The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-01-14

Time and Place.-This lesson follows the
last without break. The time was A. ID.
~ Jesus thirtieth year, and the place, one
OF the fords of the lower Jordan.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Then cometh Jesus to be
baptized" Jesus did not come as the
Pharisees had done, in a critical spirit,
but in full sympathy with Johns move
ment and with the definite purpose of
Identifying Himself with 1t. Suffer it
now" "Deferential, half-yielding, yet
strong in its very gentleness. Bruce.
For thus II becometh us to fulfill all
righteousness" To John 1t seemed in
appropriate that he should baptize this
pure and kingly Soul that had just come
to him. Jesus did not discuss proprie-
ties with John, but said that 1t was
right and His duty to be baptized. 1t did
not imply confession of sin on Jesus
part; 1t meant Identifying Himself with
Johns movement, which He believed to
be of God. Compare Luke 7:24-3O. It
was, too, a dedication of Himself to the
great work that was calling Him.
'The heavens were opened unto Him" {"
Mark says Ne saw the heavens" etc.
1t is not said that this was seen except
by Christ 1t was vision, coming to
Him at the crisis of His life. The bap-
tism was not purely physical. To him
1t was a baptism with the Spirit of Cod
and with power to do the great work
that was opening before him. "He saw
the Spirit of God descending as a dove" "
Not dove. but as a dove. The symbol
OF all that Is gentle and pure and good.
"A voice." This was Jesus heavenly
recognition, an assurance that God was
with Him. II was for Himself and His
strengthening, not for the people. Luke
adds that the vision came while Jesus
was praying.
We must remember when the tempta-
tion came. 1t was just after Jesus pub
lie conservation to His great work. The
voice OF God was still ringing in His
ears-"Thou art My beloved Son" He
was conscious, as never before of Him
self, of His power, not necessarily at
this time miraculous power, and of His
great mission. Consciousness of power
quickens the Imagination, and two pos
sibilities rush into the mind-the right
use OF that power and a less high and
more POPULAR wrong use of IL.
The first temptation came to Jesus
in connection with the human side of
His nature. He was hungry Hunger
represented human wants, and the ques-
tion was, whether Sonship was to mean
exemption from these, or loyal accept
ance of them as part of Messiahs ex-
perience. At bottom, the issue raised
was selfishness or self-sacrifice. =
Bruce. He was working out the prob
lem of what His life must be. He was
the Son Of God, and was it necessary for
Him to suffer even the pangs of hun
ger like the very poor? Must He be
the brother of all men to that extent ?
life Of physical comfort was within
His reach. He had only to put out His
hand and take 1t, but in taking it He
would have been laying down the cross
that He knew it was His mission 10 bear
through life. The attractions were
great, the struggle real but He did not
for an instant swerye from His purpose.
There were greater things to be con-
sidered in life than physical comfort,
than bread. Man shall not live by
bread alone"
The second temptation can be better
understood IL we remember that there
was a belief among the Jews recorded
in the Talmud (Yalkut on Is. COL,
quoted by Edersheim), to the effect that
the deliverer, the Messiah, was to ap-
pear on the roof of the temple in a blaze
of glory and proclaim Himself. The
question seems to have entered His
mind as to whether He could not yield
little to popular notions of the Mes
siah. and be the Messiah described in
the favorite prophecies. without being
untrue to His mission. Could He no,
appear In spectacular way, and win
instant acceptance? Must He be un-
popular to be the Christ? Must He
start in on the path that led straight to
a cross?
The third temptation was to gain
earthly power, a worldwide empire BY
compromise with evil. Jesus was a
man, and had ambitions. Great good
might come from such an empire with
such sovereign. The end might justi-
fly the means-but no, the Saviour indig-
nantly puts the thought away. He will
not favor the Pharisees. nor cultivate"
the rich young ruler, nor wink at things
that are wrong in the lives of common
people, because to attack those things
would be unpleasant and unpopular.
He can bow only to conscience and to