The National tribune., 1891-08-20
cOsE sEO0REssEO saeED EOpE Io MsuRg paoNaI aEpLH

or to St. John the BAPTIST. Some thought this
verse realized in Christ (Vs. 40, H. diff
Guilty in certain minds about allowing to Jesus
such distinction was the fact he had lived
most Of his life in Calilee. Others objected,
Christ was 10 be born in Bethlehem, not know
ing our Savior met that requirement. Mic,
;: 2; Matt, 2 {: Is; Lu, 2: A. A gOOdly num-
Der, however, saw in Christ IA impostor, and
would have been glad TO arrest him, but some
approximations prevented. Compare VS.. 81. 49,
Perhaps they feared the people, with whom
Christ was popular, or possibly Providence
checked them, st. John, s .2O,i or they were
awed by his presence. John, 1850
The officers referred TO in V. - were Jewish
temple constables or police. (lS:3; Acts 4:l.)
That is a memorable reply they made: Never
man spake like this man." This is a forced
admission-an admission Of enemies-an adj
mission Of men who had spent some time
watching Christ on purpose to secure grounds
for his arrest. The PhaTi5ee5 sarcastlcally inJi-
mate that. the reply Of the officers being so
favorable to Christ possibly these very officers
have become infatuated by the deceiver. ".
A. man. say they, who thinks anything OF
himself who knows any thing, who is sufficiently
qualified 20 be o ruler among the Jews, would
not follow nor be led by such pe5tileutiai fell
low. ContemptuOusly they imply one who is in
fueneed BY Christ must be unCOmmOnly simple.
Such iguOramnses are fit subjects for public
contempt, are Q curse to society, and are cursed
of community. What q tremendous thrust at
his associates was that question raised by
Nicodemu5l lV. 51) They had just been ridi-
cuing the ignorance Of the law on the part of
certain men. Nv. 49) Now one Of their own
number proves the whole Sanhcdrim acting rs
though ignorant Of o fundamental principle Of
law
His associates in contemplate manner
intimate Nicodemus must DO in some way con-
nected with Gaiilce. They were in error as to
no Prophet coming from Galilee, since it is
thought Elijah Il XII, Il ID, Jonah y XII,
Hes, Hosea Nahum ll:I, and Malachi
probably were from that region. So were
Baras, the deliyerer; Elon, the judge; Anna,
the Prophecies.
How did Christ speak differently from other
menu (V 49, 1. Automatically. (AIt. z;
29.) 2. IIlustratively plainly, imaginativcly,
by parallels. 3. Correctly. He is truth, and
hence interchangeable. He never was obliged to
revise his statements. 4. Permanently. MT.
81: So >. Feeiingly, lovingly, sympathetic
ally. 8. Credentially, by miracles. 2. Boldly
personally, meaningly. s. Adaptedly. q Doc
triually. 10 Popularity. IL. Originally, utter
ing new wonderful things. -. Precisely. h.
Conerctely. II. Experimentally. 10. GOodly,
of good things glad tidings. is. Magnifcently,
royalty, nobly, oratoricaily. II. PeneGratlYely,
making cOnsciences vince.
Says Farrar, referring to the report of the
temple police:
As they lowered In the temple courts or stood
halfsheltered behind the temple pillars, not uuob-
served II may be, by Him for whom they were
living in wait, they could not fail to hear some of
the divine words which flowed out Of his mouth;
and hearing them, they could not fulfill their mis-
sion A sucred spell was upon them which they
were unable to resist; force infinitely more pow
erful than their own unnerved their strength and
paralyzed their will. TOli5ten To him was not only
20 be disarmed, but was even To- be half converted
from bitter enemies to awe-struc< disciples.
1t Is principle Of Oratory that the speaker
must have character. Eloquence is turgid if
the life Of the prOclaimer be turgid. a foul
man can DO only u Singer Of words.
DIR. Parker, Of London, writes in Eccs Deus:
We may claim for Christs sayings an originality
any speaker. The heather philosophers gave di-
rections Christ gave life. Aristotle expounded
diametrical conjunction; Christ said: 'Asye would
that men should 90 TO you do ye even so to them"
Cicero wrote excellent advice on friendship Christ
said: Love thy neighbOr as myself" Plato wrote
wise prescriptions for particular diseases; Christ
infused his own life into men. The Pythagorcans
wrote for favOrte circles Christ sent his Gospel TO
all nations. Christ taught with the authoritative
tone and earnestness Of the Son Of God
No man ever spake like Christ because no
nan ever lived like Christ ElOqnence is al
WAYS measured by our confidence in the orator.
And no man ever spake like Jesus because no
other was ever SO much more than = man.