WE live in a day of great questioning.
Almost everything is called in question, and things which once passed current as certified facts, are no longer allowed to assert themselves, but must be subjected to question.
We may enjoy, or we may deplore, the avidity shown for this, but we cannot prevent it; and, indeed, it is our wisdom to make each question turn us afresh to the dear old Book, whose truth holds its own, and which yields comfort and strength, and light and food to the dependent spirit.
But, after all, this tendency is not confined to our day. Let my reader turn, for instance, to the Gospel of Matthew, and let his eye run down chapter 22. He will there see how the blessed Master Himself was pursued by questions even in His day.
Some had to ask Him whether tribute should be paid to Caesar, some were perplexed as to a future state, asking how it could be, since they knew of a certain woman who had seven husbands, and which of these men, said they, was to claim her as his wife then; others, again, asked which of all the ten commandments was the greatest.
No doubt each questioner was honestly puzzled by his own question, and must have been surprised by the simple and perfect answer given by the Lord. He quietly, and with divine wisdom, solved each difficulty, and met each inquirer. To Him no question was perplexing, no riddle insoluble. If man were ignorant, He was wise; if man could not discern the truth, He could announce it.
Oh, what a wonderful thing, what a boon inestimable, what a mercy divine to have One in our midst perfectly able to state the whole truth on every subject and every question. One to whom a poor unhappy Peter could say, “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee”―the love that is unknown to others, nay, that may justly be doubted by them, that love―that poor feeble, flickering spark―is known to Thee! Or, again, One of whom a sneering Pharisee could soliloquize and say, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner.” But, as the following story of the creditor and his two debtors shows, it must have been plain to the questioner that “this Man” knew, not only all about the flagrant sins of the woman, but also the equally detestable self-righteousness of the Pharisee! Or, yet again, One who could declare, as no one else dared to assert, “I speak that which I have seen with my Father” (John 8:3838I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. (John 8:38)). Or, finally, “The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:1818No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18)).
And we have had such an One in our midst, here on earth, where sin, with all its dire concomitants of unbelief, and spiritual darkness, and enmity against God, and total alienation of heart and life from Him, abounds and multiplies. We have had One who could declare the Father―One who, on account of His eternal relation as Son, dwelling in that bosom, and fully intimate with all its love, could declare, nay, express or be the living exegesis of the Father; One who could, therefore, say, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)).
How could they “entangle in his talk” such an One? Yet they essayed to do so―only to find His perfect wisdom, and to see His perfect grace.
Well, then, the questions above mentioned over, we find the Lord submitting one to them―one, I need hardly say, of infinite importance, not only as coming from Him, but as bearing on the condition of those addressed: “What think ye of Christ?” said He.
Now, of all conceivable questions―and they are legion-this stands out far the most commanding of all subjects, or topics, or themes of that day, or of this. The truth of Christ as revealed in the Book of God, is immeasurably supreme. May I therefore beg of you, dear reader, to face this question, “What think you of Christ?”
It applies to yourself. Your salvation from an eternal hell to the glory of God hinges on your truthful answer. How do you stand in relation to Christ? What place has He in your heart? Have you proved His saving grace, or felt the cleansing power of His precious blood? Has His love ever entranced your soul? Have you yet seen beauty in the despised Nazarene―the lowly Jesus―the Son of man, the Son of God? What, oh what, think ye of Christ? You must have right thoughts of Jesus. Now, many view Him only as a martyr; many only as a model, many as an exquisite figure of history; many find pleasure in reading the divine record of His lowly life, and painful death, and are moved to tears thereby.
“I oft read with pleasure, to soothe or engage,
Isaiah’s wild measure, or John’s simple page,
But oft as they pictured the blood sprinkled tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me,” is the lovely poetic description given by dear Robert M’Cheyne of the effect of such a perusal upon him, while as yet Jesus was “nothing” to him. But a nature religionized is not a soul born again. More is needed. Others, alas? in awful numbers, pay Him no regard, nor trouble themselves about Him. Their first approach to Him will be at the great white throne to find that He, the Son of Man, is the appointed Judge―their Judge, too!
But what, my reader, think ye of Christ? Yes, of Christ? Yes, of Christ Himself, the once crucified, now glorified, and coming Christ of God―what think ye of Him?
Oh! it is not a matter of this religion or that; this creed or that, this confession or that―all such things are incomparable and secondary. If Satan can succeed in engrossing your mind with such points, he has won the field. No, no, it is not religion, but Christ; not creeds nor confessions, but Christ.
Yonder “dying thief” knew nothing of these, but he owned the Lordship of the crucified Jesus, and was found that day in paradise. Demons owned His authority, and pleaded for respite from their doom. Men proved the life-giving power of His hand, and the peace-giving sweetness of His words.
Angels celebrated His birth, and worshipped Him as their Lord. The wide universe is indebted to Him for His creatorial fiat. And God has set Him forth as His beloved Son in whom He has found His pleasure, by whom He was glorified on earth, and that work finished which was given Him to do. He carries highest credentials, and wears brightest crowns. Wise men saw Him in the manger; Stephen saw Him in glory. Have you seen Him yet?
A Roman soldier pierced His side on Calvary; John beheld Him as the Lamb once slain in the midst of the throne on high.
Reader, can you? He is worthy of all the praise of heaven. May your lips be found joining in that blest and becoming tribute. J W. S.