The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-09-29

chronology locating Jesus first visit to
Nazareth in the spring rather than in the
autumn; and it does not moreover accord
with the suggestion naturally received from
the record, which is that Jesus exercised
his own discretion when he f0und tie
place.
If the selection was previously set for
the day, it was only remarkable coinci
dence that it should fall upon this day,
when it could be turned to such sublime
use.
If it was selected by the master, it is
no less noteworthy as indicating alike his
familiarity with the old scriptures, and his
conception of the office to which he had
been by the spirit called.
This is the passage which he read from
the scroll, as reported by Luke:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he hath anointed me to preach good It'd
ings to the poor
He hath sent me to proclaim release to the cap
tives,
And recovering of sight to the blind,
TO set at liberty them that are bruised,
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
In Isaiah the passage was continued
with the saying, "And the day of vengeance
of our God" Why did Jesus omit these
words? Wepress the question upon those
who in these days are affirming that the
doctrine of endless punishment rests now
entirely on the teaching of Jesus? If he
had come to make known the endless doom
of the sinful bulk of the human race, could
he have neglected such an opportunity to
declare the fact of the ever-present hor-
ror?
1t is true that the words of Isaiah, an
nouncing in his own generation day of
vengeance of the Lord, are to be inter-
preted as poetical announcement of the
natural harvest of retribution which was
then falling upon the enemies of Israel.
He surely could not mean that God could
be revengeful in such sense as evil men are
revengefnl. God could not be cruel, re-
lentless, thoughtless. The vengeance of
God, as Isaiah understood it, was, we
think, the merciful vengeance of love.
Nevertheless that Jesus avoided the
prophets poetic phrase; that he even took
somc freedom with the old scroll in order
to do this-abruptly shortening his text in
order to discard the harsh phrase which
might have carried an unflial suggestion,
lis strong negative proof that Jesus did
not exalt threats of anger above the over
lures of mercy, nor regard himself as sre-
cially commissioned to announce the hope
less doom of the bulk of the human race.
When Jesus had so read his text, and
amended it to an overture of good will, he
closed the 600k, Tor rolled together the
scrolD and gaze it back to the attendant
and sat do70n, and the eyes of all in the
synagogue 7ve,e fastened ub0n him.
2. The Outline of his Sermon
VS.. 1920
The words, and he began to say unto
| them, Today hath this scripture been fuk
| fllea in yOur ears, imply his continuance
in showing to his auditors how, or in what
respects, the prophets vision of the Year
of Jubilee would be brought to realization
by the acceptance of the Gospel which he
| preached.
To the 'poor" he spoke as one who had
shared their hardships. To the "captives"
he gave assurance of release. To the
"blind" and some sighless orbs he may
have seen in the audience before him,-he
SPOKE of the sure recovery of sight. To
the "bruised" the victims of human in
justice, such as may be found in every
community and must have had representa-
tives among his old acquaintances,-he
presented the prospect of emancipation
These are topics found in the face of his
chosen text.
Here was a new dispensation of religion.
The Mosaic Year of Jubilee was set apart
as year of well-doing and good will
among men. 1t was for this reason es-
teemed as an ACCEPTABLE year Of the L0ra
So the long year of centuries now to be
filled with the compassion inspired by the
Gospel, to be ameliorated by the burden.
sharing the Golden Rule requires, to be
enlightened with hope and mercy encir-
cling all, would make the period now en-
tered upon even more an ACCEPTABLE year,
0fHs Lord.
Many Christian speaker on such topics
could entrance all listening hearts. Is it
strange that after the Master had spoken,
all 6ear him z0itness, and aO0naeyed attic
qVoyds of grace 7VhicA had Proceeded out Of
his mouth. and they said, Is not this TO-
Sepl's son? So far, manifestly, there was
only rapturous approval of their fellow
townsman.
1t was, as we are told by the scholars,
the custom for the preacher in the syna-
gogues, at the close of the sermons, to hear
such questions as the auditors might be
prompted to ask. The sermon of Jesus,
we assume, was followed by succession
of questions. Jesus presently interpreted
the spirit of his townsmen as wishing of
him two things, first, to act on the prov
erb, Physician heal MyseLf,-that is, rise
above being Josephs son, and become rich
and splendid, after the pattern of David
second, to bring some benefit to his towns
men. Whatsoever ne haze heard done at
CapeynanDz, do also here in thine cam
country This was what they had been
expecting of their Messiah, THAI he would
make the Jewisi poor rich, at once release
Il. =. L