The Washington herald., 1914-07-11

| fSD And they were in the way, going
up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going be
fore them: and they were amazed; and
they that followed were afraid. And ht
took again the twelve, and began to tel
them the things that were to happen unto
| Him.
CS0 Saying, Behold, We go UP to Jeru-
salem: and the Son OF man shall be deliv.
cred unto the chief priests and the
/ scribes; and they shall condemn Him to
death, and shall deliver Him unto the
Gentiles.
CsD And they shall mock him. and
shall spit upon Him. and shall scourge
Him, and shall kill Him; and after three
days He shall rise again.
C39 And there come near unto Him
James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
saying unto Him. Master. We would that
Thou shouldst do for US whatsoever we
shall ask of Thee.
CS6) And He said unto them. What
would ye that I should do for you?
CD And they said unto Him, Grant
unto us that We may sit, one on Thy
right hand, and one on Thy left hand. In
Thy glory.
C3S But Jesus said unto them. Ye know
not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink
the cup that drink? or to be baptized
with the baptism that 1 am baptized
with?
CSs) And they said unto Him. We are
able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup
that 1 drink We shall drink; and with the
baptism that I am baptized withal shall
ye be baptized.
90 But to sit on my right hand or on
my left hand is not mine to give: but 1t
is for them for whom it hath been pre-
pared.
C4D And when the ten heard it. they
began to be moved with indignation con-
cerning James and John.
I42) And Jesus called them to Him, and
saith unto them. Ye know that they
which are accounted TO rule over the
Gentiles lord IL over them; and their
great ones exercise authority over them
C40 But il is not so among you: but
whosoever would become great among
you. shall be your minister.
go And whosoever would be first
among you, shall be servant of all.
80 For verify the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto. but to minister,
and TO give His life a ransom for many.
The Narrative.
The first paragraph OF our lesson today
describes the circumstances under which
the special teaching concerning greatness
lnTOuBn service was given. II is Iull OF
solemnity. and should be most carefully
considered. 1t presents us a picture of
the Lord with His disciples, travelling 90
ward Jerusalem. He. however, is seen
before them. that is, going ahead of
them, and alone. They, at a distance.
were still following, hut in amazement
and in fear. 1t is a graphic portrayal OF
the mental mood of these solemn days.
The face of Jesus was steadfastIy set to-
ward Jerusalem, and He was resolutely
moving forward toward the final things
in His earthly mission. These men. low
ing Him, were desirous Of being loyal to
Him: and yet were strangely perplexed
by the things He was doing and saying.
They were amazed.
Again He seems to have halted, and
called the twelve to Him. and then de-
liberately He told them again, in most
clear language. what the program ahead
must be. He spoke Of His condemnation,
His deliverance TO the Gentiles. His per-
secution, His death. ending all with the
clear declaration OF His resurrection.
1t was at this time that James and John
preferred their request. Matthew tells US
that they did so through their mother.
In considering this, il is important to
notice first of all the inspiration Of that
request. for to do so is to save us from
much misapprehension. He. as we have
seen, had spoken with absolute clearness
as to the pathway Of suffering and death
that He was about to tread. They I'm
asked that they might occupy
certain positions in His glory. This in
Itself IS a revelation of their faith in Him.
and OF their conviction that He must
come into the place of authority It may
be that they were ignoring what He said
about suffering. 1t may be that they were
kaE
this were so, He must somehow be tri- |
umphant. The central fact, however,
cannot be lost sight of. that they believed |
that He must come to the hour of His |
glory.
What they sought was association with |
Him in that hour in power and authority |
II is possible that there was a mixture !
in their request Of selfshness but IL is |
necessary to point out that IL so, our
Lord ignored II. for nothing He said to |
those two men rebuked such an attitude |
There can be no doubt that they had no |
true apprehension Of all that was in
Volyed of the pathway Of suffering. and !
his the Lord clearly declared as He said /
'Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able
10 drink the cup that 1 drink? or to be
baptized with the baptism that 1 am
baptized with" This again does not
alter the fact OF the heroism of their
answer as they said. I'VE are able" 1t
vas language revealing the very attitude
II mind that made II possible for Christ
o receive men into fellowship with Him |
'elf in service. They did not know what
hey asked, but they were prepared to
live themselves up to anything, in order
o this association with Himself in au-
hority and power. There was not a
ouch of rebuke in His reply. He declared
hat they Shnnld do that w
hey were able to do. He knew perfect
y well that they were unable in their
'wn strength, but He also knew that
where there was such abandonment to
Himself He was able to enable them to
10 and to bear the otherwise impossible
hings. The only correction was that of
heir request for certain particular
places. These He declared It was not
His TO give except to those for whom II
vas prepared. Thus the particular Do
ition that they would occupy was left
n open question.
1t is. evident that the ten understood
he request as being one for personal ag-
and they were moved with
concerning James and John.
III that followed was an answer to the
of the ten, and not to the re-
uest OF the two. The two were Included
n the general teaching. In this reply
he Lord first Of all described the Gem
lie method in a declaration of singular
90.
Even until this time il applies to the
Methods OF the world as to greatness.
he people are under the rule Of those
rho lord IL over them. These In their
urn are under the authority OF others;
o that the gradations Of greatness move
pward. according to positions Of au- !