the desire of ages-第39节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


it　was　the　Sabbath　day。　Multitudes　were　going　to　the　temple　for　worship；

202

and　He　knew　that　such　an　act　of　healing　would　so　excite　the　prejudice　of　the　Jews　as　to　cut　short　His　work。

But　the　Saviour　saw　one　case　of　supreme　wretchedness。　It　was　that　of　a　man　who　had　been　a　helpless　cripple　for　thirty…eight　years。　His　disease　was　in　a　great　degree　the　result　of　his　own　sin；　and　was　looked　upon　as　a　judgment　from　God。　Alone　and　friendless；　feeling　that　he　was　shut　out　from　God's　mercy；　the　sufferer　had　passed　long　years　of　misery。　At　the　time　when　it　was　expected　that　the　waters　would　be　troubled；　those　who　pitied　his　helplessness　would　bear　him　to　the　porches。　But　at　the　favored　moment　he　had　no　one　to　help　him　in。　He　had　seen　the　rippling　of　the　water；　but　had　never　been　able　to　get　farther　than　the　edge　of　the　pool。　Others　stronger　than　he　would　plunge　in　before　him。　He　could　not　contend　successfully　with　the　selfish；　scrambling　crowd。　His　persistent　efforts　toward　the　one　object；　and　his　anxiety　and　continual　disappointment；　were　fast　wearing　away　the　remnant　of　his　strength。

The　sick　man　was　lying　on　his　mat；　and　occasionally　lifting　his　head　to　gaze　at　the　pool；　when　a　tender；　compassionate　face　bent　over　him；　and　the　words；　〃Wilt　thou　be　made　whole？〃　arrested　his　attention。　Hope　came　to　his　heart。　He　felt　that　in　some　way　he　was　to　have　help。　But　the　glow　of　encouragement　soon　faded。　He　remembered　how　often　he　had　tried　to　reach　the　pool；　and　now　he　had　little　prospect　of　living　till　it　should　again　be　troubled。　He　turned　away　wearily；　saying；　〃Sir；　I　have　no　man；　when　the　water　is　troubled；　to　put　me　into　the　pool：　but　while　I　am　coming；　another　steppeth　down　before　me。〃

Jesus　does　not　ask　this　sufferer　to　exercise　faith　in　Him。　He　simply　says；　〃Rise；　take　up　thy　bed；　and　walk。〃　But　the　man's　faith　takes　hold

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　203

upon　that　word。　Every　nerve　and　muscle　thrills　with　new　life；　and　healthful　action　comes　to　his　crippled　limbs。　Without　question　he　sets　his　will　to　obey　the　command　of　Christ；　and　all　his　muscles　respond　to　his　will。　Springing　to　his　feet；　he　finds　himself　an　active　man。

Jesus　had　given　him　no　assurance　of　divine　help。　The　man　might　have　stopped　to　doubt；　and　lost　his　one　chance　of　healing。　But　he　believed　Christ's　word；　and　in　acting　upon　it　he　received　strength。

Through　the　same　faith　we　may　receive　spiritual　healing。　By　sin　we　have　been　severed　from　the　life　of　God。　Our　souls　are　palsied。　Of　ourselves　we　are　no　more　capable　of　living　a　holy　life　than　was　the　impotent　man　capable　of　walking。　There　are　many　who　realize　their　helplessness；　and　who　long　for　that　spiritual　life　which　will　bring　them　into　harmony　with　God；　they　are　vainly　striving　to　obtain　it。　In　despair　they　cry；　〃O　wretched　man　that　I　am！　who　shall　deliver　me　from　this　body　of　death？〃　Rom。　7：24；　margin。　Let　these　desponding；　struggling　ones　look　up。　The　Saviour　is　bending　over　the　purchase　of　His　blood；　saying　with　inexpressible　tenderness　and　pity；　〃Wilt　thou　be　made　whole？〃　He　bids　you　arise　in　health　and　peace。　Do　not　wait　to　feel　that　you　are　made　whole。　Believe　His　word；　and　it　will　be　fulfilled。　Put　your　will　on　the　side　of　Christ。　Will　to　serve　Him；　and　in　acting　upon　His　word　you　will　receive　strength。　Whatever　may　be　the　evil　practice；　the　master　passion　which　through　long　indulgence　binds　both　soul　and　body；　Christ　is　able　and　longs　to　deliver。　He　will　impart　life　to　the　soul　that　is　〃dead　in　trespasses。〃　Eph。　2：1。　He　will　set　free　the　captive　that　is　held　by　weakness　and　misfortune　and　the　chains　of　sin。

The　restored　paralytic　stooped　to　take　up　his　bed；　which　was　only　a　rug　and　a　blanket；　and　as　he　straightened　himself　again　with　a　sense　of　delight；　he　looked　around　for　his　Deliverer；　but　Jesus　was　lost　in　the　crowd。　The　man　feared　that　he　would　not　know　Him　if　he　should　see　Him　again。　As　he　hurried　on　his　way　with　firm；　free　step；　praising　God　and　rejoicing　in　his　new…found　strength；　he　met　several　of　the　Pharisees；　and　immediately　told　them　of　his　cure。　He　was　surprised　at　the　coldness　with　which　they　listened　to　his　story。

With　lowering　brows　they　interrupted　him；　asking　why　he　was　carrying　his　bed　on　the　Sabbath　day。　They　sternly　reminded　him　that　it　was　not　lawful　to　bear　burdens　on　the　Lord's　day。　In　his　joy　the　man　had　forgotten　that　it　was　the　Sabbath；　yet　he　felt　no　condemnation　for　obeying　the　command　of　One　who　had　such　power　from　God。　He

204

answered　boldly；　〃He　that　made　me　whole；　the　same　said　unto　me；　Take　up　thy　bed；　and　walk。〃　They　asked　who　it　was　that　had　done　this；　but　he　could　not　tell。　These　rulers　knew　well　that　only　One　had　shown　Himself　able　to　perform　this　miracle；　but　they　wished　for　direct　proof　that　it　was　Jesus；　that　they　might　condemn　Him　as　a　Sabbath…breaker。　In　their　judgment　He　had　not　only　broken　the　law　in　healing　the　sick　man　on　the　Sabbath；　but　had　committed　sacrilege　in　bidding　him　bear　away　his　bed。

The　Jews　had　so　perverted　the　law　that　they　made　it　a　yoke　of　bondage。　Their　meaningless　requirements　had　become　a　byword　among　other　nations。　Especially　was　the　Sabbath　hedged　in　by　all　manner　of　senseless　restrictions。　It　was　not　to　them　a　delight；　the　holy　of　the　Lord；　and　honorable。　The　scribes　and　Pharisees　had　made　its　observance　an　intolerable　burden。　A　Jew　was　not　allowed　to　kindle　a　fire　nor　even　to　light　a　candle　on　the　Sabbath。　As　a　consequence　the　people　were　dependent　upon　the　Gentiles　for　many　services　which　their　rules　forbade　them　to　do　for　themselves。　They　did　not　reflect　that　if　these　acts　were　sinful；　those　who　employed　others　to　perform　them　were　as　guilty　as　if　they　had　done　the　work　themselves。　They　thought　that　salvation　was　restricted　to　the　Jews；　and　that　the　condition　of　all　others；　being　already　hopeless；　could　be　made　no　worse。　But　God　has　given　no　commandments　which　cannot　be　obeyed　by　all。　His　laws　sanction　no　unreasonable　or　selfish　restrictions。

In　the　temple　Jesus　met　the　man　who　had　been　healed。　He　had　come　to　bring　a　sin　offering　and　also　a　thank　offering　for　the　great　mercy　he　had　received。　Finding　him　among　the　worshipers；　Jesus　made　Himself　known；　with　the　warning　words；　〃Behold；　thou　art　made　whole：　sin　no　more；　lest　a　worse　thing　come　unto　thee。〃

The　healed　man　was　overjoyed　at　meeting　his　Deliverer。　Ignorant　of　the　enmity　toward　Jesus；　he　told　the　Pharisees　who　had　questioned　him；　that　this　was　He　who　had　performed　the　cure。　〃Therefore　did　the　Jews　persecute　Jesus；　and　sought　to　slay　Him；　because　He　had　done　these　things　on　the　Sabbath　day。〃

Jesus　was　brought　before　the　Sanhedrin　to　answer　the　charge　of　Sabbathbreaking。　Had　the　Jews　at　this　time　been　an　independent　nation；　such　a　charge　would　have　served　their　purpose　for　putting　Him　to　death。　This　their　subjection　to　the　Romans　prevented。　The　Jews　had　not　the　power　to　inflict　capital　punishment；　and　the　accusations　brought　against

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　205

Christ　would　have　no　weight　in　a　Roman　court。　There　were　other　objects；　however；　which　they　hoped　to　secure。　Notwithstanding　their　efforts　to　counteract　His　work；　Christ　was　gaining；　even　in　Jerusalem；　an　influence　over　the　people　greater　than　their　own。　Multitudes　who　were　not　interested　in　the　harangues　of　the　rabbis　were　attracted　by　His　teaching。　They　could　understand　His　words；　and　their　hearts　were　warmed　and　comforted。　He　spoke　of　God；　not　as　an　avenging　judge；　but　as　a　tender　father；　and　He　revealed　the　image　of　God　as　mirrored　in　Himself。　His　words　were　like　balm　to　the　wounded　spirit。　Both　by　His　words　and　by　His　works　of　mercy　He　was　breaking　the　oppressive　power　of　the　old　traditions　and　man…made　commandments；　and　presenting　the　love　of　God　in　its　exhaustless　fullness。

In　one　of　the　earliest　prophecies　of　Christ　it　is　written；　〃The　scepter　shall　not　depart　from　Judah；　nor　a　lawgiver　from　between　his　feet；　until　Shiloh　come；　and　unto　Him　shall　the　gathering　of　the　people　be。〃　Gen。　49：10。　The　people　were　gathering　to　Christ。　The　sympathetic　hearts　of　the　multitude　accepted　lessons　of　love　and　benevolence　in　preference　to　the　rigid　ceremonies　required　by　the　priests。　If　the　priests　and　rabbis　had　not　interposed；　His　teaching　would　have　wrought　such　a　reformation　as　this　world　has　never　witnessed。　But　in　order　to　maintain　their　own　power；　these　leaders　determined　to　break　down　the　influence　of　Jesus。　His　arraignment　before　the　Sanhedrin；　and　an　open　condemnation　of　His　teachings；　would　aid　in　effecting　this；　for　the　people　still　had　great　reverence　for　their　religious　leaders。　Whoever　dared　to　condemn　the　rabbinical　requirements；　or　attempt　to　lighten　the　burdens　they　had　brought　upon　the　people；　was　regarded　as　guilty；　not　only　of　blasphemy；　but　of　treason。　On　this　ground　the　rabbis　hoped　to　excite　suspicion　of　Christ。　They　represented　Him　as　trying　to　overthrow　the　established　customs；　thus　causing　division　among　the　people；　and　preparing　the　way　for　complete　subjugation　by　the　Romans。

But　the　plans　which　these　rabbis　were　working　so　zealously　to　fulfill　originated　in　another　council　than　that　of　the　Sanhedrin。　After　Satan　had　failed　to　overcome　Christ　in　the　wilderness；　he　comb