the desire of ages-第59节

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ld　be　with　Him；　and　that　He　might　send　them　forth　to　preach。〃

It　was　beneath　the　sheltering　trees　of　the　mountainside；　but　a　little　distance　from　the　Sea　of　Galilee；　that　the　twelve　were　called　to　the　apostolate；　and　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount　was　given。　The　fields　and　hills　were　the　favorite　resorts　of　Jesus；　and　much　of　His　teaching　was　given　under　the　open　sky；　rather　than　in　the　temple　or　the　synagogues。　No　synagogue　could　have　received　the　throngs　that　followed　Him；　but　not　for　this　reason　only　did　He　choose　to　teach　in　the　fields　and　groves。　Jesus　loved　the　scenes　of　nature。　To　Him　each　quiet　retreat　was　a　sacred　temple。

It　was　under　the　trees　of　Eden　that　the　first　dwellers　on　earth　had　chosen　their　sanctuary。　There　Christ　had　communed　with　the　father　of　mankind。　When　banished　from　Paradise；　our　first　parents　still　worshiped　in　the　fields　and　groves；　and　there　Christ　met　them　with　the　gospel　of　His　grace。　It　was　Christ　who　spoke　with　Abraham　under　the

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oaks　at　Mamre；　with　Isaac　as　he　went　out　to　pray　in　the　fields　at　the　eventide；　with　Jacob　on　the　hillside　at　Bethel；　with　Moses　among　the　mountains　of　Midian；　and　with　the　boy　David　as　he　watched　his　flocks。　It　was　at　Christ's　direction　that　for　fifteen　centuries　the　Hebrew　people　had　left　their　homes　for　one　week　every　year；　and　had　dwelt　in　booths　formed　from　the　green　branches　〃of　goodly　trees；　branches　of　palm　trees；　and　boughs　of　thick　trees；　and　willows　of　the　brook。〃　Lev。　23：40。

In　training　His　disciples；　Jesus　chose　to　withdraw　from　the　confusion　of　the　city　to　the　quiet　of　the　fields　and　hills；　as　more　in　harmony　with　the　lessons　of　self…abnegation　He　desired　to　teach　them。　And　during　His　ministry　He　loved　to　gather　the　people　about　Him　under　the　blue　heavens；　on　some　grassy　hillside；　or　on　the　beach　beside　the　lake。　Here；　surrounded　by　the　works　of　His　own　creation；　He　could　turn　the　thoughts　of　His　hearers　from　the　artificial　to　the　natural。　In　the　growth　and　development　of　nature　were　revealed　the　principles　of　His　kingdom。　As　men　should　lift　up　their　eyes　to　the　hills　of　God；　and　behold　the　wonderful　works　of　His　hands；　they　could　learn　precious　lessons　of　divine　truth。　Christ's　teaching　would　be　repeated　to　them　in　the　things　of　nature。　So　it　is　with　all　who　go　into　the　fields　with　Christ　in　their　hearts。　They　will　feel　themselves　surrounded　with　a　holy　influence。　The　things　of　nature　take　up　the　parables　of　our　Lord；　and　repeat　His　counsels。　By　communion　with　God　in　nature；　the　mind　is　uplifted；　and　the　heart　finds　rest。

The　first　step　was　now　to　be　taken　in　the　organization　of　the　church　that　after　Christ's　departure　was　to　be　His　representative　on　earth。　No　costly　sanctuary　was　at　their　command；　but　the　Saviour　led　His　disciples　to　the　retreat　He　loved；　and　in　their　minds　the　sacred　experiences　of　that　day　were　forever　linked　with　the　beauty　of　mountain　and　vale　and　sea。

Jesus　had　called　His　disciples　that　He　might　send　them　forth　as　His　witnesses；　to　declare　to　the　world　what　they　had　seen　and　heard　of　Him。　Their　office　was　the　most　important　to　which　human　beings　had　ever　been　called；　and　was　second　only　to　that　of　Christ　Himself。　They　were　to　be　workers　together　with　God　for　the　saving　of　the　world。　As　in　the　Old　Testament　the　twelve　patriarchs　stand　as　representatives　of　Israel；　so　the　twelve　apostles　were　to　stand　as　representatives　of　the　gospel　church。

The　Saviour　knew　the　character　of　the　men　whom　He　had　chosen；　all　their　weaknesses　and　errors　were　open　before　Him；　He　knew　the

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perils　through　which　they　must　pass；　the　responsibility　that　would　rest　upon　them；　and　His　heart　yearned　over　these　chosen　ones。　Alone　upon　a　mountain　near　the　Sea　of　Galilee　He　spent　the　entire　night　in　prayer　for　them；　while　they　were　sleeping　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain。　With　the　first　light　of　dawn　He　summoned　them　to　meet　Him；　for　He　had　something　of　importance　to　communicate　to　them。

These　disciples　had　been　for　some　time　associated　with　Jesus　in　active　labor。　John　and　James；　Andrew　and　Peter；　with　Philip；　Nathanael；　and　Matthew；　had　been　more　closely　connected　with　Him　than　the　others；　and　had　witnessed　more　of　His　miracles。　Peter；　James；　and　John　stood　in　still　nearer　relationship　to　Him。　They　were　almost　constantly　with　Him；　witnessing　His　miracles；　and　hearing　His　words。　John　pressed　into　still　closer　intimacy　with　Jesus；　so　that　he　is　distinguished　as　the　one　whom　Jesus　loved。　The　Saviour　loved　them　all；　but　John's　was　the　most　receptive　spirit。　He　was　younger　than　the　others；　and　with　more　of　the　child's　confiding　trust　he　opened　his　heart　to　Jesus。　Thus　he　came　more　into　sympathy　with　Christ；　and　through　him　the　Saviour's　deepest　spiritual　teaching　was　communicated　to　His　people。

At　the　head　of　one　of　the　groups　into　which　the　apostles　are　divided　stands　the　name　of　Philip。　He　was　the　first　disciple　to　whom　Jesus　addressed　the　distinct　command；　〃Follow　Me。〃　Philip　was　of　Bethsaida；　the　city　of　Andrew　and　Peter。　He　had　listened　to　the　teaching　of　John　the　Baptist；　and　had　heard　his　announcement　of　Christ　as　the　Lamb　of　God。　Philip　was　a　sincere　seeker　for　truth；　but　he　was　slow　of　heart　to　believe。　Although　he　had　joined　himself　to　Christ；　yet　his　announcement　of　Him　to　Nathanael　shows　that　he　was　not　fully　convinced　of　the　divinity　of　Jesus。　Though　Christ　had　been　proclaimed　by　the　voice　from　heaven　as　the　Son　of　God；　to　Philip　He　was　〃Jesus　of　Nazareth；　the　son　of　Joseph。〃　John　1：45。　Again；　when　the　five　thousand　were

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fed；　Philip's　lack　of　faith　was　shown。　It　was　to　test　him　that　Jesus　questioned；　〃Whence　shall　we　buy　bread；　that　these　may　eat？〃　Philip's　answer　was　on　the　side　of　unbelief：　〃Two　hundred　pennyworth　of　bread　is　not　sufficient　for　them；　that　every　one　of　them　may　take　a　little。〃　John　6：5；　7。　Jesus　was　grieved。　Although　Philip　had　seen　His　works　and　felt　His　power；　yet　he　had　not　faith。　When　the　Greeks　inquired　of　Philip　concerning　Jesus；　he　did　not　seize　upon　the　opportunity　of　introducing　them　to　the　Saviour；　but　he　went　to　tell　Andrew。　Again；　in　those　last　hours　before　the　crucifixion；　the　words　of　Philip　were　such　as　to　discourage　faith。　When　Thomas　said　to　Jesus；　〃Lord；　we　know　not　whither　Thou　goest；　and　how　can　we　know　the　way？〃　the　Saviour　answered；　〃I　am　the　Way；　the　Truth；　and　the　Life。　。　。　。　If　ye　had　known　Me；　ye　should　have　known　My　Father　also。〃　From　Philip　came　the　response　of　unbelief：　〃Lord；　show　us　the　Father；　and　it　sufficeth　us。〃　John　14：5…8。　So　slow　of　heart；　so　weak　in　faith；　was　that　disciple　who　for　three　years　had　been　with　Jesus。

In　happy　contrast　to　Philip's　unbelief　was　the　childlike　trust　of　Nathanael。　He　was　a　man　of　intensely　earnest　nature；　one　whose　faith　took　hold　upon　unseen　realities。　Yet　Philip　was　a　student　in　the　school　of　Christ；　and　the　divine　Teacher　bore　patiently　with　his　unbelief　and　dullness。　When　the　Holy　Spirit　was　poured　out　upon　the　disciples；　Philip　became　a　teacher　after　the　divine　order。　He　knew　whereof　he　spoke；　and　he　taught　with　an　assurance　that　carried　conviction　to　the　hearers。

While　Jesus　was　preparing　the　disciples　for　their　ordination；　one　who　had　not　been　summoned　urged　his　presence　among　them。　It　was　Judas　Iscariot；　a　man　who　professed　to　be　a　follower　of　Christ。　He　now　came　forward；　soliciting　a　place　in　this　inner　circle　of　disciples。　With　great　earnestness　and　apparent　sincerity　he　declared；　〃Master；　I　will　follow　Thee　whithersoever　Thou　goest。〃　Jesus　neither　repulsed　nor　welcomed　him；　but　uttered　only　the　mournful　words：　〃The　foxes　have　holes；　and　the　birds　of　the　air　have　nests；　but　the　Son　of　man

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hath　not　where　to　lay　His　head。〃　Matt。　8：19；　20。　Judas　believed　Jesus　to　be　the　Messiah；　and　by　joining　the　apostles；　he　hoped　to　secure　a　high　position　in　the　new　kingdom。　This　hope　Jesus　designed　to　cut　off　by　the　statement　of　His　poverty。

The　disciples　were　anxious　that　Judas　should　become　one　of　their　number。　He　was　of　commanding　appearance；　a　man　of　keen　discernment　and　executive　ability；　and　they　commended　him　to　Jesus　as　one　who　would　greatly　assist　Him　in　His　work。　They　were　surprised　that　Jesus　received　him　so　coolly。

The　disciples　had　been　much　disappointed　that　Jesus　had　not　tried　to　secure　the　co…operation　of　the　leaders　in　Israel。　They　felt　that　it　was　a　mistake　not　to　strengthen　His　cause　by　securing　the　support　of　these　influential　men。　If　He　had　repulsed　Judas；　they　would；　in　their　own　minds；　have　questioned　the　wisdom　of　their　Master。　The　after　history　of　Judas　would　show　them　the　danger　of　allowing　any　worldly　consideration　to　have　weight　in　deciding　the　fitness　of　men　for　the　work　of　God。　The　co…operation　of　such　men　as　the　disciples　were　anxious　to　secure　would　have　betrayed　the　work　into　the　hands　of　its　worst　enemies。

Yet　when　Judas　joined　the　disciples；　he　was　not　insensible　to　the　beauty　of　the　character　of　Christ。　He　felt　the　influence　of　that　divine　power　which　was　drawing　souls　to　the　Saviour。　He　who　came　not　to　break　the　bruised　reed　nor　quench　the　smoking　flax　would　not　repulse　this　soul　while　even　one　desire　was　reaching　toward　the　light。　The　Saviour　read　the