The Spirit of Christ.—Luke 9:51-62; 10:1-16

Notes

1. The lesson given to us by the Saviour, through the rebuke to James and John, is very simple, yet how slow we are to learn it. If it had always been heeded by those who professed to be the followers of Christ, there would never have been any Inquisition; no martyrs would ever have been burned at the stake, in the name of Christianity. People sometimes think that the evil of religious persecution lies in the fact that men who are in error persecute those who hold the truth. This is true only because those who hold the truth never persecute. In the case before us Christ was openly rejected. Surely if ever punishment should be administered on religious grounds, it was then; but Christ would not suffer it. It is as impossible for a true follower of Christ to persecute others in any way whatever for religious opinions as it would be for Christ to do so; and He said: "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John 12:46, 47.

2. "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Persecution, therefore, is not from the Spirit of Christ. The spirit that would inflict punishment on men because they do not believe as we do, or even because they openly reject Christ, is the spirit of antichrist. Christ's whole work is to save men, and not to destroy them. James and John did not know what spirit they were of; they were deceived. They thought it was zeal for Christ that prompted them to wish to call down fire upon the Samaritans; but it was a false, selfish zeal. It was personal pique, rather than zeal for the Master; for love to Christ shows itself in Christlike ways. In every persecution on account of religion it will be found that pride and selfish bigotry are at the bottom of it. The persecutors feel personally affronted because others do not agree with them. They feel as if they were being defied, and they call their hateful spirit zeal for the cause of God.

3. "And they went to another village." Christ has not only given us precept, but He has left us an example of how we should deal with those who sin against light. When He was rejected, He went to another place. How much trouble and dishonor to the cause of Christ would have been avoided if His professed followers had learned to let people alone when they chose their own way instead of Christ's! Take His words to them faithfully, "ye that are spiritual." Again and again, with the meekness and patience of Christ, hold before the erring ones the words of the Lord.

4. "Let the dead bury their dead." As we ordinarily read this, we form a mental picture of the man's father lying dead at home, with no one to give him a decent burial, and so Christ's words seem almost unfeeling. Now any view which causes one to think thus of Christ is to be suspected. Consider the case. In the East burial follows almost immediately after death. There is no long delay. If the man's father had been dead at that time, he would have been attending to his father's burial, instead of being there. When, in response to Christ's call, "Follow Me," the man said, "Suffer me first to go and bury my father," he was really asking for permission to wait an indefinite time before taking hold of the Lord's work. It amounted to asking to be excused until after his father should die, and he could have an opportunity to settle up his affairs. It was the same with him as with those who began to make excuse. Luke 14:18. How many whom Christ is calling now are saying the same thing? Their temporal affairs must all be attended to before they can enter the Lord's service. To such He says, "Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preach the gospel."

5. "Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves." That is the true position of Christ's followers in the world. It is the nature of wolves to bite; therefore, the lambs must expect to be at least snapped at. They will certainly be annoyed by the wolves; they may be bitten, and they may possibly be killed. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3:12. What are the lambs to do under the circumstances?—Commit themselves to the keeping of the Good Shepherd, who gives His life for the sheep. "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." 1 Peter 2:25. "Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." 1 Peter 4:19. Nobody ever heard of lambs attacking wolves, nor even resisting them. The lamb always flees for safety. There is such a thing as wolves in sheep's clothing; and, if anyone thinks that he has seen Christ's lambs biting and devouring, let him know that they were disguised wolves. The figure means simply this, that Christ's followers are to leave all force and opposition to the world. They can no more use any manner of force against those who resist the truth, than lambs can devour wolves.