the desire of ages-第85部分

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days　their　food　was　spent。　Jesus　would　not　send　them　away　hungry；　and　He　called　upon　His　disciples　to　give　them　food。　Again　the　disciples　revealed　their　unbelief。　At　Bethsaida　they　had　seen　how；　with　Christ's　blessing；　their　little　store　availed　for　the　feeding　of　the　multitude；　yet　they　did　not　now　bring　forward　their　all；　trusting　His　power　to　multiply　it　for　the　hungry　crowds。　Moreover；　those　whom　He　fed　at　Bethsaida　were　Jews；　these　were　Gentiles　and　heathen。　Jewish　prejudice　was　still　strong　in　the　hearts　of　the　disciples；　and　they　answered　Jesus；　〃Whence　can　a　man　satisfy　these　men　with　bread　here　in　the　wilderness？〃　But　obedient　to　His　word　they　brought　Him　what　they　had；seven　loaves　and　two　fishes。　The　multitude　were　fed；　seven　large　baskets　of　fragments　remaining。　Four　thousand　men；　besides　women　and　children；　were　thus　refreshed；　and　Jesus　sent　them　away　with　glad　and　grateful　hearts。

Then　taking　a　boat　with　His　disciples；　He　crossed　the　lake　to　Magdala；　at　the　southern　end　of　the　plain　of　Gennesaret。　In　the　border　of　Tyre　and　Sidon　His　spirit　had　been　refreshed　by　the　confiding　trust　of　the　Syrophoenician　woman。　The　heathen　people　of　Decapolis　had　received　Him　with　gladness。　Now　as　He　landed　once　more　in　Galilee；　where　His　power　had　been　most　strikingly　manifested；　where　most　of　His　works　of　mercy　had　been　performed；　and　His　teaching　given；　He　was　met　with　contemptuous　unbelief。

A　deputation　of　Pharisees　had　been　joined　by　representatives　from　the　rich　and　lordly　Sadducees；　the　party　of　the　priests；　the　skeptics　and　aristocracy　of　the　nation。　The　two　sects　had　been　at　bitter　enmity。　The　Sadducees　courted　the　favor　of　the　ruling　power　in　order　to　maintain　their　own　position　and　authority。　The　Pharisees；　on　the　other　hand；　fostered　the　popular　hatred　against　the　Romans；　longing　for　the　time　when　they　could　throw　off　the　yoke　of　the　conqueror。　But　Pharisee　and　Sadducee　now　united　against　Christ。　Like　seeks　like；　and　evil；　wherever　it　exists；　leagues　with　evil　for　the　destruction　of　the　good。

406


Now　the　Pharisees　and　Sadducees　came　to　Christ；　asking　for　a　sign　from　heaven。　When　in　the　days　of　Joshua　Israel　went　out　to　battle　with　the　Canaanites　at　Bethhoron；　the　sun　had　stood　still　at　the　leader's　command　until　victory　was　gained；　and　many　similar　wonders　had　been　manifest　in　their　history。　Some　such　sign　was　demanded　of　Jesus。　But　these　signs　were　not　what　the　Jews　needed。　No　mere　external　evidence　could　benefit　them。　What　they　needed　was　not　intellectual　enlightenment；　but　spiritual　renovation。

〃O　ye　hypocrites；〃　said　Jesus；　〃ye　can　discern　the　face　of　the　sky；〃by　studying　the　sky　they　could　foretell　the　weather；〃but　can　ye　not　discern　the　signs　of　the　times？〃　Christ's　own　words；　spoken　with　the　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　that　convicted　them　of　sin；　were　the　sign　that　God　had　given　for　their　salvation。　And　signs　direct　from　heaven　had　been　given　to　attest　the　mission　of　Christ。　The　song　of　the　angels　to　the　shepherds；　the　star　that　guided　the　wise　men；　the　dove　and　the　voice　from　heaven　at　His　baptism；　were　witnesses　for　Him。

〃And　He　sighed　deeply　in　His　spirit；　and　saith；　Why　doth　this　generation　seek　after　a　sign？〃　〃There　shall　no　sign　be　given　unto　it；　but　the　sign　of　the　prophet　Jonas。〃　As　Jonah　was　three　days　and　three　nights　in　the　belly　of　the　whale；　Christ　was　to　be　the　same　time　〃in　the　heart　of　the　earth。〃　And　as　the　preaching　of　Jonah　was　a　sign　to　the　Ninevites；　so　Christ's　preaching　was　a　sign　to　His　generation。　But　what　a　contrast　in　the　reception　of　the　word！　The　people　of　the　great　heathen　city　trembled　as　they　heard　the　warning　from　God。　Kings　and　nobles　humbled　themselves；　the　high　and　the　lowly　together　cried　to　the　God　of　heaven；　and　His　mercy　was　granted　unto　them。　〃The　men　of　Nineveh　shall　rise　in　judgment　with　this　generation；〃　Christ　had　said；　〃and　shall　condemn　it：　because　they　repented　at　the　preaching　of　Jonas；　and；　behold；　a　greater　than　Jonas　is　here。〃　Matt。　12：40；　41。

Every　miracle　that　Christ　performed　was　a　sign　of　His　divinity。　He　was　doing　the　very　work　that　had　been　foretold　of　the　Messiah；　but　to　the　Pharisees　these　works　of　mercy　were　a　positive　offense。　The　Jewish　leaders　looked　with　heartless　indifference　on　human　suffering。　In　many　cases　their　selfishness　and　oppression　had　caused　the　affliction　that　Christ　relieved。　Thus　His　miracles　were　to　them　a　reproach。

That　which　led　the　Jews　to　reject　the　Saviour's　work　was　the　highest　evidence　of　His　divine　character。　The　greatest　significance　of　His　miracles　is　seen　in　the　fact　that　they　were　for　the　blessing　of　humanity。

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The　highest　evidence　that　He　came　from　God　is　that　His　life　revealed　the　character　of　God。　He　did　the　works　and　spoke　the　words　of　God。　Such　a　life　is　the　greatest　of　all　miracles。

When　the　message　of　truth　is　presented　in　our　day；　there　are　many　who；　like　the　Jews；　cry；　Show　us　a　sign。　Work　us　a　miracle。　Christ　wrought　no　miracle　at　the　demand　of　the　Pharisees。　He　wrought　no　miracle　in　the　wilderness　in　answer　to　Satan's　insinuations。　He　does　not　impart　to　us　power　to　vindicate　ourselves　or　to　satisfy　the　demands　of　unbelief　and　pride。　But　the　gospel　is　not　without　a　sign　of　its　divine　origin。　Is　it　not　a　miracle　that　we　can　break　from　the　bondage　of　Satan？　Enmity　against　Satan　is　not　natural　to　the　human　heart；　it　is　implanted　by　the　grace　of　God。　When　one　who　has　been　controlled　by　a　stubborn；　wayward　will　is　set　free；　and　yields　himself　wholeheartedly　to　the　drawing　of　God's　heavenly　agencies；　a　miracle　is　wrought；　so　also　when　a　man　who　has　been　under　strong　delusion　comes　to　understand　moral　truth。　Every　time　a　soul　is　converted；　and　learns　to　love　God　and　keep　His　commandments；　the　promise　of　God　is　fulfilled；　〃A　new　heart　also　will　I　give　you；　and　a　new　spirit　will　I　put　within　you。〃　Ezek。　36：26。　The　change　in　human　hearts；　the　transformation　of　human　characters；　is　a　miracle　that　reveals　an　ever…living　Saviour；　working　to　rescue　souls。　A　consistent　life　in　Christ　is　a　great　miracle。　In　the　preaching　of　the　word　of　God；　the　sign　that　should　be　manifest　now　and　always　is　the　presence　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　to　make　the　word　a　regenerating　power　to　those　that　hear。　This　is　God's　witness　before　the　world　to　the　divine　mission　of　His　Son。

Those　who　desired　a　sign　from　Jesus　had　so　hardened　their　hearts　in　unbelief　that　they　did　not　discern　in　His　character　the　likeness　of　God。　They　would　not　see　that　His　mission　was　in　fulfillment　of　the　Scriptures。　In　the　parable　of　the　rich　man　and　Lazarus；　Jesus　said　to　the　Pharisees；　〃If　they　hear　not　Moses　and　the　prophets；　neither　will　they　be　persuaded；　though　one　rose　from　the　dead。〃　Luke　16：31。　No　sign　that　could　be　given　in　heaven　or　earth　would　benefit　them。

Jesus　〃sighed　deeply　in　His　spirit；〃　and；　turning　from　the　group　of　cavilers；　re…entered　the　boat　with　His　disciples。　In　sorrowful　silence　they　again　crossed　the　lake。　They　did　not；　however；　return　to　the　place　they　had　left；　but　directed　their　course　toward　Bethsaida；　near　where　the　five　thousand　had　been　fed。　Upon　reaching　the　farther　side；　Jesus　said；　〃Take　heed　and　beware　of　the　leaven　of　the　Pharisees　and　of　the

408

Sadducees。〃　The　Jews　had　been　accustomed　since　the　days　of　Moses　to　put　away　leaven　from　their　houses　at　the　Passover　season；　and　they　had　thus　been　taught　to　regard　it　as　a　type　of　sin。　Yet　the　disciples　failed　to　understand　Jesus。　In　their　sudden　departure　from　Magdala　they　had　forgotten　to　take　bread；　and　they　had　with　them　only　one　loaf。　To　this　circumstance　they　understood　Christ　to　refer；　warning　them　not　to　buy　bread　of　a　Pharisee　or　a　Sadducee。　Their　lack　of　faith　and　spiritual　insight　had　often　led　them　to　similar　misconception　of　His　words。　Now　Jesus　reproved　them　for　thinking　that　He　who　had　fed　thousands　with　a　few　fishes　and　barley　loaves　could　in　that　solemn　warning　have　referred　merely　to　temporal　food。　There　was　danger　that　the　crafty　reasoning　of　the　Pharisees　and　the　Sadducees　would　leaven　His　disciples　with　unbelief；　causing　them　to　think　lightly　of　the　works　of　Christ。

The　disciples　were　inclined　to　think　that　their　Master　should　have　granted　the　demand　for　a　sign　in　the　heavens。　They　believed　that　He　was　fully　able　to　do　this；　and　that　such　a　sign　would　put　His　enemies　to　silence。　They　did　not　discern　the　hypocrisy　of　these　cavilers。

Months　afterward；　〃when　there　were　gathered　together　an　innumerable　multitude　of　people；　insomuch　that　they　trode　one　upon　another；〃　Jesus　repeated　the　same　teaching。　〃He　began　to　say　unto　His　disciples　first　of　all；　Beware　ye　of　the　leaven　of　the　Pharisees；　which　is　hypocrisy。〃　Luke　12：1。

The　leaven　placed　in　the　meal　works　imperceptibly；　changing　the　whole　mass　to　its　own　nature。　So　if　hypocrisy　is　allowed　to　exist　in　the　heart；　it　permeates　the　character　and　the　life。　A　striking　example　of　the　hypocrisy　of　the　Pharisees；　Christ　had　already　rebuked　in　denouncing　the　practice　of　〃Corban；〃　by　which　a　neglect　of　filial　duty　was　concealed　under　a　pretense　of　liberality　to　the　temple。　The　scribes　and　Pharisees　were　insinuating　deceptive　principles。　They　concealed