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LIII. MASTER.

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.' Matt. xxiii. 10.

THIS word occurs one hundred and twenty-six times in the singular, and twenty-one times in the plural, and is applied to Jesus in thirty-three instances. The term is also applied to preachers and ministers of the word, Eccl. xii. 11. To such as teach or educate disciples or scholars, Luke vi. 40. To such as have rule over servants, Eph. vi. 5. To such as ambitiously affect vain applause or precedency, and superiority above others, Matt. xxiii. 10. such as judge, censure, or reprove others rashly without ground; rigidly above the merits of the cause; uncharitably aggravating their faults, and wresting things to the worst sense, or magisterially, out of a spirit of pride, ambition, or contradiction, James iii. 1.

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It appears that in our Lord's time, as well as in the present age, there were many who were excessively fond of high-sounding titles. The great Master saw this unhallowed ambition, and he designed to correct it, as may be seen from the whole tenor of his teachings, and especially from the scripture connected with the motto. The Pharisees were particularly fond of titles, insomuch that when the Master came, he found some of them bearing no less than

three. 'It is feigned,' says Dr. Lightfoot, 'that when king Jehoshaphat saw a disciple of the wise men, he rose up out of his throne, and embraced him, and said, Abbi Abbi, Rabbi Rabbi, Mori Mori, Father Father! Rabbi Rabbi! Master Master!' Here are the three titles which the great Master condemns in this chapter. These were greatly affected by the Jewish doctors.

The evident intention of the Master was to direct his disciples to him, and to him alone. They had looked to earthly masters, and now they were to be directed by a Master sent from heaven; one who was endowed with wisdom from on high. The scribes and Pharisees had made great pretensions, insomuch that they had deceived the people, and led them into the grossest errors. The world stood in need of a better Teacher, and God in mercy sent one from heaven; one bearing his own image; one who 'knew what was in man.' He taught new lessons, and presented new motives. Many of his sayings undoubtedly appeared paradoxical. On a certain occasion, 'the disciples came unto him, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily, I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.'* And in the verse following the motto, he said, ‘But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.' A singular way of teaching greatness! It was thus the Master led his scholars into his kingdom. It was

*Matt. xviii, 1-3.

indeed a new lesson to give to the world. Why not point to some mighty conqueror? Because there was this difference between the kingdom of this Master and the kingdoms of men; there was no other way of rising to honors in the former, but by humility and self-abasement. What a beautiful comment on the saying of the wise man, 'Before honor is humility.'

This great Master not only taught, but he carried out his own teachings. Henry Kirke White has finely expressed this in one of his hymns on the Redeemer :

'When Jesus, our great Master, came
To teach us in his Father's name,

In every act, in every thought,

He lived the precepts which he taught.'

See the many beautiful examples illustrative of this fact. Did he require self-denial of his disciples? Hear him when one said, 'Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest:' The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.'t Did he require humility? Behold him, amidst the thrilling incidents of the Last Supper, washing the feet of the disciples. After he had finished, he said, 'Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.' What a great moral lesson did our Master, even Christ, then set before the world! How few have imitated the lesson thus set by the great Master of assemblies! Did he John xiii. 12-14.

* Prov. xviii. 12. † Matt. viii. 20.

And

require benevolence towards our fellow-men? Before him was presented disease in every form, and he removed all by a word. There was no affliction too great for him to console, and no wound too deep for him to cure. 'He went about doing good.' His benevolence was untiring and inexhaustible, 'insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.'* Did our Master, even Christ, require resignation amidst the storms and tempests of affliction? Behold him in the garden of Gethsemane! Hear his prayer in the midst of his agony, when 'his sweat was as it were great drops of blood:' 'Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.'t How amiable does our Master appear in this agonizing scene! What resignation! What fervent devotion! What a perfect conformity to the will of the Father! What a blending of the Father and the Son! We feel almost as though we could say here, that the Father was the Son, and the Son was the Father! There was such a mingling and such a blending of characters that we begin to understand, and learn, seemingly, for the first time, the meaning of the declaration of the Master, 'I and my Father are one.' But human language cannot present this subject. As well attempt to paint the rainbow! The heart only has a language. To see, to know the real character of this Master, there must

* Matt. xv. 31. † Luke xxii. 42-44.

John x. 30.

be a conformity to his precepts, a purity of life. 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'* Ah! I can now see why our Master is so often rejected. The world is too corrupt. I understand now the scoffs of the infidel. He has never experienced the love of the great Master, and therefore he derides his holy name. But it will not be always so, for it is written, "They shall look on him whom they pierced.'+ Blessed be God for this consoling promise. Did we believe that sin and infidelity would reign forever, we could feel no ardor to go forward in the great Master's cause, but having the mighty promises to rest on, 'thank God and We take courage.' Do we want a kind and compassionate Master? Then look to Jesus. Such gentleness, such compassion, never before met in a single individual. Hear his gentle, his pressing invitation, 'Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' This is what the sinner has long sought for. This Master comes, and not only calls, but knocks, and kindly invites you to receive him into your house as your friend and Saviour. And he not only knocks, but he stands there waiting, and yet you are backward and unwilling. And not only so, but he makes promises what he will do, if you will admit him: 'If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.' Though you may be ever so poor, ignorant or blind, yet this

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