CHRIST'S DIVINE AUTHORITY

JOHN 5: 17-27

"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now," etc.

A careful scholar says, "This five minutes' talk with the Jews contains, probably, the most important truth ever uttered upon earth." It is that of Jesus' divine authority. Upon that fundamental fact the whole Christian system rests. The words and the works of the Man of Nazareth are the words and works of the Eternal God. Any less substructure will not support the universal gospel of forgiveness and salvation. Built upon the message and deeds and example of a merely God-like man, the whole edifice of Christian faith totters the more, the higher it is raised. Every person his own savior, becomes the final conclusion of such a theory. The needlessness of the Incarnation is its certain inference.

The world is not longing for one who suggests the divine, but it "thirsteth for God, for the living God." It will be satisfied with nothing less, nor long worship any other. If its keen searching and scrutiny succeeds in divesting the Christ of the attributes of divinity, all his noble life will fade out, so far as being a law unto strong-willed men, and his influence will be only a beautiful memory. They will only revere and obey the King. For him, all intuitively look. Truthfully has one said, "If Christ is only a creature, his qualities can only occupy a certain space in the area of God's revelation of himself. We have not got to what is

ultimate and all-embracing in getting to him." We must in him find not only one who has “the words of eternal life," but who is in himself that life. Here he asserts boldly, disnot simply the bringer or

tinctly, repeatedly, that he is transmitter of life-but that he is its author, and gives it as he wills. This the apostle, in the beginning of his gospel, unqualifiedly declares: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men." That term when applied to Christ is not fully explained by the words, "improvement," "inspiration," "comfort," "vigor," as we commonly use them in speaking of the influence of mortals. It is a splendid tribute to any one else thus to be rated. It is no honor to him, if it be not more; if it mean not that elemental principle through which any and all others have been able to exhibit these excellent graces; if it ascribe not to him, alone, the source of all virtue in the universe. The infinite and not the partial representation of God must appear to his children if they will recognize, trust and love him. Yet, while the created cannot reach to the measure of the uncreated, it is gifted with faculties to perceive Him from whom it has come. "So akin," writes Canon Gore, "are God and man to one another, that God can really exist under conditions of manhood without ceasing to be and to reveal God; and man can be taken to be the organ of Godhead without one whit ceasing to be human." That great truth, so hard for philosopher or little child to receive, is stated in this passage.

I. One of the most noticeable characteristics of the teaching of Jesus was the revelation of

The Fatherhood of God.

For us, taught from infancy when we pray to say "Our Father," it is not easy to understand what a revolution that title, as first used by Jesus, made in the religious conceptions of the people. Psalmist and prophet in Israel had, it is true, in a rhetorical way, thus represented God.

His personality was rather official. Their thought of him was vague and severe. It was not that of one intimately acquainted with and concerned for his offspring. Though they did speak of his pity and perfect knowledge, yet it was of one "afar off." Though they might abide under his shadow and feel the guiding of his hand, they never dared to cry out in love or in distress, "My Father." That familiarity must have startled the chiding parents, when they found the youth of twelve in the temple engaged in his "Father's business." When later he outlined the right form of prayer, and began it with this simple and confident address, it was "like the creation of a new world." All ideals as to man's place and office here were changed, for he is, as never before perceived, the child of God. On that relation he is henceforth to presume. On the strength of such kinship Christ appeals to him to live holily and with the future home in mind. The Father's house and kingdom are for him to share. He is "native" there and "to the manner born."

The inference of brotherhood follows straight upon that of sonship. Hence hatreds and alienations among members of the same great family are criminal. So heaven is realized among those who see and act on that great truth Jesus first proclaimed.

II. He furthermore stated his Union with the Father in :

"What things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner." This is not the careful and perfect imitation by one, of what he has seen another perform. It is not following any pattern, but it is harmony of conception and action. Jesus was ever surprising the multitudes by creative acts. The dead were called back into life at his word; the sick were given health as he spoke; the sea brought its tribute at his command; the bread fed thousands as he gave

it; the winds and waters sank into quietness as he bade. The author of these visible forms was plainly moving among them as he chose. If men, in their thinking, attributed such powers to God only, and under the teaching of Jesus had come to regard him in the relation of Father, then they must conclude that the Son had equal ability. What could they name as an attribute of Deity which he too did not display? At the crucifixion they stated their test. The third day, the grave was seen to have had no dominion over him. He took his own way-not theirs— to vindicate his claims. Nowhere could any discover failure to accomplish what the Father might be expected to do in like circumstance. There was ever the same mysterious, yet faultless, showing of original faculties, so that none could charge him with being only an agent. He boldly and unanswerably pointed to his works as witnesses to his profession. When it was possible to find the least disagreement between the Jehovah of whom they spoke and himself, then was he to be denied allegiance. If, instead, they both seemed to act as one, he must be heeded.

It is God's province also to give the pardon of sin, since it is always, everywhere, a violation of his law. All sacrifice has forgiveness for its object. The priest might be appointed to pronounce it. But Jesus, without offering or appeal, did not hesitate to blot from the book of memory the offence of any. The hearers, but not the person thus absolved, cried out that such a word of remission was blasphemy. It would have been, in any other than God. The culprit stood by, an inward witness, in the presence of the law-giver and had his absolving word. What Aaron or Caiaphas might not presume to say in their own name he did in his. Then, and ever since, the sinner has found in the word from his lips, when bending at his feet, that "The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." His regal decree conflicts not with any will which the Father is

felt to have. The least variance between these two marks the Christ as an impostor. That is yet to be shown. Till then, he is entitled to speak with authority.

Jesus gave no details as to the manner of this union with the Father. We may not expect to do that, but are certain it must be one :

2. Of Sympathy.

Our Saviour spoke of his Father and addressed him and prayed to him and wrought his works. We sometimes see such close intimacy between persons that each seems to live in and for the other. Conflict of desire, of purpose, of imagination, is unknown between them. So exactly and instantly does one detect the thought and wish of the other, that they seem animated by a single soul. Neither could do the least thing which would disturb the other. Such a relation suggests, but does not define, that of Jesus and the Father. There were not two distinct and independent entities. The earthly Christ was in his life joined to and acting as the Father, so that, as he said, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing." What he did, God did; what God did, he did. Identical in choice, design, service, yet recognizing and depending on the Father, it was inconceivable that he should not always be the expression of the Father's will. Subordinate for the time, as the incarnate must be to the uncreated, he was like one to whom the greater discloses that which is known only to himself. So he speaks as if he were ignorant of the intent or methods of the Father, and must wait to have them communicated. One man only, in all the world, it is said, had the art of making the beautiful flowers and botanical specimens, in glass, which are the treasure of the Agassiz Museum. He shared the secret with his son. For the time, such absolute surrender of omniscence that the man Christ Jesus might be perfect in his humanity would imply that from the Father he received disclosures of things hid