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النشر الإلكتروني

LIII

JESUS AT JERICHO

Luke 19:10. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

(Mat. 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-19: 18.)

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HERE is room for differences of opinion as to the chronological order of events in all this section of our Lord's public ministry, and we do not attempt to defend our assumption that this was the last journey to Jerusalem. We may, however, say in passing that it seems impossible to accept the order suggested by many harmonists who make this visit to Jericho precede the feast of dedication and the raising of Lazarus; for to do so would leave us without any record of what Christ did for the four months immediately preceding the last passover. Notwithstanding the objections that may be offered, it seems much more consistent with all the known facts to regard all the events of this journey as taking place after the feast of dedication, and after the raising of Lazarus.

Jesus, with his disciples and the company of worshippers, on their way to the feast of the passover, crossed the Jordan for the last time and came to Jericho, the Eden of Palestine. This "City of Palms" was only about six hours from Jerusalem, and in our Lord's day was, not only one of the most beautiful, but one of the most important cities in Palestine. If an ordinary historian had been describing this event, he would have had a great deal

to say about the beauty and importance of this historic city, but the evangelists only tell what Jesus Christ did as he entered and passed through it. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell of a miracle of healing, and their accounts differ in such a way as to suggest that they might be describing different events. Matthew and Mark speak of our Lord's performing the miracle as they were going out of Jericho, and Luke speaks of it as occurring when they were coming into Jericho. Mark and Luke only speak of the healing of one blind man, and Matthew tells us that two blind men were healed. Different writers make different explanations, and it is certainly possible to so explain these different records as to satisfy any theory of inspiration and find no irreconcilable conflict in the narratives. If the different writers had been in collusion, no such question could have arisen, and our inability to say just how they are to be harmonized is conclusive evidence that the narratives are mutually independent.

The company with Jesus had become a great multitude, and their passing arrested the attention of blind beggars who sat by the wayside, and they inquired what it meant. When they were told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, they began to cry out, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." The multitude sought to silence them, but they only cried the louder until Jesus stood still and called them to him, and said, "What will ye that I should do unto you?" When they made their plea that their eyes might be opened, Jesus was moved with compassion and healed them. Mark and Luke only speak of one, and Mark tells us that his name was Bartimeus.

It is evident that this miracle is not reported in order to show that Christ had power to perform such a miracle, for he had opened other blind eyes and had raised the dead. This miracle was not needed to add to his repu

tation, for the persistent cry of these blind men when they heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing shows that he was already known to them as one who could open the eyes of the blind. This miracle, like many others, is an acted parable, and if we would learn the lessons it is designed to teach, we must notice the incidents emphasized by the inspired evangelists. The time, the place and the number of persons healed seem unimportant; but the noise of the great multitude, the persistent cry of the blind men, the unwillingness of the multitude, the willingness and compassion of Jesus are emphasized. It was the noise of a great multitude of professors of religion going with Jesus to Jerusalem that attracted the attention of the blind men, and some of the multitude told the blind men what it all meant, as they said, "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." But for the noise of the multitude and the explanation given by the multitude, these blind men would not have known that Jesus was near enough for them to call on him with any hope of being heard. But this same multitude rebuked the blind men and sought to silence their cries for help, while the blind men persisted and cried the louder. Then Jesus stood still, called the blind men, had compassion, commended their faith, and healed them.

Is not the lesson evident? In this age organized Christianity, or the Christian church, with her ordinances of religion, like the multitude at Jericho, is arresting the attention of a blind, sinning, suffering, lost world. The Christian church, in the proclamation of the Gospel, is telling blind, suffering, lost men that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. Does the church stop here, or does she continue to imitate this multitude at Jericho by seeking to silence the cry of those who feel their need of Jesus Christ as a personal Saviour? Is the Christian church satisfied

when she has proclaimed Christ to the world, or is she seeking also to bring the world to Christ? Many critics of Christian churches complain that organized Christianity is putting obstacles in the way of those who would come to the Saviour. Is this criticism just? Are professing Christians so cold, compassionless, formal, conservative and proud as to silence the cry of any poor, spiritually blind, suffering Bartimeus? Or do we sing with equal emphasis,

"Christ for the world we sing;

The world to Christ we bring"?

Is our compassion manward equal to our profession of religion Godward? As we follow Christ do we help men to come to Christ?

Luke records another event that occurred while Jesus was in Jericho that seems to suggest somewhat similar dangers and duties of the Christian church. There was in Jericho a rich, chief publican, named Zacchæus, who greatly desired to see Jesus as he was passing through the city. Zacchæus was moved by some nobler sentiment than mere morbid curiosity. His business was frowned upon by the representatives of religion, and he did not presume to press through the crowd and come boldly to Jesus. Being small of stature, he could not even catch a glimpse of him by standing at the wayside, but he was a resourceful man; he could overcome obstacles, and he did what a more dignified rich man would have considered ridiculous. He ascertained the point that Jesus would probably pass, and, running ahead of the crowd, he climbed into a sycamore tree by the wayside. He was willing to do all this in order to catch a glimpse of the man who could open the eyes of the blind, and who

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claimed to be the promised Messiah. When Jesus came to the place he looked up, and calling Zacchæus by his name, said, "Make haste and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house.' Zacchæus' surprise was lost sight of in the great joy that filled his heart. His sense of need had kindled a thirst that he had hoped to satisfy by a glimpse of Jesus as he was passing; but, now, he is granted the privilege of entertaining him as his guest. He came down with haste and joyfully welcomed Jesus to his home.

When the multitude saw it, they murmured, saying, "He is gone to lodge with a man that is a sinner." These murmurs and complaints against Christ's act were so general that Zacchæus was constrained to defend himself and to plead his own cause. He did not deny that he, a Jew, was in the service of the Roman government, collecting from his own nation a tax that they were very unwilling to pay; nor did he claim that he had always been just; but he does declare his present purpose as he says, "Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully taken aught of any man, I restore fourfold." He had found the Christ, and he valued his approval above all else. He would restore four-fold where he has wronged any one, and half his goods would be devoted to helping those whose only claim upon him was their need. Our Lord approved his act, and said, "To-day is salvation come to this house, for as much as he also is a son of Abraham." Then, speaking to the multitude, Jesus defended his own course by saying, "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost."

In the light of these words, we see that, while Zacchæus was seeking Jesus, Jesus was also seeking Zacchæus. It was no more accident on Christ's part than on Zacchæus' part that they met in this strange way. While

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