When the disciples were alone with their Master, after the miracle of
casting the devil out of the child, they naturally asked, Why, as He
had given them authority to cast out evil spirits, they had not in
this case been able to do so? Jesus told them plainly, that it was
because their faith was weak; for that no miracle would be too hard
for them if they had a lively and increasing faith, or "faith as a
grain of mustard seed." This was an expression in common use amongst
the Jews, to signify something very _very_ small, because the mustard
seed was the least of all seeds. But when sown in the ground, the
plant grows from it quickly, and spreads in every direction, so as to
become quite a large plant: and thus it was very properly compared to
faith, which should always be increasing and growing stronger. Jesus
ended by reminding His disciples that, though He had given them
permission to work miracles, they would not have power to do so,
unless they prayed earnestly for it, and tried to lead holy lives.
After this, Jesus and His disciples passed through Galilee, on their
way to Capernaum. Again He spake to them of His sufferings, His death,
and His rising again on the third day. Still they did not understand:
they were exceedingly sorry to hear of such things as likely to befall
their beloved Master, but they did not like to ask any questions on
the subject. How little they yet understood the real nature of
Christ's kingdom is plain; for at this time "there arose a reasoning
(or disputing) among them, which of them should be greatest": as if
they still expected Jesus to be a king on earth, and appoint them to
places of trust and honour under Him.
When they were come to Capernaum, they, whose business it was to
collect the tribute-money for the service of the temple, "came to
Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute? He saith, Yes."
Jesus afterwards showed Peter, that He, being the Son of God, was
_not_ called upon to pay this tribute; for that earthly kings do not
take tribute from their own children, but only of their subjects, or
of strangers. Jesus, however, would not give the Jews any pretence for
saying, that He taught His disciples to be careless about the temple
and its worship, or to disobey the laws of the country; and therefore
He now worked a miracle, to provide the tribute-money required from
Him and His disciples.
When they were quietly in a house together, Jesus spake to the
disciples about their dispute by the way, as to who should be
greatest; and told them that all who wished to be really and truly His
disciples and followers must be humble and meek and obedient, as
little children _ought_ to be.
Many other things Jesus taught His disciples: and He told them a
parable (Matt. xviii. 13), to show us, that if we wish God to forgive
us our sins, we must be always willing to forgive those who have
offended against us.
After these things, Jesus chose out from those disciples who
constantly followed Him seventy persons; and desired them to go two
and two together, and enter into the cities which He meant by and by
to visit, and prepare the people to listen to Him. These seventy were
disciples, but none of them were Apostles: all the Apostles were
disciples, and are generally so called in Scripture; but all the
disciples were not, of course, Apostles. To these seventy, Jesus gave
many directions as to what they were to do and teach.
Jesus was at this time in Galilee; but as the time for keeping the
Feast of Tabernacles was drawing near, the brethren, or rather near
kinsmen of Jesus, begged Him to go into Judaea, and let all the people,
who would then be assembled in Jerusalem, see His works. They said,
"If thou do these things, show thyself unto the world. For neither did
his brethren believe in him." To a certain degree, His kinsmen did
believe in Jesus; but like the Jews in general, they expected that the
Messiah would be great and powerful upon earth, publicly acknowledged
and worshipped by all nations: and when they saw Jesus in such very
different circumstances, they had not faith enough to feel quite sure
that He was indeed the Messiah: they therefore wanted Him to take this
opportunity to make Himself known, by working miracles at Jerusalem:
this open display of His power would, they thought, strengthen the
faith of all who were already His disciples, and force the great men
among the Jews, as well as all the strangers collected together, to
acknowledge Him as the Messiah.
Jesus, who in all things sought only to do His Father's will, told
those who wished Him to go up at once to the Feast of Tabernacles
that it was not yet time for Him to do so: that, instead of receiving
Him as the Messiah, worldly men, who thought but little of God, would
all be against Him, because He showed them their sinfulness. But He
told His brethren, and those about Him, to "go up unto this feast."
After they were gone, our Lord followed them, privately taking His
journey through the country on the other side of the Jordan. Again the
people resorted unto Him, and He taught them as He was wont: "and
great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there." It is likely
that the Jews, expecting Jesus to go up to this feast, had laid some
plot for taking Him on His way: but it was not yet time for Him to lay
down His life, and therefore He thus avoided the danger; setting us an
example, not to run unnecessarily into danger, when we can avoid doing
so without neglecting any duty.
Meantime, the Jews assembled at Jerusalem for the Feast of
Tabernacles, seem to have been disappointed at not seeing Jesus there;
and enquired, "Where is he?" And "there was much murmuring among the
people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said,
Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit no man spake openly of him,
for fear of the Jews." The people had seen His miracles, and heard His
teaching; but all that they knew of His condition in life was so
unlike what they had expected of the Messiah, that they could not make
up their minds to acknowledge Him as the Son of God. They could not
understand all He said, for He spake of spiritual things,--things
belonging to the kingdom of heaven, which can be understood only by
those who give their whole heart to God. Some of these people, seeing
His holiness, allowed that He was a good man. Others objected to His
being called "good," because He tried to make people acknowledge Him
as the Messiah, which, according to their ideas, was deceiving the
people. But even those who were most inclined to believe in Him, dared
not speak openly in His favour, for fear of displeasing the Jewish
rulers, who were violently opposed to Him.
The Feast of Tabernacles lasted for eight days; and in the middle of
it Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, and immediately "went up into the
temple, and taught." His teaching greatly astonished all the learned
men, who knew that He had never been taught in any of the schools of
the Scribes; and they wondered how He could know so much of the books
of the Law and of the Prophets. Jesus told them plainly, that what He
taught He had learnt not from man, but from God Himself; and He
further said, that if any man were really desirous to do the Will of
God, he would be enabled to believe that all He taught was true. Other
things He said; but though His teaching might incline some of the
people to believe, they had got some idea that, when the Messiah came,
nothing would be known of His parents; and therefore they settled that
it was impossible He could be that Messiah. "We know this man whence
he is; but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is." Jesus
tried to show them that they were in error; for though they knew where
He was born, as man, and who His earthly parents were, this should not
prevent their believing that He was indeed sent by God, and had
another nature and being, of which they knew nothing. "Many of the
people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more
miracles than these which this man hath done?" They doubted whether
any one could do _more_ than Jesus had done: if not, then the only
reasonable conclusion would be, that He _must_, indeed, be the Christ,
the promised Messiah.
The Rulers of the Jews heard of these things said by the people, and
they would gladly have prevented His speaking any more to them: and
they sent officers to take Him: but in vain, for the time appointed
for His death was not yet come, and therefore the Lord kept Him in
safety, and would allow no man to hurt Him. Moreover, Jesus plainly
told them, that He should remain in the world a little longer, because
it was the Will of His Father that He should do so; and that then He
should go back to His Father, who had sent Him from heaven to preach
the Gospel upon earth. But the Jews did not understand His meaning;
and when He said, "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where
I am, thither ye cannot come," they said one to another, "Whither will
he go, that we shall not find him?" "What manner of saying is this
that He said?"