelty　have　ye　ruled　them。〃　Ezek。　34：4。

In　all　ages；　philosophers　and　teachers　have　been　presenting　to　the　world　theories　by　which　to　satisfy　the　soul's　need。　Every　heathen　nation　has　had　its　great　teachers　and　religious　systems　offering　some　other　means　of　redemption　than　Christ；　turning　the　eyes　of　men　away　from　the　Father's　face；　and　filling　their　hearts　with　fear　of　Him　who　has　given　them　only　blessing。　The　trend　of　their　work　is　to　rob　God　of　that　which　is　His　own；　both　by　creation　and　by　redemption。　And　these　false　teachers　rob　man　as　well。　Millions　of　human　beings　are　bound　down　under　false　religions；　in　the　bondage　of　slavish　fear；　of　stolid　indifference；　toiling　like　beasts　of　burden；　bereft　of　hope　or　joy　or　aspiration　here；　and　with　only　a　dull　fear　of　the　hereafter。　It　is　the　gospel　of　the　grace　of　God　alone　that　can　uplift　the　soul。　The　contemplation　of　the　love　of　God　manifested　in　His　Son　will　stir　the　heart　and　arouse　the　powers　of　the　soul　as　nothing　else　can。　Christ　came　that　He　might　re…create　the　image　of　God　in　man；　and　whoever　turns　men　away　from　Christ　is　turning　them　away　from　the　source　of　true　development；　he　is　defrauding　them　of　the　hope　and　purpose　and　glory　of　life。　He　is　a　thief　and　a　robber。

〃He　that　entereth　in　by　the　door　is　the　shepherd　of　the　sheep。〃　Christ　is　both　the　door　and　the　shepherd。　He　enters　in　by　Himself。　It　is　through　His　own　sacrifice　that　He　becomes　the　shepherd　of　the　sheep。　〃To　Him　the　porter　openeth；　and　the　sheep　hear　His　voice：　and　He　calleth　His　own　sheep　by　name；　and　leadeth　them　out。　And　when　He　putteth　forth　His　own　sheep；　He　goeth　before　them；　and　the　sheep　follow　Him：　for　they　know　His　voice。〃

Of　all　creatures　the　sheep　is　one　of　the　most　timid　and　helpless；　and　in　the　East　the　shepherd's　care　for　his　flock　is　untiring　and　incessant。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　479

Anciently　as　now　there　was　little　security　outside　of　the　walled　towns。　Marauders　from　the　roving　border　tribes；　or　beasts　of　prey　from　their　hiding　places　in　the　rocks；　lay　in　wait　to　plunder　the　flocks。　The　shepherd　watched　his　charge；　knowing　that　it　was　at　the　peril　of　his　own　life。　Jacob；　who　kept　the　flocks　of　Laban　in　the　pasture　grounds　of　Haran；　describing　his　own　unwearied　labor；　said；　〃In　the　day　the　drought　consumed　me；　and　the　frost　by　night；　and　my　sleep　departed　from　mine　eyes。〃　Gen。　31：40。　And　it　was　while　guarding　his　father's　sheep　that　the　boy　David；　single…handed；　encountered　the　lion　and　the　bear；　and　rescued　from　their　teeth　the　stolen　lamb。

As　the　shepherd　leads　his　flock　over　the　rocky　hills；　through　forest　and　wild　ravines；　to　grassy　nooks　by　the　riverside；　as　he　watches　them　on　the　mountains　through　the　lonely　night；　shielding　from　robbers；　caring　tenderly　for　the　sickly　and　feeble；　his　life　comes　to　be　one　with　theirs。　A　strong　and　tender　attachment　unites　him　to　the　objects　of　his　care。　However　large　the　flock；　the　shepherd　knows　every　sheep。　Every　one　has　its　name；　and　responds　to　the　name　at　the　shepherd's　call。

As　an　earthly　shepherd　knows　his　sheep；　so　does　the　divine