the desire of ages-第69章

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re　not　also　a　blessing　for　her？　She　was　looked　upon　as　a　dog；　and　had　she　not　then　a　dog's　claim　to　a　crumb　from　His　bounty？

Jesus　had　just　departed　from　His　field　of　labor　because　the　scribes　and　Pharisees　were　seeking　to　take　His　life。　They　murmured　and　complained。　They　manifested　unbelief　and　bitterness；　and　refused　the　salvation　so　freely　offered　them。　Here　Christ　meets　one　of　an　unfortunate　and　despised　race；　that　has　not　been　favored　with　the　light　of　God's　word；　yet　she　yields　at　once　to　the　divine　influence　of　Christ；　and　has　implicit　faith　in　His　ability　to　grant　the　favor　she　asks。　She　begs　for　the　crumbs　that　fall　from　the　Master's　table。　If　she　may　have　the　privilege　of　a　dog；　she　is　willing　to　be　regarded　as　a　dog。　She　has　no　national　or　religious　prejudice　or　pride　to　influence　her　course；　and　she　immediately　acknowledges　Jesus　as　the　Redeemer；　and　as　being　able　to　do　all　that　she　asks　of　Him。

The　Saviour　is　satisfied。　He　has　tested　her　faith　in　Him。　By　His　dealings　with　her；　He　has　shown　that　she　who　has　been　regarded　as　an　outcast　from　Israel　is　no　longer　an　alien；　but　a　child　in　God's　household。　As　a　child　it　is　her　privilege　to　share　in　the　Father's　gifts。　Christ　now　grants　her　request；　and　finishes　the　lesson　to　the　disciples。　Turning　to　her　with　a　look　of　pity　and　love；　He　says；　〃O　woman；　great　is　thy　faith：

402

be　it　unto　thee　even　as　thou　wilt。〃　From　that　hour　her　daughter　became　whole。　The　demon　troubled　her　no　more。　The　woman　departed；　acknowledging　her　Saviour；　and　happy　in　the　granting　of　her　prayer。

This　was　the　only　miracle　that　Jesus　wrought　while　on　this　journey。　It　was　for　the　performance　of　this　act　that　He　went　to　the　borders　of　Tyre　and　Sidon。　He　wished　to　relieve　the　afflicted　woman；　and　at　the　same　time　to　leave　an　example　in　His　work　of　mercy　toward　one　of　a　despised　people　for　the　benefit　of　His　disciples　when　He　should　no　longer　be　with　them。　He　wished　to　lead　them　from　their　Jewish　exclusiveness　to　be　interested　in　working　for　others　besides　their　own　people。

Jesus　longed　to　unfold　the　deep　mysteries　of　the　truth　which　had　been　hid　for　ages；　that　the　Gentiles　should　be　fellow　heirs　with　the　Jews；　and　〃partakers　of　His　promise　in　Christ　by　the　gospel。〃　Eph。　3：6。　This　truth　the　disciples　were　slow　to　learn；　and　the　divine　Teacher　gave　them　lesson　upon　lesson。　In　rewarding　the　faith　of　the　centurion　at　Capernaum；　and　preaching　the　gospel　to　the　inhabitants　of　Sychar；　He　had　already　given　evidence　that　He　did　not　share　the　intolerance　of　the　Jews。　But　the　Samaritans　had　some　knowledge　of　God；　and　the　centurion　had　shown　kindness　to　Israel。　Now　Jesus　brought　the　disciples　in　contact　with　a　heathen；　whom　they　regarded　as　having　no　reason　above　any　of　her　people；　to　expect　favor　from　Him。　He　would　give　an　example　of　how　such　a　one　should　be　treated。　The　disciples　had　thought　that　He　dispensed　too　freely　the　gifts　of　His　grace。　He　would　show　that　His　love　was　not　to　be　circumscribed　to　race　or　nation。

When　He　said；　〃I　am　not　sent　but　unto　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house　of　Israel；〃　He　stated　the　truth；　and　in　His　work　for　the　Canaanite　woman　He　was　fulfilling　His　commission。　This　woman　was　one　of　the　lost　sheep　that　Israel　should　have　rescued。　It　was　their　appointed　work；　the　work　which　they　had　neglected；　that　Christ　was　doing。

This　act　opened　the　minds　of　the　disciples　more　fully　to　the　labor　that　lay　before　them　among　the　Gentiles。　They　saw　a　wide　field　of　usefulness　outside　of　Judea。　They　saw　souls　bearing　sorrows　unknown　to　those　more　highly　favored。　Among　those　whom　they　had　been　taught　to　despise　were　souls　longing　for　help　from　the　mighty　Healer；　hungering　for　the　light　of　truth；　which　had　been　so　abundantly　given　to　the　Jews。

Afterward；　when　the　Jews　turned　still　more　persistently　from　the　disciples；　because　they　declared　Jesus　to　be　the　Saviour　of　the　world；

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and　when　the　partition　wall　between　Jew　and　Gentile　was　broken　down　by　the　death　of　Christ；　this　lesson；　and　similar　ones　which　pointed　to　the　gospel　work　unrestricted　by　custom　or　nationality；　had　a　powerful　influence　upon　the　representatives　of　Christ；　in　directing　their　labors。

The　Saviour's　visit　to　Phoenicia　and　the　miracle　there　performed　had　a　yet　wider　purpose。　Not　alone　for　the　afflicted　woman；　nor　even　for　His　disciples　and　those　who　received　their　labors；　was　the　work　accomplished；　but　also　〃that　ye　might　believe　that　Jesus　is　the　Christ；　the　Son　of　God；　and　that　believing　ye　might　have　life　through　His　name。〃　John　20：31。　The　same　agencies　that　barred　men　away　from　Christ　eighteen　hundred　years　ago　are　at　work　today。　The　spirit　which　built　up　the　partition　wall　between　Jew　and　Gentile　is　still　active。　Pride　and　prejudice　have　built　strong　walls　of　separation　between　different　classes　of　men。　Christ　and　His　mission　have　been　misrepresented；　and　multitudes　feel　that　they　are　virtually　shut　away　from　the　ministry　of　the　gospel。　But　let　them　not　feel　that　they　are　shut　away　from　Christ。　There　are　no　barriers　which　man　or　Satan　can　erect　but　that　faith　can　penetrate。

In　faith　the　woman　of　Phoenicia　flung　herself　against　the　barriers　that　had　been　piled　up　between　Jew　and　Gentile。　Against　discouragement；　regardless　of　appearances　that　might　have　led　her　to　doubt；　she　trusted　the　Saviour's　love。　It　is　thus　that　Christ　desires　us　to　trust　in　Him。　The　blessings　of　salvation　are　for　every　soul。　Nothing　but　his　own　choice　can　prevent　any　man　from　becoming　a　partaker　of　the　promise　in　Christ　by　the　gospel。

Caste　is　hateful　to　God。　He　ignores　everything　of　this　character。　In　His　sight　the　souls　of　all　men　are　of　equal　value。　He　〃hath　made　of　one　blood　all　nations　of　men　for　to　dwell　on　all　the　face　of　the　earth；　and　hath　determined　the　times　before　appointed；　and　the　bounds　of　their　habitation；　that　they　should　seek　the　Lord；　if　haply　they　might　feel　after　Him；　and　find　Him；　though　He　be　not　far　from　every　one　of　us。〃　Without　distinction　of　age；　or　rank；　or　nationality；　or　religious　privilege；　all　are　invited　to　come　unto　Him　and　live。　〃Whosoever　believeth　on　Him　shall　not　be　ashamed。　For　there　is　no　difference。〃　〃There　is　neither　Jew　nor　Greek；　there　is　neither　bond　nor　free。〃　〃The　rich　and　poor　meet　together：　the　Lord　is　the　Maker　of　them　all。〃　〃The　same　Lord　over　all　is　rich　unto　all　that　call　upon　Him。　For　whosoever　shall　call　upon　the　name　of　the　Lord　shall　be　saved。〃　Acts　17：26；　27；　Gal。　3：28；　Prov。　22：2；　Rom。　10：11…13。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　44

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　True　Sign


〃Again　He　went　out　from　the　borders　of　Tyre；　and　came　through　Sidon　unto　the　Sea　of　Galilee；　through　the　midst　of　the　borders　of　Decapolis。〃　Mark　7：31；　R。　V。

It　was　in　the　region　of　Decapolis　that　the　demoniacs　of　Gergesa　had　been　healed。　Here　the　people；　alarmed　at　the　destruction　of　the　swine；　had　constrained　Jesus　to　depart　from　among　them。　But　they　had　listened　to　the　messengers　He　left　behind；　and　a　desire　was　aroused　to　see　Him。　As　He　came　again　into　that　region；　a　crowd　gathered　about　Him；　and　a　deaf；　stammering　man　was　brought　to　Him。　Jesus　did　not；　according　to　His　custom；　restore　the　man　by　a　word　only。　Taking　him　apart　from　the　multitude；　He　put　His　fingers　in　his　ears；　and　touched　his　tongue；　looking　up　to　heaven；　He　sighed　at　thought　of　the　ears　that　would　not　be　open　to　the　truth；　the　tongues　that　refused　to　acknowledge　the　Redeemer。　At　the　word；　〃Be　opened；〃　the　man's　speech　was　restored；　and；　disregarding　the　command　to　tell　no　man；　he　published　abroad　the　story　of　his　cure。

Jesus　went　up　into　a　mountain；　and　there　the　multitude　flocked　to　Him；　bringing　their　sick　and　lame；　and　laying　them　at　His　feet。　He　healed　them　all；　and　the　people；　heathen　as　they　were；　glorified　the　God　of　Israel。　For　three　days　they　continued　to　throng　about　the　Saviour；　sleeping　at　night　in　the　open　air；　and　through　the　day　pressing　eagerly　to　hear　the　words　of　Christ；　and　to　see　His　works。　At　the　end　of　three

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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　a