the desire of ages-第91节

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e。　When　the　mustard　seed　is　cast　into　the　ground；　the　tiny　germ　lays　hold　of　every　element　that　God　has　provided　for　its　nutriment；　and　it　speedily　develops　a　sturdy　growth。　If　you　have　faith　like　this；　you　will　lay　hold　upon　God's　word；　and　upon　all　the　helpful　agencies　He　has　appointed。　Thus　your　faith　will　strengthen；　and　will　bring　to　your　aid　the　power　of　heaven。　The　obstacles　that　are　piled　by　Satan　across　your　path；　though　apparently　as　insurmountable　as　the　eternal　hills；　shall　disappear　before　the　demand　of　faith。　〃Nothing　shall　be　impossible　unto　you。〃




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　48

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Who　Is　the　Greatest？


On　returning　to　Capernaum；　Jesus　did　not　repair　to　the　well…known　resorts　where　He　had　taught　the　people；　but　with　His　disciples　quietly　sought　the　house　that　was　to　be　His　temporary　home。　During　the　remainder　of　His　stay　in　Galilee　it　was　His　object　to　instruct　the　disciples　rather　than　to　labor　for　the　multitudes。

On　the　journey　through　Galilee；　Christ　had　again　tried　to　prepare　the　minds　of　His　disciples　for　the　scenes　before　Him。　He　told　them　that　He　was　to　go　up　to　Jerusalem　to　be　put　to　death　and　to　rise　again。　And　He　added　the　strange　and　solemn　announcement　that　He　was　to　be　betrayed　into　the　hands　of　His　enemies。　The　disciples　did　not　even　now　comprehend　His　words。　Although　the　shadow　of　a　great　sorrow　fell　upon　them；　a　spirit　of　rivalry　found　a　place　in　their　hearts。　They　disputed　among　themselves　which　should　be　accounted　greatest　in　the　kingdom。　This　strife　they　thought　to　conceal　from　Jesus；　and　they　did　not；　as　usual；　press　close　to　His　side；　but　loitered　behind；　so　that　He　was　in　advance　of　them　as　they　entered　Capernaum。　Jesus　read　their　thoughts；　and　He　longed　to　counsel　and　instruct　them。　But　for　this　He　awaited　a　quiet　hour；　when　their　hearts　should　be　open　to　receive　His　words。

Soon　after　they　reached　the　town；　the　collector　of　the　temple　revenue　came　to　Peter　with　the　question；　〃Doth　not　your　Master　pay　tribute？〃

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This　tribute　was　not　a　civil　tax；　but　a　religious　contribution；　which　every　Jew　was　required　to　pay　annually　for　the　support　of　the　temple。　A　refusal　to　pay　the　tribute　would　be　regarded　as　disloyalty　to　the　temple；in　the　estimation　of　the　rabbis　a　most　grievous　sin。　The　Saviour's　attitude　toward　the　rabbinical　laws；　and　His　plain　reproofs　to　the　defenders　of　tradition；　afforded　a　pretext　for　the　charge　that　He　was　seeking　to　overthrow　the　temple　service。　Now　His　enemies　saw　an　opportunity　of　casting　discredit　upon　Him。　In　the　collector　of　the　tribute　they　found　a　ready　ally。

Peter　saw　in　the　collector's　question　an　insinuation　touching　Christ's　loyalty　to　the　temple。　Zealous　for　his　Master's　honor；　he　hastily　answered；　without　consulting　Him；　that　Jesus　would　pay　the　tribute。

But　Peter　only　partially　comprehended　the　purpose　of　his　questioner。　There　were　some　classes　who　were　held　to　be　exempt　from　the　payment　of　the　tribute。　In　the　time　of　Moses；　when　the　Levites　were　set　apart　for　the　service　of　the　sanctuary；　they　were　given　no　inheritance　among　the　people。　The　Lord　said；　〃Levi　hath　no　part　nor　inheritance　with　his　brethren；　the　Lord　is　his　inheritance。〃　Deut。　10：9。　In　the　days　of　Christ　the　priests　and　Levites　were　still　regarded　as　especially　devoted　to　the　temple；　and　were　not　required　to　make　the　annual　contribution　for　its　support。　Prophets　also　were　exempted　from　this　payment。　In　requiring　the　tribute　from　Jesus；　the　rabbis　were　setting　aside　His　claim　as　a　prophet　or　teacher；　and　were　dealing　with　Him　as　with　any　commonplace　person。　A　refusal　on　His　part　to　pay　the　tribute　would　be　represented　as　disloyalty　to　the　temple；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　payment　of　it　would　be　taken　as　justifying　their　rejection　of　Him　as　a　prophet。

Only　a　little　before；　Peter　had　acknowledged　Jesus　as　the　Son　of　God；　but　he　now　missed　an　opportunity　of　setting　forth　the　character　of　his　Master。　By　his　answer　to　the　collector；　that　Jesus　would　pay　the　tribute；　he　had　virtually　sanctioned　the　false　conception　of　Him　to　which　the　priests　and　rulers　were　trying　to　give　currency。

When　Peter　entered　the　house；　the　Saviour　made　no　reference　to　what　had　taken　place；　but　inquired；　〃What　thinkest　thou；　Simon？　of　whom　do　the　kings　of　the　earth　take　custom　or　tribute？　of　their　own　children；　or　of　strangers？〃　Peter　answered；　〃Of　strangers。〃　And　Jesus　said；　〃Then　are　the　children　free。〃　While　the　people　of　a　country　are　taxed　for　the　maintenance　of　their　king；　the　monarch's　own　children　are　exempt。　So　Israel；　the　professed　people　of　God；　were　required　to

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maintain　His　service；　but　Jesus；　the　Son　of　God；　was　under　no　such　obligation。　If　priests　and　Levites　were　exempt　because　of　their　connection　with　the　temple；　how　much　more　He　to　whom　the　temple　was　His　Father's　house。

If　Jesus　had　paid　the　tribute　without　a　protest；　He　would　virtually　have　acknowledged　the　justice　of　the　claim；　and　would　thus　have　denied　His　divinity。　But　while　He　saw　good　to　meet　the　demand；　He　denied　the　claim　upon　which　it　was　based。　In　providing　for　the　payment　of　the　tribute　He　gave　evidence　of　His　divine　character。　It　was　made　manifest　that　He　was　one　with　God；　and　therefore　was　not　under　tribute　as　a　mere　subject　of　the　kingdom。

〃Go　thou　to　the　sea；〃　He　directed　Peter；　〃and　cast　an　hook；　and　take　up　the　fish　that　first　cometh　up；　and　when　thou　hast　opened　his　mouth；　thou　shalt　find　a　piece　of　money：　that　take；　and　give　unto　them　for　Me　and　thee。〃

Though　He　had　clothed　His　divinity　with　humanity；　in　this　miracle　He　revealed　His　glory。　It　was　evident　that　this　was　He　who　through　David　had　declared；　〃Every　beast　of　the　forest　is　Mine；　and　the　cattle　upon　a　thousand　hills。　I　know　all　the　fowls　of　the　mountains；　and　the　wild　beasts　of　the　field　are　Mine。　If　I　were　hungry；　I　would　not　tell　thee：　for　the　world　is　Mine；　and　the　fullness　thereof。〃　Ps。　50：10…12。

While　Jesus　made　it　plain　that　He　was　under　no　obligation　to　pay　the　tribute；　He　entered　into　no　controversy　with　the　Jews　in　regard　to　the　matter；　for　they　would　have　misinterpreted　His　words；　and　turned　them　against　Him。　Lest　He　should　give　offense　by　withholding　the　tribute；　He　did　that　which　He　could　not　justly　be　required　to　do。　This　lesson　would　be　of　great　value　to　His　disciples。　Marked　changes　were　soon　to　take　place　in　their　relation　to　the　temple　service；　and　Christ　taught　them　not　to　place　themselves　needlessly　in　antagonism　to　established　order。　So　far　as　possible；　they　were　to　avoid　giving　occasion　for　misinterpretation　of　their　faith。　While　Christians　are　not　to　sacrifice　one　principle　of　truth；　they　should　avoid　controversy　whenever　it　is　possible　to　do　so。

When　Christ　and　the　disciples　were　alone　in　the　house；　while　Peter　was　gone　to　the　sea；　Jesus　called　the　others　to　Him；　and　asked；　〃What　was　it　that　ye　disputed　among　yourselves　by　the　way？〃　The　presence　of　Jesus；　and　His　question；　put　the　matter　in　an　entirely　different　light　from　that　in　which　it　had　appeared　to　them　while　they　were　contending

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by　the　way。　Shame　and　self…condemnation　kept　them　silent。　Jesus　had　told　them　that　He　was　to　die　for　their　sake；　and　their　selfish　ambition　was　in　painful　contrast　to　His　unselfish　love。

When　Jesus　told　them　that　He　was　to　be　put　to　death　and　to　rise　again；　He　was　trying　to　draw　them　into　conversation　in　regard　to　the　great　test　of　their　faith。　Had　they　been　ready　to　receive　what　He　desired　to　make　known　to　them；　they　would　have　been　saved　bitter　anguish　and　despair。　His　words　would　have　brought　consolation　in　the　hour　of　bereavement　and　disappointment。　But　although　He　had　spoken　so　plainly　of　what　awaited　Him；　His　mention　of　the　fact　that　He　was　soon　to　go　to　Jerusalem　again　kindled　their　hope　that　the　kingdom　was　about　to　be　set　up。　This　had　led　to　questioning　as　to　who　should　fill　the　highest　offices。　On　Peter's　return　from　the　sea；　the　disciples　told　him　of　the　Saviour's　question；　and　at　last　one　ventured　to　ask　Jesus；　〃Who　is　the　greatest　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven？〃

The　Saviour　gathered　His　disciples　about　Him；　and　said　to　them；　〃If　any　man　desire　to　be　first；　the　same　shall　be　last　of　all；　and　servant　of　all。〃　There　was　in　these　words　a　solemnity　and　impressiveness　which　the　disciples　were　far　from　comprehending。　That　which　Christ　discerned　they　could　not　see。　They　did　not　understand　the　nature　of　Christ's　kingdom；　and　this　ignorance　was　the　apparent　cause　of　their　contention。　But　the　real　cause　lay　deeper。　By　explaining　the　nature　of　the　kingdom；　Christ　might　for　the　time　have　quelled　their　strife；　but　this　would　not　have　touched　the　underlying　cause。　Even　after　they　had　received　the　fullest　knowledge；　any　question　of　precedence　might　have　renewed　the　trouble。　Thus　disaster　would　have　been　brought　to　the　church　after　Christ's　departure。　The　strife　for　the　highest　place　was　the　outworking　of　that　same　spirit　which　was　the　beginning　of　the　great　controversy　in　the　worlds　above；　and　which　had　brought　Christ　from　heaven　to　die。　There　rose　up　before　Him　a　vision　of　Lucifer；　the　〃son　of　the　morning；〃　in　glory　surpassing