"Thy Son," in a unique sense, in a sense that transcends all human conception. "That Thy Son also may glorify Thee." The prayer is absolutely disinterested. What He invokes is something that would enable Him to glorify the Infinite Father. "The glorifying of the Father by the Son is the manifestation of God's glory in the completion of the Messianic glory by the mission of the Advocate, and the future victories of the Church." Is Ver. 2. "As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh." What is the idea here? it that power over all mankind in order that He may bestow upon someviz., the elect "Eternal life?" This is the current idea in what is called orthodox theology. But the words do not convey this idea. The translation of Dr. Samuel Davidson is, "That Thy Son may glorify Thee, even as Thou gavest Him authority over all flesh, that whatsoever Thou hast given Him He should give to them life everlasting." The following criticism explains this: "All flesh' represents a Greek translation of a Hebrew phrase. It occurs again in Matt. xxv. 22; Mark xiii. 20; Luke iii. 6; Acts ii. 17; Rom. iii. 20; 1 Cor. i. 29; and xv. 39; Gal. ii. 16; 1 Pet. i. 24. St. John uses it in this place only. Its especial signification is humanity as such, considered in its weakness and imperfection." "That He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him." "Literally, 'That all whom Thou gavest Him He may give to them eternal life (Comp. ver. 6). The word 'all' is in the Greek a neuter singular, and signifies collectively the whole body of humanity given to Christ. The word for "to them" is masculine and plural, and signifies the individual reception on the part of those to whom eternal life is given." (See Commentary for English Readers by Bishop Ellicott). Dean Alford's version is, "According as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that whatsoever Thou hast given Him to them He should give, SHOULD GIVE TO ALL MANKIND that they might know Thee, of eternal life it would seem it is not a physical but a moral quality, is not an endless state of being, but an endless moral mood of soul, consisting in a true knowledge of the great God and His blessed Son. Moral goodness is eternal life, and moral goodness consists in the highest spiritual intelligence. "Eternal life consists in the knowledge of the Father as the only Being answering to the ideal thought of God." -H. W. Watkins, M.A. HOMILETICS-These wonderful words may be taken as setting before us some of the supreme things in man's spiritual history. We have here suggested I. The supremePURPOSE OF EXISTENCE. What is that? To glorify the Father. For this Christ prays. "Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee." What is it to glorify God? It is not laudation, however enthusiastic and continuous. Because vain men are pleased with panegyrics and eulogiums, they foolishly imagine they will be acceptable to the Almighty, hence they compose laudatory hymns, set them to music and call their productions "Services of Song." It is not contributing in any way to the blessedness of His nature, or the grandeur of His being. This cannot be done! To glorify Him is to reveal Him in our character and life. Whatever creature works out the nature which God has given him in harmony with His will, glorifies Him. Thus the "heavens declare His glory." The soul that lives as God intended it to live manifests His glory. Thus we are commanded to glorify God in our body and our spirits, which are His. It is here indicated that we can only glorify God as He glorifies us. "Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee." As if He had said, I cannot glorify Thee, unless Thou wilt glorify Me. This is true of men; unless God will glorify us by enabling us to live according to His will, we cannot glorify Him. Were it possible for the orbs of heaven to reverse their course and rush into chaos, they would not show forth His glory; it is only as His creatures move in harmony with His eternal law that they radiate His glorious character. "Whatsoever ye do in word, or deed, do all to the glory of God." There is more of God seen in a divinely inspired and righteously regulated soul, than is seen in all the splendour of the heavens, the grandeur of the ocean, or the beauties of the earth. We have here suggested II. The supreme MISSION OF CHRIST. What is the grand object of this mission? To give to all men that which the Father gave Him-eternal life, that is eternal goodness. "As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him." In this verse there seem wrapt up several glorious truths: (1) That Christ is the Master of the human race. "Power over all flesh." "All power is given to Him in heaven and on earth.” His authority is absolute and independent, yet never interfering with the freedom of any of His subjects, and ever more estimating their services, not by their amount, but by their motive. Master of the human race by "Thou hast given Him power." (2) That Christ is the Divine appointment. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands." The Divine right of human kings is an impious fiction, but Christ reigns by Divine right, and therefore we should obey Him, and rejoice in His government. (3) That Christ is the Divinely appointed Master of the human race in order to make us happy. "That He should give eternal life." "Eternal life "—or goodness, is the supreme necessity of human nature. Moral goodness is essentially eternal, because God is eternal. Goodness is the incorruptible seed, the perennial river of life, the unfading crown. Sin is death, goodness is life.* We have here suggested What is that? III. The supreme SCIENCE OF MAN. "And this is life eternal that they might know Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." Sciences abound, the science of the organic and the inorganic, the science of matter and the science of mind; and these sciences are promoted and extolled amongst us. But unless a man knows the true God and His Christ-not with a mere speculative knowledge, but with a spiritual, sympathetic, and practical knowledge—all other knowledges are but meteors that flash across the heavens of mind, and leave the darkness more profound. I only really know the man with whose character I have an intense sympathy, and without this sympathy I know not God; and if I have this sympathy I have moral goodness, and this is "eternal life." The man who has this supreme science has "eternal life." Has it not the means to it—but itself; has it, not will have it-it is his, he has it already in possession. *For a fuller application of these thoughts, See HOMILIST, Vol. xxv., page 257. 383 Sermonic Saplings. GOD REASONING WITH MAN. "AND GOD SAID TO JONAH, DOEST THOU WELL TO BE ANGRY FOR THE GOURD ?" &c. Jonah iv. 9-11. HE book of Jonah is a strange history of a very strange man; a man whose piety is real, and whose prophetic life is associated with much that is romantic and exciting. The whole book developes at least the following truths (1) That the regard of heaven even under the old dispensation was not confined to the Jews. Jonah was sent to Nineveh, a city far away from Judea, whose population had neither kinship or sympathy with the Jewish people. It is represented as a bloody city, full of lies and robbery, its ferocious violence to captives is portrayed in its own monuments. The opinion that once prevailed very extensively in the Christian world, and which still prevails to a certain extent, that the Eternal Father confined His interest and communications entirely to the descendents of Abraham is without foundation; Nineveh, Egypt, and Babylon were as dear to Him as Jerusalem. He revealed Himself to Pharaoh as well as to Moses, and to Nebuchadnezzer as well as to Daniel. Another truth developed in this book is (2) That wickedness, if persisted in, must end in ruin. "Arise" says Jehovah to Jonah, "go to Nineveh and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." And because of its wickedness it was on the verge of destruction. So it ever is, sin leads |